Sorting Out Your Budget

No matter what method you choose, there will almost always be costs that come along with the production of your comic. Make sure to account for these costs BEFORE you start talking with other creators.

Figure out how much money you’re willing to invest in this project. Be realistic about it too. Don’t bleed yourself dry trying to get your comic out the door. Talk to the people close to you and figure out a plan that you’re comfortable with. Imagine the scenario where no one buys your book. Will you still be okay financially?

Your main fees for a comic will be the page rates of any collaborators you hire, but if you plan on self publishing, there are plenty of other fees to consider such as printing and distribution. Much of these costs will presumably be covered if you decide to crowdfund your comic, but they are still very important to account for.

But I only need a script to apply to publishers right? That won’t cost me anything.

Even if all you want to do is apply to publishers, you probably won’t be able to get by with just a script unless you know someone personally or get extremely lucky. Most publishers expect to see at least a few pages fully completed (that means inked, coloured and lettered) in their applications. This is so they can be sure you’ll be able to actually fulfill on the project as a team. On average, publishers ask for 4-8 pages to be complete before applying, so make sure you account for the costs of completing those pages if you want a solid shot at a publisher.