Dillon- Hey, Zach. Hope you’re starting to feel better. My final assignment for a class I’m in right now is an informational interview with someone in the industry you aspire to be involved in. Even though I’m working towards being a voice actor, art is a huge passion of mine and I get so much joy from doing it digitally. So I was hoping I could interview you if you had the time.
Zach- oh hell yeah. send me some questions bruh, I would be honored
D- Alright sweet! how did you get started? Did you think starting out that you’d get somewhere? What would you do differently if you could go back?
Z- here goes: I began drawing comics officially in 2012, not long after graduating college. I had spent some time contemplating my career options with my music degree, and came to the conclusion that my best course of action was to pretend it didn't exist and try my hand at something else. I had always drawn comics for my friends in school, so I figured I should at least give it a try. I definitely never thought it would amount to anything in the beginning, mostly I drew as a means to escape the awful marriage and life I had found myself in at that time. If I could go back and change anything, I would mostly steal the comic ideas from my peers I wish I had. And I would invest in bitcoin.
D- Alright, I had no idea about some of this stuff. When did things really start taking off? Did it catch you by surprise at all? I remember being a sophomore in highschool (2013) when I first saw your work and loved it back then too, what connections have you made through your work that you really cherish?
Z- I suppose things started taking off not too long after they began. Reddit was a great springboard for me at that time. I never really had a huge influx of success compared to some artists, but rather it's been pretty slow and steady growth. I like to think that it's healthier for me that way, and I can slowly adjust as it goes, rather than having to all of a sudden adapt to a huge new audience. But really I'm just jealous of those other super popular comics. Over the years I've made a number of friends in the industry. The webcomic world is a super friendly place, I've found, and rarely is there any real meanness between peers. I think most of us realize that it's not really a race, there's a different audience for everyone. A large number of us artists have a secret facebook group where we talk all the time. It feels a lot like family I suppose.
D- That’s really cool. I’ve always admired the community. Of course there’s always criticism and negativity online, so it’s nice to know that there’s a good support group between creators. Which leads into my next question of how have you learned to deal with negative criticism and harsh comments from people online? Do you have any advice for people who are just starting out and are already unsure of the quality of their work?
Z- I've learned that no matter what, there's always going to be people who just want to bring you down. There may be harsh criticism as well, but at least that criticism can be useful to learn from. Sometimes though, people will just be mean. The sooner you can accept that, the sooner you can learn to not let it get under your skin. In time, your skin will get thicker and thicker and it will be more difficult for others to bother or discourage you. The key is to keep going, no matter what. If you're starting out, know that your work probably isn't the best. Accept that you have a lot to learn. Be willing to learn lessons and adapt and change from harsh criticism. Practice every day. Look forward to being better! I still have a long way to go until I'm who I want to be. The journey is definitely worth it.
D- Thanks for answering all my questions, Zach! I just have a couple more, which media platforms have you found the most success on? And finally what’s some long term goals you’re working towards?
Z- No problem buddy! Well I'd have to say Reddit has been the most crucial platform for my development. The freedom and interactivity there is unmatched by any other service. After that, I supposed it'd have to be Instagram, even if it's not my largest audience. As a social media platform it offers many more tools than other platforms for creators to employ to be successful. And as far as long term goals: I've always wanted my own cartoon on television, so I'm working on a pitch when i get time. I've also recently begin streaming, no idea how that'll turn out. Thanks so much for the questions, my dude!
D- Yeah of course! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer them!
Here is a link to his website where you can read his comics and follow his social media!http://extrafabulouscomics.com/
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