Jake: So you’re thinking of publishing DEAD MECH as a graphic novel, eh?
Jake: Whoa, how’d you know that?
Jake: I’m in your head, man!
Jake: What’s it like in there? Are there snacks?
Jake: Does braincheese count?
Jake: Does it ever!
Jake: Then yes, there’re snacks. Now, how about that graphic novel thingy…?
Jake: Yeah, I’ve been kicking the idea around for a while.
Jake: Don’t you have other novels to write?
Jake: I do, but DEAD MECH has been my number one fan favorite. It’s really the novel that put me on the map. Plus, I’m going to be releasing the Metal and Ash podcast in January. That’ll last a year and give me plenty of time to get the word out about the graphic novel.
Jake: The word? Let me guess: Kickstarter.
Jake: Gonna have to be.
Jake: Why’s that?
Jake: Graphic novels ain’t cheap, yo. I’ll need an artist which will be thousands of dollars, I’ll have to have the book printed which will be thousands more. I’ll probably need someone to format and do the cover if the artist I hire for the illustrations can’t handle the actual formatting and the color cover. That’s thousands more. Plus, I will have to build in my time/labor. There is almost zero margin in graphic novels and comic books when you self-publish.
Jake: You’ll build in labor?
Jake: Yeah, I’ve been studying graphic novel and comic book campaigns on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. The writers/publishers actually build into the campaign their compensation.
Jake: Seems strange.
Jake: Not really, when you think about it. You see, most of the campaigns are actually for Limited Edition hardcovers, which is what I’d do, and those ain’t cheap. The idea is that if the campaign covers the illustrator’s cost then it should cover the writer’s cost as well. It’s a team/collaborative art form.
Jake: But won’t you be the publisher? Won’t you get compensated that way?
Jake: No, not really. Like I said the campaign is for the Limited Edition hardcover. No profit margin there. The way to then make money as a publisher is to take the graphic novel and split it up into individual issues. Then get the major comic book distributors (such as the beast known as Diamond!) to carry it and then sell to comic book shops.
Jake: Which is what you plan to do?
Jake: Which is what I plan to do.
Jake: You’ll need a publishing name.
Jake: JBF.
Jake: JBF?
Jake: Jake Bible Fiction.
Jake: Clever.
Jake: Yeah, it’s the name of my LLC. Kinda has a cool ring to it.
Jake: I like. So what’s the time frame on this puppy?
Jake: Ha! Time frame! You crack me up?
Jake: What? What did I say?
Jake: First I have to write the script.
Jake: Will that be hard?
Jake: It’ll be different. The thing is there is no standard comic book script format. It can be a panel by panel style, with detailed descriptions of each panel. Or I could just puke a bunch of stuff on the page.
Jake: I’m thinking a happy medium.
Jake: Yeah, me too. I’ll probably go page by page with descriptions of action and then dialogue, but not specific panel descriptions. I’ll work that out with the illustrator.
Jake: So once you have the script done you’ll be set!
Jake: Not even close. I will then have to work with the illustrator to get each page right and make sure the narrative comes through.
Jake: That’ll be easy since you already know the story!
Jake: True, but adapting a novel to a graphic novel means all those words I had written before would then become pictures. The pictures have to tell the story the same way the words did. Plus, I plan on revising a bit.
Jake: Whoa. What?
Jake: Adapting the novel means I get to go back and rewrite some of it. DEAD MECH was my first novel. It could use some help. I already have it worked out in my head how the entire beginning will be. Not the info dump that’s in the novel, that’s for sure.
Jake: Is that wise?
Jake: Very. Novels get changed when they go from book to comic to movie to video game to whatever. I had thought about re-writing the novel, but that didn’t feel right. But changing it for the graphic novel? You bet. Plus, I can then make it more age appropriate. Cut out the cursing so I can broaden the audience. Adaptation gold!
Jake: I don’t think adaptation gold is a phrase.
Jake: It is now.
Jake: This sounds like a ton of work.
Jake: A ton. A huge ton. Now you can see why the creator’s compensation is built in. I’ll have to put off a few other projects, projects that would generate income, in order to make this all happen.
Jake: Got it. Good plan.
Jake: Thanks.
Jake: Anything else?
Jake: Just that if anyone is reading this and is an illustrator and wants to put their name in the hat to illustrate the graphic novel then they can shoot me an email.
Jake: And where would they do that?
Jake: jakebiblefiction at gmail dot com.
Jake: Take that spammers!
Jake: Huzzah!
Jake: That it?
Jake: On this? Yeah. I’ll probably blog about the process as it moves along.
Jake: And talk about it in the podcast?
Jake: Oh, you know how I like to ramble in my podcasts.
Jake: Yes. Yes, I do.
Jake: We done here?
Jake: We done here.
Jake & Jake: Happy Holidays to everyone!
Jake Bible was an avid comic book enthusiast in his youth. He gave it up when he discovered a different enthusiasm: girls. He’s glad that the world has changed enough that girls and comic books are no longer mutually exclusive. He thinks his kids’ generation is pretty lucky that way. And he’ll never ask them to get off his lawn. He may ask them to mow it, though.
Jake Bible Fiction 