Graphic Novelist Mat Heagerty Visits MBS to Speak about Publishing

Comic book writer Mat Heagerty visited MBS on Tuesday, March 5 to speak with students about the many creative career options in publishing as well as his own path as an author with dyslexia. He held a workshop in Anderson Library for students in Peter Donahue’s Writing the Graphic Novel class as well as Sam Goodman’s 10^th Grade English students before speaking with the Career Connections group and the Crimson Novelist Society.

Heagerty is the author of several graphic novels including Lumberjackula (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers), Martian Ghost Centaur (Oni Press), Unplugged and Unpopular (Oni Press) & the forthcoming graphic novel Indoor Kid'(Oni Press 2024). He is also currently an adjunct professor at Boise State University, where he teaches a course on Writing for Graphic Novels. 

He said that becoming a professional writer/illustrator is not an easy career path, but it’s certainly possible with determination. “It’s wild that I can do this as a career and support a family,” he said. “It’s rare, but I just kept doing it and when doors opened, I went for it.”

Heagerty also described many other career options in the publishing business including agent, editor, designer, and marketer.  He concluded his presentation by discussing the pros and cons of self-publishing and traditional publishing.