Nick Seluk’s The Awkward Yeti Story; or, Heart and Brain Turn Failure to Success

From Nick Seluk:

Growing up, I had two passions: drawing silly comics, and not doing what anyone told me to do. I drew comics all the time. I even drew comics in my notebooks during psychology classes in college to help me learn concepts. I tried to get in the papers and failed. I tried to freelance. But despite my second passion, life directed me into 10 years in the corporate world testing the boundaries of authority as a graphic designer and art director, finding ways to explore my creativity within a box (albeit, a pretty good size box built by a bunch of Fortune 100 brands). So much for that Psychology degree…

In 2010, a few months after my first child was born, I was inspired to make a children’s book. It was a short picture book called The Awkward Yeti, about a silly creature with silly habits that simply made him who he was. Again, it failed to sell, but here’s the difference between someone who has done it and someone who gives up: I adjusted course and continued to find a NEW way to fail.

Nick tells the story of reinventing his character and adding a couple more – turning failure to success.

The Awkward Yeti has generated body part plushies, greeting cards, books, games, drinkware, pins and more.

And, of course, the comic strip.