Convention Season Submitting Advice

[pauljholden]

Hey, I'm gonna do a blog post rounding up as much advice as I can think of/gather and answering questions - no question too stupid! If you want to take part, put your questions here (I'll be blogging tonight at 9:00 -ish ...)

-pj

[Richmond Clements]

Good one!

Not an artist, obviously, but I've always wondered how you, as an artist, know when your work is ready to be shown to a publisher?

[pauljholden]

(I'm biting my nails here as I'd like to respond to questions as I see them... but answers, tonight - AT 9!)

-pj

[uncle fester]

Thanks for this, PJ, very kind of you to offer.

- What's general protocol for actually approaching editors/pro artists for portfolio advice? (Obviously with artists I'm guessing you want to wait till they're not sketching, but is that only at the bar?)

- I'm looking to show folks my work in B&W at A3 but there's a chance with some of it that it'll be tampered with in PhotoShop (for assembly, most likely) - Is that acceptable or one of the unwritten no-no's?

- Can you actually just walk from table to table garnering advice on your work or should you just pick a few? (I'm looking to tailor various parts of the portfolio to various publishers)

- Can you submit work that has pencils incorporated into the inks as finshed work? (Bit specific, sorry)

Yours Sincerely, a noobie to  submissions.

[James]

What size should you show arwork at? I'm thinking A3.

What's the best format to leave samples behind? A4 I assume, but stapled together? Presented in a polypocket lined display book? Folded into quarters and stuffed into a letter envelope?

[locustsofdeath!]

Hey PJ, as others have said - thanks for taking the time to do this!

Offhand do you or anyone else know what would be the best way for a writer to submit? Scripts only? Completed strips? Both?

As of right now, I'm putting together a portfolio with both, but I wonder if that's the right way to go about it.

Cheers!

[HOO-HAA]

This is interesting as I'm taking part in this year's Pitch Black event at the World Horror Convention.

Enlighten me, PJ!

[Emperor]

What do you feel the optimum number of pages for a portfolio is? I know the temptation would be to jam as much as possible in to put your best foot forward but the editor has a finite amount of time and turning up with 50 pages is probably extracting the urine.

Would you recommend having a whole 5 page sample from a script or lead with your best page and possibly show pencils, inks and colours? Or go for as varied a mix as possible?

Would you recommend take a lot of samples with them but pick from those to build a specific portfolio aimed at the editor (2000 AD stuff for Tharg, Spidey and Hulk for Marvel, etc.)?

Is it worth just carrying a more general selection around so you can show it off to random passers by?

Picking up on locust's: who do writers make conventions work for them? Liquor and editor up at the bare and then pin them to the wall when free booze has impaired their mobility enough? Spike their drink with GHB and make them sign a contract or the donkey photos bet circulated? Or is it a longer process: get your work done and out there, use that as a springboard for informal chats with editors and work up from there?

Do you have any best/worst stories about conventions? Portfolio nightmare viewings? fan stalking? Feel free to do change names to protect the innocent. I'm really thinking of this:
http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=27040

Any big dos and don'ts other than: wear deodorant and lots of it.

Sleeping with fans - good idea or great idea?

Crotchless Spider-Man outfit - yes or no?

Right I think that has exhausted my questions. For now.

[mygrimmbrother]

I know that when I showed my (horribly cobbled together) portfolio at Birmingham last October, Tharg only really leafed back and forth between the first 4-5 pages.

[Emperor]

Oh and would you recommend having a card 9or even a bookmark?) to hand out with further details on, so if they were possibly interested they could look up your other work?

What about printing off a few copies of a little sampled comic (bringing together your small press work and a few pin-ups perhaps?) to give to editors so they can nose through it at their leisure? Alex Ronald reckons the comic he made really helped.

[uncle fester]

Do you have any best/worst stories about conventions? Portfolio nightmare viewings? fan stalking? Feel free to do change names to protect the innocent. I'm really thinking of this:
http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=27040

I love that. And I have nightmares of being one of the loons in it. Everyone submitting should have a copy printed out, in plain view, just in case...

[pauljholden]

LAST CALL! LAST CALL!

I've a truckload of questions, ta' - so here's your last chance, before I post to the blog (my typing fingers are sore!)

-pj

[pauljholden]

All questions answered in an overlong blog post. Hope you find it useful/interesting/distracting...

http://www.pauljholden.com/blog/2010/03/19/2000ad-submission-advice/

-pj

[pauljholden]

Since my blog seems to have died on its arse, you can read it here: http://pjholden.posterous.com/2000ad-submission-advice

[locustsofdeath!]

Fantastic, PJ - thanks a bunch! The segment with advice for writers is great and I'll take every word to heart.