I am always looking for new ways to explore, both in running and in making comics. I never know where I’m going to find a new idea or a new technique that I never discovered before. While running, I’ll usually go down side streets and closed roads because I have a lot of miles to go and those side streets really add up. Every little 1/4 mile when I come back out the streets adds 1/2 mile to the journey. Every single step you take in making comics will put you further to your goal of being a great creator.

Well what do you do when one of those roads lead to a dead-end? The world says “this way won’t work.” “You can’t make comics that way.” “Stop.” “Nothing To See Here.” “Stay on the Main Road.” I’ll tell you what, there is life at the dead-end. There is always things to see you may not be able to at any other place.

I went down one dead-end and I saw tractors, beautiful horses, a lot of active and fascinating life. The same thing is true in my comics journey. Sometimes not everything goes as planned as you’d like to see comics being put together, and you have to find ways to do things a little bit differently. An artist will bail on you, your favorite nib will break, your daughter will steal you favorite inking brush, your entire inked pages you sent to the inker got smashed and soaked in a botched Fed-Ex delivery. You will have forgotten to save and lost 4 hours of coloring work. What are you going to do? Cry about it?

No, you are going to think positively about how you can turn this ill opportunity into your greatest creative moment. See what solutions you can come up with that will actually lead you into a greater, easier, more efficient solution in the future.

RUNNING WITH COMICS LESSON: Whatever the problem, whatever the mess, whatever the blunder, whatever the dead-end, know there is always a creative solution to the problem and new life to be found. Find the way to make it happen.