[tuxedo123]

Hi everybody I want to be a manga artist. I found out that if you self publish your own comics you make more money. I love to draw a lot and I know that matters... but lets face it, we don't want to be broke and give the money that we earned to some other company while they keep a lot of that money that we've earned, because where I live the payments aren't very high. Does anybody know how to self publish their own comic? Or know a web site that could self publish there own comics?:( :confused:

[Clough]

Do you want your comics to be something that is posted on the web, or something that people can hold in their hands and read? Or, maybe both?

[tuxedo123]

Do you want your comics to be something that is posted on the web, or something that people can hold in their hands and read? Or, maybe both?

Something that people can hold in their hands and read.

[jrebel7]

Hi there! This may not address your question eactly but let me just share a bit here and then later tonight, when I get back home, I will try to get back with you and give more specifics.

A person can go on blurb.com or lulu.com and have books made from their work. Blurb.com is a little more user friendly because with lulu.com you have to download their program so it takes a lot of memory on your computer before you can actually use the program. The expense is not that great and if you could get them in a few local stores, double your price, reproduce a few times, it might be a great start for you. Have a book signing with a local book store or coffee shop/book store. Also, if you have everything on CD, you can even take that to a place like Office Depot and they can do a soft binder or spiral binder. They offer three types I believe. I can't remember what each are called off hand. These are not quite as professional looking as blurb.com and lulu.com

I sure hope this helps a little. Post back if you have comments and I will get back with you but it will be later tonight. Perhaps by this evening, you will have heard from others who will have given you better suggestions. Best of luck to you in this fun adventure! :)

[Clough]

I couldn't spread the love so soon, jrebel7! But, I just wanted to say, great answer and thank you for answering the question! :)

[tuxedo123]

Hi there! This may not address your question eactly but let me just share a bit here and then later tonight, when I get back home, I will try to get back with you and give more specifics.

A person can go on blurb.com or lulu.com and have books made from their work. blurb.com is a little more user friendly because with lulu.com you have to download their program so it takes a lot of memory on your computer before you can actually use the program. The expense is not that great and if you could get them in a few local stores, double your price, reproduce a few times, it might be a great start for you. Have a book signing with a local book store or coffee shop/book store. Also, if you have everything on CD, you can even take that to a place like Office Depot and they can do a soft binder or spiral binder. They offer three types I believe. I can't remember what each are called off hand. These are not quite as professional looking as blurb.com and lulu.com

I sure hope this helps a little. Post back if you have comments and I will get back with you but it will be later tonight. Perhaps by this evening, you will have heard from others who will have given you better suggestions. Best of luck to you in this fun adventure! :)

Wow you said this helps a little? This helps me A LOT!! :D Thank you so much! So on blurb.com you download the software, and I want to make comics, so do I upload my pictures or comic to the software and click a button that will have them make the book?
And does lulu do the same thing?

[jrebel7]

Wow you said this helps a little? This helps me A LOT!!! :D Thankyou so much!! So on blurb.com you download the software, and I want to make comics, so do I upload my pictures or comic to the software and click a button that will have them make the book?
and does lulu do the same thing?

Hey there Tux! It has been awhile since I have been on either one but I believe you have to download their program with lulu.com but not with blurb.com Don't get me if I am wrong please!! :p

If they haven't changed it I believe that blurb.com has a Wizard set up where you just provide your drawings and text and go through and make choices as you go.

Blurb.com may only allow 8"x11 1/2" pages, not sure. I am not being a lot of help tonight. Some printers allow you to choose to do half pages but you have to have your margins set up that way as they do not make changes for you manually, just use the choices you choose. You can of course do black and white or color. The color are a little more expensive but I would think with comics, color is important to the mood of the art form.

I am in the process of setting a book up for a friend but I am only scanning her art work and personal photos right now and placing text and art/photos as I go. Only about half finished before even getting into the blurb.com but that will be the one I will use for hers. Lulu.com is a little more sophisticated. You can go in and set up a few pages and see what you think though before putting all your work there and then deciding to use a different site. I believe both will hold your work so if you can't get it all done in one setting, you can save it and go back... again, please don't hold me to this. As I say, it has been a long time since I was on the site.

I might just add a little bit here:

Keep in mind if you want your pages numbered
Make sure if you are wanting a cover page, that it is set up for the front and not the back of that cover page or vice versa to your choice
If you want a picture of yourself or your comic drawings on the back, just make sure you get it where you want it... it may give you choices of "inside cover" or on "back of
cover" Again, not sure, just giving you food for thought.
It shouldn't be difficult once you get a few printed up, to have a local business to carry a few. They may want to introduce you in the store at an opening as "new talent" or "local artist" or "introducing new line of comics" or they may just allow you to take a small space in their store and they might quietly put them in that area. You will need to decide price you need to get from each sale and be very clear about the price you must have per book before signing any agreements or having them sign receipt of books and such because the store owner most likely will add some to your price for their part or they may talk percentage of sales. Some stores will pay outright for so many books but they may be more open if you just tell them, if you can display your books, the store owner can just pay you later for what sells and you can pick up the rest later and perhaps bring a new line of books in . This is just my idea, but I would think, unless you live in a really large city, a store owner would want "exclusive" when you first start showing your work for sale and not have competitors showing at the same time. Marketing is not my strong suite. I am hoping others will pop on the thread and help you out further.

Also, somewhere on the book, make sure you have your copyright statement printed so no one can reprint the book in whole or in part without your permission.

I am so glad you feel encouraged to do this and I will be excited to hear about your progress as you make this dream come true! PLease keep up posted.

With these sites, generally you can have as many or as few printed at one time as you desire so if you just want to have one done, it will cost a bit more but in the long run, be a good idea. Hope I haven't given you too much information and not been clear. When you get on the site, you can take it a step at a time and you will just do great! :p

[jrebel7]

I couldn't spread the love so soon, jrebel7! But, I just wanted to say, great answer and thank you for answering the question! :)

Thanks much. Glad I could help if only to encourage! :)

[tuxedo123]

Hey there Tux! It has been awhile since I have been on either one but I believe you have to download their program with lulu.com but not with blurb.com Don't get me if I am wrong please!!! :p

If they haven't changed it I believe that blurb.com has a Wizard set up where you just provide your drawings and text and go through and make choices as you go.

blurb.com may only allow 8"x11 1/2" pages, not sure. I am not being a lot of help tonight. Some printers allow you to choose to do half pages but you have to have your margins set up that way as they do not make changes for you manually, just use the choices you choose. You can of course do black and white or color. The color are a little more expensive but I would think with comics, color is important to the mood of the art form.

I am in the process of setting a book up for a friend but I am only scanning her art work and personal photos right now and placing text and art/photos as I go. Only about half finished before even getting into the blurb.com but that will be the one I will use for hers. Lulu.com is a little more sophisticated. You can go in and set up a few pages and see what you think though before putting all your work there and then deciding to use a different site. I believe both will hold your work so if you can't get it all done in one setting, you can save it and go back....again, please don't hold me to this. As I say, it has been a long time since I was on the site.

I might just add a little bit here:

Keep in mind if you want your pages numbered
Make sure if you are wanting a cover page, that it is set up for the front and not the back of that cover page or vice versa to your choice
If you want a picture of your self or your comic drawings on the back, just make sure you get it where you want it........it may give you choices of "inside cover" or on "back of
cover" Again, not sure, just giving you food for thought.
It shouldn't be difficult once you get a few printed up, to have a local business to carry a few. They may want to introduce you in the store at an opening as "new talent" or "local artist" or "introducing new line of comics" or they may just allow you to take a small space in their store and they might quietly put them in that area. You will need to decide price you need to get from each sale and be very clear about the price you must have per book before signing any agreements or having them sign receipt of books and such because the store owner most likely will add some to your price for their part or they may talk percentage of sales. Some stores will pay outright for so many books but they may be more open if you just tell them, if you can display your books, the store owner can just pay you later for what sells and you can pick up the rest later and perhaps bring a new line of books in . This is just my idea, but I would think, unless you live in a really large city, a store owner would want "exclusive" when you first start showing your work for sale and not have competitors showing at the same time. Marketing is not my strong suite. I am hoping others will pop on the thread and help you out further.

Also, somewhere on the book, make sure you have your copyright statement printed so no one can reprint the book in whole or in part without your permission.

I am so glad you feel encouraged to do this and I will be excited to hear about your progress as you make this dream come true! PLease keep up posted.

With these sites, generally you can have as many or as few printed at one time as you desire so if you just want to have one done, it will cost a bit more but in the long run, be a good idea. Hope I haven't given you too much information and not been clear. When you get on the site, you can take it a step at a time and you will just do great! :p

Thank you SO SO SO SOx100 MUCH!! This helped me a lot! You are very kind for presenting me with this information. So thank you so much! ;) :) :D

[jrebel7]

THANKYOU SO SO SO SOx100 MUCH!!!! This helped me a lot! You are very kind for presenting me with this information. So thankyou so much!!;) :) :D

My pleasure! I wish you well. :p