Creating the cartoon is often the most enjoyable part. There is a certain magic in making a good idea in your mind come alive on paper. Here are five important points to remember when you've got the idea and are ready to put it to paper. Draw big. Always draw bigger than the published size. Use a copy machine to shrink the cartoon to the size it will run in the paper. Editorial cartoonists draw their cartoons 20-33% (or even 50%) larger than the printed size. Drawing at larger sizes allow the artist to draw in much more detail. You'll also find some of your mistakes are less noticeable after the whole image is reduced.

DIALOG BALLOONS. If you use a dialog balloon, write the words BEFORE you draw the balloon. The surest sign of an underdeveloped cartoonist is that they draw the dialog balloon first, and then try to squeeze and cram all the words into the balloon — often making the words illegible. Print the words, and then draw the balloon around the dialog giving the words plenty of white space between the words and the edge of the balloon Give as much detail and effort into quality lettering as you do the rest of the drawing.

DRAW MORE THAN ONE. Try to come up with more than one cartoon on the subject(s). It is a little more work, but it gives you the chance to pick through and develop the best of the batch.

TRY DIFFERENT ANGLES. Once you've settled on the cartoon, draw the cartoon from different angles. Play with positioning the cartoon figures in the cartoon. Do the same with dialog balloons.

VARY PERSPECTIVE. Avoid having all cartoons set during daylight or having an empty background. Remember, you are the director of the cartoon. You control where objects stand, the lighting and the environment the objects are in. Try to vary the perspectives you use. If you drew a cartoon yesterday from a bird's eye view looking to the left, draw something today from a worm's eye view. And pick backgrounds that help establish the setting of the cartoon.