It's Andy Fish!

Had a recent art school graduate reach out to me looking for some advice;

“Dear Andy Won Kenobi- how do you ensure that work keeps on coming? How do you schedule out your year(s)? HELP!”

Freelance is a bit like juggling– ideally one project ends and another project begins, right? When I was first starting out I used FREELANCED.com and it was a terrific service. I’ve heard terrible reviews about it– but over the course of a few years I kept track of how it performed an I did well over $400k– well worth the measly $50/year membership fee. Sadly, that’s gone. It’s been replaced by a few other services I’ve yet to check out but the other source of work I’ve experienced came from LINKEDIN.

You need a plan.

I used to do a lot of graphic design, I don’t do nearly any now– okay once in a while a friend will need something quick and I’ll whip it up for them– but for the most part 99% of my workday is all comics, whether I’m writing or drawing or inking or doing all three.

In the comics world projects are usually put together– meaning the creative team is assembled, the July before the following year. Publishers tend to have a lead time of 1.5 to 3 years on their calendar. So make yourself available to discuss potential projects around that Fourth of July hot dog.

After that, develop some pitches– if no work is coming to you, send in some concepts to editors and publishers you’ve worked with before, you never know if something might hit.

Lastly, build up a following, let your fans know what projects you’re working on, and if you’re inclined to do commission work let them know that too.

Plan and you’ll be Okay. Yes there will be struggle, there will be challenges, but that’s all part of the Freelance game.

Lastly, if you find a publisher or an editor you like and they treat you well, focus on working with them, and don’t be afraid to reach out to see what they might have available. It might just pay off.