Episode 54: Cathy shares all about her first year teaching in the Visual Narrative MFA program at Boston University! She talks about her new higher ed teaching experiences, how the program is structured, and personal observations of teaching K-12 vs. higher ed. A good listen for current MFA students or people considering it!

For episode citation: https://comicarted.com/blog/2024/5/3/drawing-a-dialogue-episode-54

Contact: Email, Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky

I have had the pleasure of teaching a wonderful group of grad students this year in Boston University’s new Visual Narrative MFA program! The courses I teach are the thesis studios, so we worked together all year developing their final thesis projects. All these incredible students developed books and graphic novels, created beautiful sample pages, and completed a final book pitch.

The upcoming book talks are free and open to the public, so I hope you consider coming down and supporting the hard work all these incredible students achieved!

Learn more about the program on our Instagram!

Seosamh aka Joe is a butch trans painter, a hypertext enthusiast, and author of dark, surreal, and intimate worlds of denim, leather, and gloss. Among other projects, he and his partner Anka are proud co-authors of the ongoing sci-fi comic, SUPERPOSE. This interview is the third of our exciting new series supporting remus’ PhD dissertation work. Thank you for joining us!

For episode citation: https://comicarted.com/blog/2024/4/5/drawing-a-dialogue-presents-episode-6

Artwork: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59e3e9facd39c3fc494e810e/1df71cad-7033-4e0e-93d8-afdce6a6b21d/joe4.png?format=2500w

Sunmi is a cartoonist whose body of work explores emotional distances and gender deviant fantasies, within a framework of queer + Korean histories and mythologies. This interview is the second of our exciting new series supporting remus’ PhD dissertation work. Thank you for joining us!

For episode citation: https://comicarted.com/blog/2024/3/1/drawing-a-dialogue-presents-episode-5

Artwork: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59e3e9facd39c3fc494e810e/54285abf-325a-4a50-842d-14a4f1004c19/DAD_sunmi.png?format=2500w

This page is not a “how to” but more of a “you can do it!”

I will start this topic with a disclaimer: I am not a financial planner. I’m not a tax preparer or an accountant. But as an independent artist, I work for myself, and in the eyes of the IRS, I have my own business. And if you’re an artist, you should too. Taxes are purposely kind of scary in the United States of America, but I want to empower you to learn about them. I want to empower you to learn about your money and taking care of it. Artists work very hard, but because our work is undervalued, many of us think we aren’t capable. But you are! You are very, very capable.

Below, you won’t get any specifics, because I am not qualified to do that. But what I will do here is do everything in my power to encourage you to empower yourself. You are an artist and you can do it.

How do I make money?

My biggest advice is try to earn money in many different ways. I have another blog post, titled Comic Jobs, where I’ve created an ever-updating list of things cartoonists can do to make money. I personally have a very diversified working life; selling artwork, illustrations, commissions, grants, workshops, teaching, publishing, etc etc. All those things get me money in different ways and in different rates, and come together to be a living wage. They also all have an individual ebb and flow. Some seasons workshops are very popular, and some seasons there are a lot of illustration clients. I encourage you to try a lot of different things. See what works and what you like, and if you really enjoy something, throw yourself more into it. If you don’t like something, wean yourself off of it. We are building independent careers here, so having a variety of incomes in many different spaces is a plus, and it also builds our name and networking in the world. We get to be versatile.

Stay Organized

As you do different jobs, document it in some way. I keep all my jobs in a spreadsheet. I keep track of who I’m talking to, the details of what they are looking for, how much they are paying me, if I’ve invoiced them, if they’ve paid, and any other useful information. Keeping track of your jobs not only makes you more professional in the eyes of your clients, but it also makes taxes much easier.

Protect yourself as much as possible with contracts and proper invoices. I recommend all independent artists get themselves a copy of the the Graphic Artists Guild handbook. It has all the information you may need on what to charge, how to invoice, and contracts. Don’t do work without a contract that protects you if things go south.

Expect ebb and flow…

When you are an independent artist, there will be feast and famine. Some seasons you may work a lot, and some seasons you may work little. During the little work seasons, that doesn’t mean you have nothing to do. You can do independent work that doesn’t need a client: make your own artwork, build your website, apply to grants, collaborate with other artists, etc. There are many opportunities that you can make for yourself, that can not only make you some money, but build your networking so you get future work.

…and prepare for it.

Try to put away some money in a savings account. This way you’ll have cash during lean months. If you want actual concrete numbers, I always put 10% of all my independently earned income into a retirement account. Depending on the type of retirement account you have, this can save you money off your taxes. If you can’t afford to lock your money into a retirement account, start with the savings account. If 10% is too much, try 6%, 5%, something. Start your savings as early as you can. Any little bit you can put away will help you in the future, either with retirement, purchasing a home, or life emergencies. Do what you can to prevent yourself from working paycheck-to-paycheck, because as a freelance artist, sometimes those paychecks don’t arrive at reliable times.

Okay, so taxes.

I can’t actually help you with your taxes. But what I am going to do is tell you, you should learn about it, because it is worth it. It’s worth making business deductions. It saves you money. It’s worth it. And it’s not as scary as society makes it out to be. You can do it. I believe in you.

Here’s a little bit of generalized advice: Put away about 20-30% of your art business income into a savings account to pay your taxes with at the end of the year. I know it seems like a lot, but you could need it, and it’s better to be safe than sorry. Additionally, here are some resources that can help you learn more about money and taxes. I’ll add more to this list as I find them.

Taxes:

• Sunlight Tax

• Fox Tax

• Art Prof

Contracts and Invoices:

• The Graphic Artists Guild

Last updated: April 26, 2024

Conclusion

I’m an art educator, not a financial planner. I want you to go to someone more qualified than me to learn about it. But being an artist means not being afraid of money, and facing it head-on. We are not starving artists. I want to empower you to face your finances head-on and with pride. It’s nothing to be afraid of. You can do it.

More Resources Posts:

So, you want to publish a book…

This is a question I get a lot from new cartoonists: How do I get publishers interested in my work?

First, let’s put this question into perspective: Publishing is a method of distribution. There are many other methods of distributing your work that I encourage you to take on: self-publishing, zines, digital methods, etc. Philosophically and professionally, I think it’s a really good call to try publishing your comics on your own, especially at the beginning. There are so many benefits to distributing your stuff on your own. It helps publishers, critics and readers notice your work. You are also much more free to do whatever you would like with your comics, instead of trying to make a book that would be competitive in sales. Being an independent artist has many benefits.

All that being said, this page is specifically geared to cartoonists who are interested in how to traditionally publish. I’m going to attempt to answer as many questions as I can. Also, a disclaimer: I am a cartoonist, and not a person who works at a publishing house. This is all written from the perspective of the cartoonist.

It’s a business.

The first thing I want you to know as we wade into traditional publishing is to never ever ever take anything personally. Publishing gets emotional very quickly for authors, because oftentimes your book is very important to you. As well it should be! Our books are our babies! However, publishing is a business. When publishers make choices, it’s from the perspective of money. They are thinking about market trends, and what they will be able to represent well and sell well. Selling your book will be their job if they take it on, and it’s a tall task. An editor could really love your book, but if they don’t think they can sell it, they won’t buy it. There are many factors that go into purchasing a book.

I encourage all creators to put publishing into perspective. Having perspective will help protect your emotions as you start this process. Making artwork is very personal, and being personal helps us create good artwork. It’s good to be emotional. However, I encourage you to understand that rejection is not a rejection of you. It just means it was not the right place at the right time. It’s okay. Artists are rejected all the time, and it’s okay. You can continue to work and to pitch and make good books. Continue to believe in yourself, and if publishing is what you want to do, stay focused on the goal.

The Pitch

A book pitch is a document that presents your book in a succinct way so a publishing professional can quickly understand it. A good pitch quickly communicates the important information, story and visuals of your comic book. There is a lot of advice out there about how to make a good book pitch, and I’m only one cartoonist with one perspective. Keep doing more research after reading this to find other perspectives on book pitches.

I recommend having a few things in your book pitch:

• Overview

  • A one-page summary of your story from beginning to end. This includes your elevator pitch, plot summary, and other details about the book including target audience, page count, and comparison titles.

• Characters

  • Descriptions of the most important characters in your story, including drawings.

• Synopsis / Chapter Outline

  • A longer beat-by-beat plot outline. Include every important event that takes place in your book.

• Sample Pages

  • 10-15 finished comic pages that represent what the final art of your comic book will look like.

If it will help your book pitch, you can also include:

• Environment / Setting

  • The environment in which your comic takes place, including art and a description.

• Development Art

  • Artwork that shares your artistic process.

• Creator Bio

  • Who are you? Include your experience and credentials, other projects you’ve done, anything that will help support why you would be a good person to work with as well as knowledgable about the book you are proposing. Remember, a book pitch isn’t just selling your book, but you are also selling yourself as a collaborator.

• Sample Script

  • Some editors may like to see how you write scripts so they know what they will be receiving in the work-in-progress stage of your book. Do you type a script? Thumbnail? Include some sample of this.

You can also include additional materials, which can be included not in the book pitch itself, but as an extra PDF. Things like a full script, a detailed synopsis if it lasts for many pages, thumbnails, etc. It’s good to strike a balance of not holding back what you have available, but also not overwhelming who you are pitching to. Creating additional PDFs will help people to know that you have a succinct pitch, as well as additional materials they could look over if they’d like more information.

Overall, keep in mind that while there may be rules to pitches, there also aren’t rules. Make a pitch that best represents your project. The most important part is to make it clear and succinct at this stage. Communicate what your book is all about as quickly as possible.

Note on publicly sharing pitches: Some publishers, editors and agents are okay with you sharing what your pitch is all about on social media, and some won’t be. I’m of the belief that I prefer to not share works-in-progress until they are sold, and I have explicit permission from a publisher to share materials. Some agents think it helps sell books if authors share work on social media. I would think a lot about what you are interested in and make this decision for yourself, and if you do get an agent, make sure to talk with them about social media.

Cover Letters

A cover letter quickly introduces yourself, why you are writing to someone specifically, shares the elevator pitch for your book, and thanks a person for their time. Also include any personal connection you may have with the person you are writing, if you have any. In my experience, the text of your cover letter is in the email body you send a publishing professional, but some people may prefer the cover letter be an attachment. You can either attach your book pitch as a PDF directly to this email, or include a link to the pitch through a hosting website like Google Drive or Dropbox (make sure the link is public). Be mindful of how large your attachment is, because some emails won’t go through if an attachment is too big. I am not including sample cover letters here, but feel free to look up some after you are done reading this.

• Introduction

• Why you are writing / personal connection

• Elevator pitch

• PDF to full book pitch

• Thank you

The most important thing to remember when emailing someone is that they are very busy. Write your emails politely, quickly delivering the information you are trying to share, and thank them for their time. Keep emails short and simple. Attach or link all important materials in the first email. And then, be extremely patient. Do not bother them. Give people at least 1-2 months before reminding them of your email, and do so extremely politely, and also in any nudging email remind them again who you are and why you are emailing them. Remember they are very busy, and any time they offer you is a favor, and not a requirement on their part. I can’t emphasize this enough: Be so, so, so extremely polite.

A caveat to attaching PDFs and nudging etc is this: When reaching out to people, make sure to follow whatever methods they request of you on their websites. Many agents and editors will have instructions of how they like to be contacted and if they like to be nudged on their websites. Follow these instructions exactly. People will have different instructions, and you should always adapt your pitch to what they ask of you.

Now that you have a pitch and cover letter, who do you send it to?…

Literary Agents

Agents are the first people you send your book pitch to. A literary agent’s job is to find a publisher for your book, and to negotiate your contract on your behalf. It will be rare for a large publisher to look at your pitch without agent representation. The reason for this is publishers get a lot of unsolicited pitches, and it’s a lot of work to look through everything. If you already have an agent, that means your pitch has already been vetted, and publishers are more willing to give your pitch the time it takes to look it over.

When looking for agents to pitch to, look at their websites and find explicitly if an agent is looking for graphic novels. Look for agents that are looking for what your book pitch has to offer.

I do not have a list of literary agents who represent graphic novels, because it is an ever-changing group of people, and it isn’t exactly what I do. I encourage you to do your own research on literary agent websites to find people currently looking.

Once a literary agent is interested in you, you should then contact their other clients and ask how they enjoy working with this agent. All reputable agents should be comfortable with you approaching their other clients. If they tell you not to do this, it is a scam, and you should politely turn them down. Also, while we’re here, you do not pay agents or publishers. The way it works is publishers send all the money to your agent, who will then take a small percentage (15%) as their fee, and then send you the rest of the money. You should not be paying anyone at this stage. If someone claiming to be an agent or a publisher asks you for money, it is a scam.

Publishers and Editors

As I said before, I encourage you to start with sending your book pitch to literary agents. However, it’s never a bad idea to keep a list of publishers and editors who may be interested in your book. You can also pitch directly to them, or keep the list handy as suggestions for your future agent.

My first recommendation is to go to your local bookstore or comic book shop and finding comics that you like. Look at who published it, and who the editor was. Look for books that have recently come out. Keep a list. Not all editors are interested in books that are exactly the same as something they’ve already published, as this could be competition, but if some books have similar themes, target audiences or art styles, they could help sell each other. Seeing what an editor likes will help you see if your book is a good match for them. (This is also a good thing to include in your cover letter.) If an editor really likes historical figures, and your book is about a historical figure, you may be a good match!

I also suggest going to comic book conventions and meeting people. Be tactful, however; don’t approach people with only yourself in mind. But don’t feel like you can’t network at places like this. Be interested in what publishers have put out, buy books, ask questions. Be genuinely interested in the answers. This all goes into research for a future relationship. People enjoy working with people they like to talk to, and who are polite. It’s okay to share your artwork if it’s appropriate and kind, but no one, I repeat, no one will buy a book pitch immediately at a comic book convention. They will need to go back to their offices and settle in. I recommend meeting people at a comic book convention, have a short chat, and then after a few days emailing them your book pitch and mention where you met. This is a polite way of sharing your pitch without putting them in an awkward social situation. People go to conventions for many reasons, but professional connections are one of those reasons. It’s okay to introduce yourself to people briefly and politely. Be polite, be professional, and be chill. You can do it.

Next steps…

Selling a book can take a very long time. Stay positive. If someone rejects you but offers to talk with you about why your pitch was rejected, take that opportunity to make a connection. It’s a gift whenever someone gives you their time to talk about your book, so set your feelings aside and accept the gift. Oftentimes, if you follow their advice, you can then submit a future pitch to the same person, and they’ll remember the conversation they had with you. This personal connection automatically gives you a leg up. Everything can be beneficial for your career, even rejection. (On the flip side, if their suggestions don’t feel right to you, you do not have to take them. It just means you are not the right author for them. You should still be polite.)

If you have a lot of rejection, you can reevaluate your pitch and your story. See if there’s anything you can adjust that will make it more engaging to readers. Share your pitch with your family, friends, your teachers, anyone who may have a new perspective and help you look at your pitch with fresh eyes. Be patient, stay strong, stay polite, and it will happen for you.

If an agent accepts your book pitch, you then sign with them. They will then pitch your book on your behalf to publishers. This process can also take time, so be patient. Once you do sell your book, congratulations! If you sold it directly to an editor, you can now pitch it to agents and say you already have an offer from a publisher. I would always suggest getting an agent to look over contracts, or at least hire a lawyer, because you always want a good contract. It is not egotistical to protect yourself legally, it’s your right. Take the time to read over your contracts with a professional to know what you are signing. Don’t feel pressured to sign anything you are uncomfortable with, it’s okay to keep looking.

Once you’ve signed your contract, then you make your book! Your agent and editor will tell you all about the next steps to being published. This is where this article stops. I believe in you, your takeaways from this article should be: stay polite, stay professional, and stay confident. You can do it.

Introduction

So, you want to make comic books. Congratulations! It’s amazing to know what you want to do!

I want to start by saying, comics do not have to be your job. They can be your hobby, your passion, your life’s work, but they don’t need to be your job. Jobs are how people “make a living,” but they don’t need to be the reason you’re alive. Comics can give you life without giving you money.

That being said, it’s also rare to make a full living on comic books, or in the arts in any form. It takes a lot of luck that is oftentimes out of people’s control. You could work very very hard and make incredible comic books, but without a lot of luck, it may be impossible to make it your only income. Professional artists often piece together a living through a lot of different gigs. You deserve happiness and it is not your fault if you are unable to make a living in the arts.

I also want to say, there is no shame in having a day job. No shame in working at a restaurant and making comics in your free time. This can in fact help cartoonists not burn out, and keep making work they are proud of. I personally have a day job that makes me very happy.

There is a lot of philosophy to this that we won’t be getting too deeply into, but I’d like to touch on it, especially in the context of this pedagogical website. We live under a capitalist system that lies to us, saying success is dictated by how much money we make at something. That is simply not true. You are a successful cartoonist when you complete your comic book. That in itself is the success. The purpose of Comic Art Ed! is to highlight the value of comics in an educational setting; comics offer a lot to growing minds, and that will always be a valuable thing to pursue whether or not it offers us money. However, I understand that capitalism is the reality of our lives, and therefore we should find our happiness as best we can, do the most good that we can, and help each other along the way.

Comic and Comic-Adjacent Jobs

All that being said, here is a list of comic and comic-adjacent jobs. The purpose of this list is to help cartoonists expand their minds and expectations of themselves, and to understand that making comics has given cartoonists useful and transferable skills that can be applied in other industries.

Comics Production

• Artist / Author

• Writer

• Penciler

• Inker

• Flatter

• Colorist

• Letterer

Independent Artist

• Freelance Cartoonist for Newspapers / Magazines

• Commissions

• Portrait Artist

• Artist Grants and Residencies

• You can sell your own artwork at:

  • Comic Conventions

  • Craft Fairs

  • Online / E-commerce Websites

  • Galleries

Publishing

• Designer

• Literary Agent

• Editor

• Assistant Editor

• Marketing / PR

Illustration

• Freelance Illustrator

• In-House Illustrator

• Medical Illustration

• Graphic Designer

Video Games

• Freelance Artist

• Concept Artist

• Script Writer

• Designer

• Development

Animation

• Screenwriter

• Storyboard Artist

• Character Designer

• Location Designer

• Prop Designer

• Animator

• Layout Artist

Film

• Storyboarding

Galleries

• Attendant

• Assistant

• Sales

• Customer Service

• Curator

Museums

• Attendant

• Registrar

• Curator

• Collections Care Specialist

Teaching

• K-12 Educator

• College and University Positions

  • Professor, Adjunct and Lecturer

  • Continuing Education

  • Office Worker

• Library, Museum and Community Center Workshop Educator

• Adult Education

• Librarian

Other

• Life Model

• Arts Supplies Store Employee

• Studio Manager

I will keep adding jobs this list. Last updated: April 26, 2024

Next Steps

If any of these jobs look interesting to you, your next step is research. Put together a portfolio and a resume. Volunteer. Find entry-level positions to apply to. I personally am unable to give further advice beyond this list, but I want you to have the confidence that you can do it. Making comics is a valuable skill that helps us achieve new heights, and I believe in you all.

Emma Jayne is an Ignatz and Prism Award-winning cartoonist. This interview is the first of our exciting new series supporting remus’ PhD dissertation work. Thank you for joining us! (Note: This episode is for mature audiences.)

For episode citation: https://comicarted.com/blog/2023/12/11/drawing-a-dialogue-presents-episode-4

Episode 53: On this exciting episode of Drawing a Dissertation, remus introduces our new series where we interview trans cartoonists from the DIY scene! remus shares their PhD dissertation work, their approach to research, and drops the news of our exciting new DaD Presents project. We hope you join us!

For episode citation: https://comicarted.com/blog/2023/12/8/drawing-a-dialogue-episode-53

Contact: Email, Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky

Episode 52: Using Calmer Con in Massachusetts as a case study, Cathy and remus discuss accessibility at comic conventions. Cathy shares details about the event and the superhero costume workshops she taught. What is the difference between providing accommodations for disabled people, versus building something accessible from the start?

For episode citation: https://comicarted.com/blog/2023/11/3/drawing-a-dialogue-episode-52

Contact: Email, Twitter, Instagram, Bluesky

On October 21, 2023, I had the pleasure of teaching two workshops at Calmer Con, which is a sensory-friendly comics and pop culture convention designed to accommodate the needs of autistic attendees and those with sensory processing and anxiety concerns. I wanted to design a class with accessibility in mind, as well as gain the experience in an accommodating space. After talking with the director of the convention, I chose to adapt an activity I developed on my YouTube channel.

You can learn more about this event and workshop in the November 2023 episode of my podcast, Drawing a Dialogue.

Lesson Plan

In this all-ages workshop, students will have the opportunity to brainstorm their own superhero identity, design a symbol, then create a simple cardboard + paper costume.

Materials

• Cardboard

• Markers

• Scissors

• Pencils

• Colored Paper

• String or Yarn

• Gluestick or Bottle Glue

• Holepunch

Steps

Step 1: Brainstorm Your Own Superhero (worksheet)

• On a worksheet, brainstorm your own superhero identity by answering the questions.

  • Powers?

  • Colors?

  • Name?

  • Shape?

  • Backstory?

• Example 1: Spiderman

  • Powers of the spider, colors red and blue, name Spiderman, shape is a circle/spider, backstory is he was bitten by a spider.

• Example 2: Batman

  • Powers are intellect and martial arts, colors black and yellow, name Batman, shape is an oval/bat, backstory is he is a detective seeking justice.

Step 2: Design your symbol

• Superheroes wear symbols that represent them on their chest. In the blank space on your worksheet, sketch your ideas for a symbol for your character.

• Can be a picture, shape or letters!

  • Start with your shape.

  • Add onto it with drawing, letter or both.

Step 3: Cardboard

• Now that we brainstormed our new superhero, we are going to start making our costume. We will start with a piece of cardboard that will become a symbol we will wear around our necks.

• Freehand draw your shape on the cardboard. Start towards the edge, making it as big as the cardboard piece (about the size of a regular piece of paper).

• Cut out the cardboard shape. You may have help from an adult.

Step 4: Colored Paper

• Trace cardboard shape on colored paper

• Draw the picture, shape or letters from your symbol design on the colored paper.

• Cut out your colored paper design.

• Keep decorating! Draw on your shape. Pencil sketch first, then marker details.

• At the end of this step, glue your colored paper to your cardboard shape.

Step 5: String

• Cut two diagonal slits into the top of the cardboard.

• Tie the end of your string together (string should be at least a yard long).

• Now you can wear your symbol around your neck!

Step 6: More costume pieces!

• Using the materials we have, what are other fun things you can make for your costume?

• Ideas include:

  • Wrist cuffs

  • Eye masks

  • Headband

A full classroom!

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Here is the original video this activity was modified from!