Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to K. Lynn Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

K. Lynn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I’m a comic artist, which means I’m a full-time artist and writer, publishing a number of graphic novels and selling them through signings, conventions and crowdfunding. I got my start by creating a western/fantasy webcomic called PLUME, which honestly just started as a hobby. At the time, I had a full-time office job–all blazers and pencil skirts–and didn’t think a comic career would ever pay the bills. Sure, I thought maybe I could make a few bucks on the side, but never did I think it would be my full-time gig. But then the webcomic started attracting an audience, and the numbers just grew and grew, until finally, I was in a spot where I could quit my day job and start full-time in creating art.

I truly think it happened the way it should have happened, at the speed it was supposed to happen. My timing was perfect; webcomics were very popular–but not oversaturated–and crowdfunding sites were on the upswing, so I came in just at the right time. Cliché as it sounds, if I had to do it over, I think I would make all the same choices; pitfalls and all.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m an artist from mid-Michigan, and have won awards such as the Michigan Press Award and the Victoria Hayes Storyboarding Award. Though I’ve worked with other creators, including the Jim Davis team on Garfield, I’m best known for my creator-owned graphic novels. I have a western/fantasy series called PLUME, where our heroine and her reluctant guardian angel go on a quest for revenge through the wild west. I also have a comedy/drama called FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE, where a hippie and a demon team up to do good deeds to break his curse. And lastly, I have THE HOUSE OF LOWTHER, a rehabilitation center for cryptids, where the Mothman, Big Foot, and the werewolf (among a few) are all working through their own demons. It’s great fun dabbling in these worlds; creating characters and writing twisted little tales to plop them in. I always joke that I get paid to play with dolls in front of people. It’s a childhood dream come true.

These books allow me to travel too. I attend comic conventions all across the US, where I sell and sign my books and do on-site commissions. I somewhat fell into doing pet portraits and I couldn’t be happier about that. For most people, animals are another extension of the family, and to be able to capture their likeness, especially those who have passed on, it’s an honor. There is rarely a show where I don’t get a hug or a tearful ‘thank you’. Those moments are what I am truly most proud of.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The best way to support an artist is to share their work (with credit of course). If you can’t support them financially, then repost or retweet (or whatever that is called these days). Tell your friends about it too; never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth. The constant struggle for an artist is finding their audience.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Being a creative is not easy. Sure, sometimes it looks quite effortless, but it is years and years of training, of hard work, of carving something out of us to get a piece just right. We are driven by passion and motivation, two things that run dry way too often, and it is a constant struggle to fill those vats back up. But it’s rewarding. We are what people turn to when they need a reprieve from reality. We create worlds where people hide in for a time, create characters for people to love (and to love to hate). It is a huge honor, and also a huge pressure.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.klynnsmith.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/handmadecrown/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/klynnsmithart
• Twitter: https://x.com/KLynnTweets