Submissions
Guidelines and Details
An Introduction...
So you've decided to that you'd like your project to be published by Alterna Comics? That's great! We'd love to see your work, but before you start sending anything - please make sure to read these guidelines and details.
Alterna is looking for ORIGINAL non-licensed properties that are complete with existing creative teams that are ready and raring to go. We're little guys that are in the business of helping other little guys. You can view Alterna as either a publisher that you want to have your book at for forever, or as a publisher that helps you get your work out there until bigger and better things come across your way. No matter what the case, you can rest assured that you retain 100% ownership of your work as we are not in the market to license, merchandise, or produce your book into a film or television series. Does that mean you can't do all those things? Certainly not. We encourage that you explore all the opportunities available to you, all that we ask is that you keep us informed.
Distribution Information
Starting with our 2011 print schedule, we are only looking to publish graphic novels that are self-contained. We do not publish standard "floppy" comic books and we are no longer publishing volumized ongoing trade paperbacks. We also do not publish in color - only black & white. Our printed books are currently distributed by Diamond Comics Distributors, Partners Book Publishers (which also sell our books wholesale to Ingram and Baker & Taylor), and Haven Distribution.
We're also re-opening and expanding our digital and mobile comics line for 2011 and beyond. For digital submissions, standard comic length (28 to 32 pages), colorized series, ongoing series and graphic novels, are all open to being a part of the Alterna digital and mobile line. Our digital titles are currently distributed and carried by Robot Comics, Drivethrucomics.com, Comixology, iTunes, Google Android Market, Mydigitalcomics.com, WOWIO, and in the future - the Amazon Kindle.
Dividing up Profits and Returns
Profits are divided as follows and are a standard flat-rate for EVERY creator at Alterna: 60% to the creator, 40% to Alterna. Now, profits are NOT sales totals. Profits are what remains AFTER print & shipping costs are taken into account. Here's an easy to follow example: your book has a cover price of $10. The print and shipping cost was $2 a copy. The distribution takes 65% off the top, leaving you with $3.50. Subtract the $2 print and shipping cost from that and you are left with $1.50 in profit. That profit is then divided into the 60/40 equation with the creator receiving 90 cents and Alterna receiving 60 cents. Distribution sales are entirely dependent on sales volume - if your book isn't selling thousands through distribution, then you'll most likely receive less money from your book, than you would working a part-time job. Take into account that there are also sales returns on the book market level (stores that are not comic shops and that do not go through Diamond Comics Distributors and Haven Distribution) and your royalty might take a hard hit from time to time. It's an unfortunate part of the business but it does exist and most publishers do not state this scenario up-front. So, with all those low figures it might sound like you'd be making nothing right? Well that's where self-promotion, store signings, and conventions play a tremendous part in the equation...
Conventions, Signings, and Promotion of you work
Alterna requires that each creator on a book does at least an average of 10 signings or convention appearances a year. This is for YOUR benefit as it's the biggest way you'll make money. You'll make 300% more money selling a book at a signing or convention than you will through distribution. Basically that means that if during the course of the year you sold 1,000 books directly at signings - that's like selling 3,000 books through distribution. The difference is staggering. It's also important that you are actively involved in promoting your work. Having a web presence and social networking presence is extremely important and is a big factor in whether or not we will sign your book. We're putting in a lot of work and money to help your book succeed, if you can't do the same then you might want to find a different publisher. We only want the most-talented, hardest working creators to be a part of Alterna, so if that sounds like you - then submit your book today!
The Alterna logo is TM 2006-2010 Alterna Comics Inc. All titles are TM and © their respective creators. All Rights Reserved.
