Ghost in the Creator's Studio

[JamieRoberts]

So tomorrow you're hit by a bus, stung a thousand times by a swarm of mutant bees or carelessly tapdancing on top of an industrial meat grinder and suddenly... that's all, folks.

Before your afterlife begins, you have a little sit down with someone who looks remarkably like James Lipton who interviews you about your creative life. Now bear in mind, you have no more time to add to this life, so you can only talk retrospectively.

What kind of interview would you give, tomorrow? Would you be grateful, satisfied, funny, frustrated, bitter, proud or embarrassed? Could you say you've accomplished one or more of your goals? Did you use your time well or procrastinate at Olympic levels?

Microphone's on you, sport...

[CHWolf]

Frustrated and bitter.

Surprise.

[NaveenM]

Bitter and frustrated.

But seriously, I hope nothing like that were to happen, for a variety of reasons. But on the creative front, because I feel I'm just getting started! (Says guy who has been designing and editing TV commercials for 10 years).

[dmh_3000]

Frustrated since I'm really getting to a point where I'm releasing more stuff and by my next con I'll probably have enough books to fill a table. I'm almost ready to start releasing Trade Paperbacks for my comics. Also, there are so many more projects I want to do.

But I guess pleased, a little, since I've gotten further than some people in this industry who are older than I am and have been working at this for longer.

[NILgravity]

Disappointed. I have so many projects planned I will never finish them all before I die and I'm coming up with new ones every day.

[kamikaze]

Id say I came a long way from where I started making webcomics and still learning. Having fun creating my own worlds and characters but always coming up with ideas like NILgravity said. I just need to kickstart myself to not waste so much time. So Id say proud, frustrated but NEVER satisfied.

[JamieRoberts]

The reason I've put this morbid framework around the question is that I think as creators we tend to only fleetingly appreciate the successes of our lives or careers but are all too quick to then disregard them in the search for the next one. That's great and it shows a hunger which is vital, but if you remove the temptation to consider what might happen next month or next week and force yourself to look back on your accomplishments, it might just surprise you. At the same time, I kinda hope it highlights that anything can happen so there's no time like the present for getting down to it.

I'm getting the feeling (so far) that everyone's got something cooking which they'd hate to not finish, yeah? That's ALWAYS going to be the case, I bet. Nice to see some some pride shining through, though!

To be honest, I'd be a bit frustrated and disappointed in myself for not pushing as hard as I could have, but not bitter because nobody else is to blame for my disappointment. I'd be grateful to all of the great people I've met along the way; communities such as DW, friends and collaborators, pros who've offered advice, people who've stuck their neck out and given me work.

[Gav Heryng]

My response would be something like;

"Well, if you measure success by how much I played Modern Warfare..."

Gav