A challenge to the talented people of CAA

[Mr. Rogers]

There is something that has been on my heart for some time now concerning CAA. To put it simply, I feel like a lot of what we are doing here is simply existing. I want to put together a project to challenge us to go beyond just existing for our own sakes and contributing something creatively to the world. Let's surprise ourselves with what we are capable of.

I think CAA has a tremendous amount of talent that we don't often realize. So often though, our talent is just sitting around unused. We have had some great ideas in the past. The Pimgrim's Progress manga, for example, is a great idea, but we have never been organized enough to do much with it. I see a lot of promise with members like Souba. She has published two volumes of her own manga, goes to conventions to promote it, works at a comic shop and has a website where her comics can be purchased. We have some amazing artists and people who know story and literature very well (Andrew, Nate, Eric, Savannah, and Corrie come to mind; though I know there are others, as well).

I think we really need to get together and make something to show ourselves what we are really capable of doing.

I am proposing that we all get together and work on some sort of project. A manga seems like the most reasonable one we could realistically achieve.

Details:

Story: Redemptive. Avoid overtly Christian themes so it can connect with many people and give more answers than questions and leave the door open to meaningful discussion.

Artists: The people I mentioned above or anyone else who can provide samples of their work. Done in a professional manner (one artist for backgrounds, one for characters/action for consistency).

Writer: Whoever can provide writing samples and write in the tone we decide.

Length: Minimum three volumes. It doesn't have to be an epic story - just a good one (even if it is short).

Medium: Web and/or paper publishing.

Style: Anime or other. Doesn't matter.

Let's actually make something together. I know everyone is busy with their lives and that is ok. I don't care if progress on this is slow, just as long as progress is being consistently achieved. Little goals at a time. I don't even care if this is completely perfect. Let's just see what we can do.

I am very serious about this idea. I don't have tons of money, but I am willing to pay for publishing, web service, space at a convention, or whatever is needed to make something happen here.

Anyone interested?

[ShiroiHikari]

I've been working on a "Christian" story for quite some time but I'm not gonna lie, writing is a pretty solitary activity.

One thing I've always wanted from CAA is being able to talk to other writers about my work and maybe have them read some. There are a couple of people here that have read my stuff, but in general, the Writing section seems to just...be there.

I would love to see a group project take off. I don't know what it is but it seems like most projects fizzle out because most people either aren't willing or able to stay committed. People go to college and get jobs and then that's the end of it. How do we address this issue? I don't know; I'm just rambling.

[EricTheFred]

I'll put myself in as "provided I can get finished first with my current project that I've used up a lot of Beck (Esoteric)'s time on)." I'm nearly there, but that last five percent is driving me nuts.

Consider her another good writing resource, by the way. As an artist, she's much more a painter than a mangaka (she could do brilliant work as a children's book illustrator) but you can find examples of her excellent storytelling skills on her website.

[Radical Dreamer]

Honestly, this sort of thing wouldn't really be able to begin to come to fruition until maybe summertime. I spend the rest of the year in college as an illustration major, and drawing for my classes (or writing papers for my other English classes) often takes precedence over even personal art projects. It's not that my creativity and/or talent is sitting stagnant, it's that its being used for other endeavors right now.

Additionally, while internet group projects can be a good idea, people's schedules on the other side of the computer often have to come first. It's not impossible, but the bigger the group, the more difficult it is to get everyone together to do something. So while I'm certainly not knocking your idea, Jim, I'm just giving you some reasons as to why CAA hasn't necessarily come together to do anything like this successfully in the past, as well as why those of us whom you deem "talented" may not be putting their creativity towards projects for this site right now. XD

[Esoteric]

Additionally, while internet group projects can be a good idea, people's schedules on the other side of the computer often have to come first. It's not impossible, but the bigger the group, the more difficult it is to get everyone together to do something. So while I'm certainly not knocking your idea, Jim, I'm just giving you some reasons as to why CAA hasn't necessarily come together to do anything like this successfully in the past, as well as why those of us whom you deem "talented" may not be putting their creativity towards projects for this site right now. XD

Yeah. I don't mean to steal your fire, but in my experience these sorts of group projects seem to be serious uphill battles. The participating members must be dedicated to completing their assigned task because if somebody drops the ball, it's usually crippling, if not fatal to the project morale. Certainly it's not impossible, but it's also not easy to pull disconnected strangers together into a competent team.

Eric, I'm grateful for the vote of confidence (that last five percent for polishing is a killer, isn't it?). And you're right--as much as I'd like to be, I'm just not a mangaka. I suppose I'd be decent at cover art, but usually the main artist wants that gig too, and actually it's better too in the 'what you see is what you get' sense.
If this project really does get off the ground, probably the best I could offer is feedback/story polishing. I'm in the middle of trying to write one novel and edit another (and I'm having trouble finding the time and even motivation to progress on those).
See, I think that's a main problem with volunteers. When a creative person has trouble staying motivated on their own project which they can fully appreciate and imagine, it's downright Herculean for them to persist on a project which isn't their own beloved brainchild.
I wish you good luck, I really do. You certainly have the right perspective going in; something like this will certainly take a long (patient) time to achieve.

[AnimeGirl]

I can help for providing the writing. My manga artwork isn't good enough yet, but I've been told I write some pretty good stories. Just tell me what kind of theme you want. I can create a story, with all types of characters with different personalities. I can have comic relief scenes that in no way seems forced or cheapen the story. I love putting emotion into a story. What I write is always Christian, but I don't bash people in the heads with a Bible. That's unrealistic anyways XD NOTE: I don't do cussing. I can say they cursed or make them trail off, but I don't like typing the actually word, even if it's censored.

I am up for the job! My brother and I are working on several projects. I am planning on working on some major manga projects with him myself and get it published. I'd love to help out with this CAA project, to help me learn how to work with a team, and it'll help prepare me for all kinds of things. I'm game if you are! ^_^

~*~*Katie-chan~*~*

[WhiteMage212]

Well there might be a way around the problem of missing people. Say you have one main writer and two co writers. If one of them has to take a week or so off, then you can have a group of standby writers who can be ready to replace that writer for that week or so. Then you could also rotate the task force when possible. But that's just what my thoughts are. I'm not sure of it has been done before or not. It just seemed to be a good idea.

[mechana2015]

Getting the writers together and dealing with missing writers really isn't the issue though. In the case of manga, it's when the artists are missing or inconsistent. Each artist handles art differently and, without a decent amount of preparation don't usually draw in the same style. Until you can establish an artist that can finish the project or a corps of artists that can draw the style consistently, there will either be problems with getting it done or keeping it consistent.

[Ante Bellum]

Or, like I think it might have been mentioned, have an artist for different jobs. Maybe one does main people, one does backgrounds, or you can break it down even more: maybe one person can draw and another inks and a third tones or colors if needed.