Useful advice from Fumio

Portfolio Making - from personal domain into public domain

Found Fumio's talk really helpful and confirming and took down notes which I know will be useful in future

Researching markets -

Important to look at the places one is interested in and to find out how the industry functions. What interests me is the world of children's books. It helps to read the up to date books to my children and discuss with them what they like about the story and the pictures they look at. By writing reviews on the latest picture books will also help me appreciate the competition, as well as interviewing illustrators working in that particular field.

SELF PROMOTION

1. By having a web presence and chosing a blog which suits: blogger, wordpress, Typepad, Squarespace
I personally have a blogger account, but it would be worth personalising as Fumio suggests, and making it relevant to what I am doing.

2. On-line promotion - using Facebook and Tumblr. They are useful, not just because it is a social network, but one can have a personal Facebook page. (72dpi recommended) Fumio admits he has a personal Facebook page for some work, and uses Tumblr for his political images about Japan. I am on Facebook and may well consider putting on a separate Facebook page which I could use for work only apart form my family one.

3. Social networking - can use Twitter to sat the website has been updated. It may be more suitable to some people more than others. Although I am on Twitter and seem to have lots of followers, I haven't got into the habit of using it. Maybe as my work practice and authorship develops I will be able to use it more effectively; but the contacts are already there.
Linkedin - again I am already on this for my media work and have a lot of connections, which is something which will help in future. This is particularly helpful as one can join different groups and ask the right people for advice.

By attending festivals, conventions such as London Book Fair, Bologna Children's Book Fair, Book Festivals (Edinburgh/Cheltenham), Comica, Thought Bubble, Angouleme International Comics Festival. It is a way of linked up with the professionals via FB, Twitter, Linkedin and see them face to face.

I also believe in linking up with professionals locally too by getting involved in festivals close to home. The connections and contacts made in our home towns may well be the very ones that help promote our work to a wider audience.

Other tips - to have a physical portfolio as well as an on-line presence in an A3/A4 or A5 display book which is easy to carry, is compact and has originals or copies in of best work. This can contain postcards, business cards. 

I also find it useful to keep an eye on other professional's promotional material such as business cards and website designs, which I intend to record throughout this module.