Next up for our Creator Interview series is Novelist Nickie, creator of No Strings. This webcomic was our #1 in the Romance genre by creators, #2 Webcomic by creators, and #3 most popular comic by creators of any format in 2023! That's a major accomplishment. We're so excited to get to sit down with Nickie, and talk about this amazing webcomic.
GlobalComix: Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into making webcomics.
Novelist Nickie: You all know me as Novelist Nickie. I’m the creator of the mature, murder-mystery, romance webcomic “No Strings”. I’m passionate about writing. I work full-time in marketing, and I’m a mom. My journey into the world of webcomics isn’t all that exciting, but my passion for comics has existed since I was a kid. It all flourished during COVID. Like a lot of people, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. I stumbled upon “Under the Oak Tree” and that opened up a whole world of webcomics for me to explore. I couldn’t get enough. I love reading, so that escape was exactly what I needed when the world was crap.
GlobalComix: How did you get started with No strings? Surely something sparked it!
Nickie: “No Strings” is a novel I wrote many years ago. It didn’t really go anywhere, and that was fine because my goal was to write a novel, and I accomplished that. As I was reading all these amazing webcomics, it occurred to me that my novel would make a pretty decent webcomic. I thought, yeah, people might actually read this. It was a shame it was just sitting on my desktop, collecting digital dust. Who doesn’t want a story with an extremely flawed female lead? She was very different from the female leads that I had been reading. This comic is almost entirely from her perspective. We never really know what the other characters are thinking. I like that. She makes a lot of assumptions, and so do we as the readers. The thought of presenting this type of FL was very exciting to me.
With all these ideas floating around in my head, I had an obstacle to overcome. I’m a writer and a visionary. My art skills…not so great. The biggest challenge was finding an artist to help get my story out into the world. Thankfully, I found an amazing artist, Carmauy, who has the ability to breathe life into my creative vision. Adapting a novel to a webcomic script IS HARD. I have to slap my hand for wanting to use too many words. Always too many words—my hero and my worst enemy.
GlobalComix: What sort of inspirations fueled your journey?
Nickie: My biggest inspiration comes from my favorite Rom-Com series by Janet Evanovich. This inspired me to write my novel in the first place. It helped me find the balance between heavy and light content. How do I write a serious story but sprinkle it with some sexy stuff and humor? I think I’m doing alright so far. It would be remiss to leave out other creators who have been an inspiration to me like my fellow GC creators jozim.art, mup.art, The Gentleman Panda, and Sparklearts, just to name a few. I continue to be in awe of their work.
GlobalComix: Is there a comic in particular that you've read in the past that inspired you?
Nickie: I’ve been particularly inspired by more dramatic comics like “Private Scandal,” and more recently “Lost in the Cloud,” “I’m Dating a Psychopath,” and “No Moral.” Heavy inner struggles and trauma, that’s my everything. Of course, I need a touching, historical romance too. Omigosh, “Moonrise by the Cliff”…I sobbed. SOBBED.
GlobalComix: What is your favorite moment in the story so far? Or is it not revealed yet?
Nickie: There are a few favorites, but I think my number one, to this day, is when Sophia and Brennan kiss for the first time in Chapter 10 Part 2. He makes his feelings known. She isn’t sure what to do with that.
GlobalComix: What made you choose a romance story?
Nickie: I’m a hopeless romantic, always. The dynamic of romantic relationships is interesting and multi-faceted. They can take many forms; comforting, loving, abusive, toxic, parasitic and about a thousand others. Pairing different people together creates diverse relationships and observing how those develop is magical. If it’s highly dramatic, even better. What I appreciate most about romance is the opportunity for the main characters to make mistakes. I want that. It’s messy. It’s relatable.
GlobalComix: What were some moments in making webcomics are you most proud of?
Nickie: I feel a sense of accomplishment every time I post a chapter, it's like a victory dance—high-fives all around, confetti flying—I did that! It’s a moment that can feel truly euphoric. Remembering that feeling is important because many, many, many times I’m struggling to find the right words, convey the correct emotion, or create the best transition between scenes. Those moments make me feel like I want to hurl my computer into the dumpster. Thankfully, I have a good support system. I’ve developed some strong friendships with a few creators that I cherish. I’m not afraid to shoot them a DM with my writing crisis meltdown.
GlobalComix: There are all kinds of romance stories. Are there any specific relationship dynamics you
like reading about? Did they inspire your comic?
Nickie: Oh, for sure! Two dynamics I particularly like are those couples who have an emotional mountain to climb and those that are immersed in that flirty “will they or won’t they” sexual tension situation. I’ll just say, you won’t find a short supply of sexual tension in my comic. All those flirtatious exchanges strike a balance between the serious and light content I mentioned earlier. What I desire is an MC who has some internal trauma driving their fear of relationships. I want to delve into the reasons behind their behavior and explore how they navigate through it. Definitely an inspiration for my story. That’s totally Sophia Black. She carries a lot of emotional baggage which impedes her ability to accept love. It’s heartbreaking. The right person needs to come along and mend those wounds, but let’s make that journey extremely difficult. Oh, did I mention I enjoy subjecting my characters to a bit of torment?
GlobalComix: What do you think is important for creators to consider when starting a comic journey,
especially a longer comic like yours?
Nickie: Have a well laid out story from start to finish otherwise you fall into a trap of not knowing where to go. I’ve seen a few creators quit because of this. Of course, that’s not to say it can’t grow and evolve as you are creating it. My story has taken some dramatic changes from the novel, but key plot points remain the same and so does the ending.
GlobalComix: What is your favorite part of the comic-making process?
Nickie: I adore the writing process…well, most of the time. I also enjoy getting drafts back from my artist. Seeing her bring my very detailed script (and sometimes awful sketches) to fruition is one of my favorite things. From there, I make edits and still change the words. I’m always fine-tuning those words. Even if it’s subtle changes, they matter to me. I often agonize over them. In Chapter 18 Part 3, when Jason comes to find Sophia, the context of what is said changed from the draft to the final as well as her expression. It changed the tone of the panel. It’s a small detail, but significant. These tweaks may appear to be minutiae, but my goal is to deliver the best story possible for the readers while staying true to myself.
GlobalComix: What’s next for you? Any new projects that you can tease the readers with?
Nickie: I’m truly hoping to release a print version of season one of “No Strings” this year. It won’t be easy, but I’m going to try. That would be a huge accomplishment. There is a lot more “No Strings” story to tell. Get ready, because the plot twists I have coming are going to be shocking. I can’t wait for you all to scream at your screens. That is my main focus, but I also have two other stories already brewing on the page. In the future, I would also love to collaborate on a webcomic with another creator. I’m always looking for ways to challenge and push myself.
Thank you, Nickie, for taking the time to sit down with us and talk about No Strings. Creating such an emotional story with heavy importance on subtle emotions and nuances is difficult, but your work is resonating with viewers on GlobalComix! Keep up the amazing work!
If you want to keep up with Novelist Nickie, follow her GlobalComix creator account here and No Strings here, and make sure to add it to your Library on the GlobalComix app! You can also find Novelist Nickie on these social platforms:
Novelist-Nickie 1 year ago
So honored to be interviewed for Women's History Month. A big thank you to GlobalComix for always providing such a supportive community for creators like myself.