I was at Frank Miller's book launch event in NY tonight and Scott Snyder talked about how one of his first conventions he wasn't charging for signatures. He was so excited when he saw Neal Adams walking up to his table. In the story, Neal immediately launches into calling him a scab for not charging for signatures. More specifically, he said Neal good-naturedly told him to know what you're worth and own it. I love that and see it in the same context as your post tonight. :)
LOL! Well calling someone a scab for not charging for signatures is sort of ridiculous, but most artists charge for signatures now. I always charge if the book is graded. If someone just has one book, no worries, but when they have a stack, dude, hit my tip jar.
I think he was being funny, maybe semi-serious. And, like you, Scott does 1-2 books free unless they're being graded, so he clearly only took some of Neal's advice to heart.
I tell people I'd rather they just bought a book from me. But that story about Neil bugging people to charge more money: lots of people got an earful of that from him.
You’re one of several artists I follow on both Substack and Patreon, and none of them has broken down their content strategy between platforms as value proposition the way this post has.
Thank you! A few people have warned me against being so transparent, but I have a horror of the way people mythologize the art life. To me, it is a business, and once I step out of the dream world at my drawing board, I have to treat it like a business, or I’ll be finding another job. It’s that simple. Skilled working class.
I was at Frank Miller's book launch event in NY tonight and Scott Snyder talked about how one of his first conventions he wasn't charging for signatures. He was so excited when he saw Neal Adams walking up to his table. In the story, Neal immediately launches into calling him a scab for not charging for signatures. More specifically, he said Neal good-naturedly told him to know what you're worth and own it. I love that and see it in the same context as your post tonight. :)
LOL! Well calling someone a scab for not charging for signatures is sort of ridiculous, but most artists charge for signatures now. I always charge if the book is graded. If someone just has one book, no worries, but when they have a stack, dude, hit my tip jar.
I think he was being funny, maybe semi-serious. And, like you, Scott does 1-2 books free unless they're being graded, so he clearly only took some of Neal's advice to heart.
I tell people I'd rather they just bought a book from me. But that story about Neil bugging people to charge more money: lots of people got an earful of that from him.
Thank you for this breakdown.
You’re one of several artists I follow on both Substack and Patreon, and none of them has broken down their content strategy between platforms as value proposition the way this post has.
Thank you! A few people have warned me against being so transparent, but I have a horror of the way people mythologize the art life. To me, it is a business, and once I step out of the dream world at my drawing board, I have to treat it like a business, or I’ll be finding another job. It’s that simple. Skilled working class.
I will pay you in walnuts, Miss, for this fine print in my tree house.