Why working hard is more important than being talented
What makes the difference at the very top?
If there’s one thing that sets the very top artists and writers apart it’s an ability to work really hard and turn round top quality work quickly and relentlessly.
I’m not in that category. But I know a lot of the top creators to chat to, and I see what’s making the difference for them.
I don’t want to be namedroppy, so let’s just say I spent a lot of time this year chatting to a multiple Eisner award-winning top-selling artist about this and that, and in doing so it casually became obvious that he was drawing three times faster than anyone else I knew in comics. And it was all great stuff. That’s why he’s at the top of the tree.
Same goes for his buddy, one of the top five artists in comics over the last twenty years, who is famously malleable, helpful, and cheerful to all editorial feedback and redraw requests, and speedily productive.
I watched one of the top cover artists at Marvel complete a stunning cover incorporating all feedback and revisions in a day, amazingly enough. And when I asked the editor about it he said, yeah, that’s normal, that’s why I use him so much. No wonder he’s so busy.
I was having a chat with another editor last week, and he mentioned that all the very biggest superstar names in comics will get back to him within half-an-hour of sending out a message. They’re all such big names that I assume they don’t need the money or the work, but they’re on it. And the writers or artists who take a day or two to respond don’t get much work from this editor. Editors need stuff done fast, from people they can always rely on.
I’m trying to get faster. But if you can’t be fast, your stuff needs to be exceptionally good. A few artists have had great careers like that, where people are prepared to wait, and a couple of exceptional books they made keep selling year on year. I’d like to be both fast and good, so that’s the next hill for me to climb.
I went up to a few creators I admire with trading cards at Thought Bubble, and asked them to write down an inspirational quote to keep me going for the next six months in my studio. And what was noticeable was all the more successful creators were very practical - Stop dicking about and get on with it. Don’t think, draw. Throw words down and then fix them - advice like that. And the hobbyists were more spiritual and emotionally inspiring, because they were doing it for fun and not for a living.
Both approaches are important, but if you want sustained success at the top of any creative field you really have to outwork your rivals one way or another. Be smarter, faster, or better. At least two out of three.
There’s a lot of talented people out there who never make it. And a lot of people making it who aren’t that talented, but have worked so hard for years you wouldn’t know it. Talent without hard work is just unfulfilled promise. When it comes to talent vs relentless graft, the latter usually makes the difference.
Some people get lucky. But you know what turns luck in your favour? Always putting yourself in a position where you might get lucky, by working at it constantly. If you don’t take shots you can’t score.
And if you’re constantly churning out work, inspiration will strike and magic will happen more often than if you sit around waiting for it. Michelangelo famously considered it a good day’s sculpting if there was a pile of marble chips on his studio floor at the end of every day. And he had more inspired moments than anyone.
And this doesn’t just apply to getting hired. When it comes to crowdfunding I don’t know anyone who’s worked harder or smarter over the last few years than Simone and the whole Enhanced team. They’ve turned what could’ve been just another cool comic into a genuine sensation, by doing a huge amount of work behind the scenes building their community and making then selling their excellent books.
So while you’re waiting for Chrome Roses please check out their work on KS, they deserve it...
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Right, back to the grindstone. These comics don’t make themselves you know.
If you backed Chrome Roses look out for my surveys tomorrow in my Kickstarter.
More soon
Cheers
Monty
Ric Estrada, one of my teachers at the Kubert School, constantly reminded us of three things:
1) Be Reliable
2) Be Talented
3) Be Likable
He said if you were any 2 of those 3, you could have a career in comics. And I think, by and large, that still holds.