How to Self-Syndicate Your Comics

Self-syndicating your own comics can be a challenging endeavor, considering the rapidly shrinking column-inches available for comics in mainstream and alternative print newspapers. And because there are more cartoonists competing for this shrinking space, you will have to develop a thick tough hide and the instincts of a fox.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Be relentless. Artist Ruben Bolling of “Tom the Dancing Bug” fame recommends constantly sending out comics to daily newspapers. Eventually you will begin to establish relationships with editors and other valuable contacts if you have talent. Unfortunately, since traditional media can be a bit behind the curve, they most often require snail-mail submissions rather than email submissions. Postage costs should be factored into your budget.

2. Create a daily (or weekly) web comic and use it as an online portfolio. Editorial cartoonist and Flash animator Mark Fiore introduced his comics online. The Web, as many cartoonists know, is not only a great place to showcase work, it’s also a great way to build up an audience.

3. Hand-print your own mini-comics, even if they appear on nothing more than stapled Xeroxed pages. Find sympathetic merchants willing to place a stack of your mini-comics in their store on consignment. “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening first self-published his “Life in Hell” comics when he was working at a L.A. record store.

4. Load a bunch of comics into the trunk of your car and do a road trip, stopping at comic book stores along the way. Try to sell your books. This is probably the gutsiest thing that you can do.

Resources

• Lalo Alcaraz's Story
• CBC on Self-Syndication

[fashionchick]

on 9/24/2008 So basicly be constant with want you want to publish?