Rule 2: Draw What Makes You Happy, Not What You "Want"

The second rule is "Draw What Makes You Happy, Not What You Want"

Now this rule is gonna sound contradictory, but not everything you want to do or draw is going to make you happy.

To illustrate this principle, let me tell you a story...

The comic above I made back when I initially wanted to do the Donoverse as a Webcomic. I have since decided, however, that I was happier making the Donoverse into a children's book series. Enter The Hoverboard Girls...

Long story short, you may want to draw something only to find a better alternative to what you had in mind initially

You may "want" to do a story that is a political thriller, but doing Slice-of-Life comedies is what really makes you Happy. Likewise; You may "want" to do a gag-a-day webcomic strip, but you find that you're happier doing one shots on an irregular basis.

So how do you figure out what makes you Happy? The answer is experimentation

This is probably where having a sketchbook comes in handy. Doodle your ideas regularly in your sketchbook to figure out what your niche is as an artist, then plan your ideas accordingly. Don't be afraid to erase some ideas while preserving others with a fine liner. Find out what you like to draw by sketching every day (or at least regularly), then build your style around it.

Here's an example of mine

By the same token, you should also be open to new ideas that you may never have considered before. For example, you may set out trying to draw a cast of adult characters, only to find you enjoy drawing children characters better. Don't be afraid of making "happy little accidents", be open to them. You may end up developing an idea you like better from them.

Lastly, another reason you shouldn't always do what you want is that, as an artist, you still need to meet your audience halfway

Now this doesn't mean you should pander to you audience (that actually goes against rule 8, and you'll see why later), but you should also be careful as to not alienate your audience by going "too far"

For example; you can have fanservice in your work by having everyone be in a swimsuit on the beach (audience are normally OK with that), but never try to draw your cast naked on a nude beach just because you "want" to (that will normally alienate your audience).

I guess the best way to think of this principle is that your relationship with your audience should be a two way street. In return for having your audience accept what you want to show in your story, you should respect your audience and be aware of what they might also want (or not want) to see.

I guess the best way to summarize this article is to say "don't be impulsive and/or Stubborn". Always be open to new ideas and make changes according to what makes you happy. As an artist, you should be happy with your work; even if it's not what you initially imagine it would be.