NOEL’S WORK

Describe your project!
The project I brought to Robin for help was the first three chapters of the script for my full-color, longform fantasy webcomic, The Thread That Binds. It was a huge story with a huge cast of characters, shown in many scenes and timelines woven together in a complex, organic way. Though I’m no longer creating this story in webcomic form, I did produce about 70 pages of work for this project before making that switch.

How long have you been creating?
I have been drawing comics, writing, and illustrating my entire life, but have been doing it professionally since about 2011, when I started my first webcomic, Ignition Zero and got my first serious publishing credit as a prose author. I have since completed that comic and published a Tarot deck and guidebook that’s in its second printing.

What are your current goals as a creator?
I currently strive to make art that tells stories for underrepresented people like myself, who have marginalized identities that shape how we view and experience the world in different ways. I want these stories to be the absolute best they can be, to really touch people and feel like an important part of their lives. That means recognizing that any large creative endeavor meant to be shared with others is actually a group effort, not an individual one.

THE NEED FOR A SOLUTION

What challenges led you to look for help?
Having written, drawn, and posted a webcomic on the fly before, I saw in retrospect how it was clearly a first draft of a story, with all the messiness that comes with that. This time around, I wanted to write a more polished script before diving in to drawing and releasing comic pages. I knew one of the best ways to do that would be to hire an editor to work with me on the script, to make sure the story beats were flowing and the character motivations were clear.

What did you try, prior to reaching out for help, to fix the problems you were running into?
Previously, I did everything myself and assumed that would be good enough. The results weren’t bad, but they weren’t at the level of quality I really desired. After writing an entire script for an 800 page comic, I was so wrapped up in it as the creator that I couldn’t tell what was working and what wasn’t just by puzzling it out on my own.

DECISION PROCESS

What was important to you when deciding to reach out?
It was important to me to find an editor who I felt would understand my vision. Someone who wouldn’t balk at the intended length of the project (800 comic pages), and would know how to handle the pacing and weaving needed for something so long. I knew I wanted someone who would be honest but not brutal about it, who would listen to my intentions rather than try to shape my project to their taste.

Why did you decide to contact me specifically?
I’ve known Robin and been following their work online now for many years. There’s a similarity in the size of projects we take on, as well as the themes, that made me certain Robin would have the knowledge and experience to understand what I needed. I knew Robin to be a kind, professional, dedicated person and storyteller, so I felt very comfortable reaching out to them specifically for editing work on this project.

IMPLEMENTATION

What was working together like?
Working with Robin was very easy! They approached the editing process by first asking me what I needed and what my intentions were with each chapter script. That made me feel secure in handing the work over to be reviewed; I always have a ton of anxiety around asking anyone for feedback, but I knew Robin was going in with the knowledge of what I wanted. It became even easier after our first discussion (via Skype, so we could have a real back and forth conversation to work out problems), as while it’s always difficult to hear feedback, everything Robin came back to me with made sense and made the story stronger. Since we chatted about the feedback over voice, we were also able to have discussions that really got to the heart of the matter, so Robin could clarify and adjust their advice to me as well.

Did Robin’s work meet your expectations?
If anything, it exceeded it! I wasn’t sure what to expect as this was the first time I’d worked with a professional editor on a personal project. My anxiety disorder & just plain creator anxiety put all kinds of fears in my head about what getting editing done would be like. But Robin is very good at delivering critique in a way that feels compassionate and understood my aims and goals.

Is there a particular aspect of the service provided that you liked most?
As mentioned, Robin started out our conversations by asking about my intentions, worries, and needs for the script. I really liked this, as it made me feel like my project and desires were centered, considered, and the star of the show—rather than the feeling of going to a sort of “authority” figure on the matter and offering yourself up on their altar of experience. Even though I was receiving criticism, my vision was being valued instead of torn down.

RESULTS

How has the consultation helped you achieve your goals?
Before changing the project from a webcomic to novel format, Robin’s consultation helped me put out nearly 70 pages of beautiful comics with a much clearer, stronger storyline than my original scripts presented. I’m still very proud of this work, and it was also instrumental in helping me understand and clarify the story to myself—even though it’s not a comic now, that advice still affected the version I’m working on in the present. It also made me feel more comfortable with getting editing services in general, knowing that working with someone else doesn’t have to be painful; it can be a really good thing!

What made the service stand out?
Robin’s service stands out because it’s a perfect blend of personal and professional. You feel cared for and paid attention to, but also know you’re getting honest feedback and quality results. Robin is a very humble person but still able to use their considerable experience and knowledge effectively, without holding back. Definitely recommend for creators of all levels!

More of Noel’s work can be found at NoelHeimpel.com. You can also follow them on Twitter and Instagram @noelarthurian! Check out their Patreon for more on their current projects.