Success in Comics: Rob Tornoe

Rob Tornoe was the first speaker on Sunday. He’s a freelance cartoonist, columnist, editor and publisher of the Delaware magazine Punchline. He self-syndicates his work in New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Notes from his talk:

  • Doing local cartoons allows him to charge more than bundled material from syndicates
  • Sports cartoons sell well as first time runs and reprints
  • Advocates approaching advocacy groups that are inline with your political views to sell cartoons. They have money and need content for their newsletters, etc.
  • There is a benefit to living in Delaware – low cost of living
  • Started Puncline 18 months ago. Biggest trouble is finding sales people to sell ads even offering them twice normal commission rate
  • Will be switching to a subscription based model due to lack of sales people
  • Convincing publications to put this cartoons on their Facebook page has been very effective in showing them how popular his cartoons are (through likes and shares). Has gained a couple of clients this way
  • Suggests posting cartoons on Facebook that he’s already been paid for that way he’s not giving it away for nothing
  • Facebook is better than Twitter as Twitter is too instant. Facebook keeps things in people’s views longer – better exposure

Follow him on Twitter and Facebook

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