Hi folks.
I’m well-known for making short stories long, so I’ll get to the point: I am completely burned out, creatively. This is probably the worst case of burn-out I’ve had since I started drawing the strip. I no longer have the drive to do the one thing I’ve wanted to do since I was five years old: draw cartoons. This both sickens and saddens me.
Sure, working a full-time job for the first time in over nine years, coupled with a two-hour round-trip commute each day, is a contributing factor, but this malaise is something that has been building for well over two years now, if I’m being honest with myself.
After much soul-searching, I’ve decided that I need to take a sabbatical. Priests get to take one after five years; I guess cartoonists get to take them after nine? Making comics should be bringing me (and you all) joy. I just need to step away for a while and find that joy, that spark, again. Maybe with MeatShield, maybe with something else. I need to take the time to figure that out, too.
Also, not for nothing, but I’ve been at this for 9 1/2 years. Despite my stubbornness, I haven’t been able to make MeatShield profitable enough for it to be my full-time job. I’m not all about the money, but being able to keep your family fed and put a roof over their heads are important and valid concerns.
My sabbatical starts now - I apologize for doing so in the middle of a storyline. My tentative plan is to return on September 9, 2019, the ten-year anniversary of the strip. Thank you so much for the support you’ve shown me for all or part of the last 9 1/2 years. Whether you discovered MeatShield nine years ago or nine days ago, your support as readers has really made a difference.
So bear with me during this time of recovery and exploration. I’m looking forward to seeing what bigger and better things are out there for me creatively, and I can’t wait to share them with you.
Take care,
~Rob
Do what you need to do for yourself. That should always be first and foremost in any scheduling, especially in creative endeavors. Be well. 🙂
Take care, try and have fun with whatever you do in your spare time 🙂
I’m pleased you can take a step back and rest. The quality of your work seemed unchanged all through the pages I have been seeing. I found other artists approaches to their burnout to be interesting though, almost all (apart from the Foglios) seem to struggle here and there, so I think it is normal to seek a break. Rest well, recuperate, and if it is that you return here, you do return here, rest assured we mostly will be here waiting for you as well.
We will miss you while you’re gone. Take the time you need to reignite the creative spark. This is a good time to connect with people and run some D&D campaigns, visit some state parks and prepare for the coming things.
Your health and your family come first.
Take the time, soak up some leisure, recharge your muse.
Then, hopefully, what you can, when you can.
Nik
Good luck to you, Rob! We’ll look forward to seeing you again on Sept. 9, and I hope that you have a very good sabbatical! ^_~
Urf, that commute doesn’t sound fun.
Have a good sabbatical!
Take good care of yourself and your family. You have been very generous with your time and talent. Thanks.
Sorry to hear that you won’t be doing Meat Shield till September. Good luck with the sabbatical; I hope you are able to sort out the necessary Recreation and Recuperation to resume and continue webcomicing.!
I’m sure you’re getting a lot of fan art. Perhaps you could put some up during the intermission.
Also, when you come back maybe you could add some more merch. For instance, an image of Ch’p doing some kungfu in the monastery bakery. Caption: Kicks ‘n Cookies.
It is September 3 counting down the days for the original plan of 09/12 and and I am hoping your batteries have been recharged and you can get back to doing Meat Shield again. Take care of yourself and your family first.
I thought the original plan was 09/09. Waiting with baited breath…
::sniffs breath::
Dang. Gotta quit eating the bait.