Breaking Into Comics: You Can Do It.

I meet a lot of people at a lot of shows, over email, on the phone, through typed and hand-written letters, at comic stores, signings, in my classes or book club, doing lectures at book fairs and schools. I meet a lot of people--most of whom want to work in comics.

All of whom can.

The stunning thing that I find out about most people who want to write or draw comics is this--they are neither writing nor drawing every day. Seems odd, right? It seems so obvious. So, breaking into comics tip here is simple.

You want to write? THEN WRITE.

You want to pencil? THEN PENCIL.

And so on and so on. If you're not DOING it, then you're not GOING to do it. You don't become a writer by someone asking you to write and then all of a sudden you're great. You practice. You find the time every day.

I'm not saying it's easy. In fact, believe me, I know it's hard. I have a full-time job, a business I own and run, and a young son and family. I don't have a lot of time to write. But I do. I find the time. I don't watch much TV. I don't go see a lot of movies. I suggest shifting your priorities around.

You can watch "American Idol" or read the celebrity magazine, or you can start to hone your craft. Start somewhere and just start doing it. Stop thinking about doing it and do it. Nike had no idea what it was onto with its old slogan.

Now here's the best part. Everyone has talent. You can self-publish a comic. You can get work as an artist or a writer. You can do it. I wasn't always in the comics industry. But I am now. I wasn't born with connections. If I can do this, you can do it too.

I mean it. It may not happen overnight (wouldn't that be nice) but it definitely can happen.

Breaking Into Comics Tip: You can do it. Believe it. Own it. And most of all, start doing what you love.

Andy