How long have you been a cartoonist?

Since I was a kid. I left doodles in the womb.

How can I be a cartoonist?

I'm tempted to say you either are or you aren't. But maybe you should rephrase the question.

How can I be a published cartoonist?

You need to draw well enough to present your ideas. Readers shouldn't have to puzzle out a prop or a situation, especially if it's crucial to the joke. You need to write well; at least well enough to finish a punchline. The next time you laugh or smile at a joke, ask yourself why that line or concept was funny. You need to scan the horizon for markets, obvious and implied, and understand the market's slant, its editorial tone. Submit your work in a professional manner.

Do I need special equipment?

You need a sheet of paper, or a digital tablet. A pen or a stylus. When I started cartooning in the '80's I bought regular copy paper. Manilla envelopes. Stamps. A cheap fountain pen. A black marker for coloring large areas. Later on I bought a better pen that didn't leak. And when I was syndicated, I bought a still-better pen. The punchline — most things in life have a punchline, which is why life is both rotten and wonderful — the fancy pen didn't work all that well, and I drew Spot the Frog with an inexpensive Rotring Artpen. I still use it.

How rich will I become?

Whoa, I'm drinking coffee. (That's what we call a spit-take, by the way.)  Don't think about becoming rich. Don't think about money. Cartooning needs to be it's own reward.

OK, think about money. We all have bills. But becoming rich isn't a likely outcome. Unless you count the value of enjoying your work. Which creditors won't. So aim to pay your bills.

How famous will I become?

Fame is fleeting, elusive, and subjective. Don't pursue it. Try to live in the moment and celebrate the fame you have now — the fame of having friends, perhaps family, the reputation of being someone who likes to draw.

Can you recommend books on cartooning?

Mort Gerberg's Cartooning: The Art and  the Business . Randy Glasbergen has several personable books. The Cartoonist's Muse by Mischa Richter is excellent. And in a very broad sense, every book on cartooning is worthwhile. Anything that enforces your cartoonist identity, especially when you're starting out and lack the sales to prove it, is worth buying.

Final advice?

Don't quit your day job. Especially if your day job is cartooning.