From Doubt to Bestseller: I began making art long before I knew how to make friends on the field. It all began with cartoons and ended with papier-mache works of art based on kids’ TV shows. Toons like Teen Titans and Winx Club kept me busy and made me interested in art at a young age.
From Doubt to Bestseller: What Teenagers Can Do to Deal with Imposter Syndrome
When I was young and things were hard, one of my friends’ comic-making skills inspired me to write my own stories. But I started to feel like a fake when I saw my shots next to my friend’s picture-perfect ones. I spent so much time working on my art that I couldn’t finish a single comic book issue. By the time I was in high school, I had given up drawing altogether.
From Doubt to Bestseller: Getting Back Together at Comic Con
People still liked books a lot, but going to the Singapore Comic Con changed everything. Meeting other creative people and being a part of the fun group made me want to be creative again. I got back to drawing with a new drive, and this time I loved telling stories even more.
Getting Over Your Doubts by Setting Goals for School
I became more interested in comics while I was getting my degree in communications, but I didn’t decide to make them my major. Graphic novels were taught to me in college, and I also did my own study on women in comic books and wrote my senior thesis on the subject. I was able to go to Wondercon in the US because I was studying abroad. I found myself at the DC Comics offices in Burbank, California, by accident.
Art shows and Comic Con booths: From Ideas to Making
Because of these meetings, I switched from just gathering comic books to making them. I got a drawing tablet and worked on my skills with library books and online lessons. Fake syndrome kept bugging me, even though other people liked me. But I wasn’t going to give up, so in 2018 I made my own booth at China Comic Con. I could now show off my work after this big step.
This is the important part: the work-in-progress program
Even though I was getting better, I couldn’t help but wonder if my art could help me get a job. What made a difference was the Work in Progress program at the Singapore Comic Con, which helped new artists get their work published. The first few times I tried, I failed and missed opportunities. But in 2021, I had a new idea: I should write an illustrated book about my experiences with a dating service.
From Doubt to Bestseller: A Surprise Win and Coping with Feeling Like a Fraud
When Epigram bought my book, I was shocked. The movie was a big hit at Kinokuniya right away. I had trouble with phony syndrome and being unhappy with how simple the way I did my work was. The comments from readers, on the other hand, showed how stories can bring people together.
From Doubt to Bestseller: Art as a Path Through Life
As I keep going to art events and get ready for this year’s Singapore Comic Con, I have a lot of self-doubt. The event’s subject is “Make It Here.” Getting over phony syndrome is still going on, and it makes me cringe to think about old work. I met comic book artist Mitch Gerads by chance, and a little girl was copying Wonder Woman’s power pose. This made me think of how strong art can be.
A ongoing goal is to make art that has value.
I sometimes wonder if I’ve really “made it,” but making moments that people remember is what my art is all about. My goal is bigger than just not doubting myself. It doesn’t matter if it’s stickers, charms, or a picture book about dating. When I talk to people at art events, they tell me that I am on a fulfilling path that goes beyond imposter syndrome as long as I keep making important art and getting to know other people.