|
Topics
Publishing and syndication
Succeeding Against the Odds
Surviving Criticism and Rejection
Gender Equity (or Lack of It) in the Funny Pages
and In The History of Cartooning
|
Just as you’d expect from a cartoonist, Eliot uses humor to
tell the story of her 16-year path to “overnight success.”
Starting her cartoon career while a divorced single mom of two daughters,
she chronicled the joys and frustrations of single parenthood and
living just above the poverty line. She found success at the beginning
of her career with local and regional newspapers and magazines.
Jan developed two different strips, illustrated six computer manuals
with cartoons, and developed a line of greeting cards while holding
down a day job as a graphic designer and advertising copywriter.
Keeping faith through rejection and comments like “we have
Lynn (For Better or for Worse) and Cathy (Cathy), why do we need
you?” her persistence was finally rewarded in 1995 when Stone
Soup began national daily syndication. Out of 250 syndicated cartoon
features, Stone Soup is one of just eight done by women.
Jan’s presentation chronicles her journey with some realistic
advice about the world of publishing and syndication, succeeding
against the odds, and surviving criticism and rejection. She also
speaks to gender equity (or lack of it) in the funny pages and in
the history of cartooning, and offers accounts of the generous help
and advice she received from other cartoonists including Lynn Johnston
and Charles Schulz.
Other specifics from Eliot’s presentation include:
• Why you can’t say “boobs” on Sunday, from
the title of her second book (a clean story that even had the Mormon
ladies’ Relief Society laughing)
• Where the ideas come from, and how we “think funny”
• The truth about writer’s block and deadlines
• Some marketing and publicity advice for writers and artists
• When speaking to teens, a discussion of the lifelong impact
teen pregnancy can have on intellectual and financial achievement.
(Jan married in her teens and was a teen mom. Her current success
does not negate the struggle she had “catching up” to
her peers in education and career advancement.)
Presentation time – from 30 to 60 minutes plus time for questions,
with slides upon request
|
