All right. You’re the one who’s starting your IP. Got it.

Have you got everything you want written down?

That is the first and most important step to take.

Right now, if you haven’t already, write or type or dictate all of your ideas down somewhere. Do not write on the back side of all of your papers! Just single-sided, please.

Next. Can you organize those ideas?

Look at what has been typed or written or dictated.

Which ideas belong together?

Put those together.

Copy-paste, shift notes, rewrite by hand, or literally cut the strips of paper you see and tape them down temporarily.

Can you see what you have so far?

If so, good!

If not, what is missing?

Take a moment to write down again, any ideas or thoughts you may have that relate to the missing topic(s).

All good? Okay. Let’s continue together.

Next, I want you to write any concerns or challenges that you are having.

You don’t need a solution for this. Just have your concerns and challenges somewhere.

Next, I want you to write any next steps that you know you need for every section you’ve got.

Once you finish that, I want you to go and do what you need to do.

If you are stuck, I want you to look at everything else you have written or typed down, and I want you to choose something else that you can solve without issue right away. Usually, when we do that, we will become unstuck on that one tough item. So try that if you are really jammed.

My suggestion to you after you have done all these things is to do what you know you need to do.

Often, we linger or procrastinate on things that we know the solutions to.

We know that we should stop snacking and start working.

We know we should ask people for a private hour.

We know that we should just empty the dishwasher and then begin to work.

As you make progress, you will know if you need to ask others for help or if you just need to hole up somewhere and do the work yourself.

I am really proud of you for starting your IP, and I want you to know that you can always come back to the website for help.

Make sure you click around as different buttons will lead you to different places.

If you have already reached halfway or more in your IP, you can click on the link below the “Get Started” button that says “Already started? Click here to Skip Ahead.” You’ll get some general encouragement and advice for you along various stages of completion.

The way I designed this website for you is as a self-standing, self-serviceable, and self-sustainable station. I made it so even if you finish one IP, you can come back and do it again. And again. And again. Repeatedly. Forever, if need be, or until you are confident enough to fly alone.

Use this website at work or at home, you ask? The answer is both.

This website is designed for both personal and professional development for IP creators, especially concept artists.

You will find in no time that you want to do both.

You want to help out with the work IP and do a great job.

And.

You want to work on your own personal IP.

Go ahead. Do both.

You have my permission.

Love,

Sarah