Today I stand at the precipice of my career. After years of studying, drawing and writing, with the knowledge of how and where I must proceed, and the excitement of beginning a journey I have spent a decade preparing for, I hesitate. Something holds me back. The fear of being seen.

I know I am not alone in this feeling, this anxiety of stepping out and declaring “Look at this!”. Perhaps it is the fear of harsh criticism, the unshakable perfectionism that prevents us from ever sharing our work, or the insecurity spawned from the online world’s fleeting, yet permanent nature. Yes. Yes to all of them. And for a creator in this digital age, the requirement to have an online presence can feel inescapable. To have a portfolio, promotional material and a network all rolled into one @ handle. These are just my musings over social media anxiety and how that creates a barrier between myself and the graphic novel publishing industry.

The distinction between comic books and graphic novels is often blurred, after all, they are practically the same thing, right? The difference may seem pedantic, but generally, comics run on a release via magazines, newspapers or publications, meanwhile, graphic novels tend to be the length of a typical novel and released as a singular book. Think of it as the difference between a TV show and a film. Rather than explore the long and detailed global history of visual sequential narratives, I want to understand what graphic/comic book publishing looks like today.

Illustrator and author duo John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs say that when it comes to the graphic/comic book industry “There isn’t one path to follow. As with many artistic or creative careers, each individual will have his or her own path, that they will have to create along the way”. (J Chalmers & S Marrs, 2013)

While this may be true in theory, in practice, there are two main paths. Self-publication and traditional publication. The former has a deep history with cartoonists, zines, and fandom culture. Some cartoonists self-publish their work on platforms such as WebToon, Tapas and GlobalComix (the latter hosts work from independent creators as well as big publishing houses) or at events such as ComicCon and other fandom-based conventions. Additionally, they may self-publish through websites such as Mixam and their print-on-demand PrintLink service, which print and deliver books for a fee.

The latter is very similar to other forms of publishing, you may send a query directly to a graphic novel publisher (or an inprint that specialises in graphic novels) such as SelfMadeHero, Dark Horse Comics or Nobrow. After carefully selecting publishers to contact by looking through their titles and interests, it’s time to write a pitch. This includes a short synopsis, relevant illustrations, the creative team, contact information and a document on copyright infringement (M Bidilică, 2022).

The next problem that arises is whether a publisher will even lay eyes on that pitch, or if it will be left to collect dust. That is where the agent comes in. Rather than contacting a publishing house directly, the agent handles the legal aspects and reaches out on your behalf. “The advantage to having an agent is that they have existing relationships with editors and publishers, which means they’re more likely to read agents’ submissions.” (K Woodman-Maynard, 2025) Finding an agent includes a query letter, specifications (projected page count, genre, target audience and more), a synopsis, sample art and a script/storyboard (K Woodman-Maynard, 2025).

Either way, having an online presence is key. As previously mentioned, social media allows us to build an audience who then may purchase our work (be it through traditional publishing or self-publishing), as well as offer potential agents and publishers an online portfolio and point of contact. Therefore, our online presence needs to cater both to our target audience while maintaining a certain level of professionalism.

On the internet, you have complete control over what you post, how you present yourself, and through which platforms. After that, you have no control whatsoever, how people perceive you, if people perceive you, the effects and the interpretations an audience may have, suddenly all that initial control means nothing, it was just an illusion. Holly Bray coaches small business owners and writes blogs on the topics of productivity, planning and entrepreneurship. In her blog post ‘How To Successfully Overcome Fear With Your Online Presence’, Bray proposes five actions to overcome one’s fear of having an online presence. The second action stuck out to me, ‘Remember Your Why’ in which Bray suggests not only figuring out ones overarching purpose for being online but understanding it deeper as well.

What is my why? Why do I want to be a storyteller – why does it matter so much to me? Because I believe that stories train our ability to empathize as though it were a muscle, one under constant threat of atrophying. Award-winning author, educator and entrepreneur Dr Emad Rahim is also a survivor of genocide. He told his story in the short film Against The Odds (2011) and in the theatre production Tales from the Salt City (2008). “Our stories are powerful tools that can be used to confront social problems. When a personal story is being shared we unconsciously create an emotional connection with the storyteller and empathize with their experience.” (Rahim, E. 2017) This applies to fictional stories as well, as explored in Paul J. Zak’s How Stories Change the Brain (2013). “Stories that are personal and emotionally compelling engage more of the brain, and thus are better remembered, than simply stating a set of facts.” (P.J Zak, 2013)

So while social media may be unavoidable for the modern artist, the anxiety that comes with it can be overcome. By remembering why. Allow the passion, the excitement of our purpose as creatives outmatch our fears of perception and failure. “You will never be able to create anything interesting out of your life if you don’t believe that you’re entitled to at least try.” (E. Gilbert, 2015)

 

Bibliography:

O’Brien Holmes, S. (2020). What’s a Comic and What’s a Graphic Novel? Writer and The Wolf. Available at: https://www.writerandthewolf.com/2023/10/21/whats-a-comic-and-whats-a-graphic-novel/ [Accessed 09/06/2025].

Chalmers, J., Marrs, S. (2013). Advice for Aspiring Comic Creators and Graphic Novelists. Metaphrog. Available at: https://metaphrog.com/2013/07/02/advice-for-aspiring-comic-creators-and-graphic-novelists/ [Accessed 09/06/2025].

Woodman-Maynard, K. (2025). How to Land an Agent for a Graphic Novel. Jane Friedman. Available at: https://janefriedman.com/how-to-land-an-agent-for-a-graphic-novel/ [Accessed 09/06/2025].

Bidilică, M. (2022). 30 Best Graphic Novel Publishers to Know in 2024: A Short Intro Into How to Pitch Your Graphic Novel. Publishdrive. Available at: https://publishdrive.com/graphic-novel-publishers.html [Accessed 09/06/2025].

Bray, H. (2017). How To Successfully Overcome Fear With Your Online Presence. A Branch of Holly. Available at: https://abranchofholly.com/blog/overcome-fear [Accessed 09/06/2025].

Rahim, E. (2022). How can we develop empathy through storytelling? LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-can-we-develop-empathy-through-storytelling-dr-emad/ [Accessed 09/06/2025].

Zak, P. J. (2013). Mind & Body: How Stories Change the Brain. Greater Good Science Magazine. Berkeley: University of California. Available at: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/ [Accessed 09/06/2025].

Gilbert, E. (2015). Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. New York: Penguin Group, Riverhead Books