Hey, everybody—it’s Monday, September 29, and this is your Monday Motivation Podcast by FWACATA.

What’s up, heathens? You sweaty, creative masses of chaos? Yeah, that thing that happened—wild, right? I mean, I don’t know what happened, because I pre-recorded this. But thanks to the internet’s nonstop firehose of madness, I’m sure something insane just went down. So now it sounds like I know what’s happening. See how that works? “Dude, did you SEE that shit?” Boom. Timeless.

Anyway. Welcome back to the other Monday Motivation—the one where we drag your creative bird out of bed, slap it around a little, pour some coffee on it, and shove it back into the ring.

Today’s episode? Creative Reboots.
Restarting stalled projects with fresh energy.

Here’s a confession: I have drawers—literal drawers—of half-finished comics, folders of “someday novels,” Google Docs of script fragments, and sketchbooks that look like serial killer ransom notes. Every time I open them, these projects look up at me like, “Bro, remember us? You abandoned us like a Tamagotchi in ’98.”

We all have them. Projects that start hot—burning like first love—and then three weeks later you’re wondering: Why the hell did I think a 400-page Gundam-meets-Full-Metal-Jacket-meets-Mad-Max comic was a good idea? (Spoiler: it wasn’t. But I still tried.)

Creative projects are like relationships. They start steamy. You doodle hearts around their name. Then reality shows up like a chaperone at prom, and you’re sitting in the corner with your unfinished script, not even getting to second base.

So what do you do? How do you reboot?

1. Step Back.

Look at your project like it’s someone else’s. Pretend you found it in a thrift store. What’s cool about it? What sucks? Sometimes distance gives you fresh eyes. Go get a coffee. Go stare at a wall. Hell, go smoke a cigarette if that’s still your thing. Come back. You’ll see it differently.

2. Scale It Down.

Maybe the project stalled not because it sucks—but because you made it too damn big. Instead of a 400-page epic, make it a 12-page comic. Instead of a novel, a short story. Instead of a film, a TikTok. Give yourself permission to shrink it. Small wins build momentum.

3. Change the Tools.

If you’re stuck, switch the medium. Writing on a laptop? Try pen and paper. Painting with acrylics? Try markers, charcoal, Photoshop—hell, carve it into a potato if you have to. Creativity thrives on novelty. Sometimes the project isn’t stuck—you are.

4. Reconnect with the “Why.”

Ask yourself: Why did I start this? Was it the story? The character? The mood? Go back to the original spark. I make soundtracks for my projects—yeah, actual playlists. When I hear certain songs, I remember what I wanted the story to feel like, and suddenly, boom—the fire’s back.

5. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection.

A reboot doesn’t mean you finish it tomorrow. It means breathing life back into it. One sketch. One page. One note. That’s CPR for your project.

Look—unfinished doesn’t mean failed. It just means paused. You can hit “play” again anytime. And if it really is dead? That’s okay too. Bury it, honor it, and move on. Not every sketch becomes a masterpiece. But every sketch leads somewhere.

So this week: dust off one stalled project. Give it a reboot. Look at it with new eyes. Shrink it down. Switch your tools. Reconnect with your why. Do something. Anything. And maybe, just maybe, that creative corpse gets back up and dances.

That’s it for today’s Monday Motivation. If you’re digging this podcast, support me on Patreon at patreon.com/fwacata—get behind-the-scenes chaos, comics, art, and maybe the occasional zombie project resurrection.

And hey—the Kickstarter for issue 3 of FWACATA is live. Go check it out. Support if you can, or at least spread the word. Even a repost works wonders. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ThisisJuan/fwacata-3-comics-to-the-face?ref=9gnlxm

Alright weirdos—reboot, restart, and as always… be good.