Graphic Novel Publishing
by Hari Conner
BIG PUBLISHING IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, but lots of people who know the business well have generously given their time to make it more transparent. This document collects lots of the best resources I've found.
There's lots of info in these links, but taking the time to read a few can help you understand which parts of the process are flexible, and which are agreed on.
These resources were compiled by me, Hari Conner, because I want to help creators who ask me about this. This info combines the resources linked and my own experience, which may not all apply to you!
Do I actually want to get commercially published?
Self-publishing is great, and allows you creative freedom and flexibility. You have to learn to do a lot yourself, but you keep the profits, and (as long as you don't eg. sign away rights to a webcomic site) you keep control of your own story.
The podcast 'comic lab', by two full-time creators from an older wave of webcomics and syndicated comics, strongly recommends the webcomics + self-publishing model, including alongside a 'day job'. But they give two situations when you might be better off working with a publisher - which actually match my own reasons exactly:
- If your self-publishing business gets too big: you get too many book orders to fulfil yourself.
- Or if you want to work in the mainstream children's market. (Parents prefer to buy books they know a trusted publisher has checked are right for their kids' age range!) This includes YA graphic novels, which have teen protagonists and themes relevant to young people coming of age.
Working with a publisher isn't for everyone, and doesn't guarantee book sales, advertising, or being paid fairly. Unfortunately mainstream publishing also doesn't suit a lot of projects - the US graphic novel market is very skewed towards children's. Though that's slowly starting to change and I'm hopeful, it's still just what sells the most copies right now.
What are the steps to getting commercially published?
For regular novels, you send a finished 'manuscript' to a literary agent. But for graphic novels, you usually send a pitch package about the book you want to make, before you've done it. Sometimes there are exceptions, like webcomics with big followings that publishers pick up once well underway - but often, publishers want to go through the editorial process with you from the early stages, including being able to discuss edits.
1. Make a pitch package
- This is really good all-around advice from Kids comics unite: Everything you need to know about pitching your graphic novel
- A great PDF example (at the bottom) of a nice straightforward Middle Grade pitch package by Reimena Yee: How I make pitches for graphic novels
- What to Include in a Graphic Novel Pitch Package, by Maria Vicente, a graphic novel agent
I'd also really recommend researching your area - look at other comparable titles coming out in the last few years! Eg. you're interested in Young Adult, read recent original YA graphic novels in your genre - and even just read lots of summaries and previews - to get a sense of the usual tone, scope and length of these stories.
2. Get the pitch to publishers
Some smaller publishers take direct submissions, and will give guidelines of how to submit and how much material to provide on their websites. Follow guidelines carefully!! Your submission might not get read otherwise.
If you want to work with mid-size and big publishers, most only accept submissions from people with literary agents - so your next step would be finding agents to approach who represent graphic novel creators, are open to queries, and are a good fit for your work.
Why get an agent?
I live in Scotland, but my literary agent is based in the USA, where the graphic novel market is bigger. We work remotely! (Her agency has contacts in the UK and other parts of Europe, and it's through them I get book deals here.) There are also some UK-based agents who work with graphic novellists.
If a bigger publisher does offer you a contract, the first version will not be to your advantage. Even if you talk to a really friendly editor, the big company that person works for cares about profits most, and it's hard to negotiate. That's where agents come in.
A literary agent is on your side. Real literary agents only make money when you do - they take a 15% cut of your money when you actually sign the deal. Services where the author has to pay to get an agent or submit to a publisher are probably a scam!
Indepth guides to next steps:
- Comic creators' guide to literary agents by Danielle Chuatico & Jes & Cin Wibowo
- A Literary Agent's Guide to Querying Your Graphic Novel by Maria Vicente
- Finding an agent as a graphic novellist by Victoria Ying
- Why you should get an agent and how to present yourself to one: a primer for comic artists by Wendy Xu
Or if you want to know more about US graphic novel publishing generally, I'd strongly recommend the podcast 'Graphic novel TK'. It's a few years old now, but I learned a lot from it!
Being realistic: Publishing is tough, and publishers are looking for books they know will sell to an existing market. Everyone I know who now works with literary agents and publishers on graphic novels also spent years working on their own webcomics and self-published projects first - and has had projects rejected at different times in their careers. Don't be discouraged if your work isn't there yet! It's all good practise, and there are lots of ways to share your work with the world. Keep going and find what works best for you!!
This article was written by Hari Conner, who gave permission for it to be posted here. Visit their website to learn more about their work.
