How I Got Started

I still receive messages occasionally from people asking for advice about how to get started as a cartoon gag writer. As someone who knew nothing about this type of writing when I started I can tell you a few things I did to learn how to do this.

I started by reading every book I could find about comedy writing...how to write a joke...the set up and punchline. Even though you may not think a cartoon caption is a joke necessarily, it really is, and you have to know about joke construction. It's really pretty easy to understand.

I also obtained, either from libraries or bookstores, single-panel cartoon collections and studied them. The New Yorker has published many books of their cartoons over the years. I think I've read all of them. Some I own, some I've borrowed. An outstanding one I own is "The Complete Cartoons of the New Yorker," published in 2004, which contains, in two DVD's, every cartoon from 1925 to 2004. I've looked at every one of them. These cartoon collections are my textbooks, showing recurring themes and thousands of captions. By studying them I learned how to write for cartoonists.

At the same time I studied the cartoons in Harvard Business Review, Barron's, Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, Better Homes and Gardens and many other publications. I also took out a subscription to Gag Recap, which lists publications that are buying cartoons, a description and caption for every cartoon, the name of the cartoonist, the rate they pay, the procedure for submitting cartoons, addresses, etc.

I still search the library and bookstores for new books about cartoon creation. One book that has been very helpful to me is "The Cartoonist's Muse" by Mischa Richter and Harald Bakken. I believe it's out of print now but still can be found in some libraries and online. I also like to read books about cartoonists and how they come up with their ideas. Very helpful.

I think that if you want to create cartoons you have to be an avid reader. You have to keep up with what's going on in the world. I read newspapers and magazines. I watch TV newscasts several times a day and listen to news radio when I'm in the car. I get news briefs on my computer. I think keeping up with trends and what's going on in the world is an essential part of the job.

These are just a few of the ways I taught myself how to write for cartoonists. I'm still learning how to do this, every day.

Any questions or comments? Write to me at: gagsbyhelene@gmail.com.