Frequently Asked Questions
This is the business end of FAQ's. Wally's art and technique are coming soon!
01
Can Mr. Tripp illustrate my book?
Unfortunately, Wally has died, which severely limits his productivity. There are hundreds of wonderful illustrators out there today, however. Please support their work!
If you are trying to get a manuscript published, one thing to keep in mind is that illustration and writing are considered very separate entities in the publishing world. A publisher will almost always pair your manuscript with an illustrator from their "stable," one that they feel is right for your story. We would therefore suggest that writers not waste your time and money convincing a friend or hiring someone to illustrate your manuscript. Every publisher has their submission rules, which you must follow to the letter or they will not (and sometimes legally cannot) look at your work. Some do not accept unsolicited manuscripts at all and will only go through agents. Here is a page from HarperCollins that explains the process.
Likewise, illustrators will find more success submitting you portfolios to a publisher and allowing them to pair you with the right story. If you have a story that you have illustrated yourself, be aware that a publisher may take one or the other. It can take years before an illustrator builds the credibility to write their own stories, as it did with Wally. And a publisher can change the whole concept; Toby Jingle was intended to be a 64 page book but was cut in half for the usual financial reasons and Wally thought the whole thing was severely compromised. Ultimately it did get published, and it led to the next book, and the next book.
02
Can you help me get my manuscript published?
The short answer: no. The long answer: The best advice is to try, try again. Wally had some pretty good rejection letters, so don't feel bad if you don't strike gold with your first submission or ten. Or twenty. Stephen King's novel Carrie was rejected no less than 30 times, but he just kept trying. (If you haven't read it, his book On Writing is a superb book about process, language and the publishing business.) We're currently out of the publishing loop, ourselves, but we can direct you the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' FAQs and to an excellent, sometimes sobering Blog by Graphic Novelist Jason Brubaker about self-publishing. Here is a recent comparison of self-publishing versus a traditional publishing house.
Self-publishing is not a new model (Dickens self-published A Christmas Carol) and seems to be working better than ever. You can also test your market before investing a penny by publishing your work online, for free. (Dickens already had a huge international following before he went it alone.) Putting your work up for free sounds counter-intuitive, but building a fan base online can lead to buyers of your paper books or cards, and can also demonstrate to a publisher that you are a safe bet with your legions of fans! No one reading your story online? That may be an indication that your story needs more work or you need to learn about marketing and business. Keep editing and putting yourself out there- you'll only get better. Keep in mind that Wally's success as an illustrator came after years of toil and dedication and packing groceries at the A&P, all the while improving as an illustrator.
There is no magic- just research, hard work and perseverance.
03
Can I buy Wally's original artwork?
Eventually we'll have a way for the public to purchase Wally's original artwork, but not yet. You'll here it here first! In the mean time, you can order prints online here!
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Can I interview Wally or get him to come to my book signing/convention/bookfair?
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Wally has passed away, but daughter Loren may be reached at loren@pawprintscards.com. Wally's son, Ben Tripp, is an author himself! He writes fantasy and horror, and if you never want to sleep again, read his books!
Can I print and sell Wally's cards?
You can enjoy his work, but copying as your own work, making money off of reproductions or claiming ownership of his copyright is a violation of Copyright Law. If you find that someone is selling Wally's work, we'd sure appreciate you letting us know.
If you would like to license Wally's work, please e-mail Loren Tripp at loren@pawprintscards.com.
You can BUY Wally's cards and other products at Pawprints_Inc!
A lot of copyrights on this page say 2015- were these all drawn then?
Nope! Some were drawn in 1946 and on up; we just re-registered the copyrights and Pawprints trademark in 2015.