Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Ross.
Ali, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in Casper, Wyoming. I don’t remember a time in my childhood when I wasn’t enthralled with writing and world building. My family and I would be camping or fishing, and while they focused on setting up camp or quietly watching the water, I would be daydreaming about the fantastic creatures that might be living in the woods behind us. While my mom and aunt laughed and cooked holiday meals, I sat at the table and wondered about who else could be doing the same thing, and what they might be going through because of it. A lot of the time it felt like the world was moving around me, and I would tuck myself in somewhere and listen to it, fervently scribbling away in one of the notebooks I always carried with me.
Although I always kept writing and eventually started sketching, it was only recently that I decided to finally give it a real shot. I had always worried about things like, what if I’m not any good? What if it doesn’t look right? What if no one reads my work? And then I got some advice from a fellow artist. She told me that it would not look right if I never drew it and that for sure no one would ever read it if I didn’t write it. The only thing stopping me from telling the stories I I wanted to tell was me, so I got to work.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Probably the hardest part about writing/drawing is not getting discouraged with your work. Sometimes it feels like what you do is just going out into the void, especially with a web-comic where there is little to no interaction with readers. Another obstacle with a long-running art project like this is as you progress and move forward, your skills improve. Things start to look and sound better which is great; however, it makes you doubt earlier work, makes you want to go back and change things that you feel like don’t look right anymore, things you know could be better. Editing and reworking things are always good; however, it’s hard not to get stuck in that cycle, and never get to move forward.
As far as advice for women and young women who are interested in creating comics, my biggest piece of advice would be not to get discouraged. It can be daunting trying to move into the field, especially when you want to create your work. Take notes, draw every day, don’t let anyone tell you-you’re not good enough, or that the story you want to tell isn’t interesting. It will be to someone, so get it out there for them.
Please tell us about Familiar Monsters web-comic.
My webcomic is called Familiar Monsters. It is free to read comic with new pages being released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on my website.
It’s about two childhood friends, Jon and Garrick, whose lives get ripped apart by a werewolf attack when they are fourteen. Garrick is attacked and turned into a werewolf and kidnapped by the vicious pack. Jon escapes with his life, but no one believes him about what happened. Thinking his friend is dead, he runs off with a man claiming to be a monster hunter, becoming a hunter himself and combing the country killing supernatural creatures. Their stories move along different paths, Garrick escaping and making his way to California, only to be picked up by another pack that may or may not be as damaging to him as his first. Eventually, the two come slamming back into each other lives unexpectedly and have to learn to deal with each other. They both hate who the other has become, but their love for their brother like relationship keeps them trying to understand each other. It’s about love, hate, and the struggle we all have to deal with the monsters around us and inside ourselves.
I think one of the things that set me apart in the field is that I do all the work myself. Generally, there is a team of people working on a comic or web-comic, but I do all the writing, illustrations, and production myself. I’d say that’s what I am most proud of as well. It is a lot of work, but it is so rewarding to see a story so important to me come to life, and get to share it with people.
Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
I was kind of a weird kid, but thankfully I found my “people” early on. I did a lot of performance and technical theater growing up and well into adulthood, and it was always an amazing creative outlet. It was a supportive and encouraging community, and it always pushed me to put my best work out there. To try new things, to take pride in my art, and to not let what others thought of it ever stop me from putting myself out there. What I do now is different of course than plays and set designs, but a lot of the same principles apply. Acting out a character and creating one on the page isn’t so different. Building worlds around them that are believable and intriguing crosses both mediums. Having so much experience in the theatrical field set me well to move into writing and creating my own story.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.familiar-monsters.com
- Email: night_jimbob@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fullmoongarrick/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/familiarmonsters/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FullMoonGarrick
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