The Minimum Viable Story
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- Опубліковано 19 лют 2020
- What is the number one way to get better at your craft? It doesn't have anything to do with techniques, tools, or networking. It's the cycle of finishing things, getting feedback, then using that information to make your next finished project even better. In this video I talk how to remove a major roadblock keeping you from finishing your project.
My previous video: • The World-Building Trap
Books I mention in this video (note, these are Amazon affiliate links, and I will make some money if you end up buying one):
The War of Art: amzn.to/32c9r5a
The Lean Startup: amzn.to/2SIuj0P
Art & Fear: amzn.to/2VaDZCM
Video sponsored by SVSLearn.com where become a great illustrator starts. Subscribe and get quality online illustration courses here:
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My list of art tools and materials that I use: mrjakeparker.com/tools
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Music by Epidemic Sound
As videogame dev' goes, we call that:
"If your presentation is 90% story and you clearly have no idea about gameplay, don't try to make a RPG. Make a visual novel"
haha thats awesome. where'd you hear that?
@@itriedfollowingatutorial828 The main source is in one of those talks about how to pitch an idea. I guess you can find it on youtube.
But yeah, every "dev students" friends I hear asking me for help either want their 1st game to be:
A) an action-platformer (gravity + real time is asking for trouble when you arn't finished learning the basics)
or
B) a RPG as complex as all series from their childhood combined (which mean many mechanics overlapping or plain incompatible)
Then they wonder why they fail, as a 1-man team, to pull it off after a 1 year deadline...When they would succeed making a VN "mockup" to pitch their story for an indie studio to add the gameplay bits to it.
“Done is better than perfect.”
Finished not perfect
Andrew Maksym the original quote is by the author Sheryl Sandberg
cool when did she write that? i just now heard of her. i didnt know she worked for facebook
I've watched this video twice now and gonna listen to it again while I draw today. The hiking story is so perfect. I've placed a lot of importance on product based projects for a while now but I always kept failing at completing my projects. So instead of trying the same strategy again, I started working on starting and finishing Mini projects. In fact I have a goal of completing 3-5 mini projects in the next couple of months and I've finished one(yet to be shipped) and nearing completion 2 more. And this series is really helping me understand stay on that path.
And also, Jake! So glad you back the UA-cam game. 2 a month sounds perfect! And I'd be looking forward to each.
Fancy seeing you here, good to see one inspiration inspired by another inspiration.
You prolly dont care but does anybody know a way to get back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb lost my password. I would love any tips you can give me.
I fell into this trap, trying to work out a story with a huge arc and it collapsed under its own weight and my inexperience handling such a big project. I’m now working on a comic which has a story arc which will span a number of books (16-20 pages, roughly) but each book breaks it down allowing me to focus on one story at a time. I’m 12 pages in with final artwork and with only a few pages left to finish, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel 👍
What helps for me is blocking out an hour every day purely for working on my comic project. No matter what, I have to do that 1 hour of drawing the comic. So far, I've been able to complete 6 chapters (roughly 150 pages) in the past year with what spare timr I have. It's important to turn it into a habit.
JungaBoon That’s awesome! What’s the name of your comic?
You completed 150 pages in a year working 1 hours a day?!
Jesus. If you ever turn full-time pro you're gonna be such an insane beast!! :O
Thank you so much, I wish I could tell that to my teachers... I'm currently doing a comic book bachelor, and what frutrates me the most is that instead of working on many projects, we work on very few that we constantly show to the teachers who always tell us to tweak or change a few things to make it better. It's good because it teaches us to think about our stories and to doubt, to not always go for the first thing that comes to mind. But the huge backside to it is that in the end we spend very little time drawing the final product, and by the end of the year we'll have achieved three school projects. Which means to me that we don't get to fail enough to properly learn the art of comic book making. I remember another art youtuber saying that the difference between an amateur and a professionnal artist is the professionnal has made a several thousand more mistakes than the amateur. Anyway thank you for that video, I might show it to my teachers :)
Oh yeah, and for me as a procrastinator and never finishing anything, "finished not perfect" is the best mantra. Thanks!
What I realised on my journey is that the idea is more important than the skill.
When you know what you want to create, you'll find a way to draw it, even if your art isn't at the level of a pro, it's just going to take more time and effort.
Without the idea, you can doodle and, hell, if the skill is high enough, people will love even the doodles, but you are not going to get far with that.
Now then. TO THE SKETCHBOOK!
"I love it, I love it, I love it!" PROCESS is the key! Everyone wants the victory without having to go through the steps to gaining it. When you learn to SUFFER, when you learn to BUILD, when you learn to WIN and LOSE small battles, then the bigger battle becomes more simple. I love your analogy and story on your hiking trip with your son and the group of sons and dads. If you all never took those small excursions on the weekend, your bodies would've gave out far before the halfway mark. Now I understand and see why my middle school, high school, and college math teachers and professors say, "Show your work. The process is actually more victorious than the victory itself. Mr. Parker this message you put out actually speaks beyond what you even realize! Thank you so much for taking the time and putting this message to work! Blessings @Jake Parker
Zig Zigler said that if you have learned from defeat- you haven't really lost.
Great video :)
Some ideas I always tell ppl when they say they have no ideas how to start..
-Start small, 8-12 pages, esp if you are not good at telling short gag
-write about your life/surrounding, something you care instead of an epic tale
-Write things down, keep a notebook, note down everything you think of ( but of cos not get obsessed with it)
-Just draw it, start with stick figures, sketch the layout, put them away after finishing and come back after a few hours or days.
Cheers :)
Thank you, Jake, for helping me to dial back my scope. I believe a lot of creators like me struggle with seeing the "cathedral" & becoming lost in it.
To listen to a creator with epic accomplishments to say it's greatest to focus on developing smaller projects before the epic one... is surprisingly a simple idea that hits hard for us creators with grand visions.
Thank you!
Another great video Jake. I really appreciate the advice you've shared. "Finished, not perfect" and "You need a product, not a project" have been two of my favorites.
I'm finishing my Master's on comics, specifically to actually finish a bloody comic! You have been CRUCIAL to my journey, Jake!!! I'm going to finish the living daylights out of the 3 stories I need. Finished not perfect. Minimum viable story. Worldbuilding only for what will actually appear in the story. Got it.
I seen so many videos talking about how to start but you are great thank you so much
Can't thank you enough for this. Appreciate your wisdom and stories. I'd sign a petition to change your title from Mr. to Master Jake Parker 🙌
This is probably the advice I needed to hear. I always have these big ideas in my head and I know what all the big plot points could be. But when it comes to writing everything in between I get stuck. So maybe shorter stories to start with are more manageable. I’ve been thinking about revisiting some story ideas once I finish a small project I’m working on, so thanks for the inspiration!
or take the short stories and thread them together somehow. An element like a character flaw or an environment- something 'out there' that affects the plot or the people. Don't know if your a Star Wars fan- but a character that became popular was the MFalcon. David Lynch films not only had some sub culture operating on his characters (the Mob) but something else was freaking the characters out and they didn't know what it was- see 'Lost Highway' and don't turn the volume up on the quiet parts- its part of the movie and not the DVD messing up.
“ you are untested, you are weak, and you are easily distracted” - Darth Parker 6:50
We have a similar concept in software development. Minimum Viable Product. So if you’re building Twitter you need to be able to Follow People, Send Tweets, Like Tweets, Retweet.
That would be the minimum you need to HAVE a product that people can use. You release that and then use feedback from your users to continually add features they want.
I had to go back to a flip phone to get rid of the draining distractions. My mind cleared, my heart lost all the social media cynicism- And my creativity and artistic drive returned with a roar. My first book is now half done and I’ve never been happier.
Damn... again. I was making my Opus with writing a novel. I stopped World building and started writing with, have you ever heard of #nanowrimo? Its About writing a 50,000 word novel in a month. It's kind of like inktober but with writing, stop the excuses, stop the inner editor and just write. don't worry about perfection because it's easier to edit a page of crap than a blank page. Only made it to around 14000 words but that's a lot more than I had. Still, i was trying to make a trilogy. Even though I've written just 2 short stories. So i figured go back to small. Then i saw this. Now Im definitely gonna try this 5 page comic thing. Thank you very much once again and I will hit you up when I'm complete!
Found this video very helpful. I always come up with ideas that's to grand in scale , get frustrated and overwhelmed and stop after 3 pages. Drawing isn't the issue for me it's always the writing or lack of writing. Always come up with images in my head for paneling a comic, and jump start into that and after words I'm scratching my head about dialogue or caption to help move the story along.
What's so crazy is that that last video came out right after an online freind and i got started making a story . And it helped my wag of thinking about it alot in many different ways .
I listend to you....first i made comic strips then a bit bigger comic strips, then 2 to 3 page comics, then 5 to 10 page comics, and now i'm working on my big 20 to 25 page comic
That's incredible. Nice work!
@@jakeparker44 thanks dude, btw love ur work bro
This is very timely and on point. Thank you.
So this is my experience, if I can call it that.
I'm not a professional writer and I'm not currently looking to be one, I have another passion I wanna turn into a job. But writing easily became one of my hobbies because of a project that came to my mind. It developed through the years and it's like it became my little child, which... I definitely spoiled.
I put so much in it: piles of characters, different time periods of worldbuilding with a story making its way to the present day. It even featured a time travel in the future. I then realised i created more that I could handle. It feels like being hit by something, it's awful but you need that punch to the gut, I received many and know I will, they'll be even stronger, I don't wanna sacrifice my precious character designs I grew so attached to.
I lost count of the amount of time I revised all my notes and I'm about to finish readjusting those that are most conflicting with the present day situation the project is in. I will then read them and try to visualize them to create a present global situation, then move on. This way I will come to know where I'm at (I suppose if I can barely keep up with what I made it's probably too much) and how I can structure all those things that now I know where just a bunch of ideas, I just thought they'd be solid points out of bare notes.
Seeing all those videos about "minimum viable projects", "less is more" etc. initially scared me a lot. I didn't wanna throw all those precious things I came up with away, I then realize I could make an effort. So I came up with a completely unrelated idea I decided I wouldn't shoehorn into the spoiled child megaproject I was carrying on my shoulders.
The idea is a comedic little story about this little group of criminals doing stuff and being characterized as kinds of "masks" with codename (I just love things like nicknames and codenames) and being chased by the police and an incredibly skilled/serious bounty hunter. It's still just a central idea I will work on one day, I'll try to make it as minimum and viable as possible.
I have some other ideas for other little projects that are currently frozen and I'm willing to make them minimum as well, with the intention of preventing me from growing too attached to them.
I hope this works
This kind of conversation is so important to me. I really want to be creating great things, but part of me always chimes in "If I don't do this right the first time, it shows I'm not meant to be an artist and there was no point to trying." Which only puts me further in a bind and clouds my judgement. The concept of Doing a quick and dirty project that would help me get through the process honestly makes me pretty uncomfortable because I'm SO USED to the idea that "one-shot wonder" stuff is not only possible, but is the standard I should be setting for myself. However, if you say it helps then I'll try to believe you and give it a go. "The work wants to be made, and it wants to be made through you." hits really hard to me. Super excited for next month's videos!! You're doing some serious good here
I have been saying that now for the past almost two years. Completion is successful for an artist who will be successful. I still do it part-time not as a profession but I have given up on perfection and the chase to be the best artist ever. For me being able to now still down and knock out a 60-page script in two days after over 20 years of procrastination because of myself. This is a success for me, now I can still down and do videos writing out stories while I am still learning. I do the same now with my art. I have been an artist for over 4 decades and most times I get angry for all the time I waisted not taking it seriously. That is why I always preach completion to anyone I have taught or when I share any content. Thanks, again for sharing.
Perfect timing for this video Jake. Just getting back into art after a huge stagnant time period in my life. Was feeling overwhelmed on where to start and now I am feeling much better.
4 years late to the party, But better late than never, amirite?
Thank you for this video.
I been this struggling writer for 5 + years. Have writtin short stories but now I just out of touch and felt at a loss creativily.
Now though I am invesitaging the scene of script writing for comics.
Feel like this video can help me understand in a very feasible way.
I'm not an artist -- I'm a programmer. But I feel like you are speaking directly to me.
I already know how to program. I'm 42, and I've been programming since I was 6. I've worked as a professional programmer for some 20 years.
But I never felt like "my stuff" got out there. I have like, two hundred projects. Some are done, many are not, (I don't mind really -- I like exploring an idea, to the point where I've figured out my core insights, and I'm no longer interested in it,) all kinds of different stages of being something. But what I haven't done, is create a "product."
I appreciate what you're saying here, and it's giving me all kinds of ideas. I have steps 1-4 down pat. It's step 5 that I think I've been (unknowingly) "stuck" at.
Added this to my wind down listen, Minimum viable story. Not perfect. Done. Delivered. And its discoveries.
Thanks! I really needed this! I've been stuck at the "world building trap" for a while with this other bigger project I've wanted to do. Now I'm putting it aside and working on a little 5-10 page comic. Again, thanks!
You sir, have solidified what I've had in my head for a few months now. The idea of going from small to big to build momentum and experience. Can you elaborate on the short story part, this is the part I'm having the most trouble with. How short can it be? what to focus on? Can it really contain all the elements of a story?
Wow. I really needed this. Thanks. The minimum viable story reminds me of the minimum viable product in video games. The Extra Credits channel has an amazing video about that. It inspired me to start making my card game. This video about minimum viable story is inspiring to me the same way. My two main art forms is drawing and writing. I find drawing easier to get into as getting a minimum viable product. It only takes a few hours for me to make a good digital painting. That is very short relatively speaking. One I finished that then viola. I get a product. I can sell prints of it. I could also slap it on mugs, t-shirts and the like. I am mainly an artist. However I am trying to start making money off of my work. It is just to earn a living. I was reluctant to do short stories. I am an overwriter and that makes the format difficult.I also like to have a grand epic story with lots of world building. So a short story really isn't the right format. I worried that a short story can be boring and dumbed down. I wonder how to make it work. I wonder if episodic stories would work. I can have the same world and the same major characters. There are just little stories about them. Each story can be about the characters. It is a little adventure. I can still enjoy episodes to tv shows. The story for each episode is very short and simple. Yet I still enjoy the episode if I like the show. I wonder if short stories can work. I hope it is no longer boring or dumbed down.
The Perfect Video for any creative who wants to set their roots
I'm a brasilian boy and i am a big fan of you office
I don't know how I got recommended this vid but it definitely speaks to me (for writing tho, not necessarily comics tho I'm a huge fan... too much work... : ) )
hey but since you're an avid reader, may I recommend, "no plot, no problem!" it's the book written by the guy that started National Novel Writing Month or NANOWRIMO. it speaks to the same kinds of issues you talk about here and for me, it's the thing that actually made creation something feasible again. anyway, great vid.
Thanks! I’ll check that book out!
I keep pushing back my "akira"because i know I'm not ready but ever smaller project i start just balloons up its happened at least three times lol. But i think I'm figuring it out. I decided I'm gonna try a fan fic so i don't have to worry about my own world building just the characters and story
How is the fan fic proyect going?
Well, this is me.. I've been working in a series of projects I've had in hold for ever, FINALLY finished one page of a comic I was working on and already sketching next page. Spot-on video, Jake, thanks.
This talk really sums up the problems I've been wrestling with over the last few years; trying to put out a longish story. The sticking point: I find it so much easier to conceive of epic ideas, rather than concise stories with a punch at the end. I've written and planned out the odd one, but that's not what my mind does most of the time. Help!
Inspiring as always and love the close-ups of you inking - the confidence that you lay your lines down with is astounding.
I love it when you post videos Jake! Really like that you have the time in your schedule to do it more.
Not sure how I’ve missed this channel for this long lol. Super hyped to have found the great JP to learn from.
I literally came on to watch one of your old videos and got super exited to see you posted a new one. Love your videos. They're very inspiring
I'm really feeling this renewed energy from you, Jake. Thanks a bunch for your honest and practical advice in this and your previous video, they were eye-opening!
Wow....just wow. That was everything I needed to hear and it was just the right timing to hear it. I just discovered your channel and that was perfect.
Thanks, art dad. I needed to hear that.
So much wisdom in this video!! I have trouble with the “shipping” stage. I have too many ideas and I want to do everything now. I love your videos and I’m thankful that you’re back and spreading more inspiration!! 🖤
Jake - I really needed to hear this - it really clicked with where I’m at right now. Thanks so much, this content is all killer, no filler
‘Just do a few thatched hut’s...’ me, in blender modelling hatched huts to start with a small medieval homestead asset pack and work my way up to a city pack.... tripping me out.
Thank you for this advice, I recently just started making shorter stories than planning, and inevitably not finishing, bigger ones so watching this made me feel that I'm on the right track in thinking I should try to start small and build up until I get to a good enough level where I can successfully execute my bigger projects.
Thank you so much for this video. It has challenged me deeply about my art. And it is great too see your presence again online, and your art. Thank you, thank you.
These videos are so helpful. I'm so grateful to have found your channel.
This is so helpful. My biggest take away from this talk...Finished, not perfect and Work on small projects that give you practice before the bigger project. Thanks Jake.
So you really are back! I’m so happy!!
I'm so excited to work on my comic project now. Baby steps baby! Thanks Jake for your vids. I like how they're more discussions rather than just tutorials. That's really helpful for me right now
Very well said..! scattered stones of unfinished projects...
My favorite drawing/ sketching/inking channel..!!!
many blessings..!
You and kesh both are inspiring
I like the schedule 👍 . And thanks for all the help and advice!!!
I finished 2 chapters of my book since the last video and actually work on finishing chapter 3. And I am immensely proud to get this far! Thank you!
Man finishing stuff is my biggest form of resistance out there... i can sit and draw, but man resistance kicks my butt qhen it comes to finishing stuff. Good advise here mate, going to apply this and try just a small 5 or so page comic with the ideas i cant stop thinking about 24/7 haha.
wow... Wow! This is some of the most relatable advice ive ever heard. If you havent seen, I commented on another video that I have spent too long on a huge project as my first. Thank you, again.
Thank you, because of your advice I was able to finish my first webcomic, and now I’m working on a longer one. It’s a slow process, but I’m over halfway done, and I’ve been able to post a page each week!
Thanks, Jake! This, and the previous video, really hit the nail on the head. :)
Mr. Jake Parker,
Great video! Learned a lot. Im a huge fan of yours and you are a great inspiration to young people pursuing their art dream! Keep up the great content.
This video is great! It's all I needed right now, thanks a lot Jake. 🙏
Perfect advise. I was about to embark on a big story but it makes sense to first get more experience by making smaller stories.
Thanks for this and the last video! This is the kick in the ass I need
Thanks Jake gradually building up through smaller projects makes it allot more approachable
great insights jake. i think it's important to recognise if you have a bad ''first things last'' procrastination habit but then don't expect that you can just change your habit overnight. it will take time and effort to switch from a bad habit to a good habit. just like if you are physically unhealthy, simply recognising it and spending a week entusiastically doing exercise wont actually change anything. change is slow and requires long term commitment.
A+++ video! I know you said done is better than perfect, but this was perfect and what I needed to watch/hear. Thanks Jake~
Love your art.cool insperation. Made me better🏅
That’s it I’m starting. I think making smaller projects helps you weed out bad ideas too. Thanks! Really helpful.
Awesome video. Thanks Jake!
It's really helpful to hear this process. I didn't finish any little projects before diving into my big project (which has almost reached 200 pages, no joke.) I don't necessarily regret throwing myself in the deep end, but for my next project I'd like to be more deliberate in my process.
I really enjoyed being able looking into the engine. It feels real some how. Cool effect😍
You won my subscription with only these video, I needed the info
I've actually been planning to create short stories for myself as well, 10 page maxium, illustrated stories. I've gotta finish my current projects before anything new though. Getting close to wrapping those up! Awesome drawing as usual!
this guy is a straight up legend
I started reading the book "The War of Art" half the way through I stopped, and looked up the reviews for it. People either really hate it, or very much love it.
I was somewhat in between. Didn't hate it, but took with a grain of sault.
Thanks I really needed this...
Thanks for the inspiration! Really needed to hear this!
Great advice great to get back seeing your creativity
Thanks Mr. Jake Parker. This is EXACTLY what I needed to hear right now.
I have decided to do all of my small stories (I have always been better at writing short stories than anything big and grandiose) and maybe publish them into anthology books, like all of my stories that have a setting in the real world or sci fi or horror.
I’m a person with a TON of ideas, so I think this will probably be my objective from now on (until who knows, maybe one day I’ll write a saga).
Hi Jake awesome to see you!!! Love you're content. Tyfs ❤ Be seeing you soon have a great day!! Much love to you 💕💕
Jack I love your work you inspire me and you’re my favourite artist and I really wanted to buy the sky heart story but sadly sold out but keep doing the great work
It's like you're talking to me directly. Love everything you do, especially the motivational and inspiring speeches. I am a father of two boys and I am a chronically procrastinator. But this is "my" year, I mean this is the year I start working on my art, on my "chatedral" as you say, but I started building little huts. I have an Instagram account and I post everyday drawings. This year I want to master my craft, both analog and digitaly, and afterwards trying to learn to be a concept artist.
Can't wait to see other videos that you make.
So excited for the new posting schedule!
I remember doing something like this!
There's this mini comic I made about an old poem I wrote long ago. It was both fun to adapt and satisfying to complete
I should start doing these short stories once again
Papo's dinosaurs are so freaking good (and they're french
I like your content! You inspired me to take the first step, thank you.
Nice video, thanks for the encouragement!
This is Great advice! Thanks!
Definitely something I needed to hear. I love comics, but I don't make them. This advice helps me as a UA-cam content creator and game developer though. Thanks Jake!
Love the opening jam music.
This was so helpful to hear!
Great video, Jake.
your so good at drawing, it's so inspiring! I would say "keep up the good work" but I know you will :D
I needed this