By Terrio Jenkins
Ah, so yes I said you’re stupid for not hiring a freelancer for different parts of your comic. I also said that if you can, it is amazing. So, you either accepted or ignored my advice. If you accepted, then here is a list of pros and cons.
Pros
- When you find the right team, everything is GREAT! It is incredible when communication, skills, and personalities come together.
- Giving up certain roles gives you more time to focus on your best skill. For example, I can write, draw, color, and letter a comic. By outsourcing the art and design, I can spend more time editing and revising my writing.
- There is always someone better than you in a given task. Why not find someone who makes your book better than you can!
Cons
- It can be rough trying to find collaborators you can afford.
- Even worse, it’s hard to find collaborators who are good at their craft.
- Trust is the biggest con. You have to trust your collaborator is going to come through.
In my experience, I had artists who fell behind schedule. This led to me having to move on three times in the making of the first issue of my comic. It took a few months to find a suitable replacement. I couldn’t be happier with my current artist.
I’ve also helped write comic scripts for several clients. They have all been happy with their results. The positive vibes made the collaboration amazing. The search will be long if you’re starting out. Be patient and make sure you see enough samples of potential collaborators’ work. You may have to find artists who offer all artistic services in one package.
My current artist on Favor of Athena provides the drawings, coloring, and lettering. My Angel Protocol team consists of an artist and colorist, while I do the lettering. My Copycats series has one artist who does the drawing and coloring.
