2015
A Beginners Guide To Writing Comics
Since their humble beginnings in local newspapers, comics have blossomed into a popular media that have even made their mark on Internet media. Comic books combine art and literature in way that entertains people of all ages. There are also many different genres for about any interest. It stands to reason that a lot of people are interested in being comic book writers. New writers can become familiar with the components of writing a comic script and organizing their thoughts accordingly.
First, comic book writers must dig into their imaginations and determine the characters of their new comic. The whole story revolves around the characters and what they do. Character development will determine how the dialogue is written and how they relate to the story as a whole. Characters are the cornerstone of any good comic and make them memorable to potential comic book fans. This is why the writer must make characters unique and not just a copycat of another famous comic character. Uniqueness is what will make the writing appeal to audiences and will make them want more. If the characters are developed correctly, they will stand out to people like other iconic comic heroes.
When the conception of the characters has been decided, then the writer can actually create them. This is probably not going to be a fast task. Most artists draw several designs and decide which one is the best form for their characters. It is important to keep in mind the personality and roles of each character when developing an official image. If multiple characters are involved, writers have to make each one unique to enhance the story.
After characters have been firmly developed, writers have to decide what they are going to do in the story. This is a plot development that is similar to writing a book. The writer comes up with some kind of conflict that the characters are trying to overcome that would get the attention of readers. The storyline should stay open for tangents that will allow the plot to blossom into subplots and keep readers wanting more. The drawings themselves help suggest action and tell the story, so the writer does not have to fill in so much text. Keeping writing at a minimum keeps the comic line smooth and basic. This is why many writers know where they want their plot to go, so they work backward in developing each scene and dialogue.
Like any good work of literature, a comic has to have a setting that includes location and time period. This helps keep the characters and plots in normal sequence that readers can easily follow. The writer can bring in elements of the place and time of the story to make it more realistic for readers. It will also help the readers remember past events while they are reading new editions.
When characters, plot and setting are in order, then the comic book writer will need to decide the correct format. Comics are creating in panels with the characters’ conversation. This is done by dialogue boxes on the bottom of each panel. It will read like a play, with the character’s name before each thing he or she says. Dialogue balloons can be used to let readers know what a character is thinking. The use of capitals and font size can also convey to the reader if the character is shouting or whispering. Action can be displayed with sound words.
Writing a successful comic can be as daunting as writing a book, only in separate pieces. By using these basic steps, a new comic book writer may be able to develop a desirable story that would be marketable within the right comic genre. It takes imagination and good planning and knowing what fans want to read.