Highlighting Minor Characters – TIP
Less developed character, less page time = less narrative significance. Don’t make the character you see twice, for 2 pages, offer the key to the climax. Your story will reek […]
Technique
Practical Editing – TIP
When you’re making editorial notes on your manuscript, always attach a direct excerpt to a page reference. //Foreshadow upcoming turn p77 “I don’t think so, drop the gun.”// Page numbers […]
Stop Relying on Dialogue – TIP
Comics are a visual medium. If your story relies on lots of dialogue, you are not writing visually and wasting tremendous potential. This doesn’t mean lots of silent panels, it […]
Don’t Center Stage Symbolism – TIP
The more you “centerpiece” symbolism, the more you shrink your audience. Most folks don’t want to be required to decipher their comic stories. ▪ About the Author — Nick Macari […]
Comicbook Script Format – TIP
A skillful artist can translate a screenplay into a comic. Said artist can translate just about any text into a comic… but don’t delude yourself into thinking a screenplay is […]
Always Drive Forward – TIP
Enter late, leave early. Put your focus on panels that drive the narrative forward. Don’t bog down on explaining the setup, readers are better at connecting the dots than you […]
Sample Scene Breakdown
Pinpointing and declaring scenes makes everything more organized and saves you time. The difference between using this approach and not using it when you script, is night and day. Do […]
Show it Don’t Tell it – TIP
Don’t tell the reader a character is scared. Show that character being scared. Trembling. Jumpy. Stumbling. Sweating. Darting eyes. Hesitation. ▪ About the Author — Nick Macari is a full-time […]
Scripting an Outside Outline
At the end of the Working Writer’s Guide to Comics and Graphic Novels I go through the main method I use to write a script directly from a comprehensive outline… […]
Don’t Focus on Plot – TIP
Starting a new comic series? Don’t focus on plot. Plot focus puts blinders on… it’s a distraction. Focus on discovering and defining your STORY FUNDAMENTALS. Get your foundation straight and […]