How Not To Succeed In The Comics Business With Lots Of Trying

When you're a freelancer, or a potential freelancer, the wait to hear back about a project can be frustrating.

In the case of "O," this apparently resulted in a nasty text message to Michael Davis.

In the Comic Mix article "The Story Of O," Davis elaborates on both the situation and the etiquette involved in dealing with publishers while you are waiting for feedback/movement on a project.

Davis's mantra? Don't burn bridges.

My own mantra on the subject is, assume the project might or might not happen, and just live within that. This might not be the most positive way to think, but I am pretty skeptical about any project I'm working on will come to pass until I sign a contract or see something in print. In the meantime, I work at my job. I see no need to be bitter or impatient about it.

Admittedly, my years in comic book editorial might have jaded me on this point. I've seen a lot of pitches become books, and a lot of them shot down. I've seen projects that get "fast-tracked," and projects that languish for YEARS.

Since "Goodbye To Comics," I have been involved in many pitches, projects, manuscripts, plans, etc. This is not bragging. As you can see, I have no printed work yet -- just this blog and one article in a magazine. I was picked up by a major literary agency within weeks of "GTC." But, despite working on a manuscript adapting the blog, and numerous drafts, in the end it was not meant to be. It might be meant to be some other time. However, I don't feel my time with my agent was wasted. I learned a lot about writing, and about the entertainment industry.

That's the way it works -- you might get something, you might get nothing, you might get something later, or you might have to wait a good long time.

Getting angry, feeling entitled, all this shit -- it's pointless. Because I've seen too many people driven figuratively or literally insane by this desire to write/draw mainstream comics. It's as if even if they reach that level, things will mysteriously be "okay" for them.

Getting your first comic gig does not put you on easy street. If you are prone to negativity, you will find a whole new bunch of things to bitch about. And you will still have to prove yourself, issue-by-issue. You don't just cinch your first fill-in and suddenly become Bendis. Bendis didn't even suddenly become Bendis.

Now, in the comments section of the Comic Mix piece, Elayne makes a good point -- what about a freelancer waiting for a "green light" on a project that is plagued with delays. Well, if you are an artist, and your editor wants you to "wait" for a project, wants to "reserve" you, and it's taking forever -- that's an entirely different matter. That's a matter of putting food on the table, and Elayne is right on that point.

But the nature of developing projects, of submitting pitches, it's very ephemeral.

And if somebody truly wants to get their creative works out there, and the mainstream is not receptive, there are so many options these days. Webcomics, e-books, blogs, podcasts, videos, etc. Try an independent route. Learn the skills of self-promotion. You might get just a small group of fans, or become the next Perry Bible Fellowship.

There is no reason to curse somebody.