Thread by @Nate_Powell_Art

In reference to the full-time author income of $20.3k, here’s a hypothetical breakdown of a cartoonist’s income drawing a graphic novel. It’s no joke. This is why we draw at a breakneck pace, take speaking fees & do multiple full-time projects at once. We have no other option.

BUT this is why I push the long-game on survival: keep all your work in print, constantly make new work & *show up* at events to stay connected, schedule yourself at least a year in advance, and in 5 years things start to level out a bit. Little royalties on 5 books can add up.

(also, don’t be a dick. Comics is a small pond. [Mostly] everybody’s trying to get by and make something worthwhile.)

I’m also laying this out to emphasize that we cartoonists generally *love making comics*, and generally feel compelled to make them.

It’s worth it every day, but requires creative planning and the high probability that things won’t work out.

So let’s make some comics. ❤️