Comic strips Editorial cartooning Self Syndication Speaking Engagements

Success in Comics seminar notes: Keith Knight

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Alan Gardner September 27, 2009 1 minute 1 comment

Keith Knight, a prolific cartoonist doing three cartoons, The Knight Life syndicated through United Media, and self syndicated (th)ink and The K Chronicles. The K Chronicles was a college comic that was eventually picked up by the San Francisco Weekly and San Francisco Chronicle. He began self-syndicating the strip to other daily papers. During his presentation, he showed the audience the best rejection letter from an editor at the Oregonian who in the middle of a very professional, courteous letter typed in a bold, super large font, “In a family newspaper? Are you nuts?”

Keith advocated knowing your market and treating it like a business knowing the which markets your work plays to best and marketing to the segment. Like Chad, he highly recommended going to conventions – especially those in the desired markets where you’re the only cartoonist on the floor. Conventions are great places to network and make deals. Self publication of your cartoons are important to increase profits. He also maintains that each image your create should work for you, making you money repeatedly. The sound bite I wrote down that sums up his presentation is, “It’s about being the last cartoonist standing” – nod to the importance of perseverance.