Freewriting Journal Comics: Micro-Lesson and Sketchbook Project.
Helllooo! I’m Adam Ming, recently (at 40), I jumped into my dream job of being a picture book illustrator, and it is a DREAM of a job.
Once a week I send you a FREE letter that has a Micro-lesson, and a Sketchbook project that you can work on for the whole week (10 minutes a day). This is said letter!
If you have leanings towards a creative dream job - This is the place to start!
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Micro Lesson: Journal Comics
If you ask someone who gets ideas for a living, where they get their ideas from, they will either make something up or tell you that nobody knows.
Yet through excruciating pain, people seem to be able to pull ideas out of the ether. Today we’ll explore the 10-minute version of how to do this. But before we go there, lets peak at the longer version.
Here are some versions I’ve heard:
Walk to a cafe and draw whatever comes to mind for hours. Circle the ‘best’ ideas. turn that into the thing. -
Draw a lot of ideas, and take notice of the ones that make you feel something in your body. - Scott Adams
Write on stage, say something you find funny, and see how people respond and tweak for more impactful responses. - Louis C.K.
There is a formula here.
Generate material
Edit down
And while there are many ways to generate material.1. The tool we’re using is called freewriting and here’s how you do it.
As the sketchbook project for the week involves freewriting, I thought I’d give a quick interview if this is your first time.
What is Freewriting?
Imagine writing non-stop for a set period, letting thoughts flow without pausing for edits or corrections. That's freewriting. It’s about spontaneity, not grammar or coherence.
Why Freewrite?
Boost Creativity: Freewriting unlocks new ideas by bypassing your internal editor.
Overcome Writer’s Block: It’s your secret weapon against the blank page.
Enhance Writing Fluency: Practice makes perfect, and freewriting is a fantastic workout for your writing muscles.
How to Freewrite Effectively
Set a Timer: Start with 5 minutes. The time limit creates urgency and focus. (Instead of using a timer we’ll use a limited amount of space)
Write Continuously: Keep your pen moving or fingers typing. No stopping, no editing.
Use a Prompt: Stuck? Use a starter sentence like "the thought cricling my head today is …"
Avoid These Mistakes
Editing as You Go: Resist the urge to correct. Let the words and ideas flow unfiltered.
Aiming for Perfection: Freewriting isn’t about producing polished work. It’s about exploration.
Okay, I think you’re ready to free-write.
But wait, you signed up for sketchbook projects and this seems more like a writing project. Well in this week’s project freewriting is not the final outcome (it rarely is), but a means to an end. Which ultimately is a drawing.
Sketchbook Project: Journal Comics
Each day for a week, we will spend one sketchbook spread freewriting, and another page sketching a comic based on the free writing.
Here’s an example of what that process might feel like:
1.Freewrite:
Start with a word or sentence and just keep going. Next word, next sentence till you’re out space to write.
2.Resonance:
Read your material and pick out the most resonant bits. This could be words phrases or sentences. Circle them. You’ll be using these to create a new sentence.
3.Caption
We’re calling this next section caption. Take the circled material from the previous step, and turn that into the caption of your comic.
4. Draw the comic
Draw an icon or a scene complement or expand on your caption. If you did last week’s Show and Tell project, you’ll already know how to do this.
This whole project is inspired heavily by Grace Miceli’s work & Skillshare Class which I highly recommend.
Also
and I seem to be vibing in 2024, and she has an amazing 30-day sketching project that I also recommend. (I tried to not peek too often least I get influenced while I was writing my projects, but when I do peek, I find that we’re on the same page quite often!For example, Wendy also has a version of a Journal Comics prompt, which I’m excited to take a closer look at since I’ve already written this thing!
Gallery:
I’ve really been enjoying everything you’ve been sharing online with the #TENMINUTEARTIST on all the places and in the gallery. I think I’ll do a monthly roundup post featuring some of the people who’ve used the hashtag or posted on the galley. Stay tuned for that.
And here’s this week’s Gallery:
Happy Drawing!
I’ll be writing another email soon about what’s coming in February, and some of the highlights from this month.
PS: I was on a podcast, I’m excited to share that with you soon too!
Some (other) ways to generate material (instead of freewriting) :
Brainstorming Sessions: Set a timer for 10 minutes and jot down as many ideas as possible without self-editing. The goal is to generate a volume of ideas, not necessarily quality ideas at this stage.
Mind Mapping: Start with a central concept and quickly branch out to related ideas, allowing for a visual representation of thoughts and connections.
Word Association: Write down a word related to your project and list any words or ideas that come to mind in association with it. This can lead to unexpected and creative connections.
Quick Sketches: For visual projects, do rapid sketches or doodles. These don't need to be detailed; they are just to capture the essence of an idea.
The "What If" Technique: Pose 'what if' scenarios related to your project and jot down the possibilities that come to mind. This can lead to creative solutions and new ideas.
Use Prompts: Start with a creative prompt or question and explore it in writing or sketching. Prompts can come from various sources like books, online generators, or daily observations.
Observational Inspiration: Spend 10 minutes observing your surroundings or browsing through inspiring materials like art books, websites, or nature, and note down any ideas that come to mind.
Combine and Connect: Take two unrelated ideas and find a way to combine them into one. This can lead to unique and innovative concepts.
Sensory Stimulation: Listen to music, touch different textures, or smell various scents. Using your senses can trigger new ideas.
Rapid Idea Prototyping: If you have an idea, spend a few minutes creating a very basic prototype or model. This can be as simple as a drawing or a basic written outline.
I loved seeing the progression of your thought process through your notebook pages. I'm going to give that a try--even the drawing! Though I'm sure it won't look like much of anything. At least the words will be above to add to the description. :)
These are all great suggestions, thanks!