New Graphic Medicine Exhibit
From Fredrico Muelas: “My graphic novel T(H)UMOR: Dear Cancer Diary… is featured in the A(I) Brighter Tomorrow: Cancer and Beyond show at The Gallery of ARTFul Medicine, along with three short comic stories I created about cancer survivors from Montefiore’s Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD Buddies) program. I’m honored to be included in such a meaningful show, co-curated by Natalia Marín and Jodi Moise, which features the work of incredible artists such as Suzanne Anker, Anna and Jordan Rathkopf, Anna Dumitriu, Alex May, Dr. Sabina Scuri, and Vladimir Gheorghiu.”
Publication Opportunity
Aditya Kalra, the Editor-in-Chief of The Muse Magazine from McMaster University shares this call for submissions for their upcoming issue. Their goal is to platform works that are health-focused and promote empathy. She writes, “It would be a privilege to amplify the work created by the graphic medicine community, and we are eager to feature such pieces in our next publication.” Please feel free to reach out to the editor directly if you have any questions or need further information.
Link to their website: https://www.musemcmaster.ca/ and the submission form: https://forms.gle/bmXQVV7EQp3o2i3A7.
New Podcast Episode from Ireland
Christopher Dwyer speaks with Maja Milkowska-Shibata, an international health researcher and Polish medical interpreter interested in storytelling and visual thinking.
I’m looking for advice on the process of publishing ing a graphic novel on addiction/mental health/grief. I’ve written most of the first draft but have not found an illustrator yet. Wondering about funding, editing, promotion etc. Any suggestions on the proper order for this process?
Pamela, these are my suggestions based on my experience having had a few graphic novels published. That doesn’t make me right, just experienced! The fact is, there are about as many different ways of publishing a GN as there are people who’ve gotten one published.
I think step one is to get some finished pages done. A publisher is going to want to see what you’re offering, and you can’t do that without having something drawn. Are you sure you’re not able to draw it yourself? Even if your art skills aren’t the best, many times the honesty and authenticity of the writer drawing their own story offsets that deficit. Think about it!
Your challenge with finding an illustrator is that a decent one will want some money up-front, and likely a cut of future royalties. That’s only fair; you’re asking for their valuable time. But it puts you in a bind if you can’t afford it! I don’t have a good solution for that.
Again, just my opinion and experience, but I think you’ll want to get at least a dozen pages that look finished and ready to publish. Then you’re ready to put together a book proposal to send to publishers. That proposal will include a short (1 page) cover letter, your finished pages, and a description of the rest of the book.
Finding a publisher is hard. Many will only consider proposals from literary agents, and getting an agent is a whole other challenge. However, some GN publishers will consider unagented submissions. Look up publishers’ submission policies online to see what they want.
Regarding editing and promotion, if you get a publisher that’s (mostly) their job. Don’t worry about it yet.
That’s all if you want to go the traditional publishing route. If you want self-publish or go digital, there are a lot fewer hoops and gatekeepers to get through. You would be smart to pay a professional to copy-edit it for you–avoid a lot of mistakes and embarrassment that way! Some people fund self-published books via Patreon, Kickstarter or GoFundMe; those work best for writers who already have an established community or fan base, but it could be a good way to go. I don’t know anything about that but there are many online resources and tutorials.
Be wary of scams.
These are thoughts off the top of my head. Most importantly, get something finished and ready to show people, then go from there. Good luck!