Ever since I was a kid, I’ve felt at home in the city, which is one of the reasons I’m so excited to go to NYCC for the first time. You put me, the con junkie that I am, in my favorite city on the planet and a con together…pure bliss.

But enough about me and my love of NY.

The real point of this post is to let you know where you can find Chris and I during the con.

We fly into JFK around 6PM on Thursday and hit the ground running.

UPDATE 10/11/11: We make a mad dash from JFK to the CBLDF Party.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 13TH

7PM to 8PM CBLDF VIP hour at Hudson Terrace at 621 46th St. (we will probably be a little late)

8PM to 10PM CBLDF Party at Hudson Terrace at 621 46th St. Everyone is welcome. A $10 donation is recommended. 

COME ON OVER, HANG OUT WITH US AND MANY COOL PEOPLE!

And help the CBLDF defend creativity, today and tomorrow!

FRIDAY OCTOBER 14TH

11AM to 12PM Chris will be signing at the DC/ Vertigo Booth #1254. Come by and get stuff signed and hang out!

3:45PM to 4:45PM Vertigo Panel…

Vertigo Visions – Room 1A22: Join the writers and artists behind the acclaimed and award-winning brand for a panel about the weird, the wild and the always unexpected with all-star talent including Jason Aaron (Scalped), Brian Azzarello (Spaceman, 100 Bullets), Rebecca Guay (A Flight of Angels), Phil Jimenez (Fairest), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), Chris Roberson (iZOMBIE), Douglas Rushkoff (A.D.D.), Marzena Sowa (Marzi), Sylvain Savoia (Marzi), Scott Snyder (American Vampire), and introducing some new Vertigo blood!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 15th

10:45PM to 11:45PM Vertigo Panel…

Vertigo: Scary Sh*t – Room 1A22: Join Vertigo’s monthly writers as they discuss vampires, zombies, the apocalypse and more, with top creators including Brian Azzarello (Spaceman), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), Chris Roberson (iZOMBIE), Scott Snyder (American Vampire), and introducing some new Vertigo blood!

3PM to 4PM Chris will be signing and signing and signing at the DC/ Vertigo Booth #1254

SUNDAY OCTOBER 16TH

1:00PM to 2:00PM Chris will be signing his little heart out trying to stay awake at the DC/ Vertigo Booth #1254

And now for the “sundry” part.

I recently commissioned some art from the very fabulous JK Woodward for Chris’ birthday. And I think it turned out really great.

In case you’ve been under a log, I wanted to show it off here for your viewing pleasure.

Allison is Saturn Girl! by JK Woodward

And don’t forget Star Trek/ Legion of Super-Heroes #1 from IDW hits the stands on October 19th!

Star Trek/ Legion #1 cover by Phil Jimenez

And it includes 11 preview pages of MEMORIAL. Bonus!

Memorial #1 cover by Mike Kaluta

A

But today I am completely unmotivated to do yard or house work, so firing this baby up!

I was asked a few weeks back by a friend if I thought a blog post about friendship and business would be something I would want to talk about.  I thought it was a fantastic idea, one I have touched on briefly before but haven’t really gone in-depth.

So here we go.

I THINK TRUE FRIENDSHIPS ARE VITAL TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER

Now there IS a difference between “being friends” with someone and “being friendly friends.” I’m friendly friends with a whole lot of people. Social media has certainly expanded that list. Every year, I meet more and more people in comics and publishing. So the friendly circle continues to grow, as does the good friend circle.

The difference for me only involves a couple of points that really all revolve around a level of trust. To me a “friend” is someone you would help no matter what, someone to share the things you can’t talk about in public, someone you could call on for honest advice, someone who would stand by you and help you in your darkest, lowest place. And someone who grounds you when you’re at your highest.

That all being said, I can honestly say except for maybe two people in my life and my family, all of my really good friends I met through doing business of some sort.

Some of them I met, became friends and then ended up working with. Some of them I worked with, then ended up becoming friends.

Sometimes my Director of Photography, who I haven’t gotten to see very much lately, calls me just to check in and chat. We talk about his kids, wife, film equipment, funny things that happened to us lately and tons more.  I often talk to one of my closest friends about the state of the comics and publishing industry along with possible solutions, for hours, cause we both know all the players, the in’s and out’s of the publishing business, etc… I love those conversations.

My BEST friend is also my business parter, as well as my husband. We tackle everything we do as a team. Working each problem and celebrating each victory, together.

I would do anything for these guys. Yes, ANYTHING.  And in turn, I know they will always be there for me when I need them. I love all of them and am very glad and proud to call all of them my very good friends.

GET TO THE POINT ALLISON.

(It does explain why I am a con junkie. CON= GET TO SEE MY FRIENDS) Anyway.

I’ve come to realize that without friends, Chris and I would’ve never gotten to the place we are in our lives professionally. And because we were willing to open ourselves up to accepting help from friends, we’ve become strong advocates of helping other friends pursue THEIR endeavours.

Which I think is really cool, personally.

There is nothing I love more than making introductions, making all my friends, friends with each other. If that is beneficial professionally for them both, all the better.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FRIEND LETS YOU DOWN IN BUSINESS?

Listen, we have been royally screwed by people we thought were good friends. That’s what happens when you put yourself out there. Did it completely suck? Absolutely. But in the end all crappy stuff in life is just a lesson you need to learn. And without those experiences, we wouldn’t be the people we are today.

I also became friends with a debt attorney in AZ. So there’s a silver lining. (sometimes you have to dig deep for those linings)

If you let the few bad eggs spoil the whole lot, well, you don’t have any eggs. People can suck. It happens. Move on.

TRY TO BE A FRIEND TO EVERYONE

Now not everyone is going to be “your people.” Sometimes it just doesn’t jive. You don’t have to be best buds with everyone.  But if you make an effort from the get go, everybody wins.

This has always been my philosophy. Comes in real handy when things start going wrong and is awesome when things go right.

AND BESIDES

Who wouldn’t want to be friends with the coolest most talented people on the planet?

A

We are really looking forward to seeing all our friends and meeting new ones!

Here is the current schedule we have on tap.

SATURDAY, August 20th

1PM Signing at the BOOM! STUDIOS booth

3PM Panel Spotlight on Legion of Super-Heroes

Travel with us to the 31st century as we take a look at DC’s futuristic super team, The Legion of Super-Heroes! Join creators Keith Giffen, Mike Grell, Mark Waid, Barry Kitson, and Chris Roberson as they talk about the tales they’ve told in the Legion’s long and storied history. Long Live the Legion!

SUNDAY, August 21st

1PM Signing at the BOOM! STUDIOS booth

But that’s not all.

On Friday, August 19th from 5PM to 7:30PM Chris will be signing along with the fabulous Chrissie Zullo at Captain Blue Hen Comics & Entertainment in Newark, Delaware. If you live in the area, stop on in and say hi!

First up, Need Supply.

I LOVE THIS DRESS

I found these guys while trying to hunt down some Jeffrey Campbell shoes and holy smokes, I really love their stuff. They have interesting pieces that aren’t super expensive.

I actually own this dress on the left

And if I could wear heels at all, I would buy all these shoes.

Shoes!

They also have cool stuff for men.

Hint. Hint.

My next recommendation is probably my absolute favorite. Free People. I order way too much from this site.

I wore this dress to the Eisners

Love, love, love this site.

Also have this

I have this skirt too.

All the above items can be found in their sale section if you like them as much as me.

And the old tried and true Anthropologie.

I rarely buy from this store/ site unless its on sale. But sometimes you can find some really great stuff. And the sales are usually really good.

And now here are some links to get ideas using your existing wardrobe to create something new.

Vanessa Jackman’s blog is fantastic. And so is A Part of the Rest.

Check them out!

A

The last issue of Chris’ run on Superman came out yesterday and I couldn’t be happier for it all to be over.

Not what you expected?

Now don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t be prouder of his work or the life lessons we learned while he was writing it.

Yes. Life Lessons.

You see for a lot of people, I would even venture to say most people, Superman is not just a character in a book. Most people have a relationship with Superman and for the most part, have had a relationship with him their entire lives.

Remember when Episode One came out and how excited we all were to see more Star Wars. To actually see the story that came before. It’s like we were all kids again pretending to be Han Solo and Princess Leia in our backyards. And then while sitting in the theatre as the movie played, your brain started to have a hard time processing what it was actually seeing because it wasn’t playing the movie of YOUR imagination, it was playing something else all together. The music was right, but scenes were WRONG.

It’s pretty much the same thing with Superman but on a much more personal level.

My own experience with him was from the Christopher Reeve movies. I remember very clearly how I felt about Superman as a young girl (I was in love), and I also remember very clearly how I felt when he wasn’t ‘acting like Superman’ in Superman 3.

I didn’t like it at all

So when my husband took over writing the book, trying to write a story arc that a lot of people didn’t like (mainly because Superman wasn’t acting like Superman), I was really excited. Not only was he going to get to do something that he dreamed of doing as a kid, but he was going to fix it and also get to be a hero to Superman fans everywhere.

And then #707 came out.

Chris knew. He knew that a lot of people weren’t going to like #707. He told me he was going to have to make things worse for the character so he could make it better. Think of the story arc as a big giant ship. You can’t turn it on a dime, it takes a while to turn that big sucker around.

Not to mention all the pieces of the puzzle that HAD to be layered in, at least two contest winning cities and towns, having the progression make some kind of sense but also attempting to do a story that he could be proud of. This is Superman after all.

As the months passed on, ‘the day Superman came out’ was always a roller coaster. Cause despite all his hard work at trying to make the best Superman book he could with the pieces he was given, there would always be something that a group of people would latch onto. Stuff taken out of context or misinterpreted.

It wasn’t that he was just writing a book, he was engaging in an emotional campaign, where everyone who was reading it brought their own stuff to the table.  It wasn’t about what was or wasn’t on the page, it was about what people saw through their own imagination.

Now for the most part, by the end of it all, I think a lot of people figured out what he was trying to accomplish against all the odds. And I really appreciated all the wonderful reviews that ‘got it’ and the positive comments that we saw from a great number of people.

But for me, the journey was a difficult one. Cause we can’t explain why or how or who, we just have to sit and watch the reaction.

On the plus side, my skin is a little thicker and I don’t get so worked up anymore,  I understand where it’s all coming from.

So why is this important to know?

THIS IS THE PRICE of writing a very high profile long established character/ franchise. Internet reaction to the smallest thing can be brutal and if you do not have the confidence to deal with that, it can be a very difficult thing to handle.

But in the end, I’m really glad we got the chance to experience Superman. Learning how to ride a roller coaster is valuable knowledge.

We are going to need the practice when the Star Trek/ Legion book starts in October.

Wink.

A

My brother from another mother, Jeremy Lassen, publisher of Night Shade Books

It’s official. Chris and I have physically recovered from SDCC.

Mentally? Not so sure yet.

I usually go into a post SDCC funk for a couple of weeks after the show. I miss seeing all you awesome people, staying up until dawn, my balcony…makes sense right?

Yeah, I’m a little crazy.

I keep getting asked by various people, some who were there, some who have never been, “How was your San Diego?”

And I usually give a very standard answer. One that doesn’t go into to many details. Cause really, how could you briefly talk about the 100′s of encounters, experiences & moments.

But here, I thought you might enjoy a glimpse into what my SDCC 2011 was to me.

• Balcony waitstaff remembered us from last year
• Preview night drama
• Fantastic cucumber martini at Nobu (I had 2)
• F/SF peeps late night reunion with Minz and Lassen, missed Klima
• Hanging out with the CA crew
• Dinner with friends
• Adventure Time parade=awesome
• Speakeasy with cool metal straws (which I have now ordered)
• Party lines too long to wait in
• Ivan, my dear, dear sweet Ivan. I am yours forever.
• Dinner with more friends and new awesome people I’ve never met
• Crying for joy at the Eisners (cause DAYTRIPPER won and should have by a mile)
• Jumping for joy for Shannon, Art and Franco.
• Gorgeous Rose
• Late night conversations with old friend
• Late night conversations with new friends
• Dave’s ginger ale
• Goodnight sweet balcony
• Sad that I didn’t get enough quality time with a bunch of you
• My brain doesn’t work anymore travel home Monday

Now looking forward to Baltimore.

I’m a con junkie.

A

After many days of collecting info, managing times and hostage negotiations, the schedule has finally been locked. So if you are curious where we will be, I’ve make a schedule that any stalker would drool over.

Here we go!

WEDNESDAY JULY 20TH

Chris and I fly in Wednesday morning, will try to check-in before check-in time and will then run to Ralph’s to get supplies.

Later that afternoon, I have a late lunch date with a friend.

And at some point after that, Chris and I will go pick up our badges.

6PM to 7PM Chris will be signing his name on comics he may or may not have written at the BOOM! Studios Booth #2743

Chris and I have dinner plans with the hardest working man in comics and his lovely equally hard working wife.

Then Chris and I go meet some other people at some secret bar cause well, it’s supposed to be cool.

After that, we will probably head back over to our balcony.

THURSDAY JULY 21ST

11AM to 12PM Chris will be signing some more books, but with my name instead of his own, at the BOOM! Studios Booth #2743

And then we have a joint lunch date. (I’m not telling)

3PM to 4PM IDW Panel…

3:00-4:00 IDW Publishing Presents: The Greatest Panel of All Time— New creator-owned books? Ever-larger licensed titles? All-new creators, and even some major crossover events? How about prizes just for attending? Yep, you’ll find all that and more, in The Greatest Panel of All Time. CCO Chris Ryall, editor Scott Dunbier, and creators Chris Roberson, Eric Powell, and Steve Niles, along with MC Dirk Wood, present a gamelike atmosphere as they spin the wheel on projects coming in 2011 and 2012. Come on down! Room 9 

Hmm. That looks interesting.

5:45PM to 6:45PM Vertigo Panel…

5:45-6:45 Vertigo Editorial— They come from the cutting edge of comics…and Vertigo has never been edgier, with thought-provoking titles from some of comics’ most acclaimed creators. Don’t miss this panel featuring Scott Snyder (American Vampire), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), Michael Allred (iZombie), Chris Roberson (iZombie), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Les Klinger (Annotated Sandman), Rebecca Guay (A Flight of Angels), Colleen Doran (Gone to Amerika), Bill Willingham (Fables), and many others. This is your opportunity to learn more about the entire Vertigo line. Hosted by Vertigo executive editor Karen Berger. Room 6DE 

Then we go to dinner with some of my favorite people on the planet along with some folks I am very excited to meet.

After dinner we have three parties that we NEED to go to but might go to as many as six. Late night on our balcony.

FRIDAY JULY 22ND

I have a lunch date with another dear friend.

1PM to 2PM Chris will be signing at the IDW Booth #2643. Exactly what he will be signing, will be up to you all. (be creative!)

I left this day kind of open on purpose since last year we seemed to be in a mad dash to get to stuff. So we will probably be on our balcony before we get ready for the Eisner’s.

8:30PM Eisner’s start. So cross your fingers, we have two shots!

Later that night/ morning. This is when we will be celebrating our Eisner (fill in the blank). Whatever the outcome, just an honor to be on the shortlist. Really.

SATURDAY JULY 23RD

1PM to 2PM Chris will be signing and signing and signing at the BOOM! Studios Booth #2743

Cocktail break!

7PM to 8PM Fables Panel…

7:00-8:00 Fables— The annual Fables panel has become a Comic-Con tradition — and with the original graphic novel Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland on the way this fall, there’s no better time to hear what Bill Willingham, creator of the multi-Eisner Award-winning series, has to say. Join Bill, artists Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha, group editor Shelly Bond, and others for a panel that is truly legendary. Room 6DE 

Chris and some others will also be on this panel.  If you’ve never been to a Fables panel at SDCC, let me tell you, it is super fun and entertaining. I HIGHLY recommend going.

And then right after the panel we head over to a long standing dinner with some of the most talented people working in comics today. Yeah, I would say who but I think name dropping is a little gauche.

Then we are going to race over to the Trickster set-up and see if we can catch Andy Kuhn and then Gear play.

SUNDAY JULY 24TH

11:30AM to 12:30PM Chris will be signing his little heart out trying to stay awake at the DC/ Vertigo Booth #1915

1:30PM to 2:30PM BOOM! Studios Panel…

1:30-2:30 Editing Comics the BOOM! Studios Way— BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon talks to three of fandom’s favorite BOOM! writers — Chris Roberson (Starborn, iZombie, Superman), Daryl Gregory (Planet of the Apes, Dracula Company of Monsters), and Michael Alan Nelson (28 Days Later, Dingo, Hexed) — about the ins and outs of editing comics at BOOM! Don’t miss this in-depth look into the editing secrets of one of the comic book industry’s leading independent publishers as they discuss editing dos and don’ts at today’s hottest comic book company. Room 23ABC 

And from this point it is all balcony, dinner with old friends, followed by a dead dog party we go to every year.

We might sleep a few hours and then head back home on Monday afternoon.

So that’s it folks. Really looking forward to seeing all of you who will be there NEXT WEEK!

A

So head on down to your LCBS and pick up some kick ass comics!

But wait, there is more…

Buy Elric: The Balance Lost #1 from BOOM! Studios today in print AND in digital.

Pretty killer RIGHT?!

Head on over to the Elric website to read more about the title or buy the first issue digitally.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!

Starborn: Volume 1 Trade Paperback cover by Humberto Ramos

iZombie #15 and the first Starborn trade ALSO come out today!

IT’S AN EMBARRASSMENT OF RICHES!!!

A

And it ROCKS!

When Georgia was little, Chris was the primary caretaker. I was off producing something somewhere, most likely in some random town in Michigan. And during that period in our lives, Chris started walking Georgia in the stroller.

Now mind you, Chris and I had already changed our eating habits some years before, which resulted in us both losing a considerable amount of weight. (I got to do it twice since while being pregnant, I gained all of it back)

But exercise was not a real component of our weight loss plan.

So when Georgia got bigger, and it got hotter, Chris started walking fast through the house. Why yes, it was hilarious to watch!

And then last fall we got a treadmill.

At first only Chris used it, cause frankly I was working 16 to 18 hours a day 6 days a week. But once it got a little slower, I started walking.

Then went faster, and faster and faster until I was running, 2, 3, 4, 5 miles day. I just couldn’t help being competitive with myself. Setting arbitrary goals and just seeing if I could go faster and longer. It was really weird but not that surprising considering my personality.

Chris is still a walker but manages to keep at it at least 3 days a week.

So why should you care about any of this?

Cause frequent, challenging exercise is good for you as a creator.

Also, my legs are starting to look really nice, so everyone wins.

But I digress.

Not convinced?

I asked a couple of my also exercising pals three questions about their experiences with keeping it fit.  Kevin Church, all around super awesome dude and comics writer.  And Mitch Gerads, also super cool artist/ colorist extraordinaire.

WHAT DOES YOUR DAILY/WEEKLY EXERCISE ROUTINE CONSIST OF?

Kevin: Here’s what I’m currently doing: exercising on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. That means I get Wednesday and Saturday off. Wednesdays, I want off so I can go to the comic shop and relax a bit in the middle of the week and Saturdays because my gym is absolutely lousy on Saturdays with weekend warriors trying to catch up on what they missed during the week by burning 3,000 calories over the course of 4-hour death routine.

As far as what I do on what days, I alternate between a weights day and a cardio day because your muscles need that time to recover. I’m not doing a strenuous weights routine, just enough to help develop and maintain core strength that burns more calories and makes the other stuff easier: curls, chest-presses and shoulder-presses, along with the butterfly machine. This takes about 30-45 minutes, and I devote another 30-45 to the treadmill, where I basically just hike, using its speed and incline controls to get the most out of aggro-walking. (I blew my knees out a decade ago, so I can’t quite run, but I’m fine with walking.)

Pure cardio days are 60-90 minutes of hiking on the treadmill, usually while listening to music or watching something on the iPad. I generally go between 3.5-4 mph with a grade that varies between 5% and 8% currently. Considering that I started off going at 3mph and a grade of like 3%, I think that the last year or so has seen a significant improvement in my overall health, especially when it comes to sleeping.

Mitch: I’m no personal trainer so it isn’t very in-depth, but I just make sure that I get a GOOD (3-4 miles) walk or run in as daily as humanly possible.  It’s CRAZY important that you take care of yourself and you don’t have to be militant about it. Every minute of a freelancer’s day is important, but guess what? Taking an hour of every day to get outside is healthy for your mind, your creativity, your body, and here’s the kicker: It extends your work day with more energy! Odds are you will end up making that hour back after your body adapts to this crazy thing called exercising.

HOW DOES REGULAR EXERCISE MAKE YOU A BETTER CREATOR?

Kevin: This started off as a weight-loss thing and while that’s been a part of it, I’ve found that exercise gives me better focus when I need to think, either as part of my regular job or as a comics person. It provides a thing that I can do when I’m a bit lost that actually benefits me in a way that video games (which I also love, I won’t lie) or movies (which I super-duper love) can’t. There’s also the fact that I occasionally get ideas on the treadmill and can be seen scribbling a note to myself while sweating my ass off.

I’ve also found that I’m sleeping better and waking up earlier, feeling much more rested and I’m able to get started with my day more quickly. Your body wants to work a bit, and giving it what it wants can benefit your brainpan greatly.

Mitch:  You need to get your creativity going and in order for that to happen your body has to be in on the plan too. Trust me. When your body and your mind are in synch your work will be SO much better. Turn off that TV show or movie in the morning to “spark” your mind and hit the pavement for an hour. My newest experiment has revolutionized how I approach pages. I am currently working on a big action packed military book. Whenever I get a new script, I print it out, load up my iPod with a great Action movie musical score, and I go walk around a local lake. Reading the script mixed with the music and the adrenaline of being out there and moving has produced some great storytelling beats and moments. (I don’t recommend this if you’re walking across roads.)

JUST HOW IMPORTANT IS EXERCISE IN YOUR PLAN FOR WORLD DOMINATION?

Kevin: I need to be strong enough and healthy enough to outlast and then throw my final opponent, Chris Sims, into the purging fires.

Mitch:  I have a cat, Numchucks, that attempts to kill me every day. Exercise keeps me alive to fight the next day. I’m the last line of defense people. If I go, you’re all next.

So there you have it folks.

Last bit.

Want a little extra help and motivation? Use a tracking website to keep track of your distance, calorie burn and pace. I use Runkeeper but I think there are a number of them out there.

It REALLY helps keep me honest and set new goals.

Let’s get movin’!

A

Well, I’m kinda corny too but have lived long enough to know that those statements are true facts.

Becoming a freelancer carries with it a fundamental element of risk. And I’m not just talking about going without health insurance. It’s quite a leap to go off on your own, relying upon your artistic skill to pay the bills.

For Chris and I, the stability of my non-freelance job has made it less risky than it can be for others, but having that net also taught us some other lessons that I want to share with you now.

LEARN HOW TO WALK AWAY

If you can truly master how to walk away from jobs you don’t want, ideas no one has bought, or a deal on the table with terms you don’t like, you win.

You will ALWAYS WIN.

Let’s go through it, step by step.

JUST BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN OFFERED A GIG DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT

Sounds crazy right? It’s not.

If you don’t have an affinity for a character or title or subject, chances are you won’t do a very good job and the project would be better served in someone else’s hands.

Chris has a good rule about it.

If you can’t figure out a way to tell an awesome story, you shouldn’t take the job.

Worried that you won’t be offered another one? Trust me when I say that turning down a job you don’t want or that you don’t think you would do well speaks volumes to editors and publishers. It tells them, you’re a professional, you respect them and yourself enough to avoid a bad situation just to make a buck.

THAT PITCH YOU’VE SENT AROUND HASN’T BEEN BOUGHT?  PUT IT IN THE DRAWER AND START OVER

Listen I don’t know why it hasn’t been bought. Too many similar things already in the market, idea isn’t fully baked, the economy, not enough monkeys? Who knows. What I do know is if you can’t move on and come up with something else, you have more problems than you realize.

Silver lining? Maybe some of those ideas can be recycled into other stuff later down the road.  I know folks in the biz who do that all the time.

IF YOU CAN’T WALK AWAY FROM A DEAL DURING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, YOU’VE ALREADY LOST

For work for hire deals, the only real point of negotiations will be for your page rate.  Don’t assume that the offered page rate is the only page rate. Ask about the page rate early in the process and PLEASE DON’T DO ANY WORK UNTIL YOU HAVE AGREED UPON A RATE.

Please DON’T take a job for a rate that doesn’t work with your budget, unless you like being miserable.

Creator-owned details are a little more involved. I recommend you really think about what’s important to you in regards to rights. Your priorities will determine whether or not the deal is a “good one.”

I will offer a free word of advice.  Make sure the reversion language is clear.

Just in case.

But whether WFH or creator-owned, you should be able to walk away from either type deal if it isn’t completely to your satisfaction.  Trust me when I tell you the sparkle of “new deal” excitement will wear off eventually and all you are left with in the end will be the terms, your rate and the work ahead.

DO NOT RATIONALIZE!

Let’s not be a community of abused spouses. Take charge of your career and be in charge of your own destiny.

I don’t want to hear your excuses! YES, it is very, very hard. It takes work and a lot of self confidence to be able to walk away.

But I believe in you and think you all are capable of greatness!

Peace out!

A