How to Get Cartoons Published
Cartooning is an age-old art form. Political and satirical cartoons have been part of magazine and newspaper publications for decades. Finding work as a cartoonist isn't difficult if you have the talent and the determination it takes to make it as a cartoonist. There are market guides available to help you find publishing outlets for your cartoons. Learning how to use cartoon market guides can lead to an exciting and profitable career for you in cartooning.
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Instructions
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Purchase a current copy of the Artist and Graphic Designer's Market (see resources). This is the single most important tool a cartoonist can have if he wants to sell his work. The guide lists hundreds of markets for artists, with a dedicated section for magazines that accept cartoons. The submission guidelines tell you the types of cartoons each magazine market accepts, who and where to submit your work, how to format and submit your work, and what you will be paid for your cartoons.
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Browse the magazine cartoon markets in the market guide and select a couple of markets that fit the type of material you have available. The odds of selling a political cartoon to a magazine that only accepts cartoons featuring office humor cartoons is slim. You want to match your cartoons to the markets for the best chance of publication.
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Submit your work to a couple of select magazine markets. Follow the submission guidelines to the letter. Don't send color cartoons if the publisher asks for black and white; don't send racy cartoons to a publisher that only publishes children's cartoons. If the publisher requests cartoons on a disc, put your cartoons on a disc. Don't e-mail submissions if a publisher only accepts standard postal submissions. Following the guidelines for each market decreases the odds of your work being overlooked. This is why a market guide is so important to selling and publishing cartoons.
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Approach newspapers with your cartoons. Newspapers are an excellent source of publication for cartoons. Gather your work in a portfolio with examples of already published material and submit examples to as many newspapers as you can. If a newspaper publisher enjoys your work, it could lead to a regular publishing outlet for your cartoons. Always include a short cover letter with every submission, stating briefly who you are and that you would like your work to be considered for publication.
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Be persistent. Don't wait for an acceptance or rejection before submitting more work. The more cartoons you have under consideration, the better your chances of publishing. Rejection will happen, but over time, if you have quality cartoons, you'll build a publishing history.
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