Make journal comics for a month, change your life

I'm doing it this month. I'm calling it #journuary.

“Journuary” made me giggle, so I’m using it. Welcome to Journuary!

I’ve always said if I ever taught a class, it’d just be this: we’re making single panel journal comics, one per day for a month. It’s something I’ve been doing it for over a decade and it never ceases to inspire me, get me in my flow, and most importantly, switch on my antennae for story.

Once I decide on a chunk of time, I commit. Every day, no matter how tired I am, no matter how seemingly uneventful the day was, I draw a comic. Sometimes I know in the moment, this is my comic for today! Other times, I sit down at the end of the day and ask myself: What happened today that’s worth jotting down? What image from the day lingers in my consciousness? What happened that was funny, moving, or memorable? How can I portray it in a comic?

A month of journal comics. That’s how my husband and I fell in love. In 2015, we made a split zine together as friends living on opposite coasts. His day and my day, printed on opposing pages. We called it Same Day Different Shit. While promoting the first volume at a comics festival, we realized we had feelings for each other. We made four volumes total. The last one was given out as a gift at our wedding.

I can’t promise doing a month of journal comics will connect you to the love of your life, but I can promise that it will help you love your life. The memories that are preserved because I put them into a Same Day comic are vivid, even ten years later. Making art about everyday life is a gesture of love. It’s how I celebrate the miracle of my existence, of our collective existence. The ritual of recording each day elevates my experience, makes it sacred. It brings to mind this page from my book Directions:

I could talk about this forever. The point is, I’m making journal comics for all of January. I’m craving some structure and a more direct channel with my art, and this is a great way to do that. Here are my comics from the first week of January.

This was part 1. Each Tuesday for the rest of Journuary I’ll be sharing my comics from the previous week.

Thanks for being here,

❤️ Hal

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Notes:

• Drawn mostly with my nib pen.

• Order my book Directions.

• I’ve been doing pilates with body-neutral instructor Helen Phelan for 5 years! My chronic back pain went away after a couple months, and I’ve never looked back. Try a class! She offers a 10 day free trial.

• REMINDER: February 1st is hourly comics day.

• Intimidated at the prospect of making daily comics for 30 days? Just remember James Kochalka did it for 14 years, compiled in his series American Elf. I should probably do a whole round-up of great autobiographical comics artists!

• Buy my prints and cards, including the brand new, very specific “I’m sorry my child got you sick” card!

• A nice thing to do: Buy a tee shirt, support Gaza aid.