Recently, we debuted Post-Game, one of several new features to celebrate comics and provide novel new insights into your favorite series and stories. Today, we unveil a second new entry with A Day in the Life. Here, creators share some insight into their daily routine, informing how they create and what structure they need (if any) to make a little magic happen. It’s sort of like the comic book version of Cribs, only no one says, “This is where the magic happens.”
Karla Pacheco is the author of Dynamite’s excellent Bettie Page series. Her credits also include Marvel’s Spider-Woman and Rick and Morty for Oni Press. Follow her on Twitter @THEKarlaPacheco.
Courtesy of Twitter.
What’s the first thing you do as part of your daily routine/workday?
I like to wake up, then spend a good hour or two laying in bed staring at the ceiling for a bit to think about my poor decisions (from both the night before and the past 40-some years). After that I’ll roll over and look at twitter for most of the day, while berating myself for my poor decisions.
Do you keep to a set schedule or just wing it during any given week?
The most consistent part of my work week is where I create a detailed schedule to keep all my projects on track, give up on that, then email my editors to make some ridiculous excuse for why I haven’t finished anything. “Sorry, I can’t stop pooping and crying” is a popular one.
Is there one particular place you work, or a specific set up to be most productive?
If I’m on my boat (I live on a boat), I usually work from my bed on the boat! Sometimes I’m in a top-secret location in Arizona where I also work from bed. If I’ve been traveling between those locations, I work from a hotel room (wait for it … in bed)!
Please note, none of this is productive at any time.
What’s the absolute highlight of any given workday?
The part where the editor emails me back and says “Okay jeez, sorry to hear about the pooping and crying, just get it to us when you can, no rush!” and then I go back to bed.
What’s your least favorite part of any workday?
When they don’t say that. (I still go back to bed, but I feel bad about it)
Are you listening to music or podcasts throughout the day?
Like monks of old, I usually prefer absolute silence while I’m “working.” Makes it easier to fall back asleep.
Courtesy of Dynamite.
When you work, do you have a daily “quota” to reach (number of pages, word count, etc.)? Are these “metrics” important or not?
Lol.
Do you have any habits or special routines that are essential for a truly productive day?
“Only one fireball on the rocks per page.”
How important is diet during the day? Do you drink 10 gallons of coffee or a bowl of cinnamon oatmeal at 11 a.m.?
Dang, either of those would be a way better idea than the fireball thing.
Do you read/consume comics or other media during the day? Or do you need to keep a distance while working?
I only read my own comics during the day, desperately trying to remember what the hell I wrote last month.
Are you working steadily with breaks or do you tend to work in spurts?
“In a blind panic while crying and pooping?” So, um…yes.
How do you usually wind down the work day — emails, more reading, etc.?
Reading aloud all the nice things people said about me on twitter, or quietly making fun of the people who (quite rightfully) called me a hack on twitter. That part takes a lot longer.
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