Frequently Asked Questions about Children’s and Game Publishing:

Q: How did you break into the gaming industry?

TD: After graduating art school in the spring of 1992, I began gaming again with college pals, and decided to submit samples of my work to TSR…I was rejected.

Most of what I sent to them was lots and lots of sketches of monsters. I just couldn’t draw enough of them. And they would be just sitting there, floating on a blank sheet of paper (a la the Monster Manual). It was like I threw out all that I had learned in art school about setting, mood and action and was just concerned with re-interpreting their designs.

With some help from my gaming buddies, I then went on to send sketches of player characters (dwarves, elves, hobbits, etc.) to TSR – I was rejected again.

Their first criticism was — nice monsters, where are the people? So, I sent them drawings of the player characters and they felt that they were a little weak. A good friend of mine suggested that I really try to make the characters as well designed and interesting as the monsters, and then it all clicked into place for me.

My last submission had the player characters doing things: fighting monsters, finding treasure, and exploring environments. Finally, in the fall of 1992, I was asked to illustrate a boxed set for TSR’s Dungeon & Dragons line entitled Dragon Mountain. It had taken me almost a year, and 3 separate submissions, to finally get in.

The following summer I went to the Gen Con Game Fair which is a huge fantasy and gaming convention (at that time) held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There, I met with many art directors from various gaming companies and other artists working in the field. After sharing my portfolio there, I was on my way to illustrating many games including Werewolf, Planescape and Changeling.

PS – In 2010, I wrote a short recollection of this time in my life for D&D Art Director, Jon Schindehette’s blog.

Q: Can you give me info on submitting my artwork to Wizards of the Coast?

TD: Working on games like Magic: the Gathering or Dungeons & Dragons is one of the highest paying jobs in the role-playing game industry. Therefore, the competition is stiff. Established fantasy illustrators regularly contribute to these games to keep the art a high quality level. Wizards of the Coast is able to do this by paying competitive fees to these professional artists.

Large companies will occasionally use unknown talent, but they prefer working with established artists. Artists with a reputation for creating great images while meeting deadlines and working well with art direction is what any publisher wants. Quality of your artwork is only part of the equation. A reputable professional demeanor is just as important.

If you are an amateur artist and you are considering getting into the field, perhaps you should set your sights on a smaller company. They may not be able to pay much, but you’ll get published work in your portfolio and begin establishing your reputation as an experienced illustrator.

Try heading to your local fantasy/gaming convention (or the Gen Con Game Fair) and meet with representatives from game publishing companies. These meetings can be very beneficial as contacts can be made and portfolios can be reviewed and fine-tuned to satisfy exactly what the company is looking for.

If you think you have what it takes, most gaming companies have online submission guidelines on their websites. Good luck!

Q: I have an idea for a children’s book, what do I do next?

TD: If you are serious about entering the field of children’s publishing, there are some great books available that really go into how to break into the industry. They can usually be found at your local library or bookstore.

For writers, there are many newsgroups online which cater specifically to children’s books. For illustrators, a book dummy is a must. Illustrating a single image is one thing – understanding the layout of a book as a whole is entirely something else.

You may want to look into organizations, such as The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (aka the SCBWI), for a list of seminars and workshops in an area near you.

Q: How did you break into children’s publishing?

TD: I tried to send sample portfolios from afar when I was a recent art school grad back in 1992, but it was to no avail. Angela and I then moved to New York City where I began dropping my portfolio off to the various publishing houses. Even then, it took almost three years to break into this field that I adore.

First off, I called many children’s illustrators to get tips on what to have in his portfolio. I began creating images of subjects I like to draw to fill my portfolio. Next, I created a book dummy to show that I understood how books were laid out and produced. Finally, I began going to the bookstore and library weekly to see what kind of books publishers where publishing. I would cater my submissions to publishing houses I thought would respond positively to my work.

I also began contributing work to children’s magazines. Having my work published in this form started creating a familiarity with my work and name.

But the most importantly, I did was not give up. Whenever I could, I would meet with editors and art directors in person. With every rejection I learned something new, and changed my approach until I finally got a portfolio I was really proud of. I continued to meet with publishers until I found an editor who really understood me and knew my potential.

There was no gaming art in my children’s book portfolio. All the pieces were specifically created for the field. To view some of these early works, check out the MISC. category under the ART section of the website.

Q: Will you look at my idea for a children’s book? Perhaps we can collaborate?

TD: Though honored that you would think of me so highly, I have a multitude of stories that I have written at various stages of completion. I am devoting all of my time to making these stories a reality. Therefore, most every manuscript that comes under my nose is usually passed on so that I can continue to work on my own projects.

Q: How do you come up with your stories?

TD: There have been times when I would come up with a neat character, like Jimmy Zangwow, but wasn’t sure what to do with him. Where could I send him? What could he do? What trials and tribulations awaited him?

Story structure has been a very important factor in the books that I have created. And the study of how stories are built, tested, and received by the reader, is a fascinating one. There are some great books you may want to read which may inspire you.

First, I found a book about the most common plots used in modern storytelling. The book, 20 Master Plots, gives many examples of the various plot structures that make up most of today’s stories; whether they are for a book, television, or motion picture.

I am a big fan of the classic “Quest Plot” and Joseph Campbell’s book, Hero of 1000 Faces. I first learned of Joseph and his theories when doing research on George Lucas and how he created the Star Wars myth.

Taking Joseph’s theory and putting it into a storyteller’s toolbox, is a fantastic book that deals with nothing but the “Quest Plot” called The Writer’s Journey. This book discusses the various points a hero must make on his journey to become a true hero, and the archetypal characters he meets along the way that help/hinder him.

Did you ever wonder why Merlin and Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi were all similar types of characters? Read The Writer’s Journey and you’ll know why.

Q: What’s the etiquette for a book signing? Can I bring copies of older books from home for you to sign? How about Magic the Gathering cards? Should I buy the book at the store or get it somewhere else before attending? Can I take photos of you with me and my kids?

TD: Here’s how a booksigning works (usually):
When an author/illustrator is promoting their latest book, they appear at a bookstore to speak, read, answer questions, and sign the new book. It’s to promote and share the excitement of their newest creation. (Think of a band touring to promote their new album and you’ve got it.)

Now, this helps the booksellers in that the fans of the guest author/illustrator come to the store and purchase the book through them. In many cases, this is an introduction of the store to the community and people find out that the store not only exists, but has events as well.

The usual rule of thumb is that you CAN bring books from your own collection to have signed, but the bookstore would like you to purchase the newest book (or fill any holes in your collection) from them.

Some pointers we’ve experienced in attending book-signings as fans ourselves:
If you are bringing a book(s) from home, make sure you check in at the front of the store. Usually there is some form or slip they give you indicating that the book(s) you hold are already purchased.

If you are bringing Magic cards, please limit the amount to a handful of your favorite ones.

If you want the book signed as a gift for someone, be sure to get the correct spelling of their name beforehand.

I can’t tell you how sad it makes me when I sign a book for a child and the parent tells me “We’ll save this one so my child doesn’t damage the book.” I make my books for kids of all ages to enjoy. I don’t want them to sit on a shelf and never be loved. It’s just a signature, I’d be happy to sign a new copy if you want down the road, just send it to me.

Bring that camera! Ang and I love getting photos of people who cherish my work. If you forget yours and want one, let us know, chances are we’ll be taking snapshots for the website.

Of course, all these rules vary from place to place. So you may want to call the store beforehand to answer any questions you may have.

Q: When you were starting out did you ever work with an agent? How do you feel about contacting literary/illustration agencies to sell your work to potential book publishers?

TD: Good question, but it is sort of a “Catch 22″ answer:

You can have quite a bit of success with an agent showing your work around for you. Many have great relationships with different houses, and can get your work into the most receptive hands. The problem is getting that agent.

Many times agents, like publishers, won’t touch someone until they are more established (at least some of the bigger agents). This means you have to try to get published on your own and start up your career, then they can then step in and help guide you (hopefully) upward.

My advice (and what worked for me): Try to get published on your own if you can, because you could spend just as much time courting an agency. You may be able to do it yourself. And keep in mind, agents take a percentage of your gross, and those first advances aren’t that big.

I held out for as long as I could until I got an agency to represent me. That’s because I wanted a BIG agency to represent me, one that could not only handle my books, but movies and licenses as well. I didn’t have representation until after my first few books were published. Prior to that, I had an entertainment attorney look over my contracts.

Which leads me to…

If you can’t find an agent, at least get an entertainment attorney (with book deal experience) to look over your contract. You need to be educated on how business is done with creative property, and an attorney is a good start. Some attorneys may want a percentage of your advance, or you may be able to pay them a flat fee. My advice is to do it, an ounce of prevention can go a long way.