Interview with CG Cornett: The Woman Behind the Words.
I've interviewed anime voice actors, manga artists in the industry but never a letterer. I would like to introduce Coco Cornett, the woman behind such novels as Moon & Blood Volume: 1 by Nao Yazawa, Hide and Seek by Reibun Ike, Nine to Five Bride by Rin Natsumi and The River's Current by Jun Kajimoto. As Coco has been in the industry for a mere five years, she has accomplished a great deal during her working life and has a portfolio of work that will impress readers. Lets see what the manga and lettering industry is all about, shall we...
SandraReviewer: What got you into the freelance lettering industry?
Coco: Ironically, I came across an ad banner that was advertising Digital Manga Guild on some anime site or Google search. When I saw I thought, "I've been lettering my doujinshi collection for Photoshop practice. I wonder if I could letter manga and get paid doing it." Plus I'm also that reader who edits her paperback collection as she reads.
SandraReviewer: What do you actually do, what is the process. Could you take us through how you letter a manga?
Coco: It can be a long process. The longest I've worked on lettering 1 page was 11 hours and 14 hours to letter a 2-page Character Introduction/Story So Far spread. As for the steps I go through: (I use Photoshop Actions to make a LOT of the steps shorter)
1. Convert all image files to PSDs
2. Change PSDs Color Mode to Grayscale
3. Clean out Japanese text/SFX/aside lettering
4. Redraw/clone background where JP text/SFX/aside lettering
5. Add in translated script
6. Format English text to their appropriate font style
7. Proofread and make changes like, shorten a line if the bubble is REALLY small
8. Finalize and export
SandraReviewer: Go through a typical day for you while at work?
Coco: Haha... which work?! Seriously, a typical day of work for me is going to my main job, come home and eat dinner, and then letter for a couple hours before bed. When lettering, I do most of the work on weekends since I can letter a good 12-14 hours Saturday/Sunday.
SandraReviewer: What kind of jobs did you do before becoming a freelance manga letterer?
Coco: I'm kind of a Jane of all trades.
McLane Company intern for their server team and then their graphic design team; intern programmer for a startup IT company; Substitute teacher; vendor; and online course technologist. Of course, I'm still an online course technologist and vendor.
SandraReviewer: What for you has been the most rewarding aspect of the job?
Coco: I get to work on manga that I never thought would see the light of day in English. Some of the titles I've worked on, I grew to love in the end. *cough* Aria *cough*
SandraReviewer: Do you spend time reading manga you haven’t lettered for. Tell me which series or standalone novel touched you in a special way?
Coco: Of course. I read a LOT! One that touched me in a special way... I can't just list one and ironically they're mostly shojo!
1. Skip Beat! Kyoko's story is very relatable and lovable for any woman/young woman. She goes through the trials of life through her experiences in the entertainment industry. I've re-read what's available at least 3 times.
2. I'd say Hana-kimi next. Mostly because Mizuki is a girl attending and living at a boys only high school.
3. Can I choose a creative team of creators? Guilt|Pleasure! As an adult I came across In These Words and then I wanted more. Out of all their works, I haven't read one yet that I didn't enjoy, but I do adore the Katsuya/David prequels.
4. Red River/Anatolia Story. I wish more of Chie Shinohara's titles would get picked up in English, but I think they're considered too risky because of their age. Yuri's travels through Ancient Middle East/Egypt is such a joy to read and re-read. I love history and especially adore the setting of Red River.
SandraReviewer: I have noticed on your site that you have lettered for Harlequin and DMG and done your fair share of yaoi – do you wish you lettered more yaoi titles (for obvious reasons) J ?
Coco: TOTALLY! I did work on 2 BL titles this year and they were such sweet, fluffy stories. It was a nice change of pace from all the Harlequin I'd been working on.
SandraReviewer: What kind of experiences had you have with the public and the media. Do you get praise and asked for advice similar to manga artists?
Coco: Surprisingly, I have been asked for advice a few times, which was why I created my panel & workshop I present at local conventions (mostly at AnimeFest). Last year at AnimeFest, I actually was praised by some of the voice actor guests I got to chat with during their autograph sessions and I even passed out business cards. I was internally fangirling over the experience.
SandraReviewer: What do you do when you aren't working?
Coco: LOL. Vegetate. Seriously, I catch up on TV shows, Anime, manga, comics, and books; play video games, be a couch potato, or do work around the house.
SandraReviewer: Lastly, what book are you reading at the moment?
Coco: I've kinda been on a German manga binge, so I'm right now reading Die rothaarige Schneeprinzessin (Snow White with the Red Hair) by Sorata Akizuki. I only have volumes 1-2, but Tokyopop Germany's released up to volume 14 with 15 coming out in August. I adore this series and hope it gets an English license especially after the success of the anime.
Contact information:
Coco's website:
https://cgcornett.net/2016/06/
About Page:
https://cgcornett.net/about/
Titles Coco has lettered:
https://cgcornett.net/titles-ive-lettered/
Conventions Coco is attending:
https://cgcornett.net/2015/11/06/2016-conventions/
Twitter: @cgcornett
Titles lettered by CG Cornett:
DMG:
Moon & Blood Vol:1 by Nao Yazawa
Crimson Scroll: A Strange Tale of Old Kyoto Vol.1 by Kaori Touma
Good Enough For Me by Eri Kougami
Yaoi:
Hide and Seek by Reibun Ike
The River's Current by Jun Kajimoto
Where it Rains by Fuuri Misasagi
Harlequin Comics:
The Royal Wedding Night by Junko Murata
Nine to Five Bride by Rin Natsumi
The Perfect Lover by Rin Ogata
Mistletoe Over Manhattan by Natsue Ogoshi
