April Monthly Newsletter 🌞🌸🐛

I know that we are all about Autumn here in our corner of camp, but I have to admit that Spring is creeping its vines and ferns in my heart and soul. After coming from 22 years of Florida summer all-year-long (and a "spring" if you can even call it that), I'm gaining a new appreciation for each season individually. 

The blossoms around Greenville aren't uncommon in other areas so perhaps you and I are looking at the same trees (cherry, pear, plum, eastern redbuds). This few-week-flowering period is making me giddier than I thought it would. Much like my drives though the mountains, it feels as if I'm seeing it for the first time every day. I try to take my camera (canon m50) everywhere I go because of it! I took some photos for you that I'll share later on in the newsletter as well.

That's my pre-intro-intro. I say that because I feel like there's so much we have to talk about! 

First off, hello. I hope if you're somewhere where the vaccine is available that you've gotten/will be getting it--Don't you feel like there's a sense of hope floating amongst all the spring pollen? I'm sure the vaccine has a lot to do with it.

I chose to draw a caterpillar and butterfly in my opening statement banner to represent hope, change, and metamorphosis. The changing of the season brings longer, brighter days, warmer sun on our skin, and the return of life how it was (or maybe even better?). It'll be what we make it, right? 

If you listened to last month's Campfire Conversation podcast you know a bit about what I have been working on for the last month and what I will be working on for the next 6 months. In case you didn't, or would like a visual recap and breakdown, I'm putting all of that information here. I hope this will also help give you an idea of what full-time freelance book illustration looks like. (This excludes the Anne of Green Gables illustrated book which is finished and going into print later this year!)

1. (already announced) 32-page nonfiction illustrated picture book, Mushroom Rain by Laura K Zimmerman. Initial sketches are complete, currently doing a few small sketch revisions and then it will be straight to final. I have a lot of creative freedom with this one!

2. (unannounced) 41-page nonfiction illustrated picture book *title to be announced* about a certain bear in a certain war with some certain soldiers . Sketches for this just finished up and were sent in for review today, April 1st! Next will be on to final, I think? Perhaps there will be a middle stage like color studies.

3. (unannounced....I spoke incorrectly in my podcast when I said I could announce it this past Tuesday) TWO 160-page fictional graphic novels, one right after the other. I signed the contract just recently for two books in the series, but they are planning to do 4 I believe. I am working with two authors and the client who owns the intellectual property as the illustrator for this massive project! Sketches are under way for the first book, the first round is "due" May 17--but I have already told the client I need more time and they were very understanding. And the finals should be done in September, then it's on to book two!

Money Talk

I want to talk about payment for these projects as well because, like I have always said, transparency in the freelance industry is extremely important. As a college student I was confused as to why this information seemed so private and was considered "taboo" because salaries for in-house full time positions were basically available on the internet and I could easily access that information to see what other industry professionals were making. 

I understand that some people will still consider it taboo. But I want to make this information accessible for people who don't know about freelance prices, and don't know where to start looking. Every job varies so much, and you have to make sure you're getting the pay you deserve!

Before I give you numbers, here's some vocabulary and things to keep in mind:

Advance: This is the money the artist is paid for the project. Advances are usually one half upon signing and the other half upon completion, from my experiences so far. Of course, it can vary such as being all at once or split up into multiple chunks.

Royalties: This is the money you get from each book that is purchased. I think many people think that artists are getting a ton of money from royalties, and while this can be the case especially if the percentage is large and the book is super successful, it is not as big as a percentage as the common public thinks. 

For picture books/middle grade in the US, the average can be anywhere from 2-10 percent on average. There are so many factors that can change this, but it is usually somewhere around that range. 

The artist also does not start making royalty money until the amount of books sold = the advance pay. Additionally, royalty percentages can sometimes increase as more books are sold. 

Agent Fee: If your agent was the one to find you the job and negotiate the hiring of the illustrator, they take a percentage of the advance payment. That's how agents make money. For instance, mine gets 30% of my advance. However he's a real cool guy so he has cut hit own percentage down a bit on a couple projects now because he sees how much work I am doing, and wants me to get fair pay.

Taxes: What a bitch these are huh! I have not had to deal with these until this year and I'm already sweating and screaming! I'm learning as I go and I'll share what I discover with you, of course. But my point of bringing it up is that I will have to pay taxes on everything that I make. So when I talk about payment, please keep this in mind. 

So let's talk numbers now by breaking each project down--these numbers are BEFORE my agent's cut is taken out, for simplicity's sake:

1. Mushroom Rain: Advance of $8,500 (I think? HAHA--I do not have that information readily accessible right now) which is quite low, but the advances are high: 15% 

2. Second Nonfiction book: Advance of $35k. Royalties for Hardcover: 5% to 25,000 copies, 6.25% thereafter, Paperback: 3%, eBook: 12.5% net

3. Graphic Novel book(s): advance of $50k per book, plus $10k per book for the color. And to clarify, the $10k for color is a flat fee, so that helps me potentially earn out that advance and starting getting royalty checks a little more quickly! Hardcover:  2%, Paperback: 1%  E-book: 5% . These royalties seem really low, and they are. That's because the client actually owns the intellectual property, and normally would not pay the illustrator ANY royalties. Apparently the authors and project lead made a special exception for me though, because they are so excited about the work! 

I should state that since I am currently signed for two books in this graphic novel series, they are paying me for both at once.

I am......busy.

As in, trying to keep balance in my life and working on three books with 6 month deadlines just barely skirting by busy. I cannot wait until I can show you more on the book projects and hopefully film some videos of me actually working on them and showing you what's going through my head as I work. You'll be with me on every bit of this journey, from start to finish!

It's been quite a month of endeavors, especially. I would say that I am going through a personal metamorphosis right now. We're constantly evolving, right? But there are some times that you can feel yourself emerging from a "stagnation cocoon" and it feels so specific. It's like you are on the brink of everything happening at once--and it is so exciting, and scary, and wonderful. 

Previously I talked about how I felt a little stuck and that I'm thinking that Greenville might not be for me. The city didn't feel like home. And it still doesn't--I wasn't meant to live in the heart of a downtown. 

But some thing have happened this month both within and without. I'm falling in love with this place finally, I think. I'm giving it a second chance, and I'm so glad that I am. Watching the seasons change, meeting new people, having hope that things will look different post-covid, a new rock climbing gym being built (this was...a huge part of it), and realizing I'm not obligated to go somewhere else. Greenville is wonderful. It's not perfect--no place is. But I'm not ready to give up on it yet, and I've found a great living situation for when my lease is up in September away from the city.

I cut my hair to a style that feels more gender neutral to me. I finally worked up the bravery (why did it take so long?) to put they/them in my bio. I have decided to finally get a tattoo in May. I rearranged my apartment for the 10th time and this one feels right. I have picked running back up and I love doing it. I'm training my body to focus on my climbing strength in preparation for the gym to open. I have looked from the outside in at myself and seen growth--and told myself I was proud for it. 

There are always going to be ups and downs with my confidence, but I see myself shining like the sun right now, and I'm happy to give myself credit for it. 🌞

I'm getting back to writing down lovely things as they come to me. They are the things that are inspiring me the most. Here's this month's list:

• hearing music from your favorite musician/band in public
• getting a new fluffy comforter for your bed. like oh my god
• character-based pinterest boards and moodboards
• on top of that making WARDROBES for characters
• denim
• youswim 
• walking somewhere with the sole intent to go get a coffee and then bring it home/go for a walk with it
• vegetable/bean-based pastas
• the first flowers of spring
• the sound of a brook or creek
• tank top under overalls!!!
• industrial minimalism aesthetics
• bento making videos
• TOKYO HARE and Cooking Tree youtube channels
• Lil Nas X. Like even just the idea of him I feel thankful for.
• Bernini's sculptures
• new sports/training gear 
• the early morning before dawn
• dawn!
• cottagecore--this is nothing new here, but I just love to revisit it

And lastly, a little sneak peek for sapling and harvest patrons: As I mentioned earlier, I rearranged my living space a bit (and actually hung some--but not all--framed art) This month's video is going to be a much-requested apartment and workspace tour!

Sending you my best for April and hoping you feel a little bit of sunshine on your skin and in your ~soul~.

-JG