Why Gag Writers Should Work With Illustrators

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Photo by Fotolia/Denis Pepin
Gag writers can land more jobs by teaming up with an illustrator.

Gag writers are funny people — they really are. Particularly when you face the fact that 80 percent of all published cartoons are written by them and not the cartoonist.

We inkstained churls can titter all we like about gag writers thinking themselves more important to cartoondom than they really are, but when the batches are ready for mailing, we cannot (dreamers though we may be) fail to admit a hell of a lot of us would, many times, be up the proverbial creek had we no faithful, talented gag writer to churn up the basic idea or complete idea ready to be decorated with characterization, perspective, and styling.

I say this simply because — in addition to drawing cartoons — I write cartoon ideas. This makes me a gag writer, doesn’t it? It must. I write ideas for my own drawings. I’ve written them for other, more proficient artists and I’ve sold typed ideas directly to various magazines.

Don’t knock gag writers to this gag writer, boys. I’m too sympathetic to the breed.

But I must also admit that most gag writers are missing the boat in a very profitable field, and have been missing it for Lo, these long years. That’s funny too.

  • Published on Jan 1, 1970
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