How does one write a comic?

[Ulikse]

I have a concept written down for a comic but i'm not sure exactly how to move forward from here because i don't know the process by which a comic is created. Does anyone know the format in which someone writes a comic book?

[Tiamatican]

Typically, I think you would script it out panel-by-panel. Then have an artist draw it. Then there's inking and lettering, of course.

But for the writing process, it's actually not too different from writing a screenplay. You describe what would appear in the panel, then write the dialogue for the panel.

The other thing I've heard is that comic book companies don't take scripts. If you're submitting it to a company, you need to submit several pages, though not necessarily the full comic. And I guess they're also not impressed if, after they accept the submission, you ask them for an artist.


It's also important to remember that the Big Two don't accept unsolicited work. Ever. Marvel and DC will not read anything you send them.



Edit: Another option - the one I'm taking, as shown by the link in my signature - is to just write it as a normal story. If you don't know anyone willing to draw your comic, then you can just go the novel format. But if you do know someone willing to draw it - or if you're able to draw it yourself, for that matter - then it's simply a matter of doing a full, panel-by-panel script.

[Tenacious_AA]

Gotta be a salesman, and learn how to pitch your idea.

There is no right or wrong way to write comics, usually if a company had a format they like to use they will give you a example and you just conform your writing.
But most of it is being able to get your story across in a form that the artist can draw. Paneling. They are gonna want the script of the first issue of the story or a sample of your writing.
Google "Comic Scripts" and you are sure to find one, even one of you favorite author.

Look up the first post in the blog Where the Hell Am I http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=28225
He tells how he got started in writing comics.

[LewMoxinsghost]

Generally speaking, the more work the writer does in laying out the page visually, the less work the artist has to do and so the work can go faster. If the writer suggests scenes or plots without bothering to break up panels or the page the work can take a lot longer- it's all in the relationship between the two and what the artist prefers.

[brokentool]

It does resemble writing a screenplay, but I really think that how you are going to write your comic depends mostly on whether you are drawing it yourself, or not. I assume you are not. So it really depends on the artist you will collaborate with. The artist may require A LOT of details about each panel, or may not even require you to break your script into panels. There are artist who do that themselves. So it really depends.


I immensely recommend the blog of Aaron Diaz, the creator of Dresden Codak (http://dresdencodak.com/) - Indistinguishable from Magic (http://dresdencodak.tumblr.com/). Just start reading it chronologically, and I believe it will be of great help.


Also, some milestone works of Will Eisner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Eisner): Comics and Sequential Art (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393331261/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1278548962&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0961472812&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0VM6ANSZ8WTH6T8N3GG2) and Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative (http://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Storytelling-Visual-Narrative-Instructional/dp/039333127X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b).

Another book that will be a good choice for the first thing to read is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating a Graphic Novel (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Creating-Graphic-2ndEdition/dp/1592579426/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319025209&sr=1-1)

They helped me a lot when starting out.



Some more helpful links:

Comic Book Scriptwriting Basics (http://www.fivesprockets.com/fs-portal/features/main.do?content=comicbook-basics)

How to Format a Comic Book (http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/howtovformatcomicbooks)

Drawing Comics (http://www.*********/videos-on_6842_drawing-comics.html) - 3 movies on eHow and one of them is for scripts..


..aaand in the end, check out some actual scripts (http://www.comicbookscriptarchive.com/archive/the-scripts/) - this is one of the best things you can to to help yourself.

[Ulikse]

Score. Thanks you guys this is all really helpful