Variation is the key to not getting bored
Last week, I did something I’ve never really done before: I started reading up on JavaScript and played around with it a little bit… and to my great surprise, it was lots and lots of fun.
Okay, I need to give a short technical explanation here. Skip past this paragraph if you already know this — but basically, there are two kinds of scripting on web pages: Client-side scripting, and server-side scripting. Client-side scripting, like JavaScript, is a script in the HTML source code. When you load a website with JavaScript on it, your browser reads the code and executes the script. Server-side scripting, however, like PHP, is executed on the server before the web page is loaded in the browser. Meaning, when I make a website in PHP and you read the source code of it, you won’t even see my script because, as far as your browser knows, it’s not even there. Both these techniques have advantages and disadvantages. For instance, JavaScript is a lot faster because it lets you do big operations that change the page without having to load the whole page over again. However, different browsers react to JavaScript in different ways, and some doesn’t react to it at all, so if I make something in JavaScript I really have no idea exactly how it will work on your computer.
That last point is pretty important, and since you can do most of the things JavaScript offers in server-side scripts anyway, I’ve always been a fond user of PHP. And one side-effect of that is that I’ve never actually learned JavaScript. Since I run websites and want them to run as smoothly as possible, that’s really something I should learn. So now I’m learning JavaScript, and it’s lots and lots of fun.
How can it be that learning a script language that I’ve disliked for so many years can be so fun? Well, I still think that there are many areas where it shouldn’t be used. To be honest, I think that the fun has nothing to do with the script language itself. I think I enjoy this so much because I really like learning new things and doing things I haven’t had the opportunity to do before. I’m learning a new scripting technology again, just like I was when I was learning PHP, and the experience fascinates me. And while I still prefer PHP, I don’t do much PHP scripting anymore: It has become a routine, so now it’s a borderline boring experience.
If you’re new here, you’re thinking “Yeah, but has this anything to do with comics?” If you’ve read my posts before, you’re probably thinking “Now let’s see how he’s linking this to comics!”
My point is, I believe that this applies to everything. The JavaScript thing is a recent experience, but it’s not the only experience I can give. I could talk about how I changed jobs two months ago and how the new job feels a lot more exciting than the old one even though it’s not really that different a job. Or, to use an actual comics-related example, let’s talk about scripts. There are basically two ways of making scripts for Disney comics — you either write a full script, or you draw scribbles of the entire story. I’ve mostly written full scripts, but Egmont really prefers the scribbles way, so last year I did an attempt of making scribbles for a couple of stories. I later stopped because… well, I draw like a vombat, but for the couple of stories I actually scribbled, it was a new and exciting experience. And it was fun — even though I don’t really like drawing. And another comics-related example is that I just submitted something for the Nemi scriptwriting contest (yeah, that’s why I haven’t updated this blog in a while, sorry about that) — I could have chosen a genre I’m comfortable with and that I have lots of experience from, but instead I chose to write something I’ve never really made before: A pitch for a drama/sci-fi concept. I really enjoyed writing it, too.
You see the pattern? It doesn’t really matter what you’re doing. This isn’t specific for client-side scripting or getting a new job: It goes for making webcomics, too. If you’re offered a bit of variation, and you’re at least a tiny bit like me, your brain will enjoy the variation. No matter how much you love doing something, it can become stale and repetitive if you don’t do anything else. I believe that if making your comic bores you, your readers will pick up on it, so: If you get the opportunity to do something different, do it. You will enjoy it, and your readers will notice that you enjoy it, so they’ll enjoy it too.
Have you always wanted to try making comics with watercolors? What’s the harm in trying it? If you don’t like it you can go back to the way you work today, it will still be an interesting challenge. Do you make comic strips with one gag a day, but dream about telling a story spanning over several pages? Try it — you can always go back if you don’t like it. Are you fascinated by infinite canvas comics and want to try making one? What’s stopping you? Variate, variate, variate. Of course, everything with moderation, you don’t want to scare away your readers with too much experimentation. But one of the worst tihings that can happen to you when you have a creative profession is that you get bored from your job. Avoid that whenever you can: If you see a chance to do something different, do it, and it’ll probably be a lot more interesting than going through the motions one more time.
When your job is to entertain others, you should have fun yourself, too. Variation is one way of doing just that.
Thanks for the random link, even if you sort of linked more to yourself than to me.
1