1. Can you please come out of retirement?
I will not be doing any more new For Better or For Worse material. Here's the thing: I am having real problems with my vision. My hands are unsteady as well, so it takes me more than twice as much time to write and draw as it used to. I fight just to focus my eyes and am constantly having to "white out" my mistakes.
It used to be fun and fast and I loved it. Now, it's something I truly struggle to produce. Sad to say, I just can't continue. Thanks for asking. I'm glad you've enjoyed this saga!
2. Where does Lynn get her ideas?
First and foremost, from her imagination, along with the constant threat of a deadline!
3. Did the characters really age in real time?
When the strip began in 1979, Michael was already three or four, and Elizabeth was a toddler. We kept the ages static until our own children, Aaron and Kate, were three years older than the kids in the strip — and then I allowed the characters to age annually. This has made for some questions about actual dates and ages, when they don't line up perfectly.
4. How did Lynn get started?
In a nutshell: Lynn was pregnant with her first child, Aaron, and was drawing several single panel comics for her obstetrician, who encouraged her to seek a publisher. The comics were published in a book; David, We're Pregnant! Two more books followed, a Syndicate took notice, and the rest is history. For a more detailed bio on Lynn and how she started, please read our About Lynn page.
5. How do I start a cartooning career?
A comic strip comes from many sources. You need experience in art, drama and creative writing. Ideas and gags should come naturally to a comic artist - because once you're into the race, you can't get out! You may find yourself working with a friend on a mutual storyline. My best advice is to find a copy of "Your Career in the Comics" by Lee Nordling, published by Andrews & McMeel. It will be an invaluable resource. Good luck with your cartooning. The world needs more of us!
6. Is the strip autobiographical?
The strip is very loosely based on Lynn's own life. At first, there were distinct similarities between Lynn's family and the Pattersons but later on the strip departed greatly from Lynn's life.
7. How many years has FBorFW been published?
The strip has been in syndication since 1979! In 2008, Lynn ended the ongoing storyline, and you're now seeing the strip in repeats. For more info, see our Growing Up All Over Again section.
8. Why did my paper drop FBorFW?
Each newspaper's comics editor makes the decision about what to keep or remove, and we're not told which paper has dropped FBorFW (or why), so often we don't find out until someone writes to us. If you want it reinstated, your best option is to write to your newspaper directly and ask nicely. This often works!
9. There's an offensive ad on your website!
Please use the "report this ad" link under the bad advert, and report it to our advertising partner. They'll take care of it.
10. You messed something up! Who can I tell?
Send a note to our website developer, Steph.
Anachronisms in the strip: since the strip is in repeats, sometimes things which were normal or common in the 80s will reappear in the strip and make no sense. Sometimes we can fix these in advance, and sometimes we just have to let them slide.
Something broken on the site: please do tell us about this — fborfw.com is very large, and has lots of "moving parts", so sometimes we don't notice an issue right away. You will generally get a personal response from a real human, so please be kind.
If you're reporting a technical problem, please tell us whatever you can about your computer: Mac or Windows? Laptop, desktop or phone? What operating system, and what browser?
11. Can I buy a strip that I like?
We have donated all of Lynn's original art to Library and Archives Canada, so originals are hard to find — sometimes somebody will be selling one on eBay, but we don't offer them ourselves.
You may, however, order prints of almost any strip from our store. You just have to know the date of the strip you want, which you can find out by searching our Strip Catalog.
12. Are Lynn and FBorFW Canadian?
Absolutely! Lynn is Canadian, and has lived in several different parts of the country (currently she's in Vancouver, B.C.). The strip itself takes place in a small, fictional city called Milborough in Southern Ontario, not far from Toronto.
At first Lynn's syndicate wanted FBorFW to be US-based, but Lynn insisted it remain Canadian, or she wouldn't sign the contract!
