Hey there, fellow creators and comic enthusiasts! Welcome back to my little corner of the internet where I spill the beans on all things comics. Today, I’m diving into the perilous world of finding a publisher. So, grab your pens, paper, and maybe a stress ball, because we’re about to embark into the wild world of publishing.
Let me be real with you – the process of finding a publisher can be downright stressful.
Now, no matter what kind of artist you are – whether you’re a writer, illustrator, musician, or the proud owner of a cat that gets a million likes – you’ve got to find a way to get your work under people’s noses (or, more preferably, eyes). And that usually means facing the daunting task of finding a publisher. I, for one, am not an expert at this, so consider this entry a cautionary tale, or as I like to call it, “Don’t do what DARIRU did.”
Luckily, with the digital revolution that is continually happening these days, there are more ways than ever before to release your work. Self-distribution has even become a legitimate and rewarding path for many artists (a topic I promise to delve into in a future entry). That said, the tried and true way to get your work out there is still by finding a publisher.
Let me be real with you – the process of finding a publisher can be downright stressful. The first step alone, which involves sending submissions, can be a journey filled with anxiety and the looming specter of rejection. I find the process to be extremely stressful. Because my experience with sending submissions has been a long, highly negative process which 99% of the time ends in rejection.
SUBMISSIONS
So, let’s rewind a bit. About 10 yeas ago I was knee-deep in short fiction, desperately trying to hone my writing chops and navigate the maze of storytelling. You see, I had once harbored dreams of making it big in filmmaking, I even went to film school (see Prologue), but life had different plans. So I was exploring other ways of storytelling, and at that time I was trying written fiction. Around the same time, my buddy David Rees-Thomas was on a similar journey into the realm of becoming a writer. We both shared a deep love for science fiction, and over weekly beers, we’d dream about crafting stories that would transport readers to otherworldly realms.
So that’s just what we did. We both wrote story after story trying to get into the scifi magazines (Analog, Magazine of Science fiction and Fantasy, and Clarkesworld to name a few). I wrote about a dozen short stories during this phase, and together, David and I submitted, submitted, submitted our stories. And for 10 years I got rejected, rejected, rejected. That really, really sucked.
But it didn’t suck for the reason you’d think.
The universal policy for publishers nowadays is to A) not accept unsolicited submissions except through agents or B) only respond to a submission if they are interested in it. Now this policy is the same for book publishers, comic publishers and even short story sci fi magazines. And it is completely understandable because the amount of submissions these places get is ludicrous. Dozens a day. Maybe a hundred on a good day if they are big publishers. Unfortunately this policy has the unintentional consequence of being worse than a rejection for a writer. With a rejection you know to stop waiting and can submit elsewhere or know to get better at your craft. When the answer is open ended, you’re stuck in this limbo of perpetually waiting. You can’t submit elsewhere. You can’t glean any information about what didn’t work. You’re just… waiting.
I did not get one acceptance during this time. I batted a thousand in rejections – not exactly an achievement to be proud of. Eventually it got to be too much and I just stopped counting (I tallied up to 300 rejections).
The Slush Pile
So, here’s the deal – when you’re not a household name in the publishing universe, your masterpiece gets majestically and elegantly dumped into the slush pile. Think of it as this digital mountain of creativity, a hill of fiction. And in this cliff of slush, assistants hurriedly dig looking for the gems of literary magic. Once they pick out their favorites, they pass them along to the editors. This is where the real decisions get made. If you’re a VIP in the world of publishing, someone who has left an indelible mark on the minds of the team or the publisher, you get to skip the line. Heck, you may even be able to send a submission to an editor directly. That definitely happened at Waylines Magazine. We had an A-team of readers, diligently plowing through the slush, plucking out the most promising pieces. They’d then handpick the literary treasures and pass them up the ladder to me and David (though we both had our own pikes of slush to sift through). But if someone on the team stumbled upon a submission from a writer they knew, someone with a track record of awesomeness, that story got a fast pass straight to David and me.
Seeing we weren’t getting anywhere, David and I decided to take matters into our own hands. We birthed our own professional-paying sci-fi magazine, Waylines Magazine. That’ll be an entry in it’s own right soon, but let me tell you, while it was a very tough (yet rewarding) experience, it was easier than getting published.
Through this venture, I learned about the submission process from the publisher’s side. We got dozens of submissions a week. I think the number was roughly 400 a month. Some disregarded guidelines, some were cringe-worthy, and a few were absolute gems. But here’s the twist – we gave each submission a definite rejection and a snippet of feedback (plus the one’s we did publish were paid a pro-rate). We knew the struggle, and we wanted to be a part of the solution. But going through all those submissions was really tough. And one of the reasons the magazine only lasted a year.
All that was 10 years ago. I haven’t stopped writing since and have had dozens and dozens of uncounted rejections since then. I changed course and moved to comics, which I do truly think is where I should be. But ironically, it’s the same situation here. The only difference is, instead of submitting a finished story you send a pitch package.
PITCH PACKAGE
So, let me tell you something. It might come as a bit of a shock, but when it comes to submissions, the actual work doesn’t matter. I know, I know. You’ve poured your heart, soul, and probably several gallons of coffee into creating the greatest comic or book the world has ever seen. But guess what? When you’re submitting, you’re not sending them the finished masterpiece; you’re sending them the idea of it. And you’ve got to be a damn good salesman in order for them to even take a look at the actual work.
Whether it’s comics, books, or finding agents, the game is all about being a top-notch salesman. You could have the next Mona Lisa on your hands, but if you can’t sell the idea effectively, it might end up collecting virtual dust on your hard drive.
Now, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the pitch. For books and agents, it’s the infamous query letter and some example pages (sometimes). Comics? Well, you’re entering the realm of pitch packages. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to paint a vivid picture for the publisher. What’s your comic about? Who are the characters? Who’s the dream team behind it? And most importantly, why is this going to be the golden ticket for them to swim in Scrooge McDuck levels of money?
Inside a Pitch Package
Crafting a compelling comic book pitch package is akin to creating a vibrant superhero origin story—it needs to grab attention, tell a captivating tale, and leave a lasting impression. Your pitch package should include a concise yet enticing synopsis of your comic’s concept, highlighting the core elements that make it unique and engaging. Introduce the key characters, giving them depth and relatability, and provide a sneak peek into the exciting journey they are about to embark upon. Don’t forget to showcase a few visually stunning and representative pages or artwork to demonstrate the artistic style and atmosphere of your comic. A well-rounded pitch also includes information about your creative team, emphasizing their relevant skills and experiences. Additionally, address the market potential of your comic, demonstrating an understanding of your target audience and how your story fills a gap in the comic book landscape. Remember, a successful pitch package is like a superhero’s costume—it should make an unforgettable impression and leave the reader eagerly anticipating the adventures that lie ahead.
Remember, these publishers are not benevolent wizards granting wishes to struggling artists. Nope, they’re businesses with a primary goal – making moolah. It’s not out of kindness that they’re considering your work; it’s the potential cha-ching they see in it. Cold, hard, but that’s the industry reality.
Now, here’s another bombshell – most comic creators, especially the seasoned pros, don’t even have a finished book when they’re knocking on publishers’ doors. Nope, they assemble a dream team, whip up some tantalizing pitch pages, and then go fishing for a publisher. Why? Because they’ve learned the hard way that making a whole book upfront is not much different than playing the lotto. How do you get your hard-earned cash back if you can’t get your comic on the shelves? It’s the financially responsible route and a harsh truth of the trade.
It does sting a bit, realizing that the art of selling the story often takes precedence over the story itself. And if you’re like me – not exactly a charismatic wordsmith or a smooth-talking salesman – it might feel like you’re navigating the tricky terrain of submissions with a map written in a language you barely understand.
PUBLISHERS
So, you’ve found a publisher interested in your masterpiece – congratulations! All the tough stuff is behind you! Right? Not by a long shot.
Now I’ve worked with some good publishers and I’ve worked with some bad ones. And I’m not going to name any names here or give specifics because I hate badmouthing people behind their back (I also don’t want to get myself blacklisted). But in general, if you’re just starting out, expect unexpected twists to happen in your dealings with them.
Comic Publishers with Open Submissions
Another issue, that is probably even more common is payment. Ah, the elusive paycheck, a tale as old as time. Some publishers will do whatever it takes to dodge paying creators. It might be because the comic didn’t skyrocket to stardom, or maybe the publisher is in their financial death-throes. Whatever the reason, not paying creators is more common than you might think.
I’ve been NOT PAID too many times now. In actuality, I just got my very first payment from a publisher last week (and I’ve been working with publishers since 2018). Imagine that! But the other times I was supposed to get a check… Well, I once had a publisher sell 1500 copies of a comic, cancel the series (despite having more issues ready), and pocket all the money. Another time, I witnessed some creative accounting which may prevent me from ever seeing any money (if my math is correct). I’ve also heard of many a comic book creator not getting paid because the company was going bankrupt or was having financial problems (Aftershock and Valiant). Whatever the case, what I’ve come to realize is – it can be a struggle to get ANY money, even if you sell some books.
Some call these kinds of hickups ‘paying your dues‘ or ‘making a name for yourself.’ Going through the starving artist phase, going through the trenches, whatever you want to call it. But let’s not sugarcoat what it really is. It’s a sign that the system is flawed, and no one can or is willing to fix it.
But fear not, my friends! These are just some experiences I had and not necessarily what you will encounter. Just be ready. And never stop creating. Because we’re in this together. Let’s hone those pitch packages, perfect our storytelling sales prowess, and show the world why our comics deserve a spot on the shelf next to the classics. Until next time, keep drawing, keep dreaming, and may your pitches be as captivating as a ninja battling giant robots in a cherry blossom-filled meadow!
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*I don’t use AI for my artwork. These filler images are just for fun and aren’t meant to represent my art so they have been labeled “AI GENERATED.” I want my blog to be enjoyable for you but I don’t have 2-6 hours to draw each image (this blog is done in my free time). If you’re against AI in art, please direct your criticism elsewhere (maybe someone trying to pass off AI generated images as their art). I am not doing that.
