Every now and then even the best writer needs to break routine, ignore convention and double back.

Welcome to "now." Or "then", depending on your preference. Either way, listen close because I'm going to help you get free money to get a comic book made.

That's FREE MONEY, folks.

Recently, the venerable Xeric Foundation announced this Spring's recipients of their twice-a-year grant. The Xeric Foundation, for those who don't know, is a private, nonprofit corporation established by Peter A. Laird, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that offers financial assistance to fully committed, self-publishing comic book creators and qualified charitable and nonprofit organizations. The Xeric Foundation assists comic book creators with some of the costs in self-publishing their work. It is not the Foundation's intention to fully support an artist/writer through the entire process of self-publishing, but rather to encourage creators to experience the learning process involved in working towards such a goal.

Thank you, Mr. website copy writer.

Anyway, since my graphic novella, Ninety Candles, was a 2003 Xeric Grant recipient, I've been getting inundated with emails by hopeful writers, artists and cartoonists looking to join the club and get the free Ninja Turtles money to self-publish their own magnum opus. Rather than say the same thing over and over, and realizing that folks out there really want to know this stuff, I'm going to step away from the usual Big Pond format to present an article I wrote almost a year ago regarding the Xeric process, how best to go about it and what you should know in order to get some FREE MONEY.

Have a read, tell your friends and enjoy. We'll be back in two weeks to talk about killer dialogue.

Welcome to Xeric 101. Here's your first problem:

I + W=?

That's right. Math. I'm opening an article about making comic books and becoming a (somewhat) successful self-publisher with a math formula.

Most creative types loathe math, preferring to rely on the portions of their brain that know the number of soldiers at Utah Beach in 1944 or the exact shades of red, blue and yellow that comprise Superman's cape to help them float through life. Figures? Numbers? Math? Get lost. I'm building worlds here.

But here's the thing, folks.... And it hurts to say it... If you're interested in self-publishing -hell, even if you're simply a freelancer who wants to let the editor boys juggle the numbers - you gotta know that the medium of comic books is built on Math.

Period.

Now, I'm not talking Quarterly Numbers or how much Bendis makes compared to Chuck Austen. I'm not even getting into Diamond Orders and Shipping Costs (yet!) - I'm talking Basic Comic Book Math. The kind of math you crammed onto a crib sheet hours before Trig, right after stuffing little Jimmy Hodgkins into his locker near the girl's bathroom. Easy Math. Math anyone can do if they know "x" and the value of "2x+7."

I'm talking I+W. Because when you come right down to it, if you do "I =W" correctly, it will add up to a whole lot of numbers in the long run.

But let's backtrack.

In September of 2003, I was lucky enough to win a grant from the prestigious Xeric Foundation - one of seven. I was given a nice sum of money to print, ship and distribute my book through regular comic distribution channels. I produced the book with the help of the good people at WestCan Printing and the fantastic advice of established self publishers and small press creators. The book has been doing a fairly brisk business and has gotten some great reviews.

But the one question I always find myself approached with since that fateful September day is "How did you do it?" Everyone wants to know the magic spell I used to get myself a Xeric Grant my first time out. What's the secret formula, they ask?

And now we're full circle. Sure, I can give up the secret formula, but to be honest, you might not want to hear it. It's this:

IDEAS + WORK= COMICS

That's it. No fancy bribes. No rain dance to Jack Kirby. No waxing Peter Laird's car. It's simply having a good idea and then doing the work. All of it. Thoroughly. Let's break it down:

IDEAS

You start with a good idea. If you aren't this far, I can't help you. For the millions of unoriginal idea out there, there's one pristine, untouched, good idea that's never seen stage, screen, paper or monitor. So far, to my eye, I've had one. I may never have another - only time will tell. No one can say whether your idea is good or bad until it's been executed, right? But there are some things I can tell you going in - my personal opinion of what it looks like the Xeric Committee might be looking for:

1) For the most part, I feel that the past few awardee rounds have been less the superhero/Image Comics style of book and more the indy/alt fare. This isn't to say that the Xeric Foundation won't take a super hero/Image book - I'm just saying that if you look at the last couple of years, this is the way the trend has gone.

2) The Foundation is looking for a comic or book that challenges the industry, offering something that readers have never seen before. It might be a fantastic story, wonderful art, an innovative method of storytelling, or simply a good comic. What's a good comic? I don't know. I draw comics about exploding clowns. But if you think your idea or story is innovative, new, original and unique, then you're on the right track.

3) Okay, this is going to sound weird... but I compare the Xeric Grant sometimes to the Academy Awards. Look at it this way - The Matrix and Star Wars might win "Best Sound" or "Best Makeup" but you know that movies like Shakespeare in Love, Forrest Gump and Philadelphia will take "Best Picture." Sure, every now and then you get a Lord Of the Rings, but it's the exception. It sort of works the same way with the Xeric Grant - when looking at your Idea, ask yourself... would it win "Best Picture?" "Best Cinematography?" Would it even be nominated for "Best Costume?" Are you writing Braveheart or simply Dude, Where's My Car?

4) Do NOT simply look at what the other Grant winners have done and think "well, if I do a comic that's sort of like that one, I'll win." No one's going to award a grant to a comic entitled Sixty Candles nor will XXL:Livenudefatguys take home the Grant. Don't think that just because Sam Hiti won a Grant for the first of his epic graphic novel about a Hispanic demon hunter that you're going to get money to publish your Jewish Spawn rip-off. Be original. Be unique. Think of genres or ways to present your story that haven't been thought of. Look at Nick Bertozzi - he won the grant for Boswash, a comic printed on a foldable map. Leslie Stein won for Yeah It Is because of the innovative cut paper method she used. Think outside the panels. Outside the box.

WORK

So you have your idea well in hand. How do we go from here to there, there being an acceptance letter with a big Xeric "X" on it?

Now it's time for the second half of the formula - the Work. I don't care who you are, what your name is, how much work you've done in other mediums. If you're not willing to buckle down and DO THE WORK then you might as well go back to writing fan-fiction or drawing on an Etch-a Sketch.

Now what do we mean when we talk about work? It breaks down further into two types: Creating Comics and Applying for the Grant

CREATING COMICS

This is basic common sense. Make your comic. Make it good. Make it like the comic book you would want to buy.

Most importantly, as far as the Xeric Grant goes, make the whole thing.

I was lucky - I applied for the grant with a comic that was sixty percent complete. Now, if you look at the Xeric guidelines, they ask for 90-100 percent. An almost complete comic book, cover and all. I sent them sixty black and white lettered illustrations with a cover sketch and my proposal and got damn lucky. But you, the prospective Xeric applicant, should never depend on luck. DO THE WHOLE DAMN THING. Do it well. Do it so well that you'd feel comfortable walking over to Frank Miller, Art Spiegelman, Eddie Campbell, Joe Quesada - whoever your golden comic book god is - and say "This is MY comic book."

And when it's done, move on to the next step.

APPLYING FOR THE GRANT

At the Xeric Foundation page, there are forms for you to download that need to be filled out and sent back. The forms and process are easily and clearly spelled out for any potential applicant. Now here's the thing - you need to follow them to the letter.

I know at least three people who applied for a Xeric and told me "Oh, I didn't really write an essay as much as I wrote a small explanatory paragraph" or "I didn't fill out the entire financial form." That ain't gonna cut it, kids.

Follow it to the letter.

Let's start out easy:

COVER LETTER A nice, clean, professional cover sheet that states your name, contact info and title of the work along with the amount you're asking for. Simple, easy. Like writing your name on the SAT.

ENCLOSE A COPY OF THE WORK The Foundation asks to see black and white (or color, if you like) sample of the book you're submitting. They ask for at least 90 percent of the book, so they can see that it's ready to go. Now, I admit, I cheated and only sent them 60 percent. I figured I wouldn't win based on that alone.... But I was an exception to the rule - you might not be. Get the book as close to completion as you can and then send it. If it means waiting until the next submission time, I suggest waiting - hey, you want to send them your best work, right? Why not take the extra time and make sure it's perfect?

RESUME The Foundation asks for a resume of past work. Odds are usually against an extensive list of credits, as the Grant is clearly marked for folks who have never been published before.... But on the off chance you're someone who's been self-publishing for years, go ahead and write up every last damn printed book with your name on it. If you're someone who's only been doing minicomics, send them a sheet of paper detailing the name, size, concept and publication date of every black and white bad boy that's come off your Xerox and long arm stapler. Anthologies? That's cool, too - slap the five-page story name, publication title and pertinent info on the page, as well. Make sure your name, contact info and the title of the book you're submitting are at the top and you should be golden.

ESSAY/STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Okay, this is where it starts to get a bit tougher. Why should you win the Xeric Grant? What makes your yet-to-be-born book stand out from the pack?

Well, if we go by the golden rule of pitching comic books, I'd say keep it short, sweet and compact while hitting all the main points. Pick up a copy of Larry Young's True Facts. Talk to editors and ask them for sample pitches that have worked for them. But above all:

Know what your book is about.

Know what the book is about and know why it's completely different from anything else out there. If Joe Comic Customer walked up to you at SPX or MoCCA and said "Hey - why should I pick up Ninety Candles? What's so special about the book" you need to be prepared to say "It's an improvisational graphic novel about the life of a cartoonist - birth to death - in which each panel progresses the story a year at a time. Birth, family, fatherhood, comics and death are central themes in this experimental book, created without a formal script." That's the pitch I use at cons and for new readers and it seems to work just fine... but obviously, the essay for the grant committee needed to be more comprehensive. Essentially, what I did was take the copy that sits on the Ninety Candlesweb page along with the explanatory introduction at the beginning of the book and combine it with the financial figures needed to create the book. I also went ahead and explained what kind of stock, ink and dimensions the book was going to be and the entire essay package outlined the hows, means and ways Ninety Candleswas going to stand out on the shelves.

So, in essence, this SINGLE SHEET essay is your pitch. Your sell. This is where you need to really think how and why your book is better than the other applicants - and trust me, there are plenty out there. Why is your book going to stand apart and make the comics community sit up and say "Fuck and Sunshine!Give this creator the money!"

Take your time. Think about it. Because if you don't know this, you're not going to be able to explain it to someone else.

BUDGET/DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS If you've gotten to this section of the application process, I'm sure you don't need me, right? That's because you've already done the tentative homework by calling at least three printers who've dealt with past Xeric applicants, right?

You haven't? Okay, let's walk through the details.

First of all, what are the specs of your book? Do you know the size, page count? Is it color or black and white? Color cover - and if so, varnish, matte or laminate? Have you requested samples from your potential printers so you can accurately make that decision? What kind of paper stock do you want to print on? How many copies are you going to need? Are you shipping the boxes to your distributor or are they? Do you need to spring for an ISDN number? These are all questions you should have in hand when you first approach your printers.

And I say printers because you should definitely approach more than one. It's always smart to compare costs because one might be cheaper than the other. I know folks who swear on using local printers rather than Morgan or Quebecor because they got a better deal. Hey - you might know a printer who will give you a fair shake.

I asked around when I started quoting Ninety Candles and was told to get quotes from three printers: Quebecor, Morgan and WestCan Printing. In the end, WestCan offered me the cheapest pricing and the best customer service so I went with them (I couldn't have been happier with the final results) but I wanted to make sure I had that final estimate in hand before I submitted the amount I was asking for to the Xeric Foundation. I recommend that potential applicants take the time to talk to their printer, finding out about ship costs, hidden print fees (like making changes on press, etc) and get a clear and complete idea of exactly how much they're going to need.

I was stupid - I asked for the exact amount of my print/ship estimate because I figured, hey! If I'm not asking for the full 5000 dollars (the maximum amount Xeric offers) they might look at my application with an eye for saving the Foundation a little dough. Little did I know that I needed the full 5 grand after encountering my printer's hidden costs - in fact, I ended up shelling out the shipping costs to the distributor from my very own pocket!

Talk to your printer. Get the full costs involved. Then ask for what you think you need - if it's the full 5, go for it. If you can get by with less, go for that too.

Here, talk to these guys:

QUEBECOR: http://www.quebecorworldinc.com/en/facilities/na/

Morgan Printing: 402 Hill Ave., Grafton, ND 58237 Voice: 701-352-0640 Fax: 701-352-1502 National Sales Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Grafton Area Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

WESTCAN: Durand Road, Winnipeg, MB Canada R2J 3T2 Attn: Chris Young E- mail > This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Toll Free > 1 + 866.669.9914 Local > 1 + 204.669.9914 Fax > 1 + 204.669.9920

Give them a holler and find out what you need. Figure out how long it will take for you to get it to them (remember - printing estimates change the longer you wait to print!) and place all the pricing info along with a proposed timeline on a single sheet of paper and place it in the packet.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION And at last we come to the part of the grant that every potential applicant hates. The finances. Telling people what you make, what you owe and what you can afford.

All I can say here is be damn thorough. Take the form and talk to people who know - your parents, your financial advisor and your accountant. That's what I did... faxed it over to my accountant and he helped me figure it all out. Ask people who know. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask people on the basis that you're applying to create a funny book - this is a grant and free money we're talking about. Take your time, read the form, be a professional and fill everything out.

Okay, so now you have everything ready to go - what do you do?

Take your packet, make six clean copies and place them in six separate envelopes. Here's what I did: I bought six nice, white pocket folders and placed the cover letter, resume, financial info and statement of purpose on one side; the budget disbursement and sample of Ninety Candles on the other, attached a business card, sealed all six folders up in a bubble mailer and overnighted the package to the Foundation. Do not scrimp on cost here - make sure you're not buying bent and damaged folders and try not to send the packet out by Next Year Express. Invest the money to get the money.

WHERE DO I SENT IT AND WHEN?

The Foundation website says:

"Proposals are reviewed on a semiannual basis by a distribution committee. Requests must be postmarked by the review deadline date to be considered at that review. Early application is encouraged. Reply cards will be sent as notification that applications have been received.

Deadline dates: * January 31 (reviewed on March 1) * July 31 (reviewed on September 1) * Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants may reapply for the following review. * Grant applicants may expect a response within six weeks of the semiannual review dates.

Please submit proposals and queries to:

XERIC FOUNDATION PMB 214 351 Pleasant Street Northampton, Massachusetts 01060"

Stick to those dates and you'll be fine. Remember - each submission date garners thousands of applications, so the sooner you sent it in, the better.

Above all, talk to people. I spoke with at least ten past grant winners, asking them the hows, whens and whys of winning the Grant, I spoke to publishers, creators and self-publishers about how to print, what kind of costs I needed to factor in and so forth. There are knowledgeable people out there. They've done this kind of thing before. They can help you. In fact, I'll put my money where my mouth is - if any of you out there have questions about how to apply for the Xeric Grant, how to self publish and distribute or how to break into comics, feel free to shoot me an email at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Yes, it's a lot of work - more thought and time than you expected. But let me ask you this - if your Graphic Design or Creative Writing teacher gave you explicit instructions for your Final Project, wouldn't you follow them to the goddamn letter? Wouldn't you go the extra mile to make sure you handed in the most pristine final project you could?

Well, welcome to Xeric 101. Here's your Final Exam.

I've given you one answer for free.

It's up to you to get the others and make the grade.

-----------------------------

Neil Kleid won the Xeric grant for NINETY CANDLES, an experimental graphic novella, and his first graphic novel, BROWNSVILLE, (with artist Jake Allen) debuts from NBM Publishing in 2005. He is currently writing URSA MINORS!, a four issue comedy mini-series for Slave Labor Graphics. A graphic designer by day, Neil harbors notions of writing full time. Weep for him.