A cool person asked me on Bluesky for advice for up and coming comics writers the other night, and a lot of people seemed to appreciate the thread I posted in response. So I’ve collected it here so people can find it easily. Enjoy — and have fun!

Make comics. Actually make them and FINISH them and MOVE ON and make another one and another. Start small. Make a one panel comic. Make a one page comic. Make a two or three page comic. Make a five page comic. Now you’ve really learned something! Keep going.

And if you can’t find an artist, draw yourself. Even if it’s just for yourself, something you might never show anyone. Write and draw these small comics projects and you’ll learn so much.

I came up through film, and learning to do all the jobs on no budget short films was HUGE for learning.

Also read a lot. And not just comics. Go to plays, watch documentaries, learn about stuff. Literally anything you actually read and learn about anything you’re interested in will make you a better storyteller. Your little weird obsessions? That’s what makes you and your stories interesting.

Also: if a club won’t let you in, screw ’em. Find your own people and build your audience. Easier said than done, I know. Takes years, usually. But chasing after specific awards or honors or credentials can be a sucker’s game. Build your own audience, step by step.

These are lessons I learned in film in the 1990s from folks like Wayne Wang and Spike Lee. I knew that as an Asian American trying to make movies with non-white characters I was gonna have a hard time. Just had to find my compatriots and make it happen and build an audience, step by step.

Also too: regarding all those little short comics you’re making? A bunch of them will be terrible! And that’s OKAY! Give yourself permission to suck. You’re LEARNING! Genius is a myth, seriously. Everyone sucks until they really work at it and figure stuff out and get better. Embrace that!