Catching a Vision 013
Breaking Comics Out: The Submission Part II
Catching a Vision, the (sorta, kinda) weekly column on Comic Related from C. Edward Sellner, Founder and Creative Director of Visionary Comics Studio. CAV provides practical guidance on how to break into the comics industry, as well as insights into this medium we all love. With resources you can order online, interviews and debates with comic professionals, and online workshops, this is your best introduction into the wonders of creating comics!
First a Point of Clarification...
Thanks to Cary over in our CR Forums for bringing this to my attention. Last column had a paragraph that read as follows...
Keep in mind, again, this is not aimed at the people who want to self-publish and sell their titles online and at conventions. Here we're talking about the genuine attempt to make it into the established comic industry as a creator with a project.
When it should have read as follows...
Keep in mind, again, this is not aimed at the people who just want to self-publish and sell their titles online and at conventions. Here we're talking about the genuine attempt to make it into the established comic industry as a creator or with a project.
Cary raised the question of those folks who self-publish and build a name for themselves and/or their property. To clarify, here, I'm referring to the established comic industry as being any company that pre-exists the creator or project. The focus of these twin columns is on the submission and someone who self-publishes is not submitting that work. I think of those people more as trail-blazers, and that term is important, so remember it. I will be dedicating the next column to those hardy souls who don't seek to break into the established industry so much as carve their own niche out of it.
Thanks...
Alright, while I'm handing out thanks, I want to give an extra-special thank you to Chuck Moore who not only does a great job editing the column, but lately has been spicing it up with graphics. I've continued to be a bit under the crunch with all the big changes in life lately and been a bit lax in finding good graphics for each. I guess I figured, 'ah, who needs pictures!' And yes, that is an interesting perspective for a comics' guy to have. Chuck Moore to the rescue!!
Also thanks to Tyler James who will be debuting his own column here at CR very soon. Tyler let me know he will be including CAV in the resources for his classes on creating comics. I'm honored. I also feel sorry for you poor saps for whom this might become required reading.
Without further ado...
Okay, so you've given due diligence to reflecting on whether you are truly ready to submit or not, you've gone through each of those questions included in the last column and your answer has been a resounding, YES, I'm ready! Or, in the case of your team, YES we're ready! So now what?
Crafting the Submission
As mentioned last time, the submission is often the only opportunity you as a creator has to convince a studio or publisher that you, or your project, are a good bet to invest in. That being the case, your submission is a critical tool and should be one that you spend time crafting well, honing to a fine edge and polishing to a nice finish. Let's go over the important elements to consider in crafting this tool.
Follow Guidelines EXACTLY
Last time I mentioned the importance of researching the studio or publisher you are submitting to and knowing what kind of projects or work they do, what their guidelines are, and what channels they have to submit through. Now I want to stress how important it is to follow those guidelines.
Most companies now have a legal disclaimer that must be included in a submission in order to be considered, at least for projects. If this isn't included, trust me, it will not be looked at. Why are these so important? Simple, it protects the company from getting sued if your submission just happens to be similar to a book they've been developing for six months behind the scenes.
Most companies also have very specific guidelines of what to submit. For creator portfolios they will often list what positions they are currently taking submissions for, stick to those positions. If your talent lies elsewhere, focus your efforts with those who are looking for that talent. The same holds true for project submissions. Most companies have windows for submissions. They essentially open the floodgate, fill the tanks, shut the door until they can wade through everything, then open the gates once more. Respect that. Don't send submissions for something the company is not looking for, you do yourself no favors by ignoring limitations.
Along the guidelines list, most companies also have very specific guidelines for how a submission should look. They are rarely complicated and most people get themselves into trouble by over-thinking the problem. For example, some companies require a finished first issue. That's simple enough...finished. Others, such as Image, require five finished pages. Again, simple...finished. If a company says, "include a synopsis, a marketing demographic, main character designs, full first issue script and five finished sequential pages" then most likely that is what they want. Do they want a 100-page story bible of the complete series...no. Send what they ask for...don't send what they don't ask for.
I know, sometimes I read what I write in this column and think, my God, that's simple. It's right down to the level of having a circle printed on the inside of a McBurger wrapper that says "place burger here." But, again, the majority of submissions we get at Visionary do not follow our very simple and straightforward guidelines, so, I feel this sort of thing cannot be said too often.
Sometimes you will get a company that does not offer very specific guidelines, or you may get an opportunity to make a unique presentation to a professional who is willing to look at something informally. So, let's list some of the key things you should include in submissions to make them professional grade. (But AGAIN... only include these if asked to or no specific guidelines are given!)
The Cover Letter
This is a courtesy. If your submission were a conversation, this would be you saying "hello, how are you? I'm Chuck Sellner and I have a submission for you." This is much better than running up and saying, "let me tell you what a great writer I am!" There are several key-points you should make in a cover letter.
Personalize it. Make sure whoever is reading this letter knows it was written
for them and is not a template with a plugged in name. Be brief and stay focused
on what is pertinent to the submission. A cover letter should never be more than
a page, and more often should only be a couple paragraphs.
Introduce yourself in the context of the submission. "I'm Chuck Sellner, Creative Director for Visionary Comics Studio. We represent the following property." Or "I'm Chuck Sellner, a published comic writer who is seeking freelance work." Most comic studios and publishers don't want a full resume, or your life story. They're looking at the quality of what is in the submission. Let them know who you are, but do so succinctly.
Introduce the submission. Make sure whoever is reading this, through whatever venue, knows within the first 20 words or less, that they are reading a submission and what type of submission it is.
Let them know you've done your homework. Give an overview of the submission package and refer to their guidelines. "I have included a synopsis, a marketing demographic, main character designs, full first issue script and five finished sequential pages as listed in your guidelines on your web-site." Also, include a brief statement as to why you sent this submission to them as opposed to elsewhere. Refer here to the company's profile, or stated goals. "This project fits demographic wise into your company's planned expansion next year and represents the genre your company is best known for." This is NOT kissing up. This is essentially you saying... "I am an intelligent and educated professional who carefully considered and prepared this submission for you." Trust me, if you do that right there, you've already put yourself in the top 10% of submissions.
Add any other pertinent information to help your case. This could include a professional who referred you, or a prior contact you had with the reviewer.
For Portfolio Submissions...
These are those submissions where you as a creator are submitting samples in the hopes of being offered work. Here are some important points for them.
Make sure they are relevant to what the company is doing. Submitting pages of art or story with cartoon animals to a horror publisher is not going to help you.
Format things properly. If submitting script samples, make sure they follow any posted script guidelines. If there are none, use a general style format. Likewise, in submitting art, make sure you're using the right page size, layout and format. Most comic art is drawn on 11x17 boards, printed in portrait layout. If the publisher only publishes black and white art, don't send color art. Send art that is drawn for a black and white comic, or in grayscale.
Show range. Whatever talent you are showcasing, show the range you can work in. Writers and artists need to show they can tell a story using good characterization in quiet moments as well as portray great action when needed. Show you can set different tones and moods in your work.
Give the editor everything they need to evaluate your work properly. If you're sending script samples, include an overview of the series. If you're sending ink or color samples, make sure you include pencils or line-art for the pages you do so they can compare.
If you require other people to make your submission, such as enlisting an artist to illustrate a script sample, or using someone else's pencils for your ink work, or line-art for your color, make sure it's top quality. Your work will suffer if it's over or under inferior material to begin with.
Make sure the submission is manageable to easily review. If you're sending it digitally, keep the file sizes down. Images viewed on a screen only need to be 72-100 DPI max. It only makes it harder to open and work with if its 300 DPI print ready but only being reviewed on screen. Likewise, for standard mail submissions, when sending copies of original art, it's okay to re-size them from their original size to standard print size, which fits nicely on standard 8.5x11 paper. After all, the reviewer is most concerned with how it will look in print right?
Again, this qualifies as "place burger here", but these need to be said...
-
Comics are sequential art...show sequential work
-
Use clean, neat, quality copies of work, or easy to manage file types
-
Always send your latest and greatest work, not something years old
For Project Submissions...
These are those submissions where you, or a team, are submitting a project in the hopes of a studio or publisher picking up the series. Here are the important points on this type. (Again, first and foremost, submit what is asked for, this is to fill in the blanks if there are vague guidelines, or none at all.)
Quantify and Qualify it. Very early on make sure you spell out what genre the series is, what age group / demographic it targets or is restricted to, whether it's envisioned as color or black and white, how long it will run and what format ideally it should be in. This can be one to two sentences. "This is a horror series aimed at teen to adult fans of modern thriller movies and is formatted for a black and white, running three issues at 24 pages each." Boom.
The most important piece of this proposal is the Synopsis. Usually a page max, this is the sell-sheet. It should tell what the story is about, not what happens, but what the story is about. There is a world of difference between a list of linked events and the heart of what a story is. The synopsis should be what makes this story unique, what makes it stand out, what is going to win the hearts of fans. And make them keep coming back. Introduce your characters, your plot and the themes of the series, but most importantly, capture the heart of what makes it worth the investment of publishing.
Especially if the series is built on strong characters, include brief bios on the characters. Again, this should not be a string of events in their life, but a few words that capture the heart and soul of these characters. At the same time, it's good to include something of the breadth of the character, make sure they are more than one stand out attribute.
Include finished pages as much as possible. Ideally, the pages should be through the lettering stage, so the reviewer can see the script unfold right in the pages. Anyone can do mockup lettering. Just note that the lettering is mocked up for readability. It breaks the flow if the reviewer has to look back and forth from script to art.
For many publishers, this won't matter, but every once in a rare while, it might. If there are no specific guidelines, or you're concerned about one element of the series, including the pages at each stage might give it a lifeline. So, have a script, penciled pages, inked pages, colored and lettered pages. Most publishers either accept or reject and don't care where it falls short. They might look at the art, see its sub-par and never read the story. The rare few might review it all and let you know what they like and don't. <cough> VCS <cough>
Above all, make sure the submission flows naturally one piece to the next. Ideally you want to hook the reviewer at the beginning, and then reel them in with each new section.
General D'uh Notes...
-
If you send it via mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a response, whether it is specified or not.
-
Make sure your contact info is on every page, file, or whatever that is sent. Do you REALLY want to miss your chance because your cover letter got tossed or your email got deleted, and now they have no idea who submitted the best submission they have ever seen?
-
Send it, then wait. If you know the person, a casual email check-in may not be out of line, but if it is a cold submission and you follow up and bug them, you will most likely set yourself up to fail.
-
If you get a personal response, even if it's a rejection...thank them. You pave the way for your next submission to get front-lined.
-
Be prepared for any option to submit, but submit in the preferred or requested one. If their guidelines say mail it, mail it. If they list an email, email it. If at a con, have a hard copy to offer if they want one, but offer to follow-up and email it to them if they don't.
A
Few Other Things to Consider...
Always remember a submission is a tool, a very specific, very intentional tool for a very specific and intentional purpose. It is not a sales pitch, it is not hype, it is not a reference handbook. It exists for the sole purpose of catching the attention of an editor / reviewer.
Again, keep it simple. For portfolio submissions, on the art end, five sample pages is a good number. If you can't convince them with five, you won't do it with 100. Writing, short scripts are better, but offer to send longer scripts if needed. For project submissions, five finished pages, and 3-5 pages for synopsis and overview material, tops.
For project submissions, try to put yourself in the shoes of the person who will be receiving it. Make sure you're giving them all of the information they want, and not information they don't. Make sure you're providing them what they want and not making them look for it, and be disappointed to not find it.
One of the most common mistakes submissions make is that they seem targeted for the consumer audience, not the publisher. I've read tons of submissions that read like back cover blurbs. They promise shocks and surprises, they promise an ending I won't believe, they ask questions designed to draw me in. But, I'm not buying it to enjoy and read. I'm reviewing it to decide if it's worth someone buying and reading. I want to know the ending so I know whether it will blow people away or not.
Also, it never hurts to focus on the business end and make your case. Doing some market research, including reports of how similar themed books have done, or how growing demand or trends support the project you're pitching is a smart idea. Providing this kind of information tunes you into the mind of the publisher, because a large part of their decision is based on "will this sell?" So, show them why it will indeed.
There is really a lot more I could do here, but two columns won't contain it all. Remember, we're still just introducing all our different hot topics. At some point I will do an entire series JUST on the submission that will include online workshops for developing one. Fair enough?
If you think of something critical for this introduction that I overlooked, by all means, add it in our forums. I'm going to launch a couple discussion threads over there for people to share thoughts on submissions they've reviewed, and submissions they've sent. Join in.
NOW ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECT...
THE INDUSTRY ROUND-UP
Get the (re)Source
If you're an inker, this site is a must. A big CAV thanks to Bob Almond who saw my reposted column on inking over at Sketch Magazine, hyped last column, and got in touch with some very kind words. I was familiar with the Inkwells themselves, the top individual awards for inkers in the industry, but was unaware what a great resource site they have online. Everything there is about inking and it includes links to resource sites, inker sites, forums, tutorials etc.
Cheers and Jeers
Cheers to Dark Horse who announced their step into mobile comics this past week. Continuing to embody their 'dark horse' philosophy they didn't sign with a pre-existing service, they created one all their own. I can't wait to check it out.
Cheers to everyone who participated in making Free Comic Book Day 2009 a huge success! All the media sites were carrying news of parties, massive turn-outs, special signings and all sorts of hoopla, right up to William Shatner!
Reviews, As If You Care!
Saw X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Very nice! Yeah there were some changes in the lore and legend from the comic, but most of those changes added nice surprises and twists. It was good to see their take on a number of familiar faces from the comics, the return of some familiar faces from the movies. The acting was great and the story and action was damn impressive. My one hangup? The final fate of a certain character. It's going to be a bit hard to have him come back...if you know what I mean.
Being Real Heroes
If you haven't already, check out the story on the Josh Medors Benefit Auction. One thing the comics' community has shown itself fairly good at is rallying fellow pros and fans to support those who have fallen on rough times. Josh is fighting cancer, let's help him win!
I'm going to have to delay that Visionary update until next week, but lots of good stuff coming.
Next...
The Trailblazers! There are three categories of people who self-publish, one of those categories carries the highest chance for phenomenal success and earns the name of Trailblazer. I'm going to talk about all three next round! Join us!
Join the discussion and add your thoughts on this edition, or the column in
general. If you have any questions or suggestions for resources, post them or
email them to Sellner so they can be included in future columns. Are you an
aspiring or up and coming creator and would like to share your story? Email
Sellner and let him know who you are and what you've done.
C. Edward Sellner is the co-founder and Creative Director of Visionary Comics Studio, a studio that within its first three years has drawn high praise from the media and attracted the attention of legendary creators in the comics industry. They have been digitally and print published in the mainstream market and their creators currently work with over a dozen different publishers. Their work has been featured on television news shows, radio programs and internet podcasts as well as featured in every major comics news site online.
Contact him directly at cedwardsellner@aol.com
You can find him at...
Comic Related Forums
Facebook
Deviant Art
MySpace
ComicSpace
Visionary Comics Studio
The official site of the Studio where Sellner serves as Creative Director.
Visionary's Networking Sites:
VCS' Facebook Group
VCS' MySpace Page
VCS' ComicSpace Page
Catching A Vision
Check Out Past Columns
blog comments powered by Disqus