Last Night, Ron Marz (@ronmarz , writer of various comics including current writer of Artifacts after a long run on Witchblade & papa to Kyle Rayner) started a discussion and gave a how to write comics. As his tweets went along, he was soon joined by other creators, such as Erik Larsen (@ErikJLarsen)& more.
Here is a transcript of the Tweets in semi paragraph form & take notes hopeful writers. I KNOW I DID.
RON MARZ:First, I write 1-20 (or however many pages) down the side of a piece of notebook paper. I pace out what happens on each page in.....just a few words or a sentence. You make sure your story fits into the allotted space in this way. Then on notebook paper I break down each page into panels, figuring out the visual storytelling. No specific number of panels per page......is right or wrong. It's about what each page needs. But remember, somebody has to DRAW this. Don't overload the page with too much.But also be aware that each page is precious, and should add another building block to the overall story. Every page must have a purpose.
I'll include dialogue notes to myself in the page breakdowns, so I know there's room to convey information and characterization.You should have a page-turn/cliffhanger moment at the end of every page; metaphorically, you ask a question at the end of every page......"what will happen next, who is casting that shadow, who said that from off panel?" etc. Make reader turn the page to get the answer. Page-turn moments are more important at the end of odd-numbered pages (which are actual page turns).
Once I'm happy with the breakdowns -- and stuff gets moved around at this stage -- I type up the breakdowns and dialogue notes in MS Word. I don't use Final Draft or any screenplay software, because your script is NOT a screenplay. Your script is a long letter to the artist......so he/she knows what to draw. Writer's job is to give artist all info they need to draw the page, and then LET ARTIST DRAW THE PAGE.
Artist will interpret and often improve the picture in your head. Add panels, combine panels, change angles, etc. That's the artist's job. The artist is more than likely BETTER at it than you are. So don't expect artists to be art monkeys obeying your whims. Collaborate. Once I have breakdowns and dialogue notes typed up, I go through and write a more complete take on first-draft dialogue. First-draft dialogue is wretched, but conveys what will be said, in what order, and how much balloon room needs to be left.
When that's done, off the script goes to the editor and artist. Include color notes if you have them, since colorist should get a copy too. As they art comes back in, I write the final dialogue, so it's matched to what's on the page. Adjust your script to fit the art. It's easier and more time effective to rewrite dialogue than redraw pages. Adjust what you do to what the artist does. Remember: 5 or 6 people in the world will read the script (editor or two, artist, letterer, colorist). Your script is NOT the final product.The comic is the final product. All parts of process should be working together to make a great comic, not to give any one part precedence. Also be aware that different types of scripts work better or worse for different artists: more detail, less choreography, etc. If I can't see the page in my head, I do not have the right to hand it to the artist and say "draw this." But ... I fully expect the artist to come back with something different than what's in my head. That's where the creative magic is.
Things to know: how much visual info fits on page; how much visual info fits in panel; how much lettering fits in a balloon and in a panel. Another thing to know: characters CANNOT perform multiple actions in a panel. Can't park a car, get out and walk into building in one panel. When you write stuff like that, artists curse you soundly, laugh at you behind your back, and then tell other artists about it.Starlin explained it to me like this, at start of my career: each panel is a frozen moment in time. The job is to show the right moments.So that's what I know. Now I gotta go write some comics.
And that was what Ron Marz stated. He was then asked questions that he answered like:
The choice between breakdowns and full scripts, Marz answered:
Depends on the artist. Many are used to full script, because plot style has become much less common.
I'll work whatever way artist is comfortable, and yields best book. Sometimes I have specific thing that needs full script.
And Marz reiterated the importance of the Artist:
As I said earlier, writer gives the artist everything needed to draw the page, then artist decides how to do it.
And shortly after he sparked this fire, other creators sounded off. One of the most vocal is comic icon and veteran Erik Larsen added his own advice:
First things rookie writers need to understand is that they're not writing a movie. Characters can't do multiple tasks in one panel. Second--is to understand that a reader sees every panel of a spread at once. Surprises don't work in panel three on a right-handed page.
And Erik went on to give answers to hopefuls on twitter which hold wisdom such as:
When dealing with ads:
generally writer contend themselves with single page bites and having each end on a mini-cliffhanger.
Also:
If you can cut a panel without harming the story--cut it. Keep only panels that add something.
writing comics is a totally different discipline. You need to be succinct.
Every kind of writing has its rules. The important thing is to use them.
A lot of sound advice here. Hopefully, any one who wants to create comics get's something out of this.
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