|
"...an invaluable resource." - Wizard (April '98) |
|
|
||
|
||
|
Support this site by getting a web site at FreeHostingWeb.com. Thanks.
 Self-publishing Resources |
Publishing Tip of the Day:
|
Self-publishing can be broken down into two categories, either you have the aim of making money and entering the 'mainstream' market, or you want to publish for your own sake without regards to making money through the 'small press'. I have included information in both of these areas.
Mainstream Self-Publishing
- For more information on how to self-publish, Adam Swan has written a number of excellent articles on the subject, including: Adam Swan's Guide to Self-Publishing, Guide to Distribution and another on his answers to questions, related to the first two articles.
- Another excellent place to get general information is Stickman Graphic's Self-Publishing Resource Guide.
- A fourth guide to self-publishing is James Hudnall's Self-Publishing Primer.
- Dave Sim has written a number of articles on self-publishing collected on the Dave Sim Memorial Note From The President Archive.
- Need more money to publish? Perhaps the Xeric Foundation can help, as it awards grants to help beginning self-publishers with printing costs. Unfortunately, this grant only applies to Americans.
-
Once you are ready to start looking for printers, you might want to check
out these printers online. Fair warning, though, it's best to shop around
for the best price and quality. In case if their web pages are down/unavailable or you wish quick access, phone numbers have been added for some of the popular comic printers.
- Brenner Printing - (210) 349-4024
- Dimestore Printing
- Morgan Printing - (701) 352-0640
- Quebecor - (514) 494-5401
- Preney Print & Litho - (519) 966-3412
- SIPS Comics - South Island Print Services
- Omega Room Comics
- For promoting your work, Jeff Mason maintains and regularly updates a few lists that may help including: a list of indy-comic-friendly stores and Media Resource Guide.
- Other places that list comic retailers include:
- Another idea for promoting your work would to use places such as the Internet News Bureau to send your press releases directly to over 2000 journalists. Remember when writing your press release that many of these journalist may not be comic fans but if written correctly you could get tons of promotion in unexpected areas. If anyone tries this please let me know.
- A cheaper way to go than the one above, though more work, you might consider purchasing The U.S. All Media E-Mail Directory which lists 10,000 media e-mail addresses you can use to promote your work. The book version is currently priced at $49 or you can purchase the electronic database of these addresses for $79 ($99 for both). Perhaps still a little pricy, however, once you have the addresses you can use them as often as you want.
- A place to promote your comics on the web is the Comic Book Clearinghouse which allows you to advertise your comic on their web site for free. Unfortunately, the site has been in hiatus since late '99.
- You can also promote your comics through the FireBlade FreeForm which allows fans receive information about your comic and how to order them.
-
Send your press releases or consider advertising in any of the various comicbook magazines and news sites:
- Comic Book Network EMagazine
- Comic Book Resources one of the premier comic news sites online.
- Comics Buyers Guide
- Comicon
- ComicFan
- Comics Continuum
- Comics Journal
- Comic Shop News
- Digital Webbing - One of the best places to post your annoucements.
- Jazma - The People's Comic Book Newsletter
- PopImage
- Savant
- Sequential Tart
- It is also worth noting about the Comic Shop News is the following information that Ward Batty sent me:
CSN is that it devotes a lot of coverage to a wide variety of independent publishers. Despite its small size, CSN manages to cover a wider variety of comics and different publishers than either CBG or Wizard. Press releases should be sent to Cliff Biggers at cliffbig@earthlink.net. One of the features exclusive to their web site is CSN Media Watch. This is a place where publishers and creators who have comics available in the shops can post news. There's no charge, but you have to get a password to be able to post. Contact Ward Batty at wardo@mindspring.com. Because of the agreement they have with the retailers who buy and distribute CSN, only comics available in comic shops qualifies for coverage in CSN.
- Before you start selling your comic, you might want to read what Mark Thompson of Cold Cut wrote about Setting your Cover Price.
- Once you are ready to start selling your comics you will need to contact distributors. Fortunately a few distributors are now online.
- Cold Cut Distribution: a smaller distributor that has been around for a while.
- Diamond: the one you will have to deal with, if you hope to make any money through direct sales in comic stores.
- FM International: Smaller distributor but fairly well established.
- Last Gasp: One of the oldest distributors, mainly of underground comics.
- Red Route Distribution: A small distributor out of the UK. Unfortunately, they have no web page so you will have to e-mail for details about their service.
- If you want to try to market directly to comic book stores check out these lists of stores.
Self-Publishing in the Small-Press Market
- One of the best places to find information on how to start out in the small press is John McCleod's The Small Press Faq.
- If you need a place to print your comics cheaply, you might want to look here Small Publishers' Co-op.
- Another area for support is Dimestore Productions Online. This place is described as a 'small press online distribution/news source/gathering place' and is run be small press veteran Ian Shire.
- For support within the UK Small press scene you might want to check out BugPower.
- You might want to consider joining a support network such as The United Fanzine Organization which has many old-time small press pros in its membership.