Thread.
Now feels like a good time to talk about what a publisher should be.
Now feels like a good time to talk about what a publisher should be.
In 2018, you can promote, print, and sell a comic as your primary gig without the aid of a publisher. You may not want to, it's a lot of work. But it's possible. Crowdfunding has cut the lower-effort houses out of the picture.
So why use any publisher at all, right?
So why use any publisher at all, right?
A publisher:
- Should have access to, and be using, promotional opportunities individual creators don't get/don't have time for. Mailing out ARCs (advanced reader copies), submitting to industry journals, applying for awards.
- Should be handling production. Pre-press, printing.
- Should have access to, and be using, promotional opportunities individual creators don't get/don't have time for. Mailing out ARCs (advanced reader copies), submitting to industry journals, applying for awards.
- Should be handling production. Pre-press, printing.
- Should be handling storage and distribution. You should be able to walk into a store, see your book on the shelf, and not have to understand the logistics of getting it there.
- Financing your run. At the least, running your KS for you. At the most, paying out of pocket.
- Financing your run. At the least, running your KS for you. At the most, paying out of pocket.
- Larger outfits may even be equipped to shop your book to film and television producers, opening doors you don't have access to.
There's a lot of wiggle room in these guidelines. I've printed a couple dozen books now, and no 2 were alike. but a publisher needs to earn its cut.
There's a lot of wiggle room in these guidelines. I've printed a couple dozen books now, and no 2 were alike. but a publisher needs to earn its cut.
Just having somebody, ANYBODY "publish" you because you feel it legitimizes your efforts ranges from needless to actively detrimental. Especially since a LOT of the new, low-effort publishers are primarily IP farms that only want rights to sell and don't really care about books.
"We can publish you" should offer more than adding your PDF to their ComiXology Submit account and a few tweets.
Jane Friedman is primarily talking about prose here, but I think her guide to Key Book Publishing Paths is still worth a read. Know what to expect. janefriedman.com/key-book-publi…
