A few years back Milholland (Something Positive) basically said - "A lot of you want me to quit my job and do this full time. So here's your chance to put your money where your mouth is. I need to raise $Xk dollars to get launched. Prove to me this is economically viable and I will do it.

And we did, and he did.

That's a lot different, though, than I want to stay home with my kiiiiiids don't make me get a joooob!

I bet a lot of other webcomic artists have actual jobs, too.

That we do.

I work 9 hour days with 2 hours of commuting.

Luckily, I keep busy with the knitting and the DS on public transit.

I've not updated in a looong time (And promise my art's gotten better since!). Mainly because my 11X14 scanner is Windows only, and I upgraded to a Mac (Not that a new OS is an upgrade, but my old laptop had 4G of hard drive space!) And I just recently got a new windows computer, so I've started work on it again (Like, within the past two days!)

Anyway, it's at www.sacredgroundscomic.com and seriously needs some work, it's been neglected since the OS thing!

S*P!!! :3 Hi S*P fan buddy. :D

That said, yes, a lot of them ask for donations, but they don't threaten to discontinue the comic for those.

Also, eight times a month update schedule? LAME. I've been to many "How to start your own webcomic" panels at several conventions, and the first thing they tell you is to make your comic interesting enough that people want to read and update frequently enough that people don't forget your comic.

Then again, I still read Megatokyo...every six months I go and read the three new comics he's posted. But I hate Fred Gallagher as a person sooo...

I'm sure they didn't at first.
It takes a lot to be able to quit your job to write a comic full time, let alone a webcomic.

Exactly! Thank you.

That's exactly what the writer for Questionable Content used to do. He never really said what his job was before the comic took off, but once it did, it became his full-time job. It's quite amusing to see his newsposts turn into LoopyFests because his sleep schedule has gotten all whacked out. :)

Anyone with good good fortune not to have to either work or be a leech on someone who does would do well to remember that is a privilege, not an entitlement.

I don't think it's a privilege or an entitlement. It's a choice and a perfectly valid one. I've had to make sacrifices and difficult choices in order to live the way I want to. I've also had to be very creative in finding ways to make a little money here and there. It works well for me and is they way I choose to live. I admire people who work their asses off day after day, but for those who can find ways not to work traditional jobs I say more power to them, especially those who manage to turn their passion into their lively-hood.

Seconded. I've worked in offices long enough to know that I will do anything to avoid that fate. I'm presently in school, single, no kids and hoping to get that degree so I wont' have to waste any more time making someone else rich while I get paid shit. I've never really bought into the "Work until you die" American work ethic. If someone can make a living from doing something they love, or by avoiding tradtional work, more power to 'em. I wanna know how they do it! =)

Yep. I've lost the Personality Sweepstakes every time when working in a private sector setting. I'm too blunt, and they live to kiss ass.
A girlfriend of mine works for the state of CA, and really likes it. It's not my thing, but it's been cool to see her really succeed in a workplace that's a good "fit" for her.

i seem to be the only person here who shares your viewpoint.

the last job i had literally made me want to kill myself each and every day as i made the trip there. luckily i got fired. my mental health has been much better. if i could find a job that didn't negatively affect my mental well being, i'm sure i'd change my mind. i'm currently going to school to try to find a field where that might happen, although i am not having much luck.

fortunately, my boyfriend is perfectly fine with supporting me, with his income from his tutoring job, scholarships/grants, and other. just as i supported him while i worked. that's called being in a relationship, not being a leech, you know, supporting eachother. he's also said that i can just not do anything and he'd still support me, but i don't think i'd want to do absolutely nothing productive all day. i also get paid by the va (gi bill, chapter 35) to go to school, so it's not really a big deal. my finances aren't much of a burden, since the only bill either of us has is the cable/internet/phone bill. oh and food, but since both of us use both of these things, it makes sense that we should both want to put money into them at times.

i think it would be mooching if i were to have joined this relationship solely for the purpose of him supporting me financially.

and lastly, i've always wanted to set up a donation site to get something that would change my life but i don't think it'd work. i don't have online followers. and i wouldn't be offering anything in return.

Because drawing is OMG so easy, it's not like having a real job at all!

The difference between a professional artist and a hobbyist is whether or not their work generates an income. She's asking people to help make it her job, she wants to work. Not an unreasonable request from fans as other people in her situation have found, like Milholland from Something Positive. I hope she manages, the world doesn't need another Walmart greeter.

Being busy and social is very much over-rated. The web donation thing is a bit much though.

Yep.

Pretty much.

If the "market" (re: readers) really want the comics, they can donate to help pay for it. Otherwise...

I wonder why she didn't have a donate button up all along? (Or maybe I missed it...)

I'm wondering what ellimayhem thinks about individuals with disabilities who cannot work, as well.

People who are not able to provide for themselves would therefore qualify for assistance then. DUH. It's not rocket science. Didn't think the obvious needed that much pioneering there.

And let's not forget "don't like to" and "not ABLE to" are two entirely distinct things. I'm talking about the former, since it apparently needs spelling out.

It's shameful that our own system reserves assistance for people who have bred instead of providing it to anyone who genuinely cannot work, regardless of their reproductive status.

Edited at 2008-12-21 10:16 pm (UTC)

You know what? It doesn't matter what people think unless they are the ones paying your bills. Sometimes I wonder if all the mental diagnosis being thrown out by psychiatrists are more due to an unwillingness of the patients to conform to society's standards or due to real mental conditions (not you specifically). People need to follow their bliss, whether it's through earning money through their hobbies or maybe just staying at home while the other partner is willing to accommodate this arrangement, whatever works.

Working is over-rated. I don't understand why people crab at those who stay at home. If it works for them and their marriage then it's nobody else's business.

Word.

Same here, regarding drawing. I'm an artist, too and I LOVE to draw. If people want to buy a commission from me fine. But I'm not going to withhold my art just because people aren't willing to pay to see it. I do it because I love it, and that's it.

I agree, and would love to make money from my own joys and talents.

But I'd never quit my real job to bank on it.
I'd also never quit my job for a child though, so I don't want to compare myself to this woman.

I have little respect for that type.

No point.

Huh? How's that?

Ah ha.

No, dumb bitches can be male too. But in this case they just happen to be female.

Ah, the English language an it's gender spesific insults.

Funny, Cause I do. Men can be cumguzzling guttersluts just as much as women. It's an equal opportunity insult.

What part of the world are you in, and the real important question, is it "soda" "pop" or "Coke"?

::Snerks::

O U SHOW'D ME!

So, you're saying you can use "Cumguzzling Gutterslut" against a male?

What's the gender of Douchebag?

Trying to figure out how I'm a misogynist...

Explain a little better?

So...is douchebag an appropriate insult? Why is Cumguzzling Gutterslut not when it applies just as well to men? Not like "Bitch" as that's a female dog, or Cunt, which is in reference to the female genitals. Men can be whores just as well as women can be, and they can be all about sucking as much cock as they can get?

Kind of like using 'breeder' for a BNP, when it's a part of the gay lexicon, isnt it? Words evolve, especially in a locality sense.

Quite often...actually. I guess that comes from being where I am, and being involved in the groups I am.

Slut, at least here, has evolved past being 'female' only.

Or...maybe I was talking about a personal situation that toally flew over your head?

Also, this.

Person A (M) is my SO.
Person B (F) is his adopted child lover.
Person C (F) is me.

Person A and C both have jobs, and are barely keeping our heads afloat in one of the most expensive areas in the US.

B wails about how hard she has it at home, and A decides that she should come live with us, but she'll be 'working' from home.

B does not work, B stays at home all day, online, and does absolutely nothing.

Therefore, B is taking advantage of C via A.

So, apparent 'sexist' remarks were directed towards B, who is, in fact, female, and doing the aforementioned things.

Do I think this about all people? No. Pretty much just her.

Sorry for hyjacking and confusing people. It's been a bad day.

Might be.

That would make this resulting conversation as equally pointless.

Still trying to figure out the misogynistic angle...

Because I don't like ONE woman, I don't like all women?

By definition, yeah I do:

hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.

No way in hell would I want anyone to be gangraped. I'd never wish that even on the people I dislike the most.

Um. Good for you?

Righto, because I hate ONE woman I'm a misogynist.

By definition, I would have to hate ALL women.

Which I don't.

Going by that logic doesn't that make all of us mycologists in one way or another, as I've heard a lot of hate roll through here for one woman or another.

Not her.

I could care less about her, to be honest, there's another woman who's doing that bullshit to me and my SO in my life. I projected, and just started to rant because the wounds were fresh.

I didn't do a very good job of explaining myself.

Best to the lady webcomicker, especially if she's selling merch to keep up with it, she's not doing any wrong.

Hey, thanks for being the only person who's actually listened.

And that is a super adorable cephalopod.

I'm actually working on knitting a nudibranch...as I've already knitted a Squid. Out of awesome pink mereno yarn.

I dont have pictures of mine before it was given away...and the nudibranch is currently in the 'shopping for yarn' stage, but lemme give you pictures of how they look when finished:

http://blog.designedlykristi.com/?p=287
Imagine him in a soft pink (With kind of wonky tentacles!)

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18849603
Not sure what colors I'm going to do mine in...but those are lovely

And OMG look at this guy!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=18818763

I totally recommend this person's patterns. They're cheap (The nudibranch was $4.00) and are super easy to read.

Awesome! Going crazy over equally awesome things is full of ... um. Awesome? ::laughs::

And thanks. ::laughs:: Really, I'm not the misognistic hatemonger I kinda came off as. Not really an excuse, it's just been a hard day and I was kind of RAWR! Yanno?

Wanna see what I'm workin' on now?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/3126577585_1ce7b9de59.jpg handwarmers! I'm going to give them to a friend of mine because she hates having things between her fingers, and she's off to ALASKA!

I meant to comment on the corgi too!
X)
I don't have mine in an icon though, so I can't show you. :(

She mentioned getting wallpapers and extra chapters and whatnot as a perk of donations ins a news post in June. Donations have been available to be made, but perhaps not enough is being donated?

THIS.