“Introvert Doodles” by Maureen “Marzi” Wilson

I ordered this book back in October of last year, but it hadn’t yet been released in this country. Well, it finally arrived last week, and it was well worth the wait! It conveys what it is like to be an introvert with gentle humour and a lot of warmth. I found myself laughing out loud and warming so much to ‘Marzi’ as portrayed in the comics.

She very generously took the time to answer a few questions about the book, introversion, and her other activities. So here are the questions and answers.

Hi Marzi. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for Wellpool. First, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m an artist and author. I have a DIY YouTube channel and website that shows people how to make cool projects. I also love to doodle! I live in the snowy mountains of the mid-western United States. I have a spoiled Yorkie named Kiko.

How long have you been doodling?

I’ve been doodling for as long as I could hold a pencil. I loved to make comic books for my friends when I was younger.

I know people say that doodling is very therapeutic – do you feel that it is?

Doodling was just something I’d do when I was feeling bored or silly. I liked to doodle cute monsters or kawaii animals. But since I’ve started Introvert Doodles and it’s become more autobiographical, then yes, I’d say it’s been therapeutic.

And the book came about as a result of the web site I guess? When did you start sharing your doodles (and, of course, your insight on the subject of introversion)?

I started Introvert Doodles 18 months ago. I had seen a personality quiz online, and it was the first time I’d given any thought to extroversion and introversion. But as I studied more, I realized that this was the key to understanding myself. Introvert Doodles started as another random doodle on my MadeByMarzipan Instagam account. But people responded positively to my introvert-themed doodles, so I decided to make a separate Instagram account for Introvert Doodles, where I could illustrate my experiences.

When it came to doing the book, did you use already existing doodles, or were they all created especially for the book – or a mix of both?

The book is mostly a collection of my previous doodles, but there are also new comics that are exclusive to the book that you won’t see anywhere else.

And now with the web site up and running and the book out, do you draw mainly digitally, or do you draw manually and scan?

I currently use an iPad Pro and an Apple Pencil to create my doodles. It’s the best of both worlds, since I still get to draw by hand, but it’s easy to edit and share  high res images.

As well as the Introvert Doodles site, producing and promoting the book, you also have a craft web site and video blog – how long have you been doing that?

I started MadeByMarzipan.com about 10 years ago. Sometimes people ask how I can have a YouTube channel when I’m an introvert who also has social anxiety. But I’m actually hardly ever on camera, and I add scripted voiceover later. I don’t like it when people tell me what I can’t do… if I really want to achieve something, I’ll figure out a way to succeed at it, despite my anxiety.

I know the Internet can sometimes get some bad press, but I personally find it has been a great benefit at times when I was reclusive and simply didn’t want contact with the outside world – how do YOU feel about that aspect of the net?

The internet is a great place for introverts! It gives a chance to connect with other people on our own terms. We can discuss topics that matter to us, with people who are equally passionate about the subject. And when we’ve had enough, we can just walk away.

Marzi, thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions. I have really enjoyed reading the book, and following you on Instagram, so it was great that you were willing to share some of these insights with Wellpool too.

Look forward to seeing more from you.

All images gratefully included with kind permission from Maureen Wilson.

“Introvert Doodles” by Maureen “Marzi” Wilson is available on Amazon (UK) here

I can highly recommend it – it is a real joy to read.

Marzi’s sites are as follows:

Introvert Doodles

Made By Marzipan

She is also on:

YouTube

Twitter

Facebook

and

Instagram

There is also a podcast featuring her as guest on:

The Intronaut

The host asks her a couple of questions I didn’t.


If you have any questions for Marzi, please put them in comments. The book has taken off really well and along with her other activities, she is really busy at the moment, but she has agreed that I can send her a ‘digest’ of questions and she will answer them. So please go ahead.

4 thoughts on ““Introvert Doodles” by Maureen “Marzi” Wilson”

  1. WellPoolReporter says:

    Has your drawing style changed much over the years, and especially in the use of the ‘best of both’ with the iPad as compared to Pen/cil and paper?

    1. WellPoolReporter says:

      Marzi replied: “When I hand drew these, they were quite a bit simpler, and I didn’t color them. The iPad has made it easier to add details, since I can copy backgrounds or items instead of drawing them repeatedly for each panel.

      It also makes it easier to edit my work. Several months ago I posted a comic called “How To Love An Introvert,” and one of the symbols I used was a blue puzzle piece. This started a productive Facebook discussion about Autism Speaks, which uses a similar logo. After hearing from several of my autistic friends about their dislike of this symbol, I made the decision to swap out the puzzle piece for a light bulb and repost a new version in solidarity with my followers on the spectrum. Because it was a digital image, it was a 10 minute fix instead of starting from scratch. There’s a lot of flexibility when your artwork is digital, and it makes it easier to accommodate feedback.”

  2. WellPoolReporter says:

    Would you think of producing the comics in other media – framable prints for example?

    1. WellPoolReporter says:

      Marzi replied: “I’ve had a lot of requests for items with Marzi on them. I do have a RedBubble shop that has a few options, and the images can be printed on anything from mugs to journals. I don’t upload a lot of my work there, as I’d rather spend my time drawing new comics instead of merchandising. You can find the shop by visiting introvertdoodles.com and clicking the “shop” tab.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *