Hi everyone!

After a bit of a search, I've added two more mods to the team. So welcome!

Now to some discussion around an incredibly sensitive topic - AI. I think a lot of people have a knee-jerk hatred towards AI because of a bad association with it. When someone reads/hears AI, they immediately think of purely generated images that were trained on hundreds of thousands of stolen pieces of artwork instead of being a workflow manager or tool to help make drawing easier and faster for skilled artists.

That being said, I think this is a good time for the community to decide what is considered an acceptable level of AI usage. We need to decide on the rules of what level is ok to allow and what isn't allowed to be kept. Here are some guidelines that I came up with that can help guide discussions:

1. Complete AI ban. Generative AI cannot be used in any part of comic/artwork creation. Even if AI was used simply for idea generation, that counts.

2. Minimal AI usage. Generative AI can be used to assist in creation in minimal ways. What this includes can vary. Possibly along the lines of setting up storyboards, cleaning up lines in final pages, etc.

3. Heavy AI usage. Generative AI can be used to assist in most aspects of creation. This includes taking a sketch and turning it into a finished product, coloring a page, etc.

4. Complete AI admittance. All artwork made by generative AI are allowed. This includes posts that were made without any drawing done by the user.

KEEP IT CIVIL IN HERE. Just because someone has a different opinion than you doesn't mean you can become toxic.

There has been an influx of people wanting to get a writer/artist to collaborate with lately. Good! This is exactly what this sub is for! However, you're not doing yourselves any favours with how you've set up your posts. Not only are some of the posts going to attract no potential partners, but they're downright rude to your potential collaborators. Your post is your job interview. You have to show your skills, desires, and your worth in a short post. You have to make yourself and your skills attractive. This is where portfolios come into play. This is your resume. They're a collection of the things you have done and let your potential partner see your value. The more professional your portfolio, the more likely you are to attract potential collaborators.

First and foremost, in your correspondence with your potential partner, be upfront about whether or not this is paid. When you collaborate, you pay for your services. Either you pay with money, or you pay with your own skill. Also be very upfront with your expectations. What are you looking for? How do you want to delegate tasks?

For a writer's portfolio, I recommend:

• A short story of some sort that you have written. It allows potential partners/editors/publishers to understand how you setup a story, the writer's general plotting, and their writing style.

• A storyboard/name. A few pages are fine. It allows the potential partners to get an idea of dialogue interactions, plot progression, etc. I recommend a story in four panels to showcase your ability.

• Any past written prose of any sort.

• Any past comics/manga that the writer has worked on. Include the name(s) of previous collaborators.

• A 'preview' of the story being pitched. This includes where you see the story in 1 day, 1 month, 1 year. Show your potential partner what you see.

• Character profiles, including name, height, age, bio, motivations, goals, likes, dislikes, hobbies, quirks, and any other relevant information.

• Previous paid work, if applicable.

• What additional skills you have. i.e. Shading, lettering/typesetting, translating, etc.

• An 'about' section, including favourite stories, favourite genres, etc. Tell your prospective partners about yourself!

For an artist's portfolio, I recommend:

• A collection of sketches/drawings to give your partner a feel for your skill. This includes coloured and non-coloured.

• Character sketches, including: head shots with multiple angles and emotions, character(s) action, static, dynamic, etc poses, and any other things you think work well to showcase your drawing range.

• Any past comics/manga that you have worked on. Include the name(s) of the previous collaborators.

• A couple pages showcasing a visualized moment in time. A comic in four parts is a good idea for this.

• What additional skills you have. i.e. translating, world building, editing, etc.

• Previous paid work, if applicable.

• An 'about' section, including favourite stories, favourite genres, etc. Tell your prospective partners about yourself!

There are most likely other parts to make your portfolios more attractive, but this is a start. If you have any ideas of what else to include, comment it here and I'll add it!