Once again, I bring you Tweets from CBCebulski. Other editor's advice may differ to various degrees, so know who you want to submit to and do your research, but if you're eying Marvel or DC you could do worse than listen to him. A lot of what he says is rather universal too.

# A whiny, accusatory e-mail from a wannabe writer lead to an interesting discussion about breaking in at Marvel yesterday. (cont.) about 1 hour ago
# There are no easy answers or easy paths for new writers. YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK! You don't like our submissions' guidelines? Don't submit.
# But they're not going to change. Other writers follow them & get hired. We hired 24 new writers last year. That's 2 new writers each month.
# For new writers, we do what we do the way we do it at Marvel for specifc reasons. You might not like or understand the system, but it works.
# If you tell me "I don't have previously published work becuase I ONLY want to write for Marvel!", while I appreciate the sentiment (cont.)
# ...it really makes me question your dedication to the craft of writing & storytelling and wonder if you shouldn't just quit now.
# And to wrap this rant up, please remember one thing... THERE IS NO OVERNIGHT SUCCESS IN COMICS! Breaking in is a long and arduous process.
# (And that goes for not just writers, but pencilers, inkers, colorists, letterers, painters, designers and editors too!)

I usually don't post my Twitter stream but after discussing a really really bad plot idea someone shared with headlesspuppet, I must share this. Basically, "Girl" wants to do a crime detective story, but right away it sounds like a train wreck or the beginnings of a hentai plot. "Friend" is headlesspuppet.

My Tweets:

# WTF plot: Drunk guy & has sex w/unconscious girl. Girl wakes, bleeding, thinking she had period. Finds out preg when she miscarries.
# Friend: That's rape, somnophilia! Girl: No it's not! He didn't mean to! Friend: *faceplam*
# Friend: Where's crime detective plot? Girl: I don't know, but I want it to be crime detective story. Friend: *double facepalm*
# Did I mention the oops-sleep-rapist is a police detective, she's a psychometrist, they fall in wuv & somehow solve crimes?

Replies:

#LitheraPrime: That makes me feel a bit stabby.
#snail_5: Please take away the pen from whoever wants to write this. And pencil. And access to a computer.
#happyphantom: ... really?
#p_cell: whathell is this D:

CB Cebulski's Tweets came at the perfect time, right after my Twilight Graphic Novel post. Let me be delusional and pretend it was because of me. Really it was! No? Aw.

#Creators working on their own comics should never underestimate the value of good lettering. Like penciling or coloring, it's an art form. about 1 hours ago
#Be smart when choosing fonts. They can make all the difference in the reading experience. And balloon placement is of utmost importance. about 1 hours ago
#Balloons are key to storytelling and should help guide the reader's eye to where you want them to go across and down the page. about 1 hours ago
#And although it should go without saying, always spell check your lettering script first. And always check your grammar. Watch your commas. about 1 hours ago
#Bad lettering and grammar can reflect poorly on the writer when it's being read & reviewed by editors considering you for work. Trust me. about 1 hours ago
#Just because you know Photoshop, that doesn't make you a colorist. Just because you know Illustrator, that doesn't make you a letterer. 40 minutes ago

He discusses covers too.

#After looking over certain June solicits, I feel like going on a cover rant again, but will instead offer advice on creating cover art. 6:26 AM Mar 23rd
#A cover is the most important piece of art you'll create for your comic. It's what will sell the book. Especially in today's direct market. 6:27 AM Mar 23rd
#This is even more true for indy/self/small press comics as you don't have recognizable characters to grab a reader's attention on the shelf. 6:28 AM Mar 23rd
#You need a simple, bold, striking piece that should immediately standout & distinguish your book from the rest of the comics surrounding it. 6:31 AM Mar 23rd
#Don't get overly-complicated or designy. Don't overthink your cover. Don't get too cerebral. Simply give readers a taste of what's inside. 6:34 AM Mar 23rd
#These are simple, basic cover "rules", I know, but I'm always surprised how often they're forgotten. Especially by the bigger publishers. 6:44 AM Mar 23rd

Ron Perazza oversees Zuda Comics, so if you plan to submit, keep his Tweets in mind. Here's his comics related ones from the past couple of months before I got distracted by people at work. What, nacelle clearance parameter? Does it exist? *wanders off to look*

• Starting the week off by reviewing pitches for new comic series. 4:59 AM Oct 26th, 2009 from Echofon
  
• While no standard format for pitches, define the critical elements (plot, characters, setting, etc.) in a clear, obvious way. #makecomics 5:23 AM Oct 26th, 2009 from Echofon
  
• Ideas about marketing/promotion in the pitch are ok but story must come 1st. Without substance promotion has no value. #makecomics 5:27 AM Oct 26th, 2009 from Echofon
  
• Strong Marketing + Weak Story means everyone tries it, nobody likes it. It's a short term, quick hit game. No rep for quality. #makecomics 5:36 AM Oct 26th, 2009 from Echofon
  
• Be careful when placing similarly colored items/people near each other on a page. Color can lead the eye. Use lighting to vary. #makecomics 12:59 PM Nov 6th, 2009 from web
  
• Be careful when basing story on a "hook" instead of characters/situations. Very little room for long-term storytelling. #makecomics
  
• Photoshop filters exist for a reason. That reason isn't to be obvious, glaring "special effects." A little subtlety, please. #makecomics 2:51 PM Nov 6th, 2009 from web
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Tweets from CBC

# Usually, when you critique an artist, they listen & then go try harder. New writers? They spend more time arguing & complaining. Arrgghh! 7:24 AM Dec 10th
# But I guess that's why they're "writers". Why not write more creatively instead of using your words to explain to an editor they're wrong?! 7:27 AM Dec 10th
# "Published work" means creative writing that has been printed and where you are clearly given credit by name for your contribution. 7:31 AM Dec 10th
# I'm sorry but uncredited ghost writing, script polishes & "the publisher forgot to include my name" do not fall into this category. 7:33 AM Dec 10th
# Self-publishing, mini-comics, anthologies, web comics... they all "count", yes. 7:39 AM Dec 10th
# @jensaltmann Uncredited ghost writing doesn't "count" as anyone can claim to an editor they contributed but there's no way of proving it. 7:58 AM Dec 10th
# RT @yourpalSmitty: Never understood writers that would rather fight than understand the Editor's POV. Mutual respect is crucial for success. 8:14 AM Dec 10th
# @DavidGallaher @jensaltsmann That's why @yourpalSmitty used the word "mutual"! It goes both ways. 8:34 AM Dec 10th
# @jensaltmann An editor and a writer should always debate story points. Just as a writer and artist should always talk. Collaboration is key! 11:06 AM Dec 10th
# RT @TomBrevoort: "Repeat after me: "Nobody is owed work. Nobody is owed a shot." You gotta either do the work to earn your break or not." 11:41 PM Dec 10th

Today I'm watching #allaboutagents on Twitter where agents and writter are doing Q&A, adivce and random bits of insight. It started about 3 hours ago, and I bold a few lines.

rachellegardner: How about we tweet some factoids #AllAboutAgents today? Any agents want to chime in?

ginger_clark: Fact: a good chunk of my emails to clients can be summed up thusly: stop freaking out and being neurotic. #AllAboutAgents

These_manuscripts_are_mine_normal
ginger_clark: Fact: a good chunk of my emails to editors consist of me complaining about stuff that isn't their fault. #AllAboutAgents

ginger_clark: deal with ongoing contractual stuff; get some MS out on sub; read client stuff I am behind on; and THEN turn to submissions. #AllAboutAgents

rachellegardner: Literary agents get paid only for RESULTS, not for effort. Not for editing or pitching or hand-holding. #AllAboutAgents

ginger_clark: It can take YEARS to see some kind of foreign rights sales, or it can happen instantly. It's hard to predict #AllAboutAgents

bostonbookgirl: "Reasonable" and "by mutual agreement" are two of my favorite phrases to add to contracts. #AllAboutAgents

ColleenLindsay: FinePrint shares its suite of offices with two other agencies; we share our interns so they learn a wider variety of skills. #AllABoutAgents

bostonbookgirl: I make my mother buy every book I sell. #AllAboutAgents

ColleenLindsay: In the future, I will make @BostonBookGirl's mom buy a copy of every book I sell, too. #allaboutagents

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The first bold section made me think of one aspiring semi pro whatever writer who told me s/he didn't like to read much, not even the news, because s/he worried it'd influence her/his writing and someone would claim it's unoriginal. Funny think is, one of her/his stories ended up mirroring a popular TV show s/he watched in a lot of ways. The second bloded section reminds me of someone else who badmouths people by name. It's one thing to say, "God agents/writers who do so and so are stupid," but another, in my opinion, to say "Sally Smith does so and so and is stupid." Now if there's evidence Sally Smith is doing something unscrupulous or illegal then go for it. Stand up for what's right.

The discussion will most likely go on all day.

Catching up on the past two weeks of relevant tweets and con news.

# A wonderful young artist I met in Mantova got her first Marvel gig today. Chalk another one up for the Italians!11:01 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
# I think the strength of the Italian art education system is a major factor in impressive abilities of so many of their emerging artists.11:23 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
# Storytelling basics are driven into them while they're also encouraged to develop individual styles. Not to mention a respect for deadlines.11:26 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
# Plus, the Italian comic market is very open to new artists, so they get jobs and develop strong professional work ethics very early on.11:27 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
# I can't speak from experience, but my impression is that Italian publishers like Bonelli, Star & Disney are definitely more... (cont.)11:44 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
# ...open to trying new artists than U.S. publishers are to testing our domestic talent. Their schools have relationships with the publishers.11:48 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
# Many of the teachers at the Italian art schools still work and publish with the publishers and provide ins for students.11:49 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
# Yes, we see it on a limited basis here now with SVA, SCAD, AoASF etc., but not on the same level. It's something we're working on improving.11:50 AM Jun 15th from TweetDeck
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More Tweets of advice.

# CBCebulski: Dear big name writer(s), don't use your leverage to get your amateur artist friend(s) drawing your comics. Your stories will suffer for it.
3 days ago
# CBCebulski: I've worked with plenty of 1st time artists just like @jpalmiotti has & they've all kicked ass & proven themselves when given their chance.
3 days ago
# CBCebulski: So in that regard, yes, I totally agree with you, Jimmy, that everyone deserves a break... as long as they have the skills to earn it!
3 days ag
# CBCebulski: What I was referring to was editors being bullied into using artists who're clearly not ready/skilled because pressure from a "name" writer.
3 days ago
# CBCebulski: I've heard too many stories of "I'll only work with you if you give my friend _____ his shot & let him draw my story" lately for my liking.
3 days ago
# CBCebulski: I know a lot of new editors get bullied this way unfortunately.
3 days ago
# CBCebulski: I read about 150 new comics these past 2 days & while a few specific stories set me off, these tweets are not directed at anyone specific.
3 days ago
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Also was this recommendation which I wanted to share. He's not one to complement everyone who hands in something, so...

CBCebulski: Going through a stack of mini-comics, I was really impressed by Shari Chankhamma's "Ed & Ecchi". Check her work out at: http://sharii.com
9 days ago

Another retweet from C.B.Cebulski.

# Talked with a writer today who's been getting some buzz in the indy world & trying to break into the Big Two. Thought I'd share a little.8:31 PM Apr 27th from TweetDeck
# One important "x-factor" that rarely come sup when talking about breaking in but is extremely important is personality.8:32 PM Apr 27th from TweetDeck
# It's extremely important, especially for writers, that you're able to get along with your editor, most importantly, but also other creators.8:33 PM Apr 27th from TweetDeck
# Comics is a very collaborative medium. Especially with the Big Two where we're all playing in a shared universe with numerous characters.8:34 PM Apr 27th from TweetDeck
# Editors talk to their writers in great detail, often several times a week, and they need to have an instant bond and shared sense of trust.8:36 PM Apr 27th from TweetDeck
# An editor has to feel comfortable when hiring a writer, no matter how good he or she is, and know they're going to get along.... (cont.)8:37 PM Apr 27th from TweetDeck
# ...both professionally AND personally. Proving you're going to be easy to work with is almost as important as turning in a great pitch.
# And please feel free to retweet & repost my advice anywhere you'd like. I'm trying to help as many people as possible so spread the word!9:45 PM Apr 27th from TweetDeck
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From the Twitter of CB Cebulski is advice regarding sample scripts, life drawing, critiques, proofreading your submissions, deviant art and portfolios, and places online for new writers to hook up with artists and vice versa. As usual, this is advice to be taken with a grain of salt, but if you're trying to get work with Marvel or DC it's highly encouraged you think it over. He is, after all, one pair of eyes who'll look over your submission.

# Dear artists drawing sample scripts, "sequential" is defined as "succeeding or following in order; in regular succession without gaps".11:38 AM Apr 16th from web
# A sequential sequence would be pages 5-11, not 1-2, 10-12 & 20-22.The point is to tell a story, not cherry pick cool pages you want to draw.11:40 AM Apr 16th from web
# RT @JoeQuesada: (Today's) MyCup of Joe column speaks about breaking in as a writer. Some of what I tweeted but in sentences and paragraphs.5:21 AM Apr 17th from web
# I can't emphasize enough how important life drawing is. I know it's basic Art 101 but sometimes it's SO obvious that I feel it's overlooked.10:10 AM Apr 17th from web
# Most comments I have on samples these days are "Looks too stiff" and "Looks so posed". I think too many people look to comics for ref.10:11 AM Apr 17th from web
# Look at the world around you. Draw the world around you. Sit and take in what you see people doing all around you in eveyday life.10:12 AM Apr 17th from web
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Joe Quesada has also tweet advice for writers -- posted here -- most of it put into tidy paragraph form in his "Cup O' Joe" column, VOL 15: Joe talks Marvel's 70th anniversary, artist advice and Pet Avengers!. Because it's image heavy with comic previews, some rather large and annoying (thumbnails anyone?) and it's MySpace, which I dislike, here's the part of the interview discussing writers.

Friday, April 17, 2009

JM: There was quite a response to your advice to artists on portfolio-building a couple weeks ago. A lot of readers are asking if there’s a nickel’s worth of free advice for writers.
So, I know it’s tougher to qualify, but…is there?

JQ: Actually…yeah. It is tougher, but again, last week I was on Twitter and gave a few short pointers for writers looking to break in. And again, same as artists, I always tell writers you gotta keep your pitch simple.

Now let me preface this by saying that at this point, Marvel is not accepting open submissions for writers. The stack we have to get through is seemingly a mile high—I mean, it’s complete and total overload. We need to come up with a new system to get through this material, make the process simpler and cleaner, and respond to people in an appropriate manner. But I think this is decent advice for when we do accept open submissions again, or maybe if you want to pitch to DC, Dark Horse, whomever. But again, and I can’t stress this enough—keep it simple, keep it brief, and keep it entertaining. So many people hand an editor a 40-page document, and…you’re lucky if it ever gets read. Editors have hundreds of other pages of stuff they have to get through as part of their day-to-day job on books that have to get out, that it’s hard to find the time to digest 40 more pages. So short and simple.

First thing I suggest is to keep in mind that you have to walk before you run. I get so many people, new writers, cold submission guys, who will say, “I have this great idea for the Silver Surfer that totally revamps the character, totally revises his origin and totally puts him in a new place!” Or, “I have the greatest idea for your next big Marvel crossover event like Secret Invasion!” Well…we need to see if you can write, first.

So my suggestion to those guys is always, “Keep it basic. If your character is the Silver Surfer, then write a Silver Surfer, but keep it basic, the way he is now in his current incarnation. Don’t give me the reinvention yet. We’ll see what you can do first in the current boundaries that we have, in the current continuity.” And I think a lot of people miss the fact that 90% of the stuff our writers are working on today is not reinvention—it’s writing the character in the status quo. That’s what we do for the bulk of the job, so that’s the starting point. And don’t worry about a five-issue storyarc at this point. Just a single, done-in-one, 22-page comic.

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