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How To Pitch: Mad

'Freelancers are the lifeblood of this magazine'

RELATED: How To Be Funny Online -- Even When You're Not

Background: It's been 58 years since William M. Gaines, then publisher of Tales From the Crypt and other scary comic books, founded Mad. Gaines was reacting to the pre-videogame era "Comic Code," which banned the depiction of mutilations, stabbings, decapitations, and other gory images -- in essence, everything that had been his mainstay -- from all comic books.

For its first 23 issues, Mad mocked other comic books. By issue No. 24, Gaines began to expand the editorial scope and bring the magazine into the mainstream by spoofing every aspect of American culture. Even then, it depended almost entirely on freelance contributions. And, recognizing the need to value and cultivate them, Gaines not only paid well, but he would take his freelancers on all-expense paid trips every year. The last one, to Monte Carlo, took place in 1992, the year of Gaines' death.

These days, Mad can't afford such excesses. However, it still upholds freelancers' other favorite tradition: paying immediately on acceptance.

"Freelance writers are the lifeblood of this magazine. Some have been with us forever," says editor John Ficarra, who joined the staff in 1980. "The magazine is a beast that constantly demands to be fed, so the opportunities for freelancers remain strong." ...

The How to Pitch series is worth its weight in gold. In just the first month I'd already benefited enough to consider the cost of joining well worth it. -- Gaen Murphree