Hey everyone,
I've gotten quite a few notes asking how I'm able to have the motivation to finish books and complete images. It's simple really. First, I think a vast majority of the reason why people post artwork on major websites like Deviantart is because they want to share their worlds with other people. I think the downside to this is that a lot of people get discouraged if others don't comment on their work (this happens to me a lot too so I'm there too) or if people put opinion into critique. Critique should always be free o f personal opinion -in my opinion. That way it's neutral and 100% helpful. I think people get discouraged when others don't comment, fav etc or when they see work by other artists and wish that they could make artwork like that and it just flat out discourages them from wanting to draw anything. The other side to it is that when a  new artist  or even an experienced artist comes across a really inspiring art piece it encourages them to want to improve their own methods and go on to draw other things. This is where it  gets tricky. DA for example is a huge social outlet for people to come together, but I've noticed with other artists (including myself) after a while it just becomes something about wanting to know how others feel (positively) about the work we do. Now I don't know if I'm making any sense right now, so I'll try to elude right to the point. This is how I do things: I don't spend that  much time on DA. I try to limit myself as much as possible. I know this can be frustrating to other people who have sent me notes or left comments hoping I'll reply. I am not trying to be mean or ignoring. I try to avoid DA except when posting artwork because it actually causes me a lot of stress to post my work publically as I do. This is a deeply guarded secret I've kept for a while and I've decided I will finally reveal it, because it has everything to do with personal motivation to complete work.

I have found that the more I avoid social websites like DA the more work I can get done. I spend about an hour total once a week browsing DA looking at whatever and I'll read comments and respond when I'm not feeling too tired but I try to avoid this place beyond that. A prime example is that I'm  nearly finished with the most complex Galaxy Mangolia artwork piece to date and I made the mistake of wandering on the front page and saw something that made me want to throw the whole thing in the trash. QUICKLY scolded myself and told myself "I've worked so HARD on this, don't you DARE get discouraged. You've had enough discouragement from negative people in your life that only makes you more and more a lion everyday and god damn it, you are your own worse CRITIC! You are WORSE than those negative people in your life because YOU beyond everyone else know how to hurt yourself the most and you're not going to do it!" Yes I actually talk to myself like this, and it helps. I quickly got off DA and got right back to work on the piece I'm working on.

The key to my motivation is just believing in myself and applying structure.  I need a structured environment to work in. I only take the critiques that are 100% free of opinion and helpful and I listen when others give me advice about writing or improving grammatical structure in my books. I avoid forming my work based on how others feel about it and only form it based on how I feel, or how others might inspire me, but this is not to be confused with how others feel about it. There is a difference. All of these things combined are why I am able to continue to work like I do and I work very hard long hours. I make a TON of mistakes, heck, Book 3 for example is FILLED with grammatical and spellings errors that I've completely missed and I'm so grateful people take the time to help point them out . However, I don't let those mistakes tear me down and I don't let myself tear myself down for my mistakes. So what if my art has flaws, or if something I spent nearly two weeks on has imperfections? I made it, I know the work I put into it and golly I can be so hard on myself when I can get away with it but those mistakes also make me feel happy because I taught myself everything I know. When others help me, it's so wonderful, but I am not helping myself if I pick at the mistakes myself. I didn't go to school for art and regardless of flaws, I accomplished something. It's OKAY for people to be proud of their own work, even if it's not perfect and it's OKAY for artists to want other artists to comment on their art, but it's NOT OKAY to tear your own work down or let others do the same if it impends your ability to get anything done.

The critique you give yourself also must be free of personal opinion. So here's the question: How can it be free of personal opinion when you're your own grandpa giving yourself the lecture? I don't have the answer to this. You have to find it within you to figure this out. I think I've sort of got it down for myself personally, but it goes back to that involvement with social websites and getting the courage to post my work for others to look at and read –as long as I at the same time, avoid said websites. I avoid to build myself up and avoid to keep myself from tearing myself down. If you really have a story to tell and even if you're not the best writer or the best artist, DO IT because your world deserves the chance to be told and if you start to struggle to tell it, find out what's causing you to hold back and contain it, trap it, butcher it. Don't let it get to you first.
I hope this answers this question that I've been asked. I do very much enjoy reading comments from followers and readers of GM, especially the funny ones. I laugh VERY easily. I don't want people to think that just because I try to avoid DA as much as possible that hate anyone or hate DA. I really don't. I really hope I've made it clear that this is just the best way for myself personally to complete this world I've created and get it out there for others to see. Thanks everyone .

If there's anything else anyone wants to know, feel free to ask. You're welcome to ask questions about the characters or story (you can ask but if it involves a spoiler I might not give it and I certainly won't if it's a big one) or you can ask questions about me personally, or about writing, art, tutorials etc anything else. I don't even mind super personal get to know questions, as long as they're friendly. I'm hoping I'm making sense with all this, I really haven't been getting much sleep lately, workaholic and all that and tomorrow I'm excited because I'm going to a Dinosaur bone exhibit! Wee! My excitement for such is so validated I have a hard time concentrating on anything for very long. Come on my town population is like freaking 4,000. The fact there will be a dinosaur bone exhibit HERE in this small town is like finding kyrponite, which I'd be a bitch about and shove down Superman's pants. The front part. Bye!

~Rheann