Stuck in Mud
Josue is starting a new journey into uncharted space: writing.
I never considered myself much of a writer. I don't have an education or background in it, and to write always felt like it involved more structure than I'd ever given myself in my creative work. I've always felt more comfortable with the word storyteller, since to me it alludes to something that is being orated, maybe even performed and it sounds much more magical to boot!
The single post-it where I conceived my one-pager, YOU MUST DESTROY.
Creating stories comes easy to me, its the way that I make my short comics. I've often described my process as streams of consciousness jotted down onto my sticky notes, much like catching flies in one of those hanging traps. I don't build to them (stories), as much as they just comes to me (this is mainly due to my off-and-on again relationship with Epiphany, who we will talk about at another time).
An example of the stream of consciousness writing I did for my short comic, SPACEWALK.
But writing, I've found, doesn't come to you. You have to sit with it like a lump of wet clay on the wheel, misshapen at first, but through the pounding, spinning, and some rather sensual shaping, you end up with a semblance of structure.
What I am trying to say, is that it is high-time I learn how to work my clay (lol gross).
I have been putting more effort into my writing via reading, writing journals, media reviews, and now, this newsletter. All of this in a concerted effort to develop my writing muscles as fully as I have my drawing muscles—no more missing leg day, people!
Rough sketches for a future short called Living the Dream.
Thank you for signing up for Transmissions from Hi8tus Space. I am excited to share more in-progress work, more of my thoughts on the creative process, and updates on my journey to get back into the comics industry. Next week we'll get into how my first experience at San Diego Comic Con this past weekend was a mixture of fear, self-doubt, and finally realization that I'm actually getting somewhere.
Song of the Week
Always yours,
Josue Cruz
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⚠️ CONTENT ZONE ⚠️
This is the part I try to sell you on something.
Don't forget to check out my latest review of Mary Shyne's new book You and Me on Repeat, along with the last episode of Recall/Redraw Season 2, where we draw Pokémon and where I learn what Pallet Town Fanfics are.
If you are interested in checking out more of my process, you can buy the E-Book version of Hi8tus Zine which includes addition 22 pages of process and commentary. Physical + E-Book bundles are also for sale!