tbh it's hard to devote myself to work when all of it ever amounting to anything is completely at the whims of a publisher picking it up, and THEY'RE all at the whim of tariffs and censorship, and meanwhile it all hinges on whether hello sunshine will do well in a recession of economics and rights - ThreadSky

keezyyoung.bsky.social • 48 days ago

tbh it's hard to devote myself to work when all of it ever amounting to anything is completely at the whims of a publisher picking it up, and THEY'RE all at the whim of tariffs and censorship, and meanwhile it all hinges on whether hello sunshine will do well in a recession of economics and rights

Comments

nonvieta.bsky.social•48 days ago

This feeling has been making it SO hard to enthusiastically throw myself into work...I've been working a lot but it's almost escapism, because every time I stop and THINK about it I get so stressed about how hard all of this is and comics are ALREADY a really under-appreciated medium in the US...

nonvieta.bsky.social•48 days ago

And that goes double if you're making work that isn't for young children or safely in particular lanes. There's nothing lesser about that work I just wish we could acknowledge that the industry props up a very particular kind of comic and is really skittish about things outside of it.

nonvieta.bsky.social•48 days ago

I'm not trying to add more negativity, I just feel you 100%. You deserve to not only want all those things but to have a chance at them, and it's wildly frustrating that it has to be so hard and everyone is supposed to pretend it's not or pretend they don't care about making a living or recognition.

unusualjuggernaut.bsky.social•48 days ago

I feel you so much and I'm.not even trying to publish on that level. What's the point in sci Fi about the future when it really doesn't seem like we're gonna make it...

jamesasmus.bsky.social•48 days ago

SSAAAAAME

brandonseifert.info•47 days ago

Yeah, I'm there too. I've *coincidently* not gotten much done the past two weeks.

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

I'm not saying I'm giving up or anything but god it's hard to invest any real effort in a system that's disintegrating around my ears as we speak, on the promise that people like me might still even have a place in it in 5-8 months

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

sorry, I know this is not upbeat haha. I'm really burned out on fear and uncertainty right now

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

there are just too many levels of "what if" right now to feel confidence that even if my work is good, even if it's the best work you've ever seen, even if it's a fucking masterpiece, that anybody will take a chance on it just due to it being queer or in color or because I'm not pre-famous enough

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

the thing is that everybody wants to reassure you that you can still make underground zines or whatever, and I respect that (so much) but zines don't pay the rent, reach my audience, or encompass my goals. it's like telling a park ranger that if they get fired they can still take walks outside

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

like yeah, that's true, and it's nice that they can do that, but that's not going to alleviate the fear or potential personal devastation they're facing

9b8ll.bsky.social•48 days ago

I Feel this a lot. Plus it's really hard to get in the mood when the World is going to Crap lately! You got this fam! You are skilled! :)

billieblabs.bsky.social•48 days ago

Entirely valid. I have stuff to do, but my body and mind are just white noise with everything going on. Laying down and just vibing to the Cranberries til I can get up and get back to the grind.

You got this. You're crazy skilled and a bad ass. 👍

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

laying down and just vibing is definitely where I'm at rn haha

nateboyles.bsky.social•48 days ago

I hope the tunes in the grass help ya! If it is at all helpful I am friends with the queer friendly Board game and comic store owner in the upper section of Aldrich's. I know it's not a lot but I think they'd be down to carry your work and maybe host a book selling or somethin

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

♥️♥️♥️

nateboyles.bsky.social•48 days ago

I am already getting my pre-order of Hello Sunshine through Connor, who runs the small book shop next to them and they are all super friendly. (I know them cuz I host the miniature painting nights for their shop)

crystalsmithart.bsky.social•48 days ago

Feel the same - but then I try to remind myself that once the story exists, once the art exists, there are other outlets and places it can go. Mini-comics, zines, subscription services, mini-animated stories, puppets, paintings, galleries, music vids, games, collector cards...

crystalsmithart.bsky.social•48 days ago

Depending on IPs and such of course. 🤪

brucereville.bsky.social•48 days ago

Your artwork is incredible - keep the faith - everything you are doing matters

arrhenius.bsky.social•48 days ago

Yes. Very much yes.

I have decided that, after 5.5 years of working on my TTRPG, the shitty timing of the tariff bullshit means that I’m not going to do a Kickstarter, not going to try & figure out how to start a small game publishing business. I’m just going to publish digitally and be bummed.

mistressofroses.bsky.social•48 days ago

As a reader even I'm disillusioned with the state of publishing and a lot of industries that hinge on creatives. Hearing about the same 20 books because they're the "safe bets" and meanwhile everyone else is left to just figure it out and pray some rando on tiktok will risk their algorithm for them.

zwlocklin.bsky.social•48 days ago

It’s not just that it’s discouraging (though it is!) but it’s hard to justify the time and energy you spend on something that will probably never amount to anything—and that difficulty is itself depressing—it’s just depressing all the way down. God I feel this right now.

cat-appreciator.bsky.social•47 days ago

I dunno how effective my hoping is but I’m really hoping Hello Sunshine is a huge success. I want to be able to say “I followed her on Bluesky before she was famous”. :)

keezyyoung.bsky.social•47 days ago

❤️❤️❤️

mishiiarts.bsky.social•48 days ago

If you ever need to dm and let off steam, mine are open! This was exactly what made me burn out on writing for a while haha

keezyyoung.bsky.social•48 days ago

it's rough out there rn 😭 thank you ♥️

johannamation.bsky.social•48 days ago

The eternal mood 😔so much of "success" in comics (and all of publishing) comes down to factors completely outside of our control and it sucks

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