Welcome to Seed Press’s very first Workshop Wednesday series: Making the Pitch.  This series of articles will discuss the process of creating  a pitch packet, specifically in regards to pitching comic books.

Some of you may be asking, “What is a pitch packet?”  The answer to that is fairly simple.  A pitch packet is a set of submission materials that you use to promote yourself and your comic to a potential publisher.  However, how one can go about creating materials that will be appealing to a potential publisher is another question, and one whose answer is much more complex.

There are plenty of methods for creating pitch packets out there, and this guide is certainly not definitive.  However, it will – with any luck – give you a good place to start, and from there your creativity will be able to take over.  With that said, why don’t we take a look at what’s required to put together a good pitch packet?

What’s makes a good pitch?

1. Cover Letter
2. Log Line & Synopsis
3. Marketing Points
4. Character Information and Designs
5. 5-7 Comic Pages
6. Clever and Well-Thought Out Presentation

These are six basic elements* that almost all comic book publishers want to see from you when you send them a pitch packet, no more and no less.  You can find out  what most publishers want in a submissions packet simply by checking their website, but know that not all publishers accept unsolicited submissions (ie, submissions that they did not specifically ask you to send) or they will only accept them at certain times.  If the latter is the case, just keep checking the site until they do start accepting submissions again.

Each Wednesday from here on out, we’ll be discussing one of the six elements listed here, so check back in next Wednesday for “Making the Pitch: Cover Letter”

*Please Note: Some companies also require a signed Submissions Agreement before they will even look at a Submission Packet.  Submissions Agreements are there to protect publishers from any possible legal repercussions of reviewing Submissions Packets – but before you sign one of these make sure you review the terms of the Agreement very carefully.  If you feel uncomfortable with anything that a publisher is asking of you, then don’t sign it!