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[jcromartie]

I wanted to share this wonderful piece by the author of gapingvoid.com's business card cartoons.  The site hosting the PDF version calls it a manifesto, and it very well may be one.

It is very inspiring in a practical way, and applies very much to independent creative efforts like game development.  The most important parts, to me, are about keeping your day job and making boundaries about what you are willing to relinquish control of, and making a business out of something you love.

On the other hand, if you go full-time as an indie game dev you may be able to divide your work into the money-making titles (most likely derivative casual garbage) and the true creative bits (the wonderful doujin and retro or experimental works that we all love here).

Anyway, read it, and think about it, and then see if you're willing to apply it to your life.  I guarantee you will enjoy the cartoons, at least.

[Alec]

Lovely

[Saint]

It was a really inspiring read. Most of the stuff he's saying isn't really new ("Do what you're good at", "Don't compromise your vision" etc), but as with most insightful comments it's not what you say but the way it's expressed so you get it in new ways.

It was quite clear that he was an avid follower of his "Sex & Cash" theory, and you could tell from his text that what he did, he did alone (even if he hadn't said so). I don't agree with him completely on the first point, and I think part of that has to  do with the second.

So no, I'm not willing to apply it to my life, but I'll probably think about it from time to time. And yes, the cartoons were enjoyable =)

[Kianis]

I've read this before and have returned to it many times.
It's just shock full of wisdom

Under point 4 there's a sentence that has become my mantra,
I call it the Universal Truth of Creativity

Things are made slowly and in pain.

[Melly]

This actually came in good timing. Lately i've been having ideas for projects, but I would get worried about what people would think of some of my more unorthodox tastes. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't click with a lot of people.

Maybe I should stop giving a shit and show people what I can do and what I'm like, whether they enjoy it or not.

[mjau]

Under point 4 there's a sentence that has become my mantra,
I call it the Universal Truth of Creativity

Things are made slowly and in pain.

Yes.

Some things, at least.  Other things come in quick bursts of joy.  It's a balance, I guess.

Maybe I should stop giving a shit and show people what I can do and what I'm like, whether they enjoy it or not.

Did you notice the contradiction there?  If you have to show people, you're already caring; not if they enjoy it or not but that they see what you do, know what you can do.  If you never show your stuff to other people, noone will even know that it exists, but if you truly don't care that wouldn't be a problem.  It might be a loss for other people who would enjoy it, but that's caring again.

But, caring isn't just a bad thing.  I don't think complete independence of everything should be a goal.  Humans are social creatures after all, interaction and communication with others is such an integrated part of us that I doubt it'd be possible to escape it completely (unless you're a hermit I guess).  Caring makes us human.

Just don't let it control you too much.

[jcromartie]

But, caring isn't just a bad thing.  I don't think complete independence of everything should be a goal.  Humans are social creatures after all, interaction and communication with others is such an integrated part of us that I doubt it'd be possible to escape it completely, even if someone wanted to.  Caring makes us human.

Just don't let it control you too much.

To paraphrase the article: people can either like your work more, or more people can like it.  You have to water it down to reach a large audience, but unless you've made something truly awful (or even in that case) there will be some subset of all people that will absolutely love it.  Sometimes you strike a good balance, and you find a lot of people loving your work without compromising it.  Among indie games Cave Story probably did it best so far.

[Melly]

If I make my own stuff and express myself through it I still wants others to at least be able to reach my work and tell me what they think. Too bad if they don't like it based on my own tastes on the subject, but I still enjoy getting constructive criticism, even if not to change my work but just to know what people think of it. It's a curiosity I have.

I just don't like the idea of making something and just leaving it in the back of my hard drive forever hidden. I'd like to give myself the possibility of at least finding some people that enjoy my style of work, as small a group as it may be.

I doubt the article's writer feels you should stop caring to the point of not showing it to anyone. He shows his work, he just doesn't mind if people don't 'get' it.

[mjau]

Right.  I didn't mean to suggest that people should stop caring to the point of never showing off their work, rather the opposite.  It's okay to care a little bit .  Not showing off your stuff to anyone would be a loss for everyone, maybe even the people who don't actually like it (though it's also okay not to care about them).  An experience doesn't have to be good to be valuable.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that things aren't just black and white.  Just don't get obsessive.

Perhaps I should read the article before commenting on it though

[Headmade]

This actually came in good timing. Lately i've been having ideas for projects, but I would get worried about what people would think of some of my more unorthodox tastes. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't click with a lot of people.

Maybe I should stop giving a shit and show people what I can do and what I'm like, whether they enjoy it or not.

You could of course post it anonymously.

[Melly]

The internet's got that covered. Besides, my personal tastes aren't that controversial.

Well, besides maybe a pornographic game or two.

Oh please, like you people never thought of doing the same.