How to Publish Your Graphic Novel

A graphic novel is a book containing illustrated comic content—a visual form of storytelling that pairs images with text. They are often presented sequentially in panels, which are self-contained frames that tell one story beat (for example, one moment, one look, one establishing shot of the scenery). The medium is conducive to innovation and artistic expression, allowing creators freedom to experiment with the real estate on each page.

Graphic novels are typically longer than standard comic books, which space their superhero storylines across serialized issues. Contemporary graphic novels come in black and white and in full-color, and include everything from fiction to memoir, journalism to literary fiction. They are bold and dark, funny and poignant, and they have the narrative power to move you to tears, make you laugh, or break your heart.

While it is entirely possible to construct an indie graphic novel by yourself, it’s a rare talent indeed. Generally, writers create the story then collaborate with other artists to bring that story to the page. Consider the various collaborators who contribute a graphic novel:

1. 1. Writer: The writer develops the elements of story: plot, setting, characters, conflict, and dialogue. They also create an outline as well as a script, which serves as a roadmap for the other collaborators.
2. 2. Editor: Every good writer needs an editor. Ideally, your editor will know you and understand your objectives but still be able to offer thoughtful criticism, especially if something isn’t quite resonating within the story.
3. 3. Artist: The artist translates the writer’s instructions into panel illustrations. The artist has the power to add subtle dimension to simple direction; for example, the line “the character looks away” can be shown in myriad different ways, with either a sorrowful expression on the character’s face, the character’s face in shadow, or perhaps, the back of the character’s head angled just so. The artist enhances the writer’s script with their creative interpretations.
4. 4. Letterer: A letterer conveys the story via typefaces and sizes, as well as calligraphy. Story titles, sound effects, and speech balloons are all part of the letterer’s domain. The letterer also fills in the artist’s pencil lines with ink.
5. 5. Colorist: After the story is drawn and the ink set, the colorist fills in the black and white lines with color. Historically, this was done with brushes and dyes. While some colorists still opt to do things by hand, others use digital tools. Neither is better; it just comes down to personal style and preference.

Self-publishing has become more popular with the rise of ebooks and the ease with which you can upload your work to online booksellers. You’ll have to make all of your own decisions in the publishing process, and this often requires hiring editors, copyeditors, proofreaders, and cover artists. Here’s how to publish your own graphic novel:

1. 1. Fundraise to cover costs. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter can help with the financing if you decide you’d like a little help from a team of freelance designers or with covering the costs of publishing itself. If you’ve already built up a fanbase who loves your work on social media, for example, they may love an opportunity to help you.
2. 2. Format your work for print. If you plan on printing your graphic novel, design software like Adobe InDesign has a whole suite of formatting software that can help you touch up color, sharpen resolution, and scale everything down to the right trim sizes, depending on how you’d like your creation to feel in the hands of your readers. When publishing your graphic novel for an ereader like the Kindle, digital formatting should be your chief concern. There are many different ereaders on the market, each with their own specifications. You can hire a freelance technical formatter who knows the ropes and can ensure that the images and text come through as clearly as they do in print.
3. 3. Grab an ISBN. An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a 10- or 13-digit code that gives your book a unique fingerprint that allows it to be found by publishers, book dealers, and librarians. If you’re planning on shopping your physical book around to bookstores yourself, then you’ll need to register for an ISBN or confirm that your self-publishing platform will assign one for you.
   
4. 4. Publish. Once you’ve got your images and text in a streamlined, readable format that shows off all the hard work you’ve done, all that’s left is uploading it to the self-publishing platform of your choice, where your book can be printed and bound. Some ebook publishers will also distribute copies of your graphic novel to online bookstores.
   

Getting the attention of publishing houses is challenging, but it can be an effective way to get your graphic novel out into the world. Here are some tips for getting your graphic novel published by a traditional publishing house:

1. 1. Compose a query letter. A query letter is a compelling formal pitch for you and your work. This includes a short bio and, if you are an illustrator, a link to a portfolio. The most important thing to remember is that literary agents receive hundreds and hundreds of query letters. Make your story stick out by crafting a hook to open your query and by following each agency’s submission guidelines. Most graphic novel queries require a project overview (character profiles and a full synopsis), book specifications (genre, length), market info (comparison titles and information about target market), and a sample script or selection of pages, sent in JPG, PNG, or PDF form.
   
2. 2. Query the right agent. Most traditional comics publishers won’t consider manuscripts sent directly from writers, so if you want to go through a book publishing company, you’ll need to find a literary agent. This can be as difficult as finding a publisher, but a good agent will support you through a number of critical steps. Often, they will work with you to polish your manuscript before they send it to publishing houses. They will find an appropriate editor and negotiate to sell your book for the highest advance. They can guide you through the entire publishing process and, if the relationship is fruitful, they will work with you on future projects. They generally handle all the money transactions between you and the publisher, taking a percentage off the top. They should never ask you for payment up front.
3. 3. Repeat, repeat, repeat. It may take many rounds of querying before you find the right agent to introduce your book to the world. Be patient, and try your best to incorporate any feedback you get into your next round of outreach.

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