Comic writing tips and tutorials

[James Howlett]

Does anyone know any good online resources for tips and tutorials on comic book script writing? Thanks!

 

[Dan Slott]

Great Books about Writing Comic Books...

Nightcrawler,
I don't know of any good sites online, but I HIGHLY reccomend these 4 books that you can pick up at your local comic shop...

THE DC COMICS GUIDE TO WRITING COMICS by Denny O'Neil
(retail price: $19.95)
Denny is one of the all-time greats, and he takes you step by step through the whole process.

PANEL ONE: COMIC BOOK SCRIPTS BY TOP WRITERS by Nat Gertler
(retail price: $19.95)
Though not a tutorial, Nat Gertler reprints actual comic book scripts by a WIDE variety of comic pros. Everyone's style is different-- and it lets you get a feel for each writer's way of doing things. An invaluable tool! (The collection of writers include: Neil Gaiman, Kurt Busiek, Dwayne McDuffie, Greg Rucka, and many more.)

The most important book ABOUT comics on my shelf is--
UNDERSTANDING COMICS: THE INVISIBLE ART by Scott McCloud
(retail price: $19.95-- I don't know if that's the current price, because my copy's pretty old...)
EVERYONE should read this book! It's not specifically about writing. It's an examination of what comics were, are, and are capable of becoming. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant stuff! Go out and buy it now. I'm not kidding.

And finally, WILL EISNER'S COMICS AND SEQUENTIAL ART
(I'm not listing a price. Because this book is mandatory. It's worth whatever price they tell you. Buy it.)
For the longest time, this was the ONLY book about HOW comics were made. It's written by one of (if not "the") best! There's a reason why the top awards in the comic industry are called the Eisner's. In this book, Eisner himself breaks down the mechanics of old-school comic books. If there was a college course dedicated to Comic Book Writing, this would be the first book they'd have you read. It may seem dry and technical at times, but read through it! These are the fundamentals you need to know before you break the rules and become the cool maverick we all know you were destined to be.

And there you go.
ttyl
Dan

 

[James Howlett]

Thank you for all of your help, Dan Slott. Alot of book stores and comic book shops in my area are having after-Christmas sales, and I think now is the best time to find these books. I really want to find the Eisner book! Thank you for the list. I will do my best to get the all!

 

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

I'm not a professional writer, nor do I play one on TV, but if I can add two more books to the list:

- Panel Two: More Comic Book Scripts by Top Writers. Sequel to Panel One, which contains, surprisingly enough, more comic book scripts by top writers. Let's hear it for truth in advertising.

- Alan Moore's Writing for Comics. This is an old essay (I believe it pre-dates Watchmen) which he wrote about comic-book writing, and has a new afterword in the latest reprint. Intelligent and thought-provoking.

Dwayne McDuffie has a few of his scripts posted on-line. I don't think comic book scriptwriting has become as formalized as screenplay writing, so reading a lot of scripts can give you an idea of how you like to to work.

I'm also rather fond of Writers on Writing and its newly released second volume, which contain essays printed in the New York Times about the craft of writing from a variety of authors. Some of the essays are insufferably pompous or completely incomprehensible, but some are hilarious, some are touching, and some are extremely enlightening.

My last advice is to Read A Whole Lot of Stuff, from comics to newspapers to blogs to novels to non-fiction to anything with words in it. Good writers are good readers.

(As a side note, if you use any of the links in this post to buy these books from Amazon.com, toonzone.net gets a little kickback. You get the same discount and you help support TZ -- win-win situation all around, although I'd say patronizing your Friendly Neighborhood Bookstore is always a Good Thing, especially if it isn't a chain.)

Finishing the script I'm working on Any Day Now...

-- Ed/Ace

 

[Storm]

late but....

Hey Nightcrawler!

I am currently writing out an online comic too and I use this to guide me sometimes...


Click here!



- Storm

 

[Bubblegum Girl]

I think wirting comics in script form is hard. Wouldn't it be easier if you write in short summaries?