ON BEING A COMIC STRIP ARTIST

Becoming a comic strip creator requires a variety of talents. Imagine it as producing a little play each day where you must be the casting director, the set designer and the author of the dialogue. A little art ability is needed, but a talent for writing is more important.  You must be able to capsulize an event in as few words  as possible but still communicate your idea to be understood by millions of people of many nationalities around the world.

In addition, you must be able to observe human nature and happenings and put them in a humorous light so readers can see themselves in those situations and be amused. Strong self-motivated work habits are essential to meet daily deadlines.

Since there are so few schools that teach cartooning you will probably have to teach yourself. The best way to learn is by copying your favorite cartoonist. After studying his technique of composition, lettering and figure drawing, put the master's work aside and set out on your own. You will inevitably develop your own style.

Remember, the most important part of creating a winning comic strip is to develop a main character with an identifying personality that will have wide appeal. The best way to do this is to put yourself or someone you know into the role.

Being a comic strip artist is one of the most satisfying careers  there is and one of the only careers where you are completely in control. I hope to see you in the funny papers!

- Mort Walker

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK
Courtesy of King Features

Syndicates sell and distribute the work of newspaper cartoonists to newspapers, with the revenue split between the cartoonist and the syndicate. Cartooning is an extremely competitive business. To get an idea of just how tough it is to become a successful cartoonist, consider the following. King Features, the world's largest syndicate, receives more than 6,000 submissions each year. Of these, two or three might be launched as new features. Perhaps two-thirds of the features introduced by syndicates each year fail to find an audience within five years and are discontinued. But each year, some prove talented enough to buck the odds.

Each syndicate has different submission requirements, but you can get an idea of what is required by looking at King Features' submission guidelines, reprinted here. You'll find the names of most syndicates in the copyright notices of your favorite features in your local newspaper. The address for each syndicate, along with a list of the features they distribute, can be found in a special directory issue published by the magazine Editor & Publisher each year. You can purchase a copy of the syndicate directory by writing to:

Editor & Publisher
11 West 19th Street
New York, NY 10011

Each syndicate is always on the lookout for the next big hit, so don't be afraid to try!

Submission Guidelines - King Features is always happy to look at new comic features for possible syndication. We believe in the art of cartooning and place great  importance on looking at new material. Without exception, every comic strip or panel idea submitted to us is carefully considered.

In order to help you present your work in the best possible light and to help us respond to it more quickly, the editors have put together the following questions and answers.

How many cartoons should I submit?
 Send 24 daily comic strips. It is not necessary to send Sunday comic strips. If we like your daily comics, we will ask to see sample Sunday pages.

What size should I draw my comics?
 Most comic strip cartoonists draw their daily comic strips  13 inches wide by 4 inches tall. Most single-panel cartoonists draw their daily panel 7 inches wide by 7 inches high, not counting the extra space for the caption placed underneath the drawing.

You can draw larger or smaller than that, as long as  your cartoons are in proportion to those sizes.

What format should I use to submit my cartoons?
 You should reduce your comics to fit onto standard 8-1/2 by 11 inch sheets of paper. Write your name, address, and phone number on each page. Do not send your original drawings! Send xeroxes instead.

What else should I include in the package of cartoons that I send?
 Your total submission package should include:

1. Twenty-four daily comic strips on 8-1/2 by 11 inch paper.
2. A cover letter that briefly outlines the overall nature of your comic strip.
3. A character sheet that shows your major characters (if any) along with their name and a paragraph description of each.
4. A return envelope with your name, address, and postage on it. Without a return envelope and postage, we usually won't respond to your submission.
5. A resume, samples of previously published cartoons and other biographical information on your cartooning career would be helpful, but aren't strictly necessary.

To Whom should I send my comic feature to?
 Send your cartoons to:

Jay Kennedy
Comics Editor
King Features
235 East 45th Street
New York, NY 10017

May I send my comic samples by fax or e-mail?
 No.  We want to see good quality copies and don't want to tie up phone lines.

I am unfamiliar with syndication. Please explain what a cartoon syndicate does?
 First, a syndicate decides which comic strips it thinks it can sell best. Then it signs a contract with the cartoonist to create the strip on a regular weekly basis. But most of all, the syndicate edits, packages, promotes, prints, sells and distributes the comic strip to newspapers in the United States and around the world on an ongoing basis.

In short, a syndicate is responsible for bringing the cartoons from the cartoonist to the public.

What do you look for in a submission?
 We are looking for comic features that will simultaneously appeal to the newspaper editors who buy comics and the newspaper readers whose interest the comics must sustain for years to follow. We don't have a formula for telling us which comics will do that, but we do look for some elements we believe people respond to.

First, we look for a uniqueness that reflects the cartoonist's own individual slant on the world and humor. If we see that unique slant, we look to see if the cartoonist is turning his or her attention  to events that other people can relate to.

Secondly, we very carefully study a cartoonist's writing ability. Good writing helps weak art, better than good art helps weak writing.

Good art is also important.  It is what first attracts readers to a comic strip. We look to see that your art is drawn clearly and with visual impact. We want our comics to be noticed on a page.

Finally, we look for your ability to sustain a high level of quality material. We want comics that readers will enjoy for years and years.

Do I need to copyright my cartoons before sending them?
 No, it's not necessary. But if you feel safer doing so, you can obtain copyright information by contacting the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20559.

What are my chances of getting syndicated by King Features?
 King Features is the largest syndicate. Each year, it gets more than 6,000 submissions, of which three are chosen for syndication.

If I am a better writer than an artist (or vice versa), will  the syndicate match me up with a partner?
 If your work is far enough along that we think it would succeed if only it had a little better art or a little better writing, then the syndicate will attempt to find you a partner. In most cases, however, it is up to the cartoonist to find a partner.

How long should I expect to wait before receiving a reply?
 We'll make every effort to respond quickly, but at times it will take us as long as six weeks, due to the high volume of submissions we receive.

If my comic isn't accepted for syndication, will you still critique my work?
 We receive well over 6,000 submissions a year. As much as we would like to, it is impossible for us to critique all the work we see. Please understand that receiving a form rejection letter from us isn't a negative criticism of your work. It simply means that at the time we saw your work we didn't feel that newspaper editors would buy  your feature.

What are the terms of payment if my work is accepted?
 If your work is accepted for syndication, the proceeds  are split 50/50 between the cartoonist and the syndicate. Cartoonists can make between $20,000 and $1,000,000 dollars a year. It all depends on how many newspapers subscribe to your comic strip and how many products are made from your characters.

Can you give me any tips to improve my chances of success?
 The single best way of improving your chances of success is to practice. Only by drawing and writing cartoons do you get better at it. Invariably the cartoonists whose work we like best  turn out to be those who draw cartoons regularly whether anyone sees their work or not.

Another key to success is to read a lot. Read all sorts of things -- fiction, magazines and newspapers. Humor is based on real life. The more you know about life the more you have to write humorously about.

What books or magazines do you recommend to help me with my goal of becoming a professional cartoonist?

Cartooning - The Art and the Business , by Mort Gerberg, published by William Morrow in 1989, gives an excellent overview of the different careers in cartooning.

Cartooning PROfiles magazine (P.O. Box 325, Fairfield, CT 06430) is a highly informative publication of particular interest if your goal is to become a syndicated  newspaper cartoonist.

The Comics Buyer's Guide (700 E. State St., Iola, IA 54990)  is a thick weekly newspaper primarily devoted to comic book cartooning, but it does have some coverage of newspaper comics. It is a particularly useful publication for those interested in trading, buying or selling old comic strips and art.

Comics and Sequential Art by Will Eisner, distributed by Eclipse Books (P.O. Box 1099, Forestville, CA 95436), is primarily concerned with the creation of comic books and other longer forms of cartooning, but its technical insights into composition, lettering, anatomy, shading and pacing are useful to all cartoonists.

What are some of the common mistakes made by aspiring cartoonists?
 They often place too much emphasis on coming up with a novel character or setting. A strip starring a giraffe won't get critical acclaim just because there's never been a giraffe strip before. Humor is the most important element of successful comic strips, followed closely by well-defined and interesting characters.

In many cases, aspiring cartoonists develop too narrow a premise. Syndicated comics are meant to last for decades. A cartoon about a character who always falls asleep at the  wrong time or talks about just one topic day after day,  will quickly get repetitive and boring. Develop characters and situations that will  allow you many avenues for humor in the future.

Very few aspiring cartoonists pay enough attention to their  lettering.  The words need to be lettered neatly enough, and large enough, that readers can read them without difficulty. Newspapers usually print comic strips about 6-1/2 inches wide. They usually print single-panel cartoons 3-1/8 inches wide. Have your local copy shop reduce a few of your cartoons to printed size and see if your lettering is still legible when reduced.

There shouldn't be too much writing, either. People prefer reading shorter, quicker-paced comics.

Many aspiring cartoonists don't use waterproof drawing ink to  finish their drawings. Pencils, ballpoint pens, and most felt-tip pens don't reproduce well enough for syndication. Aspiring cartoonists should learn how to use  pens and/or brushes with waterproof drawing ink.

Finally, many aspiring cartoonists develop comics that are too similar to  already successful strips. Newspaper editors aren't going to duplicate a comic that they already print.

Has King Features Syndicate Merged with North America Syndicate?
 Yes, King Features is made up of several previously independent syndicates. It includes Cowles Syndicate and North America Syndicate, which was formerly called News America Syndicate.

Since your work is reviewed by the editors of all these syndicates, you need send only one copy of your proposed comic features for consideration by King Features, Cowles, and North America Syndicates.

Information from www.cartoon.org/advice.htm