2003-07-14 10:48 a.m.
when you greet a stranger, look at his shoes...and other good advice

Mike Sangiacomo posted this in his weekly column about writing for EPIC, something Neil Gaiman said to him when asked about breaking into comics:

The Great One said he was often asked how to break into the comic writing business. He said his best advice was that �you actually have to write something.� His point is that many people walk around with what they believe is the greatest story of the world in their heads. That may or may not be true, but until they actually take the story out of their heads and put in on paper, no one will know.

I see a lot of folks on the message boards talking about this amazing story they have, but they fear submitting it to Epic because it might be stolen.

Whatever.

So don�t submit it, but at least write it.

Don�t be that boring guy at the comic shop who says �Yeah, I had that idea 10 years ago.� Be the guy who can say, �I had that idea 10 years ago and it was rejected by every comic company in the world and that�s why I am the hopeless alcoholic you see before you.�

At least try.