Fix your Flashbacks
Building Flashbacks into a story is like setting high explosive charges–effective when used properly, potentially disastrous in inexperienced hands. When I see a script from a new writer that contains […]
Elements
Point of View and Captions
Though captions in modern comics are generally a shadow of their former self, in my book they’re still an indispensable tool for the comic writer. Of course captions (CAP) deliver […]
The Super Trifecta
These days, amateur writers are under the impression that they can write about nothing as long as it’s “written well”. That the story engine is less important than trendy subjects […]
Effective Subplots
Subplots are integral to deep, rich stories and a mainstay in the serial comic. What exactly is a subplot? From Storycraft for Comics; Subplots are smaller, specific story arcs within […]
6 Things Done Best In Comics — ADVANCED CLASS
Comics are an incredible medium, art from the in-between space. Visual like movies, yet driven by words. Pictures powered by prose. Having read comics for over 35 years, I’ve seen […]
Tone, Mood, Style and Genre
Another group of writing elements (and terms) folks often commingle and confuse: Tone, Mood, Style and Genre. It’s understandable how folks often get these terms jumbled up as they all […]
Character Trifecta
Pop quiz hotshot. There’s a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour the bomb is armed. You’re sitting on the bus on your way to […]
Ensemble Casts
WRITING THE ENSEMBLE CAST In the Q+A post, someone asked: How many main characters are too many when writing a first issue? When you’re scripting for a single protagonist, your […]
Creating Characters That Stand the Test of Time
Two things you can often catch me talking about are theme and characters. They are the backbone of story. If you think about it, you’ve read and seen a million […]
Writing Solid Villains
When bad guys ain’t that bad. WRITING SOLID VILLAINS. Though I haven’t seen it, I’ve heard a lot of guff about this Kylo-Ren character from Star Wars, so I figured […]