Broken Frontier

I know informative columns discussing the ins and outs of pitching are more common than a crowded bar at Comic Con, but I feel as though the suggestions being made aren’t being absorbed into the brains of would-be writers and creators.  And by that I mean, either nobody is reading them (which is entirely possible), or nobody takes the time to actually heed the advice (which is entirely more possible).

As Editor in Chief of an independent publisher, I have been receiving a steady flow of pitches and solicitations ever since returning from San Diego Comic Con in July.  Now, while there are a small handful of people who “get it” and understand how to approach what is essentially, a job interview, most people haven’t a single clue as to how to handle themselves or their properties.  Hence the subject of this week’s column.

First and foremost, this attempt at giving straightforward advice isn’t me being the comic industry’s version of Simon Cowell.  I’m not trying to be harsh, scathing, or brutal… I’m just delivering the truth.  What you choose to do with this after reading it is entirely up to you, but make no mistake, I’m not trying to hurt anybody’s feelings.  I’m just trying to help.

Let me start by saying that, when I started out, I made these same mistakes myself, and ultimately, had to learn how to navigate the pitch process on my own.  Now that I’m working on the other side of the fence, I can see how completely delusional I was in those early years of my career and how I wasted not only the publishers’ time, but my own.

If you’re getting into comics thinking you’re going to A.) get rich, or B.) get famous, then you might want to abandon your dreams and try business school or reality television.  Frankly, as a newbie talent releasing his/her first book, you’ll be lucky if you make 1 cent off of sales, especially given the current economic predicament the world has found itself in. 

Sales are down across the board, and they are continuing to fall, so as a no name writer/creator trying to launch a no name title into the marketplace, you’re doomed to linger in a 9 to 5 job well after the release of said title.  Dems da breaks.

If you’re okay with making no money, then you need to get comfortable with the idea of sharing ownership.  The fact is, no publisher, especially on an independent level, is going to pay for your project and then not expect to make their money back.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many new creators pitch me ideas, want the publisher to pay, and expect to own 100 percent of the property. 

Yes, you created the characters, the world, and the universe in which it all takes place, but at the end of the day, you’re expecting a third party (the publisher) to take on the entire risk with absolutely zero reward.  This would NEVER happen.  The only way you’re going to retain full ownership is if you’re paying for everything out of pocket and looking for a distribution deal, or, you’re a superstar.  But of course, if you’re a superstar, you probably aren’t toiling away in the independent comic world, are you?

Oh, and while we’re on the subject of the publisher paying for things, do not, under any circumstance, expect the publisher to pay YOU for your writing services on YOUR OWN book, especially when you don’t want to give any of the rights up.  I quote the folks at SNL’s Weekend Update.  “Really?”

So, if the comic industry still seems like the place you want to hang your hat, and you’re still determined to pitch your ideas, here are some bullet point pointers to consider:

•    You may have the greatest idea on God’s green earth, but no independent publisher is going to publish a 24-issue opus about an unknown character by an unknown creator.  That costs money… Money that publishers don’t have.  Your best bet is to pitch your story within a 4 to 6 issue mini-series, and better yet, something that can be condensed into graphic novel form.  The more streamlined the better.

•    Check your ego at the door.  The comic industry is a small place with lots of people clamoring to get in.  If you’re difficult to work with, nobody is going to work with you, and they’ll just move onto the next creator.  Divas need not apply… Trust me.

•    Put in the work, damn it!  If you’re going to pitch a publisher on your idea, don’t pitch it and then not have it written, or better yet, not have materials of some kind to show.  I receive at least five pitches a day where a creator will say, “I have this great idea that is blah blah blah and it will be awesome, but I’m not writing it until someone picks it up.” Good luck with that.  If you’re too lazy to put in the work, then why should we invest in you?

•    The competition is stiffer than ever.  (That’s what she said!)  With every Hollywood actor, writer, and director looking to get into comics these days, you need to be more professional and hard working than ever. If it comes down to a publisher putting its money into your book or J.J. Abrams’ book, who do you think they’re going to go with?

Don’t ever forget, the publishers are still running a BUSINESS.  If they don’t make money, they won’t be around tomorrow.  Show them WHY they will make money off of you and your ideas, and expect to take a backseat to the J.J. Abrams of the world.

•    Master the art of the logline.  With so many pitches coming to us day after day, we want to know what we’re getting into before we start reading it, at least to decide if it’s even an idea we want to be in business with. 

When you pitch, always send the concept first… And break it down in an easy to understand format… Essentially a few sentences.  The shorter and sweeter it is, the more likely we will get excited.  The rule of thumb is, if you can get excited about a book based on the logline, then you can get excited about the whole damn thing.

•    Publishers don’t care if you aspire to do great things in the industry.  Yes, it’s great to work with ambitious people, but really, all they care about is if the money they’re investing will be returned, and better yet, be built upon.  Once again, they’re still running a BUSINESS.  So, don’t spend your time telling us about all the great things you’re going to do… Just let your work sell you, not the other way around.

•    Do your research.  If you’re pitching a story about alien fish from the planet of Nitwire to a publisher who has a project about alien fish from the planet of Levope, you can pretty much guarantee that they’re not going to publish yours.  Never pitch a publisher blind without any real knowledge of what they do and what they’ve published.

•    And for the love of all that’s holy… Don’t get upset and lash out at a publisher when they turn your project down.  They WILL remember you as the person who lashed out and stamped his feet like pouting child.  Instead, just take their constructive criticism and file it away. 

You can continue to pitch the same idea to other publishers while also leaving the door open for future pitches with that first publisher.  Eventually, if you’re good enough and your ideas are good enough, something will connect.  And 9 times out of 10, they’ll tell you that.  “You’re talented but this particular project isn’t right for us” is not an open invitation to tell them to go to hell.