Introducing the Greeting Card Experts, part1

Still on the greeting card writing career, there’s no better way to learn about the industry than to read up on it from the experts themselves. Here are some wise words and inspiring stories I’ve gathered along the way:

Dan Reynolds

On starting out:
“First, I collected a lot of my best material. Then, I mailed card companies and asked for their submission requirements. I received back two responses: one from Oatmeal Studios and the other from Recycled Paper Greetings. Oatmeal was not interested. Too bad for them as RPG responded favorably and out of my first submission to them they had one of my cards finish number one in the country in their test market research. From there I was given a royalty contract and I’ve been with them ever since 1992.

Parting wise words:
“Know your market. Make sure you query with a company. If you’re doing funny stuff like I do, be better than the next guy. If you’re doing sentimental material, make sure your sap runneth over.”

“Write and draw everyday. I compare card people wannabes to those folks who say, ‘I want to learn how to play the guitar.’ Yeah, today, they want to learn the guitar but when they find out the hard work involved, they fall quickly to the wayside. The only people who will eventually become a greeting card person is the person who REALLY wants to do it and who takes the many rejections they will get as not defeats but a challenge. I get rejection all the time and I just think to myself, ‘They’re the ones that are losing out.’”

Mary Emma Allen

On discovering the industry:
Along with my writing, I was doing crafts and artwork. This included painting in oils and watercolors. How could I combine my writing and painting? Why not produce greeting cards and note paper for some of the outlets that took my quilts, toys, crafts. My mother operated a country general store and was always on the lookout for new items to sell. She encouraged me to produce cards for her customers.”

On discussing originality and inspiration:
“Keep a notepad with you so you can write down bits of poetry, meaningful inspirational phrases, humorous incidents as they come to you. Then you can draw upon these when writing verses for your own cards or creating verses to send to greeting card companies.”

Parting wise words:
“Study the various cards on the market. Determine what type of market you like to write for — inspirational, sentimental, humorous. Try writing the type of verse you like to read and receive.”

“Since I’ve not written for a greeting card company, only designed and produced my original cards, I can’t say for sure what leads to success there. However, as with any type of writing, check out the guidelines the greeting card companies put out. Learn what they’re looking for, study the cards they have on the market, and check out how they want you to submit your verses.

“There are also books on writing for the greeting card market. If you want to produce your own cards, begin practicing. Use your note pad to sketch ideas for pictures as well as greetings on the cards. Then notice original cards in various shops…how are they produced and packaged? How are they priced? Don’t copy them, but get ideas on the techniques and then try your original variations.”