Basic Instructions, Part 1

Several months ago I clicked on a web link that led me to a comic called Basic Instructions, by Scott Meyer. I thought, “Damn, this is good.” So I sent him my compliments via e-mail.

Scott replied, expressing deep suspicion that I was really the Dilbert cartoonist and not some a-hole yanking his chain. I thought, “Damn, he’s cynical and paranoid. He’s a natural cartoonist.”

Somehow I convinced him I was real. Over the course of the next few months I offered him some tips for getting syndicated in newspapers. It dawned on me that my blog readers might want to follow that conversation, like a reality show, and see if my sage advice can help a talented unknown hit the big time.

You can help. Over the next month or more, with Scott’s permission, I’ll give you updates showing my advice and his responses. Your comments will guide us. When his work gets to the point where I think he should submit it for syndication, I’ll show him how that’s done and let you follow along.

Yes, he is a lucky bastard. But talent causes luck, so it’s not a complete accident.

First, let me catch you up. Start where I did, at his web page, and check out some of his work as I first saw it. Be sure to read his comic titled “How to Disguise a Yawn.”

http://www.basicinstructions.net/

The format Scott uses fits his writing style perfectly. Unfortunately, that physical shape, and his wordiness, won’t sell to major newspapers. Newspapers are looking for single-panel strips like Bizarro, or the three-or-four panel strips like Dilbert. And the words have to be large enough for their older subscribers to read. That means less wordiness and larger text.

My first advice to Scott was to put the comic in strip format and reduce the wordiness to improve its marketability. Multi-panel strips are easier to sell than single-panel strips because newspapers use more of them.

A change in format is a huge decision for a cartoonist. Cartoonists tend to be natural single-panel writers or natural multi-panel writers. If I tried to put Dilbert in one panel, it would fall flat. If Gary Larsen had written The Far Side in more than one panel, I think he would have flopped. Douglas Adams needed a whole page for a joke. Henny Youngman needed one sentence. I think those differences are hard coded. You need to find the format that fits your writing.

After a few rounds of trying to fit into the strip format, here are a few samples of what Scott came up with.

I’ll have lots more advice on making it more marketable. But now it’s your turn. What do you think?

Comments

[Kexy]

The comic was really funny,Good conversation is going on..

[James]

Been reading this blog since it was a newsletter, but never had reason to post.

Basic instructions is awesome. Perhaps even more so than dilbert. *sorry* Every single panel is funny!

Can't say I can think of another comic I like better, though other one-panel comics come close (like Bizzaro).

With all the attention this post is generating, is syndication necessary?

26, male.

[Michelle]

Name: Michelle
Age: 35

I guess I will be much more succint than others. Here is what I don't like:

1. Only need intro on first panel.
2. The characters need to face each other more, or look up. Looking down looks weird.
3. Needs more background in his art.
4. He tends to put a punchline in every frame. Use the last frame for the punchline. Otherwise, it seems like three or four comics in one panel.
5. No emotion; meaning, no exclamation points, etc. He's not getting the tone of the statement across. It's hard to do in words; needs to improve on that.

There are a number of cartoons that I like; both in the paper, and those out of syndication. I also like User Friendly (www.userfriendly.org), which is very well written, but only available online.

So here are some of my favs:

1. Calvin and Hobbes
2. Bloom County (my absolute fav)
3. Cathy
4. Far Side
5. User Friendly

Anyway, that's my two cents, for what it's worth.

Michelle

[Xerxes Gusmão]

Xerxes Gusmão, professor da U.V.V., é um grande filho da puta!

[Chris]

Her - What do you want to do?
Me - How about the mall?
Her - I don't feel like walking around.
Me - How about coffee?
Her - I'm not in the mood.
Me - How about rollerblading?
Her - It's too hot outside.
Me - What do YOU want to do?
Her - I don't care. You decide.

[turkey goblet]

I like the other way, CHANGE IT BACK!!!!

[REM]

You seemed to have missed the point Bob. Any stiff can use a Wacom Tablet. It's not the method of presentation, it's the content that's important. Hard work is involved in conceiving something original and definitely funny. I don't think technique takes precedence to idea in Mr. Meyers mind. If his work looks like others (to you).... well...whatever. Paper and sissors, spit and polish, horsehair and string.. who cares how easy it appears, or what means are employed to convey the idea. If technique - STYLE -was the most vital thing in the Cartoon Equasion, more cartoonists would be successful. Could I draw "Dilbert"?... maybe... do I possess the same twisted (in a good way) sense of humor to make it a success? ... no way. Cartoonists who only copied Mr. Larsen's visual style.... bombed, as they failed to appreciate the need for the-"uniquely funny"- bit of the equasion.. Artists really are a dime a dozen, unless their thinking is new.
If Mr. Meyer truely has that comedic spark that transends others of a similiar "visual ilk" - and I think he does- he should be very successful. Personally, I don't like the cartoon "Cathy", but somehow it works quite well for others (visually and intellectually) ...yet who am I to pass judgement on their background or taste (no matter what my credentials). Ultimately, if he is fortunate, the public will be the decider of Mr. Meyer's worth and talent, not you or I (as it should be).

[Bob Eckstein]

No, I wasn't being sarcastic, just honestly commenting my opinion. I brought up my creditials just to state where this opinion was coming from, that I had been a cartoonist and not someone without any background in the field. Looking back, you're right, it comes across as boosting or defending, whatever.

I love the Wacom Tablet and use it myself. I agree with what you say regarding it only being a tool but not as a way to getting around hard work and subsequently doing something others already do, making Xerox copies or using clip-art and then attaching funny comments. This is a funny technique but only the first few times (not times Scot uses it, but amount of cartoonists out there whose work along side Mr. Meyer's work in a blindfold test you would not be able to distingish) – I've seen many similiar cartoons. That's the problem with using this style unless it's you who originally came up withthe style. You have not seen other cartoons almost identical? If not, you are a poor judge of what the competittion is out there. Your reference to Gary Larson makes no sense – it's oranges and apples – whether anyone liked it or not (it wasn't my thing), Larson's look and style of humor was groundbreaking and, similliar to my argument here, I frown apon Gary Larson copycats who exist out there.

I think this trend of using repeating panels has taken off because it's easy to make comments a la Science Mystery Theartre – it's way more difficult to create an envirnoment and family of characters from scratch and go from there. You can make a funny cartoon just taking clip art of an office scene and adding these posts to those people having an argument. None of this has anything to do with Scot Meyer's marketablity which I don't pretend to guess – I just think there's nothing original with that style nor was it any funnier than those other cartoons in this same style.

[REM]

I don't get Bob Eckstein's comments. Were they trying to be funny? Informative? Self promotional? or Just snarky? Any success demands hard work... duh... just as any success commands a bit of luck as well (like someone willing to recognize and promote budding talent). Objections to a Wacom Tablet ??? IT'S ONLY A TOOL (simular to a cartoonists' pen and ink). Funny is funny. Many of us know a ton of artists who can render perfectly, yet have the humour of roadkill. Mr. Meyer's format might be questionable (to some) but content will dictate success ultimately. When Gary Larsen began, he was just hoping to pay the rent....his work drew incredibly negative reaction from those unable or unwilling to "get" the humour... and his drawing style was slammed....somehow, he didn't do too badly in the end. Keep up the good work Scott, your humor is priceless (and unique)!

[Bob Eckstein]

Sorry, but don't understand this cartoon garnering attention – there are dozens of similiar, tracing-with-Wacom tablet-with-snarky-remarks-a-la-Mysery-Science-Theatre-overdabs cartoons. There is nothing original about his work – he's excellent at copying this latest trend which has taken the spit and personality out of drawing and self-expression.

But I think it's very generous for you to reach out and help a follow cartoonist (I've only tried in small ways through my blog sharing the business part of cartooning – I'm a full-time cartoonist (TimeOut, NY Times, New Yorker. My main advice to my students has been to understand that it's a very competitive business and be ready to work hard. www.freelancerslament.com )

[Simon Gear]

Until now, I've only loved two other cartoonists on first glance: Larson and Watterson. Even Dilbert took me a few months to twig (I'm clearly not quite as gifted as Bobby, alas). I can now make that three.

This guy is really, really good.

[Rebecca S]

Actually, it reminds me of my favorite books by you, How to Build a Better Life by Stealing Office Supplies and Clues for the Clueless. Those books still make me laugh, and they're still so true.

And I like this comic too. I hope he does well.

[Ingo]

dany's right, Douglas Adams had great one-liners.

But often, he needed a page for a dozen jokes, all entwined. :-)

Actually, sometimes he needed several books for a joke (you only get to know why the bowl of petunia thought "Not again" in the third book - tho I rather suppose that he just couldn't think of an explanation earlier...).

[sparky]

I think he uses a vocabulary that the majority of Americans will not understand. Ennui? Malaise?
Then again, the majority of Americans don't read newspapers. Maybe it's a natural fit for syndication.

At any rate, it's great - and I subscribed via Bloglines. Thanks for the selfless dedication to finding us more entertainment, Scott.

[dajolt]

I don't really like cartoons that look like a digital photo painted over with a Wacom Artpad. I really dispise, when the same "drawing" is used in two or more panels, because then it becomes clear that the source is photos and the Artist can't draw consistently. This ruins it for me completely.

The newer format has no repeats. This is nicer.

[Rob W]

I don't think the large four panel would sell which is to bad because it's great. Personally I loved How to Justify an Extravagant Purchase to Your Spouse which fits my wife and I perfectly!! I've added Mr. Myers to my RSS fead!

[Matthew Kovich]

I think that's the funniest F***ing comic I've read since Dilbert.

It's way funnier than F-Minus, (although F-Minus is still pretty funny).

[o]

it reminds me of the 'fighting / filing' technique cartoons :

http://www.mnftiu.cc/mnftiu.cc/filing.001.html

only not as crude. yet.

[Matt McNamara]

I admire the fact that you're essentially apprenticing this cartoonist. I think that all of us, in whichever fields we work, have an obligation to reach out and selflessly guide another person.

But not for free. You have to ask one thing in return: that some day, when Scott is in a comfortable position of success, that he passes along the favor.

[tim]

Worst thing about this comic, not updatedly frequently enough.
I mean with 3 sets of instructions about how to think of ideas, you'd think he'd have it all figured out by now.
I prefer the 4 panel variety, but that is likely because i have seen many more of them. I would suggest be flexible, 4 panel sometimes, but if the joke is a 3 panel joke, take a panel out. Hopefully he makes it big so he can quit his job (even though he just got a raise) and do this comic full time.

[Glen]

I like the strip format over the original and the humor. The one thing I did not like about the art was that I could not tell the ladies were ladies. They all looked like men to me at first read.

[Chris]

I really enjoyed the strip, and add me to those who added it to the RSS feed. His sort of wordy style works for me, but I like to read. I don't see that having big success in the tiny-sized comics pages, but I can totally see a great tear-off calendar (beside my Dilbert one, of course) and a book of his comics.

I think its greatest appeal is that he addresses questions that everyone thinks about once in awhile. His humor might not appeal to everyone but the situation does. While I'm no comics executive, I could see it as a Sunday strip, giving it a large enough forum to accommodate his wordiness.

[Rin]

I think the comics lost a lot with the new format. I'd be much more likely to purchase a compilation of the old-style ones than the new.

[Khiri]

I think the format works well for Scott's humor.

Love "How to Remember Names"! It's a scream!!!

[Jaime]

He should syndicate in the format provided in the example, and then continue to provide the strips in their original four-square format on his website. People, I have noticed, tend to really appreciate being in a cult-like internet following and having "special" strips to read on the webpage will help ppl to feel more connected to him. Perez Hilton is a great example of this. He has already gained his fame via his online blog. Now he is getting a TV show. And the original ppl who read his blog for years are like, "Yay, congrats Perez! You're my man!" and such. And the new ppl who are checking out his blog because they saw something about him on the news or on a show are like, "Wow, this guy is really loved." Hope this helps

[Mokkery]

My advice is to read lots of instruction manuals and see how they do it. (Avoid the poorly interpreted ones, though!).

Consider this line from “How to remove clutter.”

“Take the items that you are removing and sort them into three groups. Items to throw away, items you’re giving to charity, and items you can sell.”

It could be rewritten as:

“Sort your items into three groups – (1) Throw away, (2) give to charity, (3) sell.”

Or maybe…

“Step 1: Sort your items into three groups.
• Throw away
• Give to charity
• Sell.”

It cuts the word count down, and it also looks more like a set of instructions (i.e. ‘Basic Instructions’)

Also:

[Scott replied, expressing deep suspicion that I was really the Dilbert cartoonist and not some a-hole yanking his chain.]

I didn’t know those two things were mutually exclusive. ;)

[Neep]

I think the strip lost a bit through the downsizing. It was still funny, but not as funny.

I would prefer it in the current version he's using, but I wouldn't begrudge him actualy... you know, making a living off of his comic.

[Cristen Caine]

I notice that Meyer is a morning person, as, I believe, is Adams. Another clue, perhaps, to the mystery of why some people make it and some don't (I'm currently a lapsed morning person, getting older, but I'm going to reclaim those mornings!).

[Jerry]

I love basic instrutions. The bald headed dude looks and acts just like a friend of mine! I like the four panel format but I think the two panel sample works well, too. It's a good way to stretch one day's worth of material into an entire week!

[goodpeople]

My advice : don't sell it to anglo-saxons newspaper who are looking for single-panel strips like garfield or snoopy.
He should search for a publisher to sell it in book like "500 ideas to fritter away his time at work" http://www.ventsdouest.com/dyn/ventsdouest/08pleinecran/accueil2.asp?url=http%3A//www.ventsdouest.com/jim-500-idees-pour-glander-au-boulot-9782869676114.htm

Most of french cartoons are sold in books, and (almost) never sold to newspapers.

Only bestsellers like asterix or titeuf are sold to TV magazine.

By the way if you think it is a wordiness cartoon, never read achille talon :D http://www.rouge-cerise.net/dotclear/images/culturelosph%C3%A9rique/livres/AchilleTalon_Napotalon_unique.jpg
( 7 millions of books sold )

[AB]

"Over the course of the next few months I offered him some tips for getting syndicated in newspapers"
I hope for your sake that Scott Meyer asked for these nuggets of wisdom.

Consider his life before - happy drawing and creating cartoons for his own pleasure and profit - and now you are changing him into a deadline driven monkey as a syndicated work slave.
You're a cruel man Scott. I hope you don't come knocking on my door with any of your "free advice" or "Basic Instructions".

Perhaps you could do a Dogbert where he gives free advice and actually ruins someones life. No wait - you do that already.

Shit - you've become Dogbert !

I'm thinking that you are only trying to help him because he has the same first name as you ?

[Jon]

Your suggestions are better, though his strip still sucks.

[Chris]

At first I didn't think the strip was funny...now, a day later, I can't stop reading them. They are perfect as-is.

[Ray]

Yeah, help the guy out, make his day.

His comics are really good, i've already forwarded the link to a few friends.

You're one of the good guys Scott.

[Nikki]

If I want to read, I read blogs and books. I prefer my comics to be the shorter strip variety like Dilbert. So I think the rewritten version of this new comic as a strip works much better.
It all comes down to taste. I never really liked comic books or graphic novels, either, but I adore huge books like The Stand.
The bigger 4 panel version would do well on the web, and I think likely attract people who enjoy comic books and graphic novels. But for newspapers and syndication, the shorter strip version is much nicer.

[Stef]

I absolutly love what he is doing, and I think I prefer it the way it is now..
That from someone how don't enjoy comics strips so much
(I prefer graphic novel).
In 3 panels strip it migth sell to newspapers but I think publishing it in magazines the way it appears now would bring him more fame in the long run.
As I'm not a USA resident, it's clear that it as a international appeal too.

[graeme]

Now that I can actually load it, the laugh out loud factor is quite high...I love it

[Ivan]

I read one and then I couln't stop reading several others. This guy is good!!

[Rudy Malmquist]

I think it would be interesting to see what your comic looks like drawn in the 4 panel format with more text. Adams, can you cross over?

[BobUK]

The guy is absolutely hilarious! His wife is pretty funny too (see the "How to have a guest cartoonist draw your strip" strip).

For those who don't like the four panel version for being too long, stop texting and farting around with Facebook/Myspace and read a book once in a while. Having the attention span of a retarded goldfish is nothing to boast about.

I think Scott is right that the altered strips will work well in newspapers - they are just as funny as the original format. But Mr Meyer shouldn't give up on the four panel variety - they would work very well with all sorts of merchandise - and might find a space in a Sunday strip or the back page of a suitable magazine/specialist newspaper (although I can't think what that might be at the moment).

[Suki the Ocicat]

Scott M can draw and is talented.
Yet just for the sake of the marketability, he can delete explanations altogher. Please think of Haiku poetry. Very short phrases with striking implication - affluent images automatically filled in the readers' mind or something like that.

Now everybody add him to your MySpace friends!
:)

[Jisp]

Blasphemy!!! Scott, this little blog spot of yours amuses me no end. Your comics do not. To even imagine for a second that you are in the same league as Gary Larsen is just pure masturbation on your part. Enjoy the sensation bro.

[Scott]

Wow...here are some things I learned about the readers of this blog.

They are inpatient, don't like to read, can't understand 'complicated' plots in a comic, don't have time to read lots of words (then why are they reading this blog I wonder?).

Basic Instructions is really funny. Like any comic, it is a work in progress, best of luck to Scott Meyer.

[Mark Mattis]

Hopefully, this attempt to "help" a young cartoonist turns out better than the way you "helped" unfit.

[avidday]

This is one of the funniest comics I have ever read. 'Nuff said.

[checkm]

I think the strip is really funny. And the format change can work because the current style gives him about twice as much material for the new format. He can visit a subject 2 or 3 days in a row.

[Doogs]

Oops, now you've done it Scott - recommending a comic that's even funnier than yours! Still, don't worry; I even find Garfield amusing ;)

[Randy]

I don't get it ... Phil Collins is the shit.

This is funny stuff! Teach a child about sex ... and not about the facts of life. bahahahahahaha!

[wauter]

Hmmm everybody seemed to have missed your point on "trying to give advice on how to improve its marketability"? Anyway, my first thoughts:

The first one could have a funnier last panel, the response of the guy should also contain a physics reference or something. ("change is only relevant to who observes it" ? I'm not the cartoonist here)

The "tomorrow..." text is obsolete, nobody cares. The less text a cartoon contains, the better!
Related to that: the "how to..." title should maybe span all over the 3 panels, or maybe even just be above the comic? The less text is in it, the better. Maybe just call the comic "How to..." and only include the rest of the title in the first panel?

Loose the gradients. Newspapers dont print gradients.

[Jam]

Your going to have to do some marketing magic to get this one published I think. When I first looked at the comic, I was like ‘What the hell is this’ I didn’t even want to read em, something just put me off about them. However, I after I read a few I found myself laughing at a high percentage of them. I read thru a ton in the archives.

I just don’t know how your going to get the average joe-reader to give it a chance....

[Joel Odom]

I read the ones on his web site, and they were okay. The new format that you have on your blog is really good.

[JayN]

I think the strip works really well, the four panel is OK but a bit inconsistent. Sometimes it leads to a 4th panel punchline sometimes panels 2-3 are all standalones against the set up in panel 1. I like the style. Sent it on to everyone who I think will appreciate it. Hope we're not driving you to poor house with bandwith bills Mr Meyers!

[Peter]

Sorry, i liked it better before you "fixed" it. Perhaps it will sell better - you'd know better than me - but i think it loses alot.

[charlie]

To be honest, I like his comic more than Dilbert, and I like it better in the old format.

[wernman]

Wow, what a great strip! It's got the "getting me where I live" appeal that made Dilbert such a success, except it's at home not work, which is great because no one's tackled that venue yet like Dilbert owned the workplace.

As such, it's very refreshing. You laugh about it the rest of the day because you can relate to it.

But the great thing is it's not cynical. Every other cartoon I've seen that's tried this venue just feels like it's putting people down all the time. Those who can't be truely funny seem to try to just disguise their cynacism as humor but it never works in the long run.

But Basic Instructions is different. The name is catchy; frankly as a guy, I could use a few so I was naturally drawn to it. And it's real without being cynical.

Going from the square to the strip format is great advice. Instead of "3 Ways to ..." all at once, do 1 way each day in strip format & you've got half a week's worth of material.

I like it; I hope it makes it.

Scott Adams, thanks for helping this guy out. I've seen you do this before (like trying to help out the "Pearls Before Swine" guy -- what a cynical "people put-down" strip that was) and it's a very good thing. You have a good heart that sees outside yourself. Way to give back.

[Alan]

I stopped looking at your first new comics find (Cow and Boy). It was ok, but didn't add anything Calvin and Hobbes hasn't done already and better. Your second find (F Minus) is still too early to tell for me - I haven't gotten hooked like with Larson or Bizarro, but maybe.

I like Basic Instructions immediately. My impression of the tastes of the American public is that it is too wordy, too intelligent and the female characters in particular are not attractive enough. I hope I'm wrong, because I like it a lot and hope to see more.

I've seen the big, multi-line and multi-panel format in student newspapers and a few magazines and he uses it well. But you're right that newspapers won't go with that except for the Sunday comics. So he wouldn't have to give up his preferred style, just save it for where it can really be used to best effect once per week.

[PurleyMac]

Scott.

Personally I preferred the original format and some of them are very funny. The strip panel just did not have the same impact for me.

Part of the appeal is the quality of the drawing but the best cartoons (Dilbert, Charlie Brown etc) have a lot of white space which aids clarity/comprehension. Scott may find that when produced on paper rather than PC monitor it does not look so good and may even be unreadable if the print quality is a bit dodgy.

[Serene]

I don't usually comment, but I just wanted to throw my two cents in: I really like the premise and I don't even have a problem with the structure/number of panels--I just feel like the visual style lacks something "attractive"... it's not distinctive enough or (I want to say) friendly enough?
But yes, there's definitely potential. This guy is obviously talented, and he has you looking out for him Scott!

P.s. Off-topic: I loved God's Debris. I forward it to people all the time. Some have stopped speaking to me. Others won't stop calling.

[Tony Bryan]

Fantastic - not being all I'm-British-so-I-get-dry-humour but this really appeals to me. I loved the second one, made me laugh out loud in the office - hard to get a Brit to do. DON'T GIVE UP!!

[Cled]

This guy is brilliant!

And you are brave (and sure of yourself) to give him a hand.

[Richard Hunter]

I liked about 15% of them, which is pretty good. I agree with most people here (and obviously yourself) that he still needs slightly less words but it is nearly there. After all the chap that does the Dilbert cartoons reckons he gets 25% of his auidence like each cartoon, I suppose the trick is to rotate that 25%

[S@ns S@nity]

I usually take a few strips to latch on to the style, and once I am comfortable with a style I think I don't care if it is wordy or 4 panels (16 panels is also something I could get used to it). User Friendly, another strip I really like also took some time to get used to.

While my initial reaction was it is very long drawn, and obvious humor, I have after getting used to his style found it to be really funny. I found several of them extremely funny, the others just put a smile on my face.

And I will agree with most of the people posting here, that his original format is very nice. A couple of his old ones even have all the 4 panels laid out next to each other in a strip format, which is the best placement for him I feel.

I would recommend not changing anything, and we will ensure you will get the traffic on your site.

Thanks for introducing a fresh talent to me BTW

[Si]

I prefer the new format - seems to have more "impact"

[That Restless Mouse]

Well, there were only two available because it seems you killed his server. But I thought they were pretty funny, esp. the yawn thing. I bookmarked it for when the site returns.

The only suggestion I would have is to have the characters positioned more naturally, I suppose that will come in time?

It beats the hell out of Mallard Fillmore.

I wish my paper would pick up funny comics instead of PC garbage like "Secret Asian Man". I am going to let my subscription expire to punish them for yanking out "One Big Happy". (Many of us only care about the comics, maybe the travel section, and the computer store ads. The rest of the paper is bird cage liner.)

[pantsofdeath]

I prefer the new "syndication friendly" strips - they seem punchier and, to me, funnier.

I really enjoyed the full length strips too, but in some there is a bit of bloat extending (or repeating) the joke to fill the space. I think being forced to condense the gag to a simple strip has worked well.

[Charles]

1. Lighten up the background
2. Be more of an artist by being less. Put less detail in the drawing of the characters, and also lighten up their clothes a bit. The gist of the humour, and thus of the whole strip, is afterall in the narrative and not in the detail of the drawings
3. The wife keeps being a different person whilst the husband is always the same. This is unnecessarily distracting.
4. The husband is visually on a different level relative to the wife (wives) who is (are) generally lumpy and/or unattractive. Perhaps female readers will not like this. Perhaps the husband should also be the typcially overweight uncooly dressed suburban husband/father.

[Freda Ho]

Seriously, don't stiffen poor Scott's creativity ><
I'd LOVE to see him in his original format!
and .... I regret to say that...
His comics is actually funnier than some of your recent ones... and also he is funny in a way which is more universal :P

[Tormod]

His format does not fit a newspaper.

A problem is that you don't get the whole idea just at a glance. When reading a newspaper, you need three "layers" of info:
* one that comes across at first glance (headline and picture).
* one that comes from reading the captions and big types.
* one that comes from reading the whole thing.

"Basic instructions" seems to only communicate on the third one. As the characters aren't cartoonish, you don't get the easy facial expressions, but you need to play with subtle signals requiring a high resolution.

But I did love the series. I just don't see them happening in a newspaper. I do see it on (bi)monthly magazines, etc.
You require a high resolution to see facial expressions etc. But that is not a volume market. It's too distinct and gimmicky for many magazines to have them, and your productivity simply wouldn't pay off because your turnover would be two strips a day.

Now, where WOULD I like to see them? They are sort of sitcom'ish featuring tongue-in-cheek approaches to interaction dilemmas.

I can tell you one thing: If they featured on a milk carton or a cereal box, the choice would be simple for me. I'd buy the product it was on to have it on my breakfast table. Or during lunch hour (in case conversations dry out).
It invites people to share their experiences. Hell, the first thing I wanted to do was to forward it to my wife, so we could catch up on it later.

If they came in books, I'd buy two to have one in my bathroom. A typical bathroom reader.

[Luke]

When I was looking at the website I thought that the other characters (not the bald guy) sometimes looked what seemed to be unintentionally hilarious. Sometimes I didn't know if it was a guy or a girl. And I love that guy with the funny beard-moustache thing. I think if the other characters look slightly weird it would add something to it. By that, I mean make them intentionally appear unintentionally bizarre. Which may be what he's doing.

[DL From Heidelberg]

Sorry, but it's just not funny. The characters are drawn too life-like, the dialogue is too similar to what I suspect his target audience sounds like in real life, and there is no humor (at least for me) in the situations. It seems to be nothing more than a bunch of trying-too-hard-to-be-cool observations available in dozens of other places (friends, co-workers etc.) Compare that with Dilbert: Funny looking characters, absurd situations that parody the real office environment, snappy diaolgue that always ends in a joke. On the issue of your advice, your first suggestion made a quantum improvement in readability. Now if you can just give him a sense of humor you'll be god.

[Omar]

This guy is great!

[Amber]

Wow, I like it. He's really got potential.

[David]

Good pick. Agree with Jack Swift, probably too smart for a newspaper - how about a specialty magazine?

[Maurs]

I prefer his old format, but anyway you slice it this guy is incredibly hilarious. Unfortunately, his incredibly high quality writing leads me to believe he won't make it as a syndicated strip, if the cornucopia of asinine crap that fills my comics section is any indication. Um, present company excluded, of course.

[Manual]

It's a "trying too hard" kinda comics.

It's obviously subjective.... but it MAY work with simpler pics and text. The "idea" is funny, though it lost a lot of impact because I had to re-read parts and decipher the picture.

[grow-a-brain]

Ha! I just linked to Basic Instructions yesterday on my blog!

[Brett Battles]

Hilarious. I like the strips. I've printed the physics one out and am taping it to the door of my office! This is a great new strip. Too many strips don't make you think so there's no reason to read them. This works well!

[Adam]

The four panel format was better. These are very funny. If he can't get enough newspapers, he could compile them in a "Basic Instructions" book. I'd buy it.

[brian]

really good

the tee shirts are great!

the alien saying 'I have podlings!' how to calm children was very amusing.

this brilliant Now I have 2 comic s to look at

[larry horowitz]

I think your suggestions help the strip a lot, but it still isn't very compelling. The premise is fine but visually it turns me off. The characters need to look more interesting and there's too much black.

[Rich]

Most folks do not have enough patience to read the long ones. Instant gratification. I do not even read most comments over 3 lines. All were funny, but the panels will have wider appeal.

[tc]

I really get this comic. Do you know why? Because I get the drawings. I get why he does it in quarter panels. So many of you recommending the change in drawing, or style of comic, don't get what Scott Meyer is really trying to do. Think of the name of the comic. Think of what other drawing styles have realistic looking characters and lots of information on them. Sure, it takes a bit longer to read, but that's why I like this one. I wouldn't change a thing, because I get it. Whether the rest of the world gets it is better answered by Mr. Adams.

[Kevin Kunreuther]

I laughed I cried I found a new comic I give fuck about, thanks to Scott Adams. I'm glad this guy doesn't live next door to me or interacts with me on a daily basis.
HOW ABOUT YOU?

[vasco]

*

Those 2 strips
made me laugh,
especially the last one!
:D :D :D

-----------------------
http://href.hu/x/2to4

*

[Aikidoka]

Great cartoons, lets hope you can help him.

I agree the format needs changing for newspapers but his 2-up 2-down strips would make for excellent desk calendar pages.

Now... to link him everywhere.

Aik

[Slag]

"Yes, he is a lucky bastard. But talent causes luck, so it’s not a complete accident."

I would have said that having a talent is down to luck.

Talent causes luck and luck results in talent. This guy's going to explode once the vicious circle reaches critical mass.

I like his comics though.

[John]

Am I the first to identify the favorite video to share with someone you love as "Big Trouble in Little China"? Loved the movie but laughed pretty hard at being described as a beat up a 500 year old man movie.

I liked the four panel strips better but I can see the genius in turning it into a two or three panel strip. Looks like a little more fine tuning and he should be able to get something going.

As for being too dark and gloomy, there is a lot of humor in that. I think that Boondocks does a good job of presenting that side of life in a humorous way.

[Randal Starbuck]

Thanks Scott. I found these comics ages ago and I loved them. I read all the ones I could in one sitting and then next time I internetted I forgot about him. Thanks for reminding me. I'm putting him in as a favourite.

[Renaldo]

To those who criticized this cartoonist, read a bit more. Some of this stuff is hilarious....
Dear Pope,
I Strongly diagree with your stance on birth control. You mainly see people from a distance. I've met them close up, and we don't need more of them.

[Shan]

I like it... but I think it'd have wider appeal if the characters (especially the women) were either less realistic or more attractive. My mom, for instance, openly prefers to watch movies with lots of pretty girls/handome guys than movies with ogres/mythical beasts.

Even though Shrek is 20 times better than 80% of the movies she watches, she still prefers those movies just because of all of the pretty girls in pretty dresses.

[Mark Fefer]

If you want to see how well Meyer works in the single-panel format, you can check out the great cartoons he did for our 2007 Dining Guide here (http://www.seattleweekly.com/food/2007diningguide/index.php).
Mark Fefer
Editor, Seattle Weekly

[blueaura]

I like the 4 panel versions better. The "How to Disguise a Yawn" and "How to Lie to a Child" made me giggle out loud. . . and want to yawn. And lie to a child on my way home.

[Lymonhead]

Scott A,
I think the original strips were WAY funnier. Part of what makes him funny is the buildup of material before the punchline, which is the funniest part. Unlike in your strips, which I find to be the most funny in the middle (the second block or whatever you call it).

Anyway, because he is so good at the longer strips, I hope he can make it into newspapers which seems to necessitate conventional methods. AND being a dilbert fan, I HATE CONVENTIONS! However, you gotta do... Scott B is obviously very funny and I do like his drawing style. He could work on the wording a little bit in parts. I also think the frame around his original cartoons has too much going on and should be simpler. Finally, I don't like the info about the upcoming week. We have already surmised that he has too much info for papers.

All in all, I really like his work and I hope he makes it. Mostly because I hate conventions and like to see people make it "their own way".

-Lymon

[Alex Hallatt]

I preferred the original format. It works well on the web and perhaps that would be the best business model for it in an era of declining newspaper space/money/attention...

I so wish it wasn't true.

[Chris Benson (Asparagus Pee Guy)]

Although I would not deign to disagree with your assessment of relative marketability, I think I prefer his original format - it's an obvious homage to This Modern World, and I find it stands out from the "strips."

As for wordiness, I have this agument with our marketing guy all the time, but some of us actually LIKE words!

[Andrew]

I love the work and want to keep reading them. The art is appropriate and works for me. Stuff the papers - they'll be dead soon enough. Stick with the format and stick online and do books (I think they have a longer shelf-life than papers!) Strips would work well as TV shorts, don't you think?

[Sue]

What a great cartoon! I love it. I've bookmarked the site and added it my daily must see/visit list.

[Mark]

Not quite as funny, but still good.

[Jason]

The newspaper industry is on it's deathbed anyway. The original format is much funnier because it gives him time to develop the situation fully and deliver more laughs per episode. I would buy a book today if he had one. Get a faster server, hit the page with some Google ads, set up an online store, and promote the crap out of it. Don't kill a good thing just to get in some papers that won't understand it anyway.

[Todd]

first one: funny
second one: had to look up ennui, but still not funny

[Hyland]

I think Scott Meyers is really funny!

I have read about a fifteen or so of his comics and I really like his four panel layout. It is so good I now have a link to his site.

Yes, the two-panel examples had much tighter wording, and they were good, but they felt too watered down and not as funny as the four-panel versions.

So far, after only seeing two versions in the "strip" format, I like his four-panel format much better.

[standgale]

I liked the big ones better - they were funnier and I understood them. And it seems a shame to get rid of his original format and way of doing things just to do things the same as everyone else. But if he doesn't make money the old way and he wants to make money with it, then maybe he has to change.

[Denver]

Hey Scott, while you're at it. I stumbled across a pretty awesome comic of sorts too.

http://namenad.deviantart.com/

[Brain of J]

I don't like the newer format nearly as much.

[Urbano]

Hi, Scott:

Have you came through PhD??

http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/

What do you think of it?

[Sir Mike Tallon]

What an awesome concept "Basic Instructions" is! If my newspaper ever includes it in those comic surveys, I'm definitely voting for it. And the new format he's doing is perfect.

[deliham]

Someone wrote that the characters are lifeless, drawing-wise. That fits the strip. These people are exactly bursting with carpe diem.

[deliham]

Requires thought?? You have to think?? What are these people talking about? They're still sleeping, invite them for coffee. The strips don't require thought. Jeez.

[Ben]

I've read several of the Basic Instructions comic, and I'm loving it. I've already subscribed to the RSS feed.

At first, I was thinking that it would be easy to turn any of these into four different daily comics, just as you show with the examples you gave. But looking at them closer, many of the panels on these comics build on the previous one, and seeing a later panel out of order does not make sense unless you've already read the ones that come before it. For example, take a look at "How to Remember Names." Each panel builds from the one before it, and it wouldn't make any sense just to read the fourth panel. But the first panel, while mildly funny by itself, is really just a setup for the other three panels.

In Dilbert, you frequently have stories that arc across days, but whenever you do this, I know that you make sure that each day is understandable and humorous on its own.

What is so sacred about the "standard" format for comic strips? Basic Instructions, in its current form, is funnier than 90% of what's in the newspaper now. It's too bad that newspapers don't realize this and allow for a little more creativity on the comic page.

[Egg]

I like his moniker on the top of the web page. Where the guy is winding up with the stick of knowledge, and is kindly going to impart it's effect on the oblivious one in front of him.

That in itself would be a great bumper sticker aside from the potential in his cartoons. There is talent here.

[deliham]

I felt kind of down before I read the sample strips, and I felt more down after I was done.

[Daniel]

Sanjay,

Just FYI, there is no such thing as "0.02 cents". There is "2 cents" or there is "0.02 dollars" which would be equal to 2 pennies. "0.02 cents" means two tenths of one penny.

Just being a pompous wise-ass :)

[mark]

I've only read a few of the comments here, so I may be making an observation already made. Let me start by saying that I like Scott's work. So, I guess this is what it would be like to have a short scene from a sitcom (with a voice-over doing the narration) appearing in newsprint. Hey, now that Seinfeld is gone, why not? You're gonna need the wordiness to keep something like this alive. Screw the octogenerians.

[mark]

I've only read a few of the comments here, so I may be making an observation already made. Let me start by saying that I like Scott's work. So, I guess this is what it would be like to have a short scene from a sitcom (with a voice-over doing the narration) appearing in newsprint. Hey, now that Seinfeld is gone, why not? You're gonna need the wordiness to keep something like this alive. Screw the octogenerians.

[Kari]

I loved the arm-pit comic on the left.

(And I'm a female. Pastor's wife at that, too.)

[elmindreda]

Thank you, that explains why it was so painful to try to force myself to go from one panel thinking to three panel thinking. I'm not interested in dead tree publication anyway, so I'll stick with what works for me.

[EverydayEconomist]

The new formats are funny and still convey the same basic message.

The original format goes very well as an audio-how-to manual. I read them outload to people (with voices) and the comics weren't even necessary. People enjoyed them even more in that format.

If he follows your suggestions but still wants to produce some more verbose versions, he might try a podcast/audio format.

[Mike]

I wonder if a Video game with the title of "Cartoon Hero" would work.

[andy]

Don't do it. Remember Unfit, and trying to make it more commercial? And PBS went through a rough patch after your endorsement (recovered now, though)

[James Earl Jones]

Scott, maybe the format change is a mistake and had can make it on the web without being published in a paper. I read Dilbert and this blog every day online and I haven't touched a newspaper in months.

[LA Clay]

Scott! don't do it! remember the last guy you helped? You got us poor comics.com subscribers to add him to our list only to have it dropped! You are lucky, but luck does't rub off!

[Scott]

Wow, this cartoon is smarter than a monkey and cheaper than a robot!

[Abigail]

It's good for an online-I-would-subscribe-through-my-RSS feed type of comic but I agree that many people who read newspaper comments want faster and less thought. Has potential though--perhaps you could recommend that he look at Agnes or Barkeater Lake for further format ideas.

[Jules]

I prefer the strips to the original format. All are funny.

:D

[Pete]

I like the old format. It's different, it's wordy, it's the best thing since Dilbert. Changing format to please the papers - bad news. The examples shown don't retain enough of the charachter and humour. It'll be a tall order to get that back. Having said that, even Dilbert isn't a belly laugh every day. I prefer the belly laugh version.

[Robby]

Despite your own strip's popularity and brilliance, you seem to have a talent for discovering really awful cartoons and recommending them. If I didn't know that it was completely unnesessary, I might think you were trying to make your own cartoon look better by comparison.

[Dale]

he he
I wonder if he's paying Erik Estrada royalties for How to Pose for an ID Photo?

This comic is mildly addictive.

[Marc]

Another thought, how about focusing the strip on either the right way or the wrong way. One day the funny is that the "right way" is so off. The next day the "wrong way" is just so far out there.

[Imran]

Honestly, he's not bad. And I don't read lots of comics, dilbert and now him!

Two things: Less words, lose about half of them, quick!

Rest: Pretty funny ideas! I like it.

[Nerdie McSweatervest]

Tell the truth, Scott -- you singled out "How to Disguise a Yawn" in the continuing hypnosis-via-blog experiment you're running here. It surely wasn't because it was the funniest one; you just wanted all of us to yawn.

[Tim2]

The one about disguising a yawn was great; the others were fairly humorous.

[3d Mark]

The truth is, I wouldn't change a damn thing. The strip is imaginative and funny; the artwork is quirky and stylish; the writing and comic timing is brilliant.

[Di]

he's funny! So many comics these days speak to the lowest common denominator and bore me. The reworked ones were much better. Reading all that 3rd person interjection in each panel took too long.

[Calvin Spealman]

Print has done great things for Dilbert, but it simply came from another time. I know lots of working cartoonist who wouldn't take a syndication offer if it came on a gold plate. I'm not saying no new cartoonists should seek syndication, but can you agree that its no longer for everyone?

[Marc]

the set up for the joke should be less explicit. if you have to explain it, it isn't funny.

[William]

I really have to thank you for introducing me to this comic Scott, I've only read a few and it's already my new favorite webcomic. I wish you wouldn't push Meyer towards daily newspaper syndication though. While it is certainly a great goal for him to reach towards, I just don't think his comic is suitable for it.

First of all, the humor is too complex. Just look at the sample strips. Words like malaise and ennui would not only go over the heads of most children, but a decent amount of adults as well. Second, as has been mentioned already, the eyes don't follow the comic right. At first glance a reader would most likely look at the picture and read some or all of the dialouge before looking back at the first panel and getting the joke. And finally, when comparing the two formats one thing is very clear. Less area just gives less room for humor. In that tiny strip, all the potential for the more-developed scenarios shown in his online comics is lost.

I could see this comic running in weekly magazines, or maybe even sundays in newspapers. I'm actually reminded of the comics scattered throughout the For Dummies series of books, I could see these comics in that kind of place easily. These days, some lucky artists are even able to live on merchandising from a webcomic alone.

To reduce this comic to a daily strip suitable for widespread publication would not do Meyer or his work justice. Please, be careful not to ruin something great by dumbing it down in size and content for the masses.

[Brian]

The originals were far too wordy. I like that I can generally get through the comics quickly and the newer (shorter) versions are excellent. I'd give this comic a chance in the new format for sure.

[Freddy Rodrigues]

Mmmmm. Dunno, I kind of like it. I'll add it to a feed and see where it goes. Strange how a cartoon has to be read over time to really 'get it'. Dilbert is one example - I only enjoyed it after my brother, an engineer, gave me a collection which I read in one sitting. Another is a South African cartoon everyone is raving about here, but I only recently 'got it' http://www.bruandboegie.co.za - as well as the Cyanide and Happiness cartoons which I now think are sick, but pretty damn funny.

[Patrick]

I thought the strip versions you posted were a lot better than the stuff on his website. The problem with the longer strips was, they still had about the same amount of funniness (if funniness were quintifiable, which I'll pretend it is) as a regular comic strip, but you had to do a lot more reading to get to the funny. Once it was distilled to a strip, the funny was all there, with about a quarter of the words. It's brilliant now, and I'd really like to see this in newspapers.

[SnappyBob]

Love it. When is he going to start his blog.

[Incredipete]

Although my assessment of your post is that it's largely ridiculous crap, reading Austin's article about it was one of the funniest things I've ever experienced. Someone should do a study of the correlation between advanced education and being an asshole.

[Brenden]

It would be better if he got rid of the explanation blurb. It's almost as if he's explaining the joke, which if you have to explain a joke then it's not funny. In this case, he is explaining the title. Lose the blurb and keep the title as it adds to the discussion. I think the interaction between the couple is pretty funny.

[Hmm...]

I always enjoy cartoons with cute or funny looking characters like dilbert, calvin & hobbes, peanuts, asterix, etc. It helps with the main purpose of getting people to laugh.

Can you distort the characters enough to make them cute please!?

[Billy Arvia]

OK. I think the 4 panel version does a much better job of conveying the humor, but the strips are still very funny. He now has two choices, assuming your advice on marketing the strip is correct (and I don't know why so many of the posts question the advice - you are the professional here, not them). He can stay with original version and risk not being able to sell it, or he can listen to you to improve the odds of getting published. I would opt for the latter. Once he is famous, he can do whatever he wants. Like start a blog and see how many different groups he can piss off.

Now, Scott, any advice for a fledgling humorist with his own blog that has no artistic skills? Like me...

http://triplebee.squarespace.com

[Fuzznsmoo]

This has real promise. The last one you recommended (Fit?) just didn't click at all with me and mercifully faded away, but this works well in the panel form, at least for me. This impresses me as a strip like yours where he could really mine the public for ideas.

[Frank Moore]

I think this is the funniness new comic I have seen in some time. You have to think when you read it, then bust up. I also think we are sharing the same wife. Have to find out where he lives.

Frank

[daedae]

I think that format works well. Yeah, it's still a lot of reading, but some Far Side strips had a lot of text or otherwise took a while to digest too. The armpits strip is hilarious, the spouse one isn't as funny to me.

[marcos]

That comic is funny, but I probably would not read it in a news paper unless he added visual comedy or if somebody told me it was a good read. The strip format work well for this comic even though it still verges wordy, but definetly worth reading.

[John]

Perhaps you've answered this question before, but do you think that Dilbert as it was in the early years would still be able to be syndicated today?

[John]

It seems like, while the art looks great on a computer screen, many of the fine details will be lost when it is printed on newspaper. I don't think his art style needs to change necessarily, but perhaps draw the character's faces closer to the 'foreground' so the expressions are more discernable.

[Amber]

All my favorite web comics would never be suitable for newspapers, and not just because of formatting. That's why so many of the newspaper comics are regurgitated pap, bland and inoffensive, saying the same old lines...

However yours are becoming eerily spot-on with my workplace... One guy thinks you secretly work at our company. I put the spreadsheet one on my cube. I think that's how people seriously think around there.

[AndyT13]

I think the drawing is great. Way too good actually. It's almost distracting. Unfortunately I don't find the writing terribly funny. There's some funny stuff in there from time to time but I agree it's too verbose.

Oddly, the funniest part of the whole thing is the little drawing in the upper right hand corner of the strip
YOU WILL LEARN where he's about to hit the unsuspecting guy with the stick of knowledge. For some reason that made me laugh every time I saw it. Thus I laughed at every strip upon seeing that, then read the comic and didn't laugh. Weird.

[Jack]

I'm sorry, but your new protege seems to be quite boring. I've read few strips and (including How to Disguise a Yawn) it caused nothing but a mild smile on my face - as opposed to occassional spasms I get from reading Dilbert. (And btw. your strips from this monday and tuesday sucks as well)

[general nonsense]

Loved the Jesus and Mo that latsot pointed too. Now Scott, if you can help with getting THAT syndicated in US papers i'll be really impressed....

[Justin Horstmann]

This comic layout reminds me of the comic, "ryhmes with orange". I am also hoping to become a syndicated cartoonist, so i'll be following these tips and steps very carefully.

[Karen]

I loved the comics!

I want a T-shirt with the 'Basic Instructions' logo on!

[please do it]

Scott, can you use your power to crash GWB?

[Zach]

Service Unavailable!!?!!!!?!!!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(

[loping]

I Like the writing.

The problem is that even though the art style fits the writing style, the art will never be able to carry the comic. With Dilbert, even when a strip's writing screwed the pooch, sometimes the drawings could save the day.

You can draw the demon-with-a-spoon guy (Phil?) and write "Blah-Blah-Blah" in all the voice baloons and you are going to have at least a "so so" cartoon.

[CLB]

Scott, when I read the strips you attached in your post I had to look twice at the pictures. Especially the second one.

I knew it was a couple talking. But visually I wasn’t sure if I was looking at a man and woman talking or two guys! Okay, maybe it’s just a weird perception problem on my part, but perhaps for marketability one might want to clarify that a bit? (Though as far as I’m concerned, spouses are spouses!)

Thanks for the peak at a comic strip in the making!

[Tim]

Excellent work, still on the verge of wordy, but I would definitely read it in the newspaper!

[Jorrath Zek]

Not Cute

No Animals

No Kids

Nice Art -not visually Funny (First Glance Funny)

Funny, but requires more thought than most people are willing to give.