Does lettering and color go into your graphic novel pitch if YOU don't want to do it?
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I'm wrapping up a graphic novel pitch that I think I will have done in time for #pitmad March 4. My sample pages are all uncolored though with no text. I've been reaching out to some colorists and letterers, I'm willing to pay the money to have these sample pages done if necessary for overall pitching to agents. I don't want to do them myself because #1 I'm not that great at either and #2 I don't think I could do all of it for a full graphic novel in the timeframes that publishers want.
Getting those responses and having the work actually done though is a bit like herding cats when you aren't used to it or established in any way. I had a letterer lined up that I really liked but I told him I wanted to redo my sample pages first and in between that time he deleted his Twitter and isn't responding to emails
I guess graphic novels are still so new to the mainstream industry that research I've done into pitch packages to answer this question have been all over the place. Some have told me no, others have told me the sample pages are confusing without text. -
graphic novels have been mainstream since the early 80's. you need something for the text but it may not need to be the final text design.
mount set text in the text area, letter it yourself. your pitch isnt with a completed novel, but the idea and content.
a publisher will decide about the lettering and coloring.
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@HeatherBouteneff been reading recently-published graphic novels lately and one thing I’ve noticed is that the text is now all fonts. Even if it looks hand lettered, it’s a handwriting looking font. Google fonts, Adobe Fonts, and FontSquirrel all have free comics or handwriting fonts that you can use.
That way, it’ll save you both time and the frustration of having to look at your own handwriting!
