View source for Sarah's Scribbles

{{short description|Webcomic}}
{{Infobox comic strip
| title     = Sarah's Scribbles
| image     = File:Sarah's Scribbles - Book 1 cover (Adulthood is a Myth) - low resolution.png
| caption   = Cover of the first print edition of ''Sarah's Scribbles'', ''Adulthood is a Myth''
| author    = [[Sarah Andersen]]
| current   =
| url       = {{URL|https://sarahcandersen.com/}}
| status    = Ongoing
| first     = 2011<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sarahcandersen.com/archive/2011/12 |title=Sarah's Scribbles: Archive |last= |first= |date= |website=Sarah's Scribbles |publisher= |access-date=}}</ref>
| syndicate =
| publisher =
| genre     =
}}
'''''Sarah's Scribbles''''' is a [[webcomic]] by [[Sarah Andersen]] started in 2011. Andersen initially published the webcomic on [[Tumblr]], but has since released it on various services, such as [[Facebook]], [[Instagram]], [[Tapas (syndicate)|Tapas]] and her own website. ''Sarah's Scribbles'' follows Andersen's experiences as a [[Millennials|millennial]] and focuses on themes such as [[adulthood]] and maturity. The comic receives millions of views on the Tapas platform and has won multiple Goodreads Choice Awards and a Ringo Award. Andersen has published four print collections of the webcomic: ''Adulthood is a Myth''; ''Big Mushy Happy Lump''; ''Herding Cats''; and ''Oddball''.

== Overview ==
''Sarah's Scribbles'' focuses on adulthood and the maturity of the [[millennial generation]]. Andersen described millennials as "liking to laugh at themselves," making common use of self-deprecating humour.<ref name="IlLibraio" /> ''[[The Independent]]'' described ''Sarah's Scribbles'' as "relatable comics capturing the dilemmas of a bug-eyed millennial who feels ill-equipped for grown-up life." The webcomic is semi-autobiographical, following Andersen's experiences as well as those of her friends and pets.<ref name="Independent">{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/best-books-2016-goodreads-a7468681.html |work=[[The Independent]] |title=The 20 best books of the year, according to readers |last=Hoffman |first=Ellen |date=2016-12-11}}</ref> Andersen has said that the main character is "technically" called Sarah, as the character is her, but she avoids using her name, saying: "I feel like people project themselves onto her... I feel like calling her Sarah within the panels has this strange effect of making her more of an individual and less relatable."<ref name=":0" />

Andersen's webcomic follows the messy-haired protagonist, who has to deal with [[social anxiety]], [[body image]] issues and [[laziness]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://scroll.in/article/806819/five-comic-book-guides-on-how-to-try-adulting-the-struggle-is-real |work=Scroll.in |title=Five comic book guides on how to try 'adulting' (the struggle is real) |last=Chaudhuri |first=Zinnia Ray |date=2016-04-24}}</ref> One comic shows Andersen 'borrowing' a sweater from her boyfriend;<ref>{{cite web |last=Borresen |first=Kelsey |date=2016-05-08 |title=This Comic Illustrates The True Meaning Of 'Borrow' In A Relationship |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/entry/true-meaning-of-borrow_us_57a37935e4b0104052a1a01b |work=[[The Huffington Post]]}}</ref> other topics include being made to feel inadequate by fitness fanatics, dreading Mondays, considering matching socks an achievement while former school friends raise children.<ref name=":1" /> The comic has also been described as a satire of "toxic masculinity" by some sources.<ref>{{cite web |date=2020-02-04 |title=US artist's mural marred by graffiti in less than a week |url=https://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/us-artists-mural-marred-by-graffiti-in-less-than-a-week/ |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=Mexico News Daily |language=en-US}}</ref> Andersen said in 2016 she mainly gains inspiration from her own life and from seeing what people on the internet are thinking and feeling.<ref name="IlLibraio" />

== Development ==
{{further|Sarah Andersen}}
[[File:Sarah Andersen - Lucca Comics & Games 2016.jpg|thumb|right|Sarah Andersen at [[Lucca Comics & Games]] in 2016.]]
Andersen started creating and uploading ''Sarah's Scribbles'' on [[Tumblr]] in 2013.<ref name="IlLibraio">{{cite web |url=http://www.illibraio.it/fumetti-intervista-sarah-andersen-415879/ |work=Il Libraio |title=Provare a diventare grandi, una risata alla volta. Sarah Andersen racconta i suoi fumetti |last=Tosetti |first=Veronica |date=2016-12-16}}</ref> She was studying at the [[Maryland Institute College of Art]] at the time, and after she graduated in 2014 she worked on the webcomic full-time.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/sarah-andersen-adulthood-is-a-myth-illustrations-on-being-an-adult-grown-up-a7353781.html |work=[[The Independent]] |title=The illustrator whose cartoons sum up how hard being an adult is |last=Gander |first=Kashmira |date=2016-10-11}}</ref> According to Andersen, the comic was originally called ''Doodle Time'', but [[GoComics]] asked Andersen to change the name when they syndicated it.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Interview with Sarah Andersen of Sarah's Scribble's |url=https://www.thingsinsquares.com/blog/sarahs-scribbles-interviews-with-webcomic-artists/ |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=Things in Squares |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Newsarama" /> Andersen has said that publishing ''Sarah's Scribbles'' as a webcomic allows her to observe the reactions of her readership in real time, which she said allows her to do a better job. Andersen's webcomic has a five-panel format, which Andersen developed because it worked well with the scroll display of [[Tumblr]] and continues to work well on other websites, such as [[Instagram]].<ref name="IlLibraio" />

In March 2016, Andersen released a print collection of ''Sarah's Scribbles'' comics titled ''Adulthood is a Myth''. The book was published by [[Andrews McMeel Publishing]].<ref name="McDonald">{{cite web |url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/sarah-andersons-adulthood-is-a-myth-wins-goodreads-readers-choice-award-for-graphic-novel/ |work=Comics Beat |title=Sarah Anderson's Adulthood is a Myth wins Goodreads Readers Choice Award for Graphic Novel |last=McDonald |first=Heidi |author-link=Heidi McDonald |date=2016-12-13}}</ref> A follow-up was published in March 2017, titled ''Big Mushy Happy Lump,'' and a third volume, ''Herding Cats'' was released in March 2018, all from the same publisher. ''Oddball'' was later released. She has also released a calendar and planner featuring her comics. The first book, ''Adulthood is a Myth'', has been translated into multiple languages, and there are several fan translations of the webcomic.<ref>{{cite web |last=Andersen |first=Sarah |date= |title=Translations! |url=https://sarahcandersen.com/post/151100932994/this-list-has-been-a-long-time-coming-look-at-all |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=saracandersen.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Andersen |first=Sarah |date= |title=Translations |url=https://sarahcandersen.com/translations |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=sarahcandersen.com}}</ref>

Andersen said that she is often asked what the character of Sarah "would be like all grown up", and has said that "in some ways ''Fangs'' [another comic by Andersen] has the answer."<ref name="Newsarama">{{cite web |last=Arrant |first=Chris |date=2019-12-18 |title=What If SARAH from ''SARAH'S SCRIBBLES'' Grew Up? Author's Answer is ''FANGS'' |url=https://www.newsarama.com/48323-sarah-s-scribbles-sarah-andersen.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219021208/https://www.newsarama.com/48323-sarah-s-scribbles-sarah-andersen.html |archive-date=2019-12-19 |work=[[Newsarama]]}}</ref>

== Reception ==
''Sarah's Scribbles'' was the second-most read comic on the [[Tapas (syndicate)|Tapas platform]] in 2019, with 46.9 million views and 176,000 subscribers.<ref>{{cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2020-01-15 |title=Sales Charts: The Top 10 most viewed comics on Tapas for 2019 |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/sales-charts-the-top-10-most-viewed-comics-on-tapas-for-2019/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}</ref>

Every ''Sarah's Scribbles'' book has won the [[Goodreads Choice Award]] in the "Graphic Novel & Comics" category, winning in 2016, 2017, and 2018.<ref name="Independent" /><ref name="McDonald" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Announcing the Winners of the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards! |url=https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2017 |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=Goodreads}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Announcing the Winners of the 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards! |url=https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2018 |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=Goodreads}}</ref> The webcomic won the [[Ringo Award]] for Best Comic Strip or Panel in 2018,<ref>{{cite news |last=Cavna |first=Michael |date=October 1, 2018 |title=Tom King and Batman top Baltimore Comic-Con's Ringo Awards |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2018/10/01/tom-king-and-batman-top-baltimore-comic-cons-ringo-awards/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date= |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=2018 Ringo Awards |url=https://ringoawards.com/2018-ringo-awards/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=Ringo Awards |language=en-US}}</ref> and was nominated for Best Comic Strip or Panel and for Best Cartoonist in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=Arrant |first=Chris |date=October 21, 2020 |title=Skottie Young remembers Mike Wieringo in advance of Saturday's Ringo Awards |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/and-the-nominees-for-2020-mike-wieringo-comic-book-industry-awards-the-ringos-are/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=Newsarama |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ringo Awards – The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards |url=https://ringoawards.com/ |access-date=2020-12-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2024 Andersen won the [[Reuben Award]] in the category "Online Comic Short Form".<ref>{{Cite web |title=WINNERS OF THE 78TH ANNUAL REUBEN AWARDS |url=https://nationalcartoonists.com/reubenwinners-2023-2/ |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=National Cartoonists}}</ref>

''The Independent'' has described her first book as "hilarious" and "relatable"<ref name="Independent" /> and her webcomic as capturing the horrible realization that being a grown-up is pretty awful.<ref name=":1" /> ''The Beat'' said of ''Sarah's Scribbles'', "bottom line, people like a short laugh that reflects their live as it is lived."<ref>{{cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2017-09-01 |title=A year of Free Comics: 'webcomic name' is a meta commentary on the banality of our own destruction |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/a-year-of-free-comics-webcomic-name-is-a-meta-commentary-on-the-banality-of-our-own-destruction/ |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-12-02 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://sarahcandersen.com/}}
* [https://tapastic.com/series/Doodle-Time ''Sarah's Scribbles''] on [[Tapas (website)|Tapastic]]
* [https://www.gocomics.com/sarahs-scribbles ''Sarah's Scribbles''] on [[GoComics]]
* [http://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/sarahs-scribbles/list?title_no=50260 ''Sarah's Scribbles''] on [[Webtoon (publisher)|Webtoon]]

{{Tapas (platform)}}
{{Webtoon (platform)}}

[[Category:2010s webcomics]]
[[Category:2011 webcomic debuts]]
[[Category:2016 graphic novels]]
[[Category:Tapastic webcomics]]
[[Category:Webtoons]]