I was just interviewed on the Andrew Long Show, where we talk about the entrepreneurial artist, webcomics, and monsters.
A big thanks to Andrew for doing such a cool, fun interview.
Thanks Andrew!
- Daniel
Daniel Davis Interview
May 14
Self distribution
Mar 31
I’m often asked about Steam Crow’s distribution method.
Do we have a Distributor? How do we sell our books and products?
Currently we self-distribute our work. We have no traditional distributor.
Why self-distribute?
Small Press publishing is a difficult thing. You’re probably relying on short-runs of less than a couple thousands books, and each unit isn’t cheap because you can’t afford to hit 10,000 units. With the typical 60-70% distribution discount, it’s very difficult to make money on these thin margins. (Whereas large publishers often can.)
Most distributors want to deal with a company that is willing and able to publish at least 8-10 books per year. This is because it’s not worth their effort to deal with multitudes of small press folks able to product a single-book per year. (Our model.)
One can pay some distributors to carry your work, but that seems like a bad idea considering that you’re likely already discounting 60%-70% of the cover price. Paying more just doesn’t make good business sense.
Anymore, with a comic distributor like Diamond, you also have to hit a monthly threshold of sales for them to carry you. ($2500 wholesale per month)
With Steam Crow, we never planned on having traditional distribution. Instead, we’re cultivating an audience directly, with no middlemen. It’s not easy, but it isn’t entirely without merit.
Self-distribution offers a few advantages:
- We make double the money per unit sold (compared with distribution)
- We can build a relationship directly with our customers (treating them right.)
- We can sell our other products beyond books
Self-distribution disadvantages
- More effort to move products
- Smaller orders to process (More personal orders than business orders)
- A much longer return on investment
- Must have safe, cheap storage of products
Traditional Distribution advantages:
- Large orders to process (Nice and efficient)
- Product can be turned at a faster rate
Traditional Distribution disadvantages:
- Good luck finding a one, though they do exist
- 60-70% discount
- You may have to pay them to carry your work
- They may only be interested in carrying one segment of your work. (Books or toys, for instance)
- There is someone between you and your customer
Other channels
You don’t have to rely entirely on folks stumbling upon your online store. Here are a few other ways to move some products.
Convention sales
I’ll be honest, we sell most of our products at comic conventions. There are lots and lots of people there, and they seem to like what we’re selling. It also has the advantage of not requiring packing and shipping, which means that you can turn a lot of product with far less work. However, selling at conventions is it’s own challenge and you have to figure out ways to win at it. We do about 8 comic conventions a year.
Amazon
If your book has an ISBN number, you can sell via Amazon.com (Amazon Advantage program). I’ve been doing this for a few years, but I can’t say that I love the system. You have to discount your book by 60% AND pay for the book order to get to them. Usually, they order one of my books at a time, so I’m only making $1-$2 per book sold on Amazon. I can do far better by selling it myself, however it does offer some additional visibility.
Local shops
I’ve had good luck finding local comic and book stores to carry my products. At a wholesale level, they usually take a 50% cut, which is a little better than the standard 60-70%. I’ve even had one shop take my prints, which sell very well too. Don’t be afraid to cultivate a good, long-term friendship with these folks.
Etsy
Why not also throw your work on Etsy.com? It offers another way for folks to discover your work, though it will be a trickle of activity if you don’t update it often.
StoreEnvy
An alternative to Etsy.com, Storenvy.com offers yet anther place for folks to find your work.
Conclusion
It’s not that I hate traditional methods; it’s just that it’s been easier to create my own success without them.
While I’m certainly not the spokesperson for traditional distribution (having never done it), I can say that self-distribution can work. It’s the typical model for the successful webcomic folk, and it shares a very similar method of the indie music scene.
Don’t discount the power of cultivating a relationship with your fan/friends; done well, these people want to help you succeed.
Daniel m. Davis is the co-owner (with his wife Dawna) of Steam Crow LLC, a Phoenix, Arizona studio that creates characters/stories/goods with a monster imagination.
He also creates the Monster Commute, a 5 day a week monsterpunk adventure comic. He likes pie.
Convention Travel Kit
Mar 10
Here’s a basic list of what we try to bring in our convention travel kit.
What’s a travel kit? It’s everything that you need to bring, aside from your products. Tools, eats, the works. It’s what will help make you successful and sane, so you don’t forget the basics.
One tip, right off of the bat, is to build your convention setup for travel. That way, when you do have an out-of-town show, you’re already to go and haven’t already committed to heavy junk.
And away we go:
Tools:
- Duct tape and/or packing tape (Or, better yet Gaffer’s tape from Guitar Center)
- Zip ties
- Scissors
- Leatherman multi-tool (or equivalent)
- Easels for books, prints
- String
- Tacks/pins
- Extra paper
- Safety pins
- Sewing kit
- Extra business card stash
- Post-it notes (Emergency pricing and signage)
- Super glue often comes in handy.
- Luggage scale (For your return trip.)
Table:
- Tablecloth
- Signage and banners
- Product checklist (To keep track of what you sell)
- Table cover (To cover your table at the end of the night)
- Light plastic sheet (Can be your table cover, used for leaky halls. Yes, halls leak rain sometimes.)
- Garbage bag (Can be improvised there, or from a grocery bag.)
- Place to stash business cards (I use one of our little print boxes). You get a lot of cards when you table.
- Price tags (including some blank ones)
- Business cards
- Sales sheet/comic sample
- Cashbox with change (But not tons of cash… maybe $100 in change)
- Newsletter signup form
- Business card holder (Optional)
- Pens and sharpies (One for writing, one for signing)
- Credit card machine and receipt paper, if you have one.
Personal:
- Travel size deoderant, toothpaste, and folding toothbrush.
- Band aids (Learned that at our first con. Heel blisters from walking so far!)
- Paper towels or napkins
- Mints/gum
- Snacks (We like dried fruit, jerky, etc.)
- Water bottle (Refill at drinking fountain)
- Plastic utensils (Spoons at the bare minimum)
- Extra shirt (dress in layers for variable weather and possible accidents)
- Comfortable shoes.
- Hat (Sunburn sucks. And well, I’m a baldy.)
- Phone
- Phone recharge cord
- Map to convention and hotel
- Travel info (or Tripit app)
- Sketchbook (Both for sketches, ideas, and a “do better next time” list.)
Packing Tips:
- Made things as modular as possible. You’re trying to conserve both space and weight.
- Use the same size box where ever you can (This will save space and make packing easier)
- Get multiples of the same luggage (Makes packing a lot easier)
- Compress your stuff. Plan your table first, so you don’t bring stuff you don’t need.
- Find the lightest display stuff as possible. Avoid metal grid wall, unless you plan on driving to everything forever. $$$
- Folding easels are better than rigid ones.
- Reuse packing materials as display materials. (Little boxes hold up prints, etc.)
- Avoid acrylic display stuff. Mine ALWAYS breaks and lasts for 1 show.
Endplate
Truthfully, we’ll skimp on a few of these items, if weight is an issue for plane travel. We might just bring packing tape, and skip the duct. (Yes, we most often bring everything in luggage.)
Remember: Tweak this for YOU. Everyone’s setup is a little different. I’m a freak about this stuff, and often go overboard. YMMV. Try it out, and think about what you forgot. Make your own personal list after that.
If you forget something, IMPROVISE! It’s been a difficult lesson for me, as I tend to get furious with myself for forgetting something. Get over it, and take it as a challenge. Our latest convention booth design was invented because I forgot 18 very important pvc fittings at WonderCon ’09. I went ballistic and had a melt-down. Then, I improvised and solved the problem, and have a much better display because of the mistake.
Daniel m. Davis is the co-owner (with his wife Dawna) of Steam Crow LLC, a Phoenix, Arizona studio that creates characters/stories/goods with a monster imagination.
He also creates the Monster Commute, a 5 day a week monsterpunk adventure comic.
Here are some marketing habits of webcomic folks and indie artists, that I see out there ever day.
Make a lot of art / Talk about what you make
Seems like a lot of people create things in little bursts. You see a little of their comics or art, and then you don’t see them again for months at a time. Then you forget about them.
The people who stand out are the folks who create on a regular basis, and show what they do. Constantly.
Why does this work? Well for one, they’ve got something to talk about. People want to invest in (and support) brands that are going to deliver. (Entertainment, products, personality, etc.)
Miss Monster is someone that I feel does a great job at this. Sure she’s not a webcomicazi, but she is making a living from her art online. Pay attention to folks outside of the webcomic world.
Be authentic, be you.
For your marketing message to resound, it needs to be perceived as real. Instead of pretending to be something you’re not, just be you. People aren’t stupid, and they can detect smaltz from 312 feet away.
When you post on your blog, on Twitter, or wherever, use you own true voice/attitude/personality.
In truth, it’s easier to market consistently with you own voice anyway. The most difficult thing that I see is that many folks don’t know who they are just yet; they’ve not found their voice. I’m not sure how to help there.
I think that Scott Kurtz does a good job of having a distinct and unique voice in his writing. Sure some folks find him grating, but I can hear his voice in my head, when I read his writing.
The additional benefit to being uniquely you is that it can’t be easily replicated in the marketplace. You win because you’re you!
Good comics equals good marketing
An effective marketer realizes that having great content IS great marketing. If you make a webcomic, the better you make it, the more it will market for you.
Look around, and watch XKCD in motion. The amount of marketing that is done on his behalf by Randall Monroe’s fans is astounding. That kind of exposure would cost tens of thousands of dollars to pull off in the real world. He’s getting it for free, because he rocks it. His excellent comic IS the marketing. Don’t forget that quality is job one.
Stay on target
I spent 15 years jumping from one unrelated project to another. One week I was in a band, and the next I was trying to make enormous stilt puppets. Long story short, this lack of focus prevented me from gaining any ground out there.
Once I started Steam Crow, I knew that I had to create stuff that fit underneath this umbrella of friendly monster stuff. If I wanted to start a band, it’d better be a Monster Band. If I wanted to make a puppet, it’d better be one of my characters from Monster Commute.
Examine your passions, and make sure they align with what you’re doing. Make your passions into your business, and you’ll have a much better chance to say on target. Without focus, you’ll never succeed.
Zig, when they zag
It pays to not do what everyone else is doing. Pure and simple, it’s easier to stand out.
As we all know, there are 10 bajillion webcomics out there about the gang of friends that work at a video game store, and their pratfalls. If you make one of these comics, you’re probably going to have a tough time to beat out Penny Arcade and company. You’re much, much smarter choosing a genre/focus that is more individual and unique.
Same goes for your marketing.
When we looked around at conventions, everyone seemed to be using black and red on their signage and banners. That was great, as black and red looks cool, and is a powerful visual combination. But EVERYONE was doing it.
Which is exactly why we chose brown and orange for our Steam Crow booth. It was different than everyone else, and it stood out from the sea of black and red.
There are probably endless ways to cut away from the pack, if you just look for them. It’s okay to be different. Just do it consistently. Like judo.
Daniel m. Davis is the co-owner (with his wife Dawna) of Steam Crow LLC, a Phoenix, Arizona studio that creates characters/stories/goods with a monster imagination.
He also creates the Monster Commute, a 5 day a week monsterpunk adventure comic.
I’ve done a little freelance artwork in my day, though I’ve rarely tried to use it as a full-time employment opportunity. It takes a special kind of person to relish helping other people, and getting involved in their projects, as well as educating them about how Designers work, and what might work best.
I’ll confess: I’m not the kind of guy that loves the process. When I take on a freelance job, it’s all that I can think about. I drop everything else until I’ve got the job done. It’s usually pretty good for the client, but maybe not so good for me. Everything else takes a back seat, and that doesn’t always work so well.
Regardless, I am sometimes asked by new graphic designers for “Freelance Advice”. Many of these folks have never worked for anyone else as a designer/illustrator; that would be my #1 piece of advice: work for someone else to learn the ropes.
Here’s what I know:
1. Work hard, doing the best work possible. Keep getting better. You need to get to a point where your illustration/design is a unique thing that cannot be found elsewhere.
2. Do lots of art, and put it online on a regular basis. Daily, if you’re really serious. I do a comic 5 days a week, as well as other artwork weekly. This has helped generate a lot of interest compared to posting something once per week. Get critiques on the Drawing Board from seasoned artists and pros.
3. Work beyond the confines of your hometown, or even the US. The web makes the world smaller. Don’t just concentrate on your locality, but don’t ignore it either.
4. Use Twitter as well as what you’re doing with Flickr and Facebook. Also post on your own blog/site, and maybe even DeviantArt, though I personally don’t do much there. Illustration Friday can help get other illustrators to know your work, though it may not lead to a lot of work.
5. Have something to sell. Prints, cards, whatever. This can help too. Perhaps putting some of your work on Zazzle or Cafepress can help draw an audience. I’ve had some luck with that.
6. Find other artists in Tucson, and make friends with them. Use TINY ARMY if you’re in Arizona, and post a profile there. See if this helps you meet some other locals. These people can help you find work.
7. Get involved with local comic conventions, to show your work. You HAVE to fight obscurity. This is our greatest battle.
8. Acquaint yourself with as many people as you can, and show them what you do. Freelance is based on contacts. You’ve got to build your network so that people know that they could hire you.
9. Do great work for your clients. Deliver on time (or before), and charge a fair price. (But don’t lowball everything either.)
10. Don’t do spec work. Spec (or work for free or exposure) is killing our industry. This “exposure” rarely is worth anything at all, and most likely not worth your time.
9. Don’t quit.
10. Repeat.
These are just the basics, but probably a decent start. Again, I’d suggest trying to find someone who could hire you, as you can learn an awful lot on the job. However, finding a pure illustration gig will not be easy. I started out in a t-shirt shop where I could get paid to learn how to draw, use the computer, separate the color plates, etc. It wasn’t pure illustration, but it was a technique to “work my way up.”
It could work for you too.
- Daniel
San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) is the most massive comics convention that you’ll likely ever attend.
In 2008 there were something like 126,000 attendees, and that doesn’t even count the 9000 (!) exhibitors present.
In short, when you go to SDCC, you’re going to encounter throngs of people, piles of products, amazing displays, cos-players galore, and enough visual distractions to give you a double-migraine. It’s SO easy to miss something really cool due to exhaustion, poor planning, or by forgetting key items to bring.
Here is some free advice to help survive the chaos that is the San Diego Comic-Con Exhibit Hall, and to make the most of it.
Most of all, when I go, I want to have fun.
Bring Cash
Most vendors, especially the indie folks, deal in cash only. Know this, and come prepared.
The cash machines at SDCC usually have epic lines, and OFTEN run our of money. So, bring as much cash as you want to spend and avoid standing in yet another line. How much money should you bring? I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you that I’m always wishing that I had just a little more to buy that cool thing-bam. I save up for months so I can buy something really cool while the getting is so good.
Tip: Plan ahead of time how much you’d like to spend at the event. Just know that it’s full of great stuff.
Buy Now (if you really want to get it)
While you might be able to work the entire exhibit floor, and then come back to buy from the coolest vendors, it usually doesn’t happen this way. The floor is just too big, and there are too many vendors to keep track of and find again.
If you find something that you really want, I’d suggest getting it while you can. Vendors commonly run out of limited product, so get what you really want. It sucks to miss cool stuff.
That being said, just make sure that you know what kinds of things that you like. I’m not saying to buy anything… buy what you like, but be prepared to discover new stuff.
Save Your Money (for the unique stuff)
Most of you have local comic and toy stores. Don’t spend money on stuff that you can get any other day at home or online.
Save your money for the truly cool stuff that is more unique; original art, low-run indie books, exclusive toys, and the like. You can pick up that other common stuff any time. This other stuff is the special booty that you have a tough time finding again, if ever.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
You’ll likely be on your feet for 95% of the Con, so make sure that you choose comfort over looks. The lines are amazingly long, people will step on your feet, and you’re going to be doing a hell of a lot of walking, so don’t skimp. Otherwise, a blistered/battered/tired foot = hellish Con.
Bring an Empty Sketchbook
You’ll probably see someone who you admire, from a comic artist to a tv actor, and you’ll want to be able to capture a signature or sketch, and protect it. While you can sometimes buy them at the Con, they are often expensive or even unavailable. It’s also nice to have some paper available, in case you need to leave a note for someone on the note board.
Tip: Choose a personal theme, and ask artists to draw their sketches in your personal theme. I’ve done sketches like this for people, and it’s pretty cool.
Bonus: Bring a sharpie/pen/pencil or two. (Many artists like to sketch with Sharpies)
Smuggle Snacks
It sucks to pay $8.00 for a bagel, so don’t.
I’d suggest bringing some snacky stuff that you can carry in your backpack. I like trail mix, dry cereal, jerky, dried pears and granola bars. It’s SO expensive to eat at the con hall, and if you bring food, you’ll be saving more cash for the good stuff. Trader Joes has lots of good snack options that are good for you.
Tip: Eat a solid breakfast before you get at the convention center. You’ll need it.
Drink Water (like Aqualad)
Yeah, pop is fine, but you’ll want to stay hydrated. My first SDCC, I was dehydrated from a little wine from the night before, and I literally felt like I WAS GOING TO DIE within the first hour of day one. You don’t want to do that. Drink water, and bring some with you. You’ll feel better, and will avoid headaches and premature exhaustion. Remember that coffee and pop can dehydrate you.
Tip: Fill up your water bottle at a water fountain when it runs dry. You’ll save $$ and stay hydrated too.
Backpack (bring yours)
You don’t want to carry stuff in your hands for HOURS. Bring a backpack or similar type of bag to heft your haul. Carry your sketchbook, snacks, and purchases in comfort. You’re not sure what you might discover, and it sure is nice to have a comfortable way to heft your stuff around. A good backpack is a must in my book. Remember, the larger your backpack, the more difficult it is going to be to navigate the Hall. Go medium, not XXL.
Tip: Messenger bags are also fantastic, because they won’t tire out your back so much.
Talk to the Artists (you’re not bugging them)
No really. Feel free to start up a conversation with people behind the tables. That’s why they’re there.
You’d be surprised how few people talk to us at shows. (It’s about 1 in 10 that will actually speak.) We want to meet you, and see what kinds of stuff you’re into. We want to tell you about our work. We want to answer your questions. It’s really a chance for you to make friends with creative people.
Tip: the Small Press area is full of people that are creative, self-motivated, and hungry to share their stuff with you.
Bonus: don’t interrupt someone else, and don’t stay at one artist all day. (Don’t be a table barnacle!) There are lots of people to meet, and other people that want to talk to this artist too.
Camera Up
You’re probably going to want to bring a camera or a video camera, to capture images of your favorite star, comic artist, amazing costume, or cute Slave Leia or Slave Leo.
Bonus: Extra batteries and extra memory chips or tapes.
Bring A Distraction
You’ll very likely find yourself in a line that is crazy long at the con. Some of these lines to get into the hall, and to get into the movie premier rooms are a mile long, I swear. Bring something to keep you occupied, so you’re not just wasting time.
Suggestions: Nintendo DS or PSP, iPhone, a book, a *comic* book, or any other type of portable entertainment. It will make the lines go faster for you, and that’s a big plus.
Fill Your Tube
If you like to get prints, pick up free posters, original art or such things, bring a cardboard tube. You can get these at the post office, Target, or just about anywhere. This will allow you to protect your finds, and carry a lot of them cheaply. Some people tape straps to theirs, which makes the tubes easier to carry.
Tip: the Freebies table is FULL of free stuff to fit into your tube. Use this stuff to fill your blank wall space at home, work, or school.
Program Signatures
Did you know that the autograph talent, those stars who come to sell their autograph, are required to sign the program book for free? Yep, it’s true.
While I’m not saying to avoid buying their sigs, I am suggesting that they will also sign the program book, no questions asked. It’s a cool way to make the program book a real keeper.
Tip: if you’re having people sign books for you, don’t bring 25 years of stuff for them to sign. Just bring one or two pieces, max.
Get sleep
Try to get enough sleep every night, so that you can enjoy the next day. No sleep equals exhaustion. This exhaustion piles up day after day and it guarantees burnout. If you can, try to get at least one really good night’s rest in the middle of your con week.
Don’t be a Burnout Zombie
When you finally are exhausted and burnt out, take a break.
I’ve talked to SO many people at SDCC who are so tired that they’re grumpy, edgy and mad… yet they still continue to ply the massive hall hour after hour. Don’t do it. If you’re done, go home for the day, or go back to your hotel for a nap, or go see a panel If you just continue to walk around, you’re just getting more tired, and the sensory overload is just continuing a bad thing.
Be Systematic
Try to go through the exhibit hall in a systematic way, so that you don’t miss as much. Start at one end, and slowly work your way down. Sure it’ll take time, but you’ll be able to know in the end that you didn’t miss much. If you just randomly bumble your way through the hall, you’ll likely keep missing the same places over and over again. (This happens to me when I don’t have a plan.)
Tip: make sure that you don’t miss the far end of the con hall (illustrators), and the Small Press Pavilion. These sections have loads of cool indie stuff that is too good to miss.
Don’t Rush
I know that the vibe is you-are-going-to-miss-something-cool, but many people that I see are in a constant state of overwhelmed rush. They end up not seeing anything. Don’t be them. Calm down. You probably have several days at the con. Take it easy, and enjoy the ride. Running around like a meth-head isn’t so fun.
Plan Ahead
Figure out what panels you’ve got to see, and where and when you’re going to meet your chums. Make a plan of action, and stick to it. Bonus: don’t forget to factor in long lines. I think that I spent a couple of hours in line, just trying to get into the movie rooms. Be sure to keep your Program Guide handy, even at the hall.
Explore the Exhibit Hall Early
Saturday, and Sunday are cramped beyond belief at SDCC. So try to explore the Exhibit Hall on Preview Night, Thursday and little on Friday. Plan for it. While you can never really “avoid the crowds”, you can avoid the ones that are tighter than quicksand.
Panels Rule
Every hour of the Con, there are tons of other things to do instead of walking the floor… go to a panel! There are professionals speaking about any number of things, from costuming, steampunking, breaking into the industry, indie film making, self-publishing… all kinds of stuff! Scout out the program and plan your panels so that you can take advantage of this superb opportunity!
Bring snacks
In addition to bringing your own water bottle, you might want to consider bringing trail mix, granola bars, energy bars, or some other form of quick, cheap nutrition.
Personal Survival Gear
Here are some survival items that most folks need: Cell phone (and charger), deodorant, sun screen (for the massive outdoor lines), band-aids for foot blisters, mints, an extra shirt, gum, clean socks, hat, and earplugs for the shared hotel room. If you’re there to network, bring some professionally printed business cards, too.
Endplate
I don’t think that Comic-Con is going to get smaller in the near future, so you’ve got to be proactive to maximize the experience. It’s truly awesome if you just plan ahead and make sure that you take care of yourself, ahead of time.
I hope that this series of articles will help you have a better time. At the very least, they will remind me of what I need to be thinking about before jumping into the Exhibit Hall of Doom!
Daniel m. Davis is the co-owner (with his wife Dawna) of Steam Crow LLC, a Phoenix, Arizona studio that creates characters/stories/goods with a monster imagination.
He also creates the Monster Commute, a 5 day a week monsterpunk adventure comic.
Daniel has been professionally exhibiting at the San Diego Comic-Con since 2005, and will be at booth #4207.
Building an Audience
Aug 12
Today, more than ever, there are many ways for independent artists and illustrators to build a fan base.
In addition to traditional media, the web has opened up thousands (millions!?) of forums, social networking sites, blogs and portfolio sites for artists to show their work to a prospective audience. However, with so many choices one must carefully choose how to proceed with limited time and resources since it’s impossible to do it all. It’s helps to formulate a plan of attack.
Beware: You cannot do everything at once. (It’s impossible, and really, you don’t need to.) If you carefully choose what you do when, you can build upon your successes and move your reputation higher and higher.
As always, these are simply my opinions based upon my own personal experience; your mileage may vary.
Also, this article assumes that you want to be a commercial success. There are all kinds of success out there, and commercial is just one facet of the bigger whole. You don’t have to be a commercial success to be a successful or interesting artist. I’m working in the commercial world, so this article assumes that you’re looking for commercial success, too.
Foundation
You need to have a foundation to work from so people can begin to appreciate what you’re doing.
Choose a name:
You’re going to have to have some sort of name to promote. Ideally, it should be memorable, unique and Google friendly.
- Are you going to promote a company name? Examples include: Meomi. XL5 Design. Specimen Design Steam Crow Press.
- Are you going to use your own name? Gary Baseman. Paul Frank (Industries). Andrew Bawidimann. Brian Ewing.
- Are you going to use a pseudonym? Attaboy. Gris Grimly. Daniel m. Davis.
It’s far easier to promote a single name, so don’t go crazy with all kinds of sub-brand names to start with. Just choose one, stick to it, and make sure you can get the domain name for it too.
Your Illustration / Art
This is the most important part. You need to be doing something of quality for others to enjoy. I’m assuming that you’ve got this one handled already.
Do something worthwhile:
- Be original
- Fulfill a need
- Have your audience in mind
- Follow your own personal interests and passions
- Start out specific
- Do a great job
- Aim just shy of perfection
- Do work that you’ll be proud of (at least) 5 years from now. (You want to build an audience, right? You’ll need a body of good work. This takes time.)
Get your work online:
- Start an art blog. (WordPress rules)
- Start a Myspace / Friendster / etc.
- Post art on Flickr
- Build a full-on website
- Post your illustration on an art forum. Add your URL to your forum signature.
- Post your illustration on an illustration directory
Prepare some cheap print collateral:
- Business card. Please don’t run it off of your printer. For $25 you can have some nice professional cards made. Put your URL on them.
- Postcards. These cost more money but are more impactful. Again, promote your URL on them.
- Make a flier. Cheaper yet, but make them cool.
Attracting Fans
Okay, now that you’ve got some foundation in place, how are you going to attract people to your great work? (And your web presence.) How can fans find you?
I suggest going after them.
Here’s a big ugly list of some ideas that you can use:
- Get a table at a comic/horror/anime/sci fi convention. Show your work and hopefully sell a little of your work to them.
- Put your business cards/postcars/fliers up at the art store. Post them up at cafe bulletin boards. Plaster them up at the local college campus. Go guerilla.
- Arrange an art show at a local gallery/cafe/business/dance hall. Goal here is to get your work seen. Make sure that you have the print collateral ready to go.
- Team up with a band, and offer to make them a poster for their upcoming show. (For free.) Do their cd art. They’ll help you promote your work.
- Get a card table, and feature your art on the local monthly “art walk” if you’ve got one. Here, people set up shop in empty lots and seem to do pretty well.
- Feature your art at the local comic book store, if they’ll let you. I’ve been doing “Free Comic Book Day” for a couple of years now, and I don’t even do comics.
- Make friends with other artists, and see what they’re up to. Sometimes they’ll have other contacts that will help you. Help them with what you know and you’ll both benefit.
Staying in Contact
So, you’ve managed to attract a few hundred fans. This is great. Now, you’ve got to keep them. Otherwise, with all of the distractions of the modern world, they’ll forget you in lieu of somebody else knocking at their door.
Don’t let that happen.
Here are some things that you can do to stay fresh in their minds:
- Keep updating your site with new art and info. Seriously. This is key if you’ve been using the web to build your audience. For some reason, it rarely happens.
- Use Twitter so that people learn about you, your story, and what you’re up to. But don’t just talk about yourself; create a community.
- Keep doing your art. Post it regularly. This is why you’re in the game, right? You’ve got to keep creating no matter what.
- Continue to build new projects/products. Whatever it is that you do, keep making more. Fans want to come back to you for something new. If you’ve got something new, they’ll likely get it. It’s easier to get them to buy from you again than convince someone new to buy your stuff.
- Start a mailing list at your art show/website/blog, and send out a newsletter religiously on a schedule. I’d suggest monthly. You’ll have to follow spam laws here, so Google the “Can-Spam Act”, and follow that.
These guys are cheap, reliable, and professional newsletter folks:
Rinse, repeat. Continue.
Basically, the name of the game is to keep going, no matter what.
I’m finding that I continue to revisit each of these, and improve them as time goes on. After a while, you’ll have great art, a great website, and hopefully a growing and interested audience.
Good luck, and keep working hard.
Daniel m. Davis is the co-owner (with his wife Dawna) of Steam Crow LLC, a Phoenix, Arizona studio that creates characters/stories/goods with a monster imagination.
He also creates the Monster Commute, a 5 day a week monsterpunk adventure comic.
More Self-Publishing Advice
Aug 12
As I’ve just finished another book (KlawBerry), I’ve been asked to share my indie-publishing experience. It’s probably something worth re-visiting every year, as I learn more and more about the process.
Remember, that Your Milage May Vary. I don’t believe that there’s only one way to do anything… what I’ve done may not be right for you, or even for me.
This might get epic…
Finish Projects
Getting something done, even if it isn’t perfect, is better than getting nothing finished. Having a book in print has been a really great experience for me, and I even have a few fans now because of it. I’ve been a practicing artist for 15 years before that, and got zero traction. Now that I’m getting books done, things are beginning to move. So, do it.
Lulu
Lulu is a cool way to get a book published, but it’s really expensive if you want to sell them yourself. (Like at comic conventions, like I do.) I’ll probably do a Lulu book in the future, but it will be for an “extra” idea for years when I can’t afford to publish two books.
Many stores and distributors expect you to discount your book by 60% for their wholesale price. So, if your book retails for $10, they wanna buy it for $4. Those can be slim margins, and *really* tough for Lulu books.
Another think to consider about Lulu is that as of this article, you’ll have little control of the printing details. When you work with a printer, you can customize everything from paper stock, ink colors, cover finish, and book size and on. At Lulu, they’ll offer a few choices, but nothing like the full range of features that a good printer can give you.
However, if you’re no where near paying for your own book to be printed, do Lulu. It’s far better than not doing a book at all.
Making Money
I attempt to balance Art with Business. I can’t afford to do this if I can’t make money doing it. I’m not going to do myself any good if I’m not totally interested in the subject matter. So, yes, I make money at it. I price for that, rather than just pricing for what other people are doing.
Fact is, I’m printing less than 2000 books. How can I compete on price, when everyone else (big publishers) are printing 20k books in china? I can’t, so I don’t.
I compete on quality and niche subject matter.
You must understand that I look at this as a long-term investment. You’re probably not going to make all of your money back in one year, unless you’ve got some secret that I don’t know about. (And you might… let me know!)
Distribution.
I’ve not figured this one out yet. Most distributors don’t want to carry your book unless you’re producing at least 10 different titles per year. (That’s an insane amount for somebody like me.) Basically, it’s not worth their time and effort and paperwork. Some will carry you, but you’ll have to pay them a fee to do so.
Also, distributors might only carry you if you’re also willing to buy back unsold copies. Let’s say you find a distributor with a deal like that, and Barnes and Noble orders 25,000 copies. Hurrah! You print an extra 18,000 copies for this order alone!
But then, 9 months later, they insist that you buy back the 12,000 copies that were unsold. This could bankrupt you.
I don’t like this model, so I don’t participate. (At least so far.)
So, I’m attempting to distribute myself via my own online store. www.magicskull.com. Every book that I sell direct is like selling 4 wholesale. So, I’m not that excited about wholesale right now. I’ll sell my books slower, and ensure that I’m making money along the way. I’m also starting to carry other people’s books, too, since I’ve got the infrastructure.
Printing.
I’d suggest finding a small press book that you like the quality of, and contacting the publisher. That’s what I did, and I didn’t have to pay a print broker to find one for me. Many books are printed outside of the US… Canada and China do a lot of printing for the US market.
I got a quote for my book locally, and it turned out to be about $2 per book cheaper to print in Canada. That’s a huge amount.
You also may be willing to pay more, for a company that you know isn’t going to screw you. Cheapest is not always the best. My books are not the cheapest, I’m sure, but I know that the books are going to come when they say, the quality is going to be perfect, and the quantity is going to be accurate. This is worth .50 per book to me.
Don’t be afraid to get more than one quote. It’s a good idea to do so.
Marketing.
While getting a book written, illustrated, edited, layed out, proofed is tough, the true challenge for me is marketing. Getting the book in hand is the easy part.
Marketing is very, very hard unless you’ve got lots of money to throw at it. Me, I don’t, so I have to be creative and ask people for help.
- I take my books to 5-6 Comic Conventions per year, and get most of my sales there. I also have signups for my newsletter, where I harvest potential future customers.
- I hand out thousands of postcards at conventions/bookstores/cafes that link to my site.
- I partner with other artists and try to exchange links.
- I hope that bloggers might write a post about my latest book.
- I hope to pitch a book to a major Publisher, solely to get my name out there for my other books.
- I send out a quality monthly newsletter.(Please sign up at steamcrow.com on the left side.)
These guys are cheap, reliable, and professional:
Closing
I have found that indie publishing is really rewarding, and that most small press publishers are willing to help you out along the way. I’ve given some advice as I’ve gone along, and I continue to try to get advice from the guys that have been doing this for for longer than the short time that I have.
I hope that this helps you make some progress with your projects.
Related article
Self Publishing Advice
Daniel m. Davis is the co-owner (with his wife Dawna) of Steam Crow LLC, a Phoenix, Arizona studio that creates characters/stories/goods with a monster imagination.
He also creates the Monster Commute, a 5 day a week monsterpunk adventure comic.
Self Publishing Advice
Aug 12
I was recently talking to a fellow illustrator about some of the challenges I’ve had self-publishing my first book. Since I finished writing and designing “Caught Creatures”, I thought I’d write down some of my own experiences and opinions.
Keep it simple
Basically, my over-riding principal is that if I kept things very simple, I’d save time and money. Since I was spending my life savings on the thing, this was ultimately very important. Here’s what I did: I found a book that I really liked, that was already self-published. By “liked” I’m talking about the quality of the printing, binding, paper, and the overall format. I bought the book, looked at how it was put together, and made note of the printer.
The interview
Then, I interviewed the artist via email, and found out how they liked working with their printer. (They did, which is very good to know.) Basically, I blogged about them, and then went and told them about it along with a few questions. (It’s always best to do a favor before asking for one.) This approach seems to work, so use it as it will save you both time and money.
Creating
Then I created the book, art and all. I decided against getting any quotes for the book until the art was almost done, because I didn’t want to put the cart before the horse. I really pushed myself to finish the art and not worry about anything else. (Or, I probably wouldn’t finish it.) For me, this was vital, since once you start talking to a printer, you’re thinking about marketing not making the art. (At least, I would.)
Research
Looking around, I’ve learned that most of the comics and many of the art books in the US are printed in Canada. So, I got a Canadian & local quote from a printer that I know does good work. (This includes the printer from #1) This usually takes about a week or so. I gave both printers a copy of my example book (from #1) so that they would include all of the publishing details. (Cover stock, paper weight, matte aqua cote, ect.)
I chose a format that seemed to be widely used. (For me, a mini book). I didn’t really research as to *why*, but I figured that there was a reason that so many books that were self-published were a similar format. I made my book the same format and same the page count. (Hoping that I was saving money by doing this.) This may go counter to some marketing (something standard rather than different), but for me the price was extremely important since it was coming out of my bank account. Making a good relationship with a printer might allow you to talk to them about formatting options. Since I knew that making the art was the real challenge, I just forged ahead with that first.
I chose the Canadian company from #1 because they a) printed the book that I already liked (I said, quote me the exact same book; same stock, same matte finish on the cover, etc.) and b) they were like 30% cheaper. Shipping was pretty expensive, but overall it was still a much better deal.
Layout and proofing
I then finished laying out my art, then proofed the heck out of it on the best color printer I could find. I printed the whole book 6-7 times with color revisions each time. I *only* stopped because it was time to send in the final art if I wanted my books in time for Christmas. (Again, back to point #2a; I started to get more and more anxious after talking to the printer.
I asked my sharp copy writer friend from work to go over the book, and fix the 50 errors that I couldn’t see anymore. Then, I fixed everything, and let her look at it again. She gets a free book, and I get a print run with far less mistakes. (I’m sure that there is one in there somewhere, but I don’t wanna jinx it.
Final countdown
Finally, I made a pdf of the final art, and sent it to the printer. A couple of weeks later, they sent me color proofs. (Again, just color printouts) I okayed those, and sent it back overnight with a signature. Then, more waiting. Wait a 6-8 weeks, and you should have it in hand.
Other random thoughts:
- Though it was challenging, I’ve been holding myself back from something like this for years. It was far easier than I realized, but I’m a lifelong pessimist.
- Once I sell half, I’m doing another book. I started my project on July 20th, at Comic-Con. I figured it would take 6-8 months to do this whole thing, but I’m pretty hungry to get out of corporate life.
- It took a couple months less than expected, which is great. According to Sanjay Patel, (Little India), he paid a print broker to find his printer. Though he likes his printer much, he said that this was the one mistake he made. Don’t do that.
- Most printers take PDF, so that’s easy for most of us. Just set up your file correctly (CMYK and all of that). 1/8 inch bleed should be sufficient. I built my art with 1/4 inch, but then reformatted the whole dang thing.
- Really, it just takes dedication to finish the thing. For me, I was blasting through pages like sawdust for the first 6 weeks, but as I got down to the nittygritty of formatting, title pages, thank you pages, and all of the finishing touches, it took more and more time and work
- The last 6 weeks I thought that I was *almost* done, but then still spent another 40-60 hrs just cleaning up the little details.
- For small runs, a digital print will likely be a cheaper/faster option than standard off-set printing. For me, off-set turned out to be cheaper, but that was only because I was doing 1000 copies. If it were 500, digital would have been cheaper. Just find out all your options.
- Don’t make mistakes with your art/text. Proof the heck out of the art. Have lot’s of people proofread your text. If you end up having to change things in the last minute, it will cost you big bucks. Slow down, and save money.
Anyway, that’s my experience with Caught Creatures.
UPDATE: Well, I now have the books in hand, and I must say, that they turned out *great*. A couple of my concerns in the artwork (some banding in the gradients) were not in the art at all, and the colors turned out richer and finer than expected. (#6 paid off)
I don’t know what I would do differently at this point. Probably I’d print more books, if I had $$$, to get the overall price down. It’s one of those difficult things; print a gazillion w/o seeing them? OR, print a more reasonable number, and then print more next time. I chose the second option.
UPDATE #2: I’ve now finished my second and third books, and I still adhere these ramblings.
Related article
More Self Publishing Advice
Daniel m. Davis is the co-owner (with his wife Dawna) of Steam Crow LLC, a Phoenix, Arizona studio that creates characters/stories/goods with a monster imagination.
He also creates the Monster Commute, a 5 day a week monsterpunk adventure comic.