Friday, July 15, 2011

"Trying is the first step towards failure"

Thanks, Homer. I mailed a submission to a reputable comics company today. I won't tell you what it's about or the company involved. You'll be able to guess who they are when I suddenly start giving all their books negative reviews and writing angry screeds about how they're ruining the comics industry.

I wouldn't do that. Yes, I think my story is a good one, but the chances of publication aren't favorable. That's just the way things are. I've had short stories rejected by some of the best literary magazines. Nothing to take personally. They just hated my writing and they told me in as encouraging a way anyone can tell someone they stink at something he loves to do. In this case, however, I doubt I'll ever hear anything. This particular publisher is upfront with a "don't call us, we'll call you" policy.

So what do you do when float your message in a bottle and it sinks beneath the waves instead of bobbing up on some distant shore where it's found by a simpatico stranger who responds with love? You just keep writing and drawing and improving. I could possibly draw the comic myself and self-publish online or through one of those print-on-demand sites, or rework it into a prose novel. Whatever happens, I'll get this story and its characters out there somehow!

And then you can make fun of me for a change!

2 comments:

MOCK! said...

Joel wrote: You'll be able to guess who they are when I suddenly start giving all their books negative reviews and writing angry screeds about how they're ruining the comics industry.


Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!

and "Good luck!"

Unknown said...

Thanks! I'm the second coming of Moore. Dinty, that is.