Drawing conclusions

06 February 2012
Posted in Books and Poetry

Andrew S. Walsh says: help the Guild help you

Have you worked in comics, cartoon strips, single panel cartoons, graphic novels, or any other form of illustrated narrative? Then the Writers' Guild would like to hear from you, whether or not you are a Guild member.

When the Guild was formed over 50 years ago, the writers involved recognised not only the need for strength in numbers, but the obvious weakness that comes from ignorance of how an industry functions. It is incredibly difficult for a writer to negotiate a fair agreement without knowing what their peers are being paid, or what standard conditions appear in other contracts. For writers new to an industry, or moving between industries, it is imperative that they learn not just how their craft can be applied to this fresh medium, but also the anatomy of the industry they have entered. Who should a writer be talking to? How should they be paid? What will this industry expect of them?

No matter the quality of the writing, many a creator has come unstuck by producing a screenplay in the wrong format. Television writers have found themselves barred from radio through a failure to understand the commissioning process. Novelists have seen their bid to write a videogame rejected because they tried to negotiate their pay in a way that industry does not understand.

Where overall agreements have not yet been put into place the Guild is, instead, able to produce guidelines aimed at lifting the veil on how an industry operates, giving those working in it and those hoping to move into it much needed visibility on how companies and writers are operating there.

This is where you can help the Guild (whether you are a member or not), by responding to a questionnaire that will help confirm or inform the conclusions they have drawn from several months of consultation with writers working across illustrative narrative.

These new guidelines are designed to tackle key areas - · Defining the medium - what work is available and what form does it take? · The writer’s role – how does a writer fit into this industry structure? · Standard terms – what should a writer expect when working in the various forms of writing that fit within this bracket of writing? · Rates and royalties – the all-important question of payment and the forms that payment takes.

While the guidelines have now reached a first draft form that has been sent to the writers involved in the consultation period it will be another month or two before the guidelines are ready for publication. During this time it is important for the Guild to continue to receive feedback that ensures the accuracy of the guidelines and to be able to add any additional information to them. If you have worked anywhere in this area, be it the sale of one cartoon panel, or a thousand ongoing series, we would like to have your thoughts. Be it information on comic strips for newspapers, cartoon panels, comicbooks, graphic novels or any other form of illustrated narrative then please contact Erik at the office - Erik@writersguild.org.uk so the Guild can send you a short set of questions that will help us complete these guidelines.