Bookstores with a Good Comics Selection
With the surge in the popularity of comics, most bookstores have gotten in on the game. All the better for us, the creators, because it means more potential outlets for your work. Of course, general bookstores tend towards a narrower selection. Most will only carry trade paperbacks, and only those available through one of their normal distributors. Expect to see lots of DC, Vertigo, and Marvel, as well as mega-publishers with comics divisions, like Pantheon. The better stores, like those listed below, will also have some surprises.

Art Supply Stores
With all the art schools in Boston, there are no shortage of art supply stores. Some generalize, some specialize. The stores with a good stock are usually worth the trip if you have to travel.

Directly across the street from Pearl, the Cambridge Artist and Craftsman Supply is much funkier, though the selection is smaller and specializes more in paints. The pair of stores makes it worth the trip to Central Square. Great staff.

The Boston location has the same feel.

580 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-354-3636

957 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
617.202.4004 (map)

1030 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-0250 (map)

333 Massachusetts Ave.
Boston, MA 02115 (map)

Finding an Artist or Writer
Collaboration often breeds success. Sometimes you need someone to play their strenghts against yours. Other times, you just need the motivating kick in the ass to keep yourself going. Either way, here are a few good ways to find a creative partner.

General Tips
- Take Your Time - finding the right partner will probably not happen with the first response, or even the twentieth. Expect that you will have to dig deep and be patient.

- Be Honest - there's no surer way to kill a partnership than to have that person enter into the situation ill-informed, or through downright lying. If you have no intention of paying them, be upfront about it. If you're writing your first comic, don't try to portray yourself a seasoned master. Honesty will also help you to find a more suitable match, as well.

- Be Professional - Nobody wants to waste their time on a project that looks like a dead-end. A lot of partnerships don't intend on making money, but they still want creative fulfillment and a partner they can rely on. Your ad is the start of that relationship, so put your best foot forward. Reply to promising responses quickly. If someone sends you samples you don't like, responding with criticism won't help. You'll never know how that might come back to bite you in the ass. Simply don't respond, or send a polite "no thank you." And please, for the love of god, spell check you ad before you post. I guarantee that mistakes will result in reponses mocking your grammar skills.

- Be Specific - "Writer looking for artist" is not a winning ad. Nobody knows your comics better than you, so tell them what you want. Give details about page counts, the scope of the project, the timeline, the compensation (if any), and deadlines. If your comic is already available online or in print, link to it. If nothing else, it can only increase sales and page views.

The master of all web classified ads, you can find pretty much anything or anyone you want on Craigslist. Posting opportunities in the job section costs $25 in Boston, but it's free (and more applicable) to post in the Gigs section. Gigs is the first place freelancers are likely to look for their next, well... gig. It's also a smart place to post because the free atmosphere of Craigslist attracts a more artistic crowd than other job sites.

The coffee shops of Boston are too numerous to count, and absolutely littered with artists and writers. The hard part is digging them out of their notebook reveries, or overcoming your own shyness in approaching them. Putting a few well-placed ads up can kill two birds.

A couple of pointers: cut in those little tear-away tabs with all the relevant information (name, contact, and job description) so the interested persons can walk away with the info in hand. Second, flyers are constantly piling up, so go back every couple of days to make sure yours is still visible.

If you think the coffee shops are full of artists and writers, you should count the number of students in this town studying those very subjects. Most are dying for a chance to "get out in the real world," and do anything but academic work. Choose the schools carefully, so as not to waste your own time. There are lots of creative people at MIT, but your illustrator search will probably yield better results at MassArt.

You can either post flyers right in the relevant departments, or talk to the departmental assistants and Career Services office. You'd be surprised how welcoming they can be to a person offering work.

Artists:
Massachusetts College of Fine Art (MassArt)
School of the Museum of Fine Arts (The Museum School)
Boston College
Emerson College

Writers:
Emerson College
Boston Unversity
Boston College