"He Moves His Words Like A Prizefighter"

So lately I've started becoming somewhat...dissatisfied with my writing, in terms of comics, prose, and poetry. I guess I just keep thinking of the things I want to do in those various forms, and then see the stuff I'm able to produce, and there's a wee bit of a gap between the two.

The biggest problem I'm having is with my ability to characterize. I know how I want the various characters in Crooked Halo to act and interact, but I don't know that I'm conveying those relationships or personalities very effectively. I fear that the characters come across more as vehicles for a particular gag than living, breathing individuals.

Admittedly, part of the problem is that I have unrealistic expectations for myself. I think that I ought to be able to craft characters who are real in three panels three times a week and still make the overall comic funny, engaging, and entertaining. I know that sort of thing is possible--I see cartoonists do it all the time--but I don't know that it's what I'm doing.

Basically, I want the characters to be as fully-formed in the comics as they are in my head. Moreso, even. I want them to transcend mere labels--Simon as more than the "nice guy," Jerome as more than the "wacky roommate," Wolfgang as more than the "slacker," Andrea as more than "the female character" (God, I've done so little with her! What's wrong with me? Oh yeah, I'm not very good at writing women), Tammy as more than "the succubus/whore." I think Earl is a fairly well-developed character, with specific motivations, purposes, personality, and urges (even if they don't make sense to any sane person). Tim is sketched in broad outlines, but there's a hint of more depth to him, I think. Clyde is...hell, Clyde is my brother, through and through.

I dunno, maybe these are unreasonable concerns or annoyances on my part. Perhaps the characters are better than I think they are. I do think my characterization has gotten stronger as I've done more of the comics (almost 250 since we joined Keenspace). I know several people really enjoy my stuff and really like my characters. I also know a couple of the characters come across (at least at times) as flat, two-dimensional, and even occasionally boring (let's face it--Simon is not the most interesting character, even if he is supposed to be the main character. He's the straight man, the everyman, the one everything happens to but does very little himself. He's the weirdness magnet).

Point is, I want to write the comic (and my short stories and all that) better than I do now. I want my ideas to be fully-formed, total and complete, not just "oh, well, this was the best I could do." I want it better, I want more, and I don't even know how I'm going to manage it.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: George Harrison, "I Live For You"