Awhile ago I did a post with a detailed financial breakdown of my operating costs as a pro cartoonist, with an explanation of the costs of attending shows in particular.
"People get upset when we point out that cons aren't vacations for us." Oh, I would get people ANGRY when I'd point that out, that I couldn't get away from my table to go hang out with them. They'd get even angrier when they'd invite me to parties after the dealer's room closed and I'd have to decline: they got the chance to sleep in, but I was usually up at 5 in the morning to get restocking done (selling carnivorous plants was a drastically different operation, and some shows were so successful that I'd spend most of the night after getting home repotting and packing up new plants to replace the ones I'd sold just on Friday) before spending another eight to ten hours in the dealer's room, and even explaining "This is my workday" didn't get through. But it's a CONVENTION, right? (Sorry if I'm overly cantankerous on the subject, but the only thing worse were the tantrums when I'd have to do the hard financial analysis of renting a van, filling it full of glass/water/live plants, driving X number of hours, paying for food and accommodations, and losing anywhere between four and six days of Day Job Pay versus the expected sales from conventions that MIGHT get 75 people and 40 of them are staff. I had one guy repeatedly nag me about being a vendor at his gaming convention, with regular demurrals because his con was opposite one I'd attended for years that actually made money, only to come out to another convention and scream "So why won't you be a vendor at MY show?" first thing after the dealer's room opened on Saturday. There's a lot I miss about the old Triffid Ranch shows, but being nagged and nuhdzed by reps for other conventions who refused to understand that I couldn't afford to spend a four-day weekend at a steampunk convention in Idaho where all 20 of the attendees came with packed meals so they wouldn't have to spend money in the hotel...that, I don't miss at all.)
A few years ago I was waiting for a Lyft to take me to LAX, and looking at my carry-on roller bag and I had the thought, "I'm a traveling salesman." My emotional reaction wasn't a positive or negative one, just more of a "huh. I never thought about that."
Writers -- particularly non-superstar writers like myself -- can't make the same amount of money at cons that artists do. Harder to sell prints (though some artists have graciously allowed me to do so.) Can't sell art. Can't draw commissions. And some people barely understand that comics HAVE writers.
But on the other hand... about 90% of my career grew out of meetings (social ones) with editors and colleagues at cons. So I go. My rule is I won't pay for a table, so I only table when I'm given one. I also (most of the time) won't go to a travel con unless the con is paying for my travel. I make the occasional exception for cons that are located in cities I want to visit for some other reason. This isn't me being snotty or elitist: I literally can't afford to spend money on a con. Back in the day, I remember an SDCC where me and my wife had a booth, and if sales had been lower... I don't think I'd have been able to cover the hotel bill. Never again. Can't handle that kind of stress. I have enough grey hair.
I have friends who do an insane amount of cons, and make great money, and my hat is off to them, but I don't think that'll ever be me...
I feel this. I went through a period where conventions didn’t pay as well. It is a grim thing. I know a lot of pros who won’t do San Diego because of the expense, and they are top names. I haven’t been since 2008.
I do SDCC because I can drive there (or take a relatively inexpensive train.) The hotels alone are still a giant ridiculous expense, but... tax deductible.
There are pros who speak about cons like they're Moses with the tablets from God (obviously not talking about you here)... but there is not one thing that is true about cons for every pro. Everyone has different challenges and makes different calculations based on individual factors. And those factors shift over time. As an example... I'm booked solid for the rest of the year. So this year, SDCC doesn't have the same urgency to connect with editors and shake out the next gig as it has in past years. I feel far less urge to hustle every minute of every day at the con. But a decade ago? Not the case at all.
Great - me too, at least on the Saturday, I'll look you up - I only live an hour or so away. It's in a beautiful part of the country, albeit may be very wet....
Interesting, similar to recording artists. They make all their money off appearances now too. This has drove ticket pricing too. The artists now get a share of tickets up front and loaded to the resellers before the rest are released to the public and this is where they make their money now.
I used to do 1-2 shows a year. In the last year or two I've averaged 1 a month. Sometimes it's fun and great (HeroesCon), others are a slog (xxxxxx). Financially it's a crap shoot. You'll do thousands at one show and then at the next one (same size, same vendors, same type of crowd) you make less than a $1000. I made $200+ at one show. Not darkening that convention center's door again. Sorry I missed you at HeroesCon. Next up: Anaheim this weekend!
Huge fan of in-person events [in my case it’s conferences on addiction treatment - we can’t all be brilliant artists … but we can all be creative]
Getting the balance between doing actual work & reflecting, learning and going back to implement new ideas & techniques isn’t always easy. When it comes off - it is extraordinarily valuable. Getting the two activities in balance is a real skill.
"People get upset when we point out that cons aren't vacations for us." Oh, I would get people ANGRY when I'd point that out, that I couldn't get away from my table to go hang out with them. They'd get even angrier when they'd invite me to parties after the dealer's room closed and I'd have to decline: they got the chance to sleep in, but I was usually up at 5 in the morning to get restocking done (selling carnivorous plants was a drastically different operation, and some shows were so successful that I'd spend most of the night after getting home repotting and packing up new plants to replace the ones I'd sold just on Friday) before spending another eight to ten hours in the dealer's room, and even explaining "This is my workday" didn't get through. But it's a CONVENTION, right? (Sorry if I'm overly cantankerous on the subject, but the only thing worse were the tantrums when I'd have to do the hard financial analysis of renting a van, filling it full of glass/water/live plants, driving X number of hours, paying for food and accommodations, and losing anywhere between four and six days of Day Job Pay versus the expected sales from conventions that MIGHT get 75 people and 40 of them are staff. I had one guy repeatedly nag me about being a vendor at his gaming convention, with regular demurrals because his con was opposite one I'd attended for years that actually made money, only to come out to another convention and scream "So why won't you be a vendor at MY show?" first thing after the dealer's room opened on Saturday. There's a lot I miss about the old Triffid Ranch shows, but being nagged and nuhdzed by reps for other conventions who refused to understand that I couldn't afford to spend a four-day weekend at a steampunk convention in Idaho where all 20 of the attendees came with packed meals so they wouldn't have to spend money in the hotel...that, I don't miss at all.)
A few years ago I was waiting for a Lyft to take me to LAX, and looking at my carry-on roller bag and I had the thought, "I'm a traveling salesman." My emotional reaction wasn't a positive or negative one, just more of a "huh. I never thought about that."
Writers -- particularly non-superstar writers like myself -- can't make the same amount of money at cons that artists do. Harder to sell prints (though some artists have graciously allowed me to do so.) Can't sell art. Can't draw commissions. And some people barely understand that comics HAVE writers.
But on the other hand... about 90% of my career grew out of meetings (social ones) with editors and colleagues at cons. So I go. My rule is I won't pay for a table, so I only table when I'm given one. I also (most of the time) won't go to a travel con unless the con is paying for my travel. I make the occasional exception for cons that are located in cities I want to visit for some other reason. This isn't me being snotty or elitist: I literally can't afford to spend money on a con. Back in the day, I remember an SDCC where me and my wife had a booth, and if sales had been lower... I don't think I'd have been able to cover the hotel bill. Never again. Can't handle that kind of stress. I have enough grey hair.
I have friends who do an insane amount of cons, and make great money, and my hat is off to them, but I don't think that'll ever be me...
I feel this. I went through a period where conventions didn’t pay as well. It is a grim thing. I know a lot of pros who won’t do San Diego because of the expense, and they are top names. I haven’t been since 2008.
I do SDCC because I can drive there (or take a relatively inexpensive train.) The hotels alone are still a giant ridiculous expense, but... tax deductible.
There are pros who speak about cons like they're Moses with the tablets from God (obviously not talking about you here)... but there is not one thing that is true about cons for every pro. Everyone has different challenges and makes different calculations based on individual factors. And those factors shift over time. As an example... I'm booked solid for the rest of the year. So this year, SDCC doesn't have the same urgency to connect with editors and shake out the next gig as it has in past years. I feel far less urge to hustle every minute of every day at the con. But a decade ago? Not the case at all.
hi Colleen - another educative and enjoyable post. Thank you! It also makes me think about how much the same is or is not true for writers.....
And I believe i am not missing the point when I say I look forwards to seeing you next time we coincide....
I'll be here. https://licaf.co.uk/
Great - me too, at least on the Saturday, I'll look you up - I only live an hour or so away. It's in a beautiful part of the country, albeit may be very wet....
I'll bring a coat.
Would really love to read the initial breakdown, I'll have to go find it later. I'm sure it's an eye opener.
Interesting, similar to recording artists. They make all their money off appearances now too. This has drove ticket pricing too. The artists now get a share of tickets up front and loaded to the resellers before the rest are released to the public and this is where they make their money now.
Truth.
I used to do 1-2 shows a year. In the last year or two I've averaged 1 a month. Sometimes it's fun and great (HeroesCon), others are a slog (xxxxxx). Financially it's a crap shoot. You'll do thousands at one show and then at the next one (same size, same vendors, same type of crowd) you make less than a $1000. I made $200+ at one show. Not darkening that convention center's door again. Sorry I missed you at HeroesCon. Next up: Anaheim this weekend!
Yep to all this. Fortunately all my shows are in the black, but I recall bleak days decades ago when every penny squeezed.
☕️☕️☕️
Huge fan of in-person events [in my case it’s conferences on addiction treatment - we can’t all be brilliant artists … but we can all be creative]
Getting the balance between doing actual work & reflecting, learning and going back to implement new ideas & techniques isn’t always easy. When it comes off - it is extraordinarily valuable. Getting the two activities in balance is a real skill.
☕️☕️☕️
how many people get the Sharpie autograph tattooed?
No idea.
you'd be a lot more valuable in copyright lawsuits if you did...
I...uh...ok.
Will you be at DragonCon this September?
Nope. But thanks for asking.
Alright. Maybe next time!