Hello, and welcome again to another Weekly Roundup! In the Weekly Roundup, I provide links and summarized information about the crowdfunded projects, creator opportunities, and resources that have caught my eye over the week. I hope you enjoy!
As a note: I am not sponsored by any company, group, or individual listed below or elsewhere on this site unless otherwise listed.
These past few weeks have been tough for many of us in the United States. We vastly underestimated the nation’s xenophobia, homophobia, racism, sexism, and other prejudices held against mentally ill people, disabled people, veterans, the poor, Muslims, and so many others. For many, their worst fears were confirmed. A man who stands for all of these was voted into the presidential office and many of us are horrified, disgusted, and terrified.
I am finding it incredibly difficult to remain positive and be strong. I’m scared for so many of my friends, and shaken that some family members, coworkers, and people around me voted for someone who sees us as Less Than and Other. But I will continue to take my time and do my best. We are not the minority – we are diverse and powerful. You are loved. You are important. And you have to stay here in this world. Together we can face the evils in our society and overcome them. I have to believe that.
Here is a list of some charities and nonprofits to donate to. Thanks Christina!
RAINN is automatically doubling donations made through the month of December.
Here is a list of inclusive volunteer positions organized by state.
Here is a list of opportunities recently collected for marginalized voice actors, musicians, writers, and artists. Thank you Cassandra!
If you are a trans person in need of legal assistance, many people are offering services pro bono. Check the hashtag #TransLawHelp on Twitter or at translawhelp.org.
If you need to talk to someone or otherwise vent, please utilize this list of help hotlines.
Take care and take your time. Your work is more important than ever. Thank you for sharing your originality and openness with the world. You bring light to the days of others, and it is so, so appreciated.
Awards
The Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity is accepting nominations for writers, artists, and creators who work towards:
…Broadening the range of characters portrayed in comics, adding to the variety of creators contributing to the medium, influence on the marketplace and contributions to the advancement of women, minorities and LGBTs in comic books and pop culture.
Nominations are accepted until December 31, 2016, and the award ceremony will take place in Long Beach, California on February 18, 2016. Think about your favorite creators whose work has helped transform the modern comic landscape and give them a chance to get the recognition they deserve!
The results of the 2016 Excellence in Webcomics Award have been announced! See the results here! And make you sure you vote for the Reader’s Choice category by December 11!
Crowdfunded Projects
< /reality > A Visual Novel Project is running a Kickstarter to assist with funding its production. Romance is optional, and your choices affect the plot and character development within the game. Tier options include the game itself, wallpapers, the soundtrack, the artbook, beta access, prints, Steam keys for other games, a Kickstarter-exclusive ending, and more. The Kickstarter ends December 10.
Odod Books Launch: A New Place for Kids Comics! is hosting a Kickstarter to help with production and printing costs of the new children’s graphic novel imprint of Uncivilized Books. Tier options include PDF or print copies of any of the books, sketches, watercolors, and more. The Kickstarter ends December 11.
Seiyuu Crush is running a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo to fund the printing of the webcomic’s first two volumes. Both books will have over 240 pages of content, including the comic itself as well bonus pages. Tier options include postcards, printed editions of volumes 1 and 2, a t-shirt, and character pins. The campaign ends December 12.
Webcomic Orange Junk is holding a Kickstarter to fund the printing of its second, third, and possibly fourth volume. Billed as a love letter to the shoujo manga genre, Orange Junk combines comedy, friendship, and romance in a hilarious (and personally recommended!) package. Tier options include PDF and softcover volumes of any volume of the series, a keychain featuring the character Drew, dakimukura (body pillow cover), a desktop pack, a sticker sheet, and a possible cameo in the comic! The Kickstarter ends on December 14.
Flush Fatale is running a Kickstarter to fund the production of a deck of cards featuring 54 women from history illustrated by 54 women artists. Tier options include the deck of cards, a PDF booklet of the art, and signatures from all of the artists involved. The Kickstarter ends December 18.
Creature Feature is running a Kickstarter to fund the production of its first volume. Totalling at over 148 pages, Creature Feature Volume 1 will collect over two years’ worth of the ongoing NSFW comic series along with never-before-seen bonuses. Tier options include PDF and print versions of the book, wallpapers, mini comics, prints, bookplates, and commissions. The Kickstarter ends December 29, 2016.
Pretty Boys and Animals: A Coloring Book is running a Kickstarter to raise funds for its production. The books will be printed on 190 gsm pure white A4 paper with single-sided pages, great for coloring with marker without heavy bleed. Tier options include PDF and print copies of the book. The Kickstarter ends December 30, 2016.
Ignition Zero is running a Kickstarter to fund the production of the third volume of their comic and the reprinting of its first two volumes. The queer urban fantasy was illustrated completely in ink and watercolors over the last 6 years. Tier options include PDF and softcover versions of the comic volumes, a sew-on patch, custom illustrations, and original comic art. The Kickstarter ends January 4, 2016.
Nerve Endings: The New Trans Erotic is running a Kickstarter to pay its 30 contributors and fund the production of the anthology. Nerve Endings seeks to give writers connected to the trans community the opportunity to discuss sensuality and eroticism on their own terms, rather than through the “by cis people, for cis people” model often featured in popular fictions about trans people. Tier options include ebook and paperback versions of the book, Launch Party digital and VIP invites, additional e-zines and audio stories, poems, smut short stories, illustrations, beautiful handcrafted earrings, and more. The Kickstarter ends January 7, 2017.
Creative Opportunities
General
The Paper Cat Press Holiday Gift Guide has been posted!
Becca Hillburn of Nattosoup released a Holiday Gift Guide for Adult Artists that is full of a lot of great items for cartoonists and illustrators. I especially like the list of items at the bottom for people who can “Spend Only Time.” Talk about a HUGE way to help someone you know and show your support!
Here is a list of publications currently seeking pitches from marginalized creators. Thank you Alaina!
GetMeds‘s December order is open until December 18. Order card wallets, cushions, full straps, notebooks, prism posters, and stamps.
Check the Lemma Soft Forums for paid work related to visual novel and game development, including project management, illustration, voice acting work, animation, sprite creation, writing, coding, and more.
Check this list for an assortment of different opportunities linked through Twitter. Thank you Cassandra!
Animation
Blizzard has a number of opportunities available in a variety of fields, including 3D Animation, Technical Writing, Public Relations, Security, and more.
Cloth Cat Animation is looking for 2D Animators in Cardiff Bay for a project beginning in December.
Here is a survey for Women Professionals in Animation. If you work in animation and identify as a woman, please submit your anonymous information to this survey to inform and assist current and future animators.
You can find a directory of currently open animation jobs at animatedjobs.com! Companies like DHX Media, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and others have a number of open full-time, part-time, and freelance positions available, including social media, editing, and teaching.
Comics, Illustration, and More
Lucy Knisley is looking for illustrators to create a print to benefit Planned Parenthood. Sign up using your email and select an important American activist for women’s rights to illustrate.
The Fair Page Rates annual survey is live! If you’ve worked professionally as a comic artist this year, fill out the survey to help inform yourself and other artists in the future.
Tee Franklin is looking for colorists, specifically those who can color POC in various skin tones, for a paid gig. Email your portfolio to vixenvarsity [at] gmail.com to be considered.
WebComicChat is looking for volunteer illustrators to be featured in the weekly round of questions. Check here for available topics or for more information on how to apply.
The Yaoi Army is hiring a Main Illustrator and Graphic Designer for an upcoming RPG bishounen card game. Email your portfolio to theyaoiarmy [at] gmail.com.
Viz is looking for an Art Director, Designer, and other positions.
Resist! is seeking comic (especially 1/2 or 1 page comics) and illustration submissions for a special issue of Gabe Fowler’s tabloid newspaper Smoke Signal. Submit by December 10 to be considered.
Everyday Champion, a zine celebrating the Shiratorizawa zine from Haikyuu, is accepting applications for art and writing until December 12.
What Can I Do: A Comic Book for Hard Political Times is accepting submissions of comic artists and political actions. You will be contacted between December 5 and 11, so be sure to submit before then if you’re interested.
Dead Lights Horror Fiction Magazine is accepting submissions of cover and interior horror art through December 15. Interior art pay is $5-$10 and cover art pay ranges from $40 to $80.
The Haikyuu Ghibli Zine is looking for artists and writers to submit applications by December 15.
Nasty Women for Planned Parenthood is accepting applications for their Nasty Women Zine featuring moments in history featuring women (cis, trans, pos, differently abled, and otherwise). Submit illustrations, one to three page comics, prose, and poetry through December 15. Contributors will not be paid, but donations for the zine will be given to Planned Parenthood.
Heroic Shenanigans is hosting a giveaway for a chance to receive a signed volume of Heroic Shenanigans and a bookmark. Enter by December 17 for a chance to win!
The Ghost PKMN Zine is accepting submissions through December 20. Proceeds will be donated to facial feminization surgery for Elexa Kendall.
The MatsuHana Fanzine is seeking artist and writers. Apply by December 20 to be considered. See here for more information.
Cabin Fever Art Zine is accepting submissions until December 22. The theme for the zine is “winter.” Check here for submission guidelines.
The Yuri on Ice Charity Fanzine has applications open until December 26.
Comics for Choice has an open call for submissions for comics covering abortion rights with proceeds going to the National Network of Abortion Funds. Submit by December 30 to be considered.
StArt Faire magazine is accepting submissions for their December issue until December 29. You are welcome to submit ongoing comic series, one-shots, and advertisements for free.
Tim’rous Beastie is accepting comic submissions for stories of all genres involving anthropomorphic, intelligent animals. Pitch by January 2 to be considered.
Stacked Deck Press has opened submissions for the anthology We’re Still Here, an anthology by and for trans cartoonists. Submit your pitches by January 9, 2017.
State of the Union, an upcoming digital zine featuring black and white color illustrations, comics, prose, poetry, and more, is accepting submissions until January 13, 2017. The zine will be available for free online. Donated proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood.
Weekly Shonen Magazine and MediBang are hosting a manga contest! Submit your completed comic by January 12, 2017 for the chance to have your work reviewed by Weekly Shonen Magazine editors. Simply post your comic of 50 pages or less and MediBang will translate it. Winners will have an editor assigned to them to help develop your comic further. Grand prize winners will also be published in Weekly Shonen Magazine’s manga app Magazine Pocket.
Little, Brown’s Emerging Artist Award is accepting entries until January 15, 2017. Submitted mockups should invoke the diversity and rich cultural experiences in America. Potential prizes include $2500 in American Express gift cards, round trip travel to New York City, and a one-day mentorship with the Little, Brown book design and editorial team and Jerry Pinkney.
Light Grey Art Lab has extended its call for submissions for its show The Lost Isle of Kismet: A Choose Your Own Adventure Exhibit. Artists will be grouped into teams that will each help create the immerse world for this unique and interactive gallery show. Submit by January 20, 2017 to be considered. Final artwork will be due March 1, 2017.
Nature and Humans: A Comic Anthology is accepting comic submissions until January 30. Final submissions will need to be between 4-8 pages and in full color. Payment for art to be determined be funds raised through crowdfunded after the book is printed and shipped.
Level-8 Comics is hosting a Design a Character competition for creators ages 5-15 until January 31, 2017. Design one hero and one villain to be drawn and featured in issue 1 of Late Knights: A Sense of Steel.
Gothic Tales of Haunted Love is accepting applications until February 1, 2017. About 10 applications will be accepted into the anthology, to be paid $50 per page with potential bonuses. Final submissions should be gothic romance comics 1-10 pages in length.
The Indigenous Love Comic Collection is accepting submissions of completed art, comics, essays, and poems for inclusion in an anthology published by Native Realities Press by February 1, 2017.
Hellcat Press is accepting applications for their upcoming Tales from the Public Domain anthology until February 28, 2017. Creative teams will be paid $20 for up to ten pages of black and white work and will retain copyright of their work.
The Silent Manga Audition announced its seventh run of its worldwide dialogue-free comic competition. The theme is “unforgettable taste.” Entries are due by March 31, 2017.
Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic that previously published Raina Telgemeier’s Smile, Jeff Smith’s Bone, and Kazu Kibuishi’s Amulet, is accepting submissions for graphic novelists creating works for children and teens. Visit their site for more information. The deadline to apply is April 1, 2017.
Submissions for 2017’s If Anthology are open. The theme is “crime” and the soft deadline is May 1, 2017. Contributors will be compensated with 1 book per page.
Jerry’s Art-A-Rama is hosting a number of art contests, some ongoing and some requiring specific materials. Check what’s open and see if you can qualify.
Check out Arts for LA or College Art Opportunities for more exhibition, residency, and grant opportunities. See Find Anthologies for a list of anthologies with open submissions and to submit anthologies of your own.
Conventions and Events
Con or Bust has free tickets available for people of color for a number of upcoming conventions, including ConFusion and MidSouthCon.
Rose City Comic Con is accepting applications for their artist alley.
CAKE, the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo, is accepting exhibitor applications until December 12.
Akimatsuri ’16 is accepting applications for vendors for their 1-day Vancouver event held on December 17.
SakuraCon will open its Artist Alley applications from 8PM PST December 25 to 8am PST December 27. Artists will be selected by lottery.
VanCaf (the Vancouver Comic Arts Festival) has exhibitor applications open until January 6, 2017.
GeekGirlCon is looking for volunteers to help plan next year’s convention. Check the site for open positions, or sign up for the mailing list to hear more!
Music
@JkaplanAW is searching for a composer for a future yuri visual novel project. Ideally the composer would be comfortable creating music stylistically somewhere between jazz and classical, making use of acoustic guitar and piano.
Residencies
Check out Arts for LA or College Art Opportunities for exhibition, residency, and grant opportunities.
Scholarships
Here’s a list of 102 college and graduate scholarships available for women of color!
Female-identifying US residents 13 years of age or older are invited to apply for the Search for Hidden Figures, a scholarship for women pursuing education and careers in STEM fields. Winners have a chance to receive up to $50,000 in scholarship money, amongst other prizes. Enter by December 10 to be considered.
Cards Against Humanity is funding the Science Ambassador Scholarship, now accepting applications until December 11, 2016. The scholarship will cover full tuition for up to four years of an undergraduate degree for a woman studying science, engineering, or math.
Teaching
Columbus College of Art and Design is hiring a Comics Illustration Assistant Professor, among other faculty and staff positions.
Sign up to teach at Skillshare to earn royalties based on the premium member students in your class. See here for additional information.
Translation
Cheritz is looking for a Korean to Spanish or English to Spanish translator for their future game projects. They would prefer an employee based in Korea available to work 9:30am to 6:30pm.
Voice Acting
Check the Casting Call Club and Voice Acting Alliance for more voice acting and audio opportunities.
Writing and Editing
Rookie is looking for an Associate Editor. Apply by December 12 for consideration.
Brave Boy World: A Transman Anthology is accepting submissions featuring transmen leads in science fiction stories until December 15. Nonbinary, intersex, or genderfluid characters are welcome so long as they identify strongly as male or question and consider masculinity. Writers need not be trans, though works should be sensitive to the trans experience.
PITCH, a graphic novel anthology that caters to comic writers, is accepting submissions until December 15, 2016. The script should be suited for a 12-page comic. Accepted entrants will receive $70 USD as compensation, as well as retainment of the rights of their story and credit as the writer.
Entangled Publishing is seeking 2-3 interns, mostly to assist with YA titles but also with adult romance. POC, LGBTQ+, neuroatypical, and disable applicants are encouraged. Position is unpaid and remote. Apply by December 18 for consideration.
For Us, By Us: A Zine on Black Mental Health is accepting submissions of artwork, essays, photography, and poetry until December 20. Click here to submit.
Handtype Press is seeking submissions from writers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Stories should be at least 500 words and at most 4000 words, with elements of science fiction, horror, fantasy, the supernatural, and/or magical realism. Submissions are due by December 31, 2016.
Book Smugglers Publishing is seeking submissions for an anthology on the theme of Gods and Monsters. Length must be between 1500 and 17,500 words in length. Payment is $0.06 per word, up to $500. Submissions are due by December 31, 2016.
Fiyah Lit Mag is seeking submissions of fiction and poetry for their Summer 2017 issue with the theme “Spilling Tea”. Submissions are due by January 1, 2017. Check here for more information and details.
Tor is accepting submissions of fantasy novellas between 20,000 and 40,000 words. The story’s world must be one not modeled on European cultures. Submissions close January 12, 2017. Tor is also accepting pitches for essays, think pieces, reviews, and similar content with a final length of 1000 to 2000 words.
State of the Union, an upcoming digital zine featuring black and white color illustrations, comics, prose, poetry, and more, is accepting submissions until January 13, 2017. The zine will be available for free online. Donated proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood.
Lambda Literary Writer’s Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices is accepting applications until January 30, 2017. 12 students per workshop spend a week attending intensive classes, workshops, and lectures featuring reknowned voices in modern queer storytelling, such as Malinda Lo and Phillip Howze, and other publishing industry professionals.
The newly launched Argot Magazine is seeking submissions about queer and marginalized experiences. Click here for more on their mission as well as their pay rates.
Beyond the Binary is seeking non-binary contributors, prioritizing people of color, low income people, and disabled people.
Online monthly magazine The Dark is accepting submissions from 2000 to 6000 words in length. Encouraged genres include horror and dark fantasy, but graphic, violent horror is not desired. Payment is $0.03/word for up to 6000 words. Republishing payment is $0.01/word.
Hello Equality is seeking trans and POC writers for their website. Speak on issues related to LGBTQ+ people, feminism, or pop culture topics.
Horror-Writers.net is seeking submissions of horror fiction and articles related to the horror genre.
Random House’s digital-only imprint Hydra has open submissions for completed works in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror categories. There is no word count limit for submissions, but full-length works of 40,000 words or more are preferred. Accepted writers will be assigned to a Random House editor, marketer, and publicist. Response time is usually 2-4 weeks.
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group is seeking an Editor in New York.
Pink Narcissus Press is seeking complete novel and novella manuscripts of 50,000 words or more. They are interested in well-written but non-mainstream speculative fiction with strong elements of sci-fi or fantasy.
StArt Faire Magazine is seeking interviewers, reviews, tutorials, and prose for their monthly e-magazine.
Videodame is seeking contributors for their monthly guest residency. Contributors will be paid $50 for 1-4 pieces about or inspired by games and gaming culture.
Vox Media is looking for a writing fellow to pitch, write, and create visual content focused on race and ethnicity and how they intersect with other identities. The position is based in either NYC or Washington, DC.
Check out writingcareer.com for a list of calls for submission!
Resources
Read this thread of tweets by Anoosha for information on the benefits of having an illustration agent.
Becca Hillburn of Nattosoup uploaded posts on Hacking the Pentel Pocket Brush Pen, a Holiday Gift Guide for Artists, and a Review of the Fluid 100 Block of Watercolor Paper. She also released a video on Coloring Dark Skin Tones with Alcohol Markers.
Becca Hillburn is not only a provider of extensive, honest, and high-quality product reviews and tutorials, she’s a full-time comic artist and illustrator passionate about children’s lit and helping others. Check out her store, her book, or her Patreon and send her a “thank you” message if you can!
The Center for Cartoon Studies has a One-Week Cartooning Workout available to you for free through email sign up.
The Creative Market offers new free resources each week. Sign up via email to be alerted each Monday!
I updated my post about the costs of online storefronts and marketplaces. Pricing is now accurate as of 10/31/16 and information about itch.io has been added!
Jetpens posted guides on Dark Green and Dark Teal Fountain Pen Ink and Red Ink Comparisons. They also released a Gift Guide for the upcoming winter holidays, with gift ideas for artists, writers, students, your officemates, and more!
OMI is hosting a giveaway on her Instagram! Follow, like, and leave a comment here for a chance to win a cool Pokemon keychain. Plus, you’ll get to see all of OMI’s amazing art!
Deals
Daniel José Older is hosting a class on Skillshare on Storytelling Fundamentals. Use this link to take the class for free and get 3 free months of Skillshare.
Jerry’s Art-A-Rama is having a sale with hundreds of art supplies on sale for $1 and $2. Check it out!
You can check the hashtag #drawdrive on Twitter to find creatives who are donating their time and effort for responsible nonprofits that will work to defend the freedoms and rights of our nation’s most marginalized people.
Giveaways
Manga Test Drive is hosting a manga giveaway. Leave a comment by December 25 describing your favorite comic from this year for a chance to win a $25 gift card.
Sentai Filmworks is hosting a Fill Your Own Sentai Stocking! Sweeptakes. Enter automatically with any purchase from the Sentai shop or by filling out the form. Winners will create their own prize package featuring a DVD or BluRay, a Sentai shirt, and a convention bag. Winners will be announced December 19.
Follow cetriya and comment in this journal for a free advance reader copy of Axiom: A Parallax.
That’s it for this week! Look out for another post next week with these categories and possibly more. Is there something you’d like to see more of? Something you know about but don’t see here? Comments and suggestions as this year comes to a close and a new one begins? Let me know!
Link to the previous Roundup: Weekly Roundup – December 2, 2016
paper cat press 