Author: The Barrier Scroll

When people ask how I’ve managed to stay consistent and avoid burnout with The Barrier Scroll while juggling work, writing, illustration, design, and life, my answer is usually the same: Sustainability.

I’ve never been the kind of creator who wanted to (or even can) move at breakneck speed. From the very inception of The Barrier Scroll, I knew this was going to be a long journey. A marathon not a sprint. An epic story meant to unfold over years.

When I started this project, I looked at how much time and energy it takes to build a world, draw it, write it, and still stay connected to the audience that believes in it. And I thought: If I want to do this for the long run, it’s got to be sustainable.

The Long Run Mindset

If you know me and hear me talk about this project I’ll always say: “I’m in this for the long run”. And I mean that, wholeheartedly.

For me this isn’t just a webcomic, it’s a legacy project. I want to ‘git good’ at drawing. I want to improve my writing. I want to learn new things as I go. A sustainable pace allows me to do that, to sit within the creative process and do well; by the narrative, by the readers, and also by me. I want to be proud of this project 10 years from now; and I want to honor this narrative the way I believe it deserves. Also, this story is long, and I mean to tell every word of it, as long as that takes me.

Why I Went Against the Norm

I made a decision that felt almost rebellious in webcomic culture: I wasn’t going to chase output.

✦ No bi-weekly updates (or weekly! sheesh).
✦ No sleepless nights trying to meet arbitrary deadlines.
✦ No sprinting toward burnout worried I’ll lose readers or subs (you’re going to lose these no matter what you do but the right people will always stay with you).

It wasn’t the popular choice. In fact, a looooot of mutuals told me it would never work. That without a constant barrage of updates and a hustle mindset I’d never build an audience. That readers would lose interest. That my story wouldn’t get traction. That no one would read it. (I still have a hustle mindset though, this I recommend).

But I’ve always believed the opposite: that consistency (in whatever form that means for you, mine’s monthly), quality, and care create their own gravity. And over time, that gravity pulls the right audience in. And in full transparency? It has(ish). It’s taken some time, patience, and even a good deal of heartache to see this happening, but it has and continues to. I focused on a cadence I can maintain indefinitely, not temporarily–while giving myself some grace, I’ve missed months here or there before…because of, you know, life. But this allows me to stay excited about the story, protect the quality of the art, and preserve the emotional tone from one episode to the next.

Don’t Listen to the Naysayers

Here’s what I’ve learned: sustainable pacing doesn’t slow growth, it strengthens it. When readers can feel that you’re invested, they invest back. They’ll say things to me like, “I’d love to read more episodes but I can tell how long it takes you to make these, there’s so much care and love put into this.”

So don’t listen to the naysayers: That you can’t build an audience without constant updates. My philosophy is proof that you can, if done with intention and consistency. Sustainability is the foundation of growth. Besides…

I’m in this for the long run.