TWCL

[plughead]

Hey everyone

Just recently became a father, and I had an idea to start up a new resource/list site for webcomic parents. Many creators have children now, and I thought it would be great for webcomicking parents to connect and discuss how they cope and still put out a webcomic.

Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions? Thanks!
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Take care

Stef

http://sarahzero.com

[Spencey]

Congratulations!! All the best to you and your new family.

I'm a fairly new Dad myself, my son having been born in May last year. You may find, like I did, that the time you are able to devote to your comic will decrease (dramatically in the first few months). However, with a little determination and some compromises you can keep it going. For me, cutting down to one update a week (rather than two) was necessary.

However, a webcomic is a nice reminder of your life before, as it is easy to get swept up in the relentless schedule of looking after a new-born baby.

Congratulations once again and good luck.
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[ttallan]

What a great idea! And congratulations!

You know what I would like? I hope this doesn't sound hopelessly sexist, but I'd like a discussion for mom cartoonists. This has been on my mind a lot recently. I know lots of successful cartoonist dads, but the number of successful cartoonist moms that come to mind is vanishingly small. I keep looking for mom cartoonists that could be a role model for me. I'm pleased that there are so many more women in comics and webcomics these days who are doing really well, but nearly all of them have no kids! That's kind of worrying, from my point of view.

For those moms who've made a successful comics career, how did they do it? Especially when the kids were small?
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[plughead]

Thanks both for the congrats!

Spencey: You're right about the time. I've recently started on this "pomodoro" time-management technique I recently read about on Lifehacker. Forcing myself to get little things done (like this post), before that timer bell rings is quite the motivator.

Tara: I think you're totally right about not many comic/webcomic women having kids. There's Crystal, for sure, but aside from you and her, I'm not sure who else has little ones. A fb group might be a nice place to set up a home base, but I'm not a member. So my next thought was a forum, but I'm not sure that would meet with any success. I'll ask around for moms on Twitter and G+!
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Take care

Stef

http://sarahzero.com

[katastrophe]

ttallan wrote:

For those moms who've made a successful comics career, how did they do it? Especially when the kids were small?

*holds up hand*

I don't know that "successful" describes my comic (these days I'll settle for "updating"), and there were some massive hiatuses during late pregnancy/early kid days. Even now it only takes a small disruption to throw me off stride. But.

I have a couple of advantages: I work for my family, so I can haul my kid to work with me; and my husband works from home, meaning he's often available for child care. This is a huge deal from a sanity point of view and occasionally I can even carve out a few hours of work time.

The rest has been pure bloody-minded scheduling. The kidlet goes down for the night at seven and wakes up around eight the next morning (seems long, I know, but then she doesn't nap.) This is My Time and as much of it as possible goes to comics -- other things that I can do with a kidlet on the floor, on the bed, or on my back, like cooking and cleaning, get done while she's awake or not at all. I work from seven to eleven or so and then get up at seven am to eke out another hour before I am Mom again. It doesn't always work -- I can count on three, maybe four nights a week where My Time doesn't get eaten by other stuff, and I have the nasty habit of staying up too late (I am less productive at night) and thus losing that short but productive morning time. But it's kept me on a very nearly normal schedule since the beginning of December, so I'll take it.

If it isn't obvious I too would find this a useful site. Anyone got any advice on how to keep a mobile ten-month-old from destroying your bookshelves?
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[ewomack]

We don't have kids, but we do have birds...

Somehow I feel that doesn't count...

(lurks out of thread)
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Ed Womack

[ttallan]

katastrophe wrote:

Anyone got any advice on how to keep a mobile ten-month-old from destroying your bookshelves?

Well, you can take comfort in the fact that the kidlet is building a lifelong habit of being interested in books...? I still can't get my son to sit down and read stories, although he eats up factoid non-fiction and cartoon collections.

Wait, is it the books at risk or just the shelves?
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[katastrophe]

ttallan wrote:

Wait, is it the books at risk or just the shelves?

Some of the smaller shelves may need to be secured to the wall -- she's at the stage where she wants to pull up on everything (and I do mean everything. Our dog is developing a permanent hunted expression.) But mostly it's the books. They are the most awesome toys EVER, especially since there's such an endless supply to be pulled out onto the floor. I wouldn't mind so much if she didn't insist on tasting them, or if she didn't have such a love of ripping paper. I haven't lost any pages yet, but it's only a matter of time.

On the bright side, she does seem to like reading -- she has her own supply of board books and they fascinate her. She likes it when we read books to her too; my parents have been putting her to sleep with The Jungle Book. Obviously she's still too young to follow a story, but I'm hopeful....
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[tommi2]

i would like to say that things would became easier when children grow up... but it would be a lie... i have 2 teenagers..
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Gunmonkey - the worst superhero ever

[Lavenderbard]

I have a 21 year old a 19 year old a 17 year old a 15 year old a 13 year old and an 11 year old. I don't get why people think having teen-agers is hard. Mine give me no trouble at all.

The bookshelf thing... get the kind of bookcase that has doored cupboards on the bottom, and install baby-proof latches, and/or install doors on your existing shelves. Other than that, move all the books up, and use the space at the bottom for toys.

And yes, DO make sure the bookcases are properly secured.

I used to have a chewed on thesaurus around here. When people saw it, they assumed the dog had been at it. Uh.... no. Dogs have sharper teeth.
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[wendyw]

If you'd like, and I realise that you might not want it, this could be done as a section on the forums here. That's if you want it of course.

I've posted a poll on the subject.

Thoughts?
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Blog

[Kallisti]

I have a kidling, a highly mobile 2.5 year old who regularly steals the spotlight in Webcomic Hell.
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[plughead]

I think this would be pretty awesome to have a dedicated section here rather than me trying to scratchbuild a site on my own.

Thanks, Wendy!
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Take care

Stef

http://sarahzero.com

[YatesofYore]

Dedicated section FTW. I would try my very best to get time away from the evil monkeys to actually post in it!

[wendyw]

We have a new forum.

http://www.thewebcomiclist.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=16
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