Writing the First Comic Book Script

Comic book writing is really a frontier which has a lot of potential for growth. Billions of comic books have sold. This essay will explore what to do when writing the first comic book script, what writers to study, how to tell a clear story, and when one knows the script is good.

When in doubt about writing comic books it can be good to ask questions. Go to a forum on comic writer (like ScrypticStudios.com or a Yahoo! Group devoted to comic writing) and just start rattling off questions. Most comic book writers, or those who aspire to be, will be more than willing to offer some guidance on where to go with the title.

After asking the questions, one should still study up on being a comic book writer. It can help to read titles like "Writing For Comics With Peter David" or possibly the Alan Moore book intended for writers (which was originally a group of essays published in a comic magazine). These are just so the writer does not make too many of the common mistakes.

Once one has the idea, it is usually best to write a synopsis or outline for the story. A synopsis is key because this is what the publishers and artists want to see first from a writer. The synopsis allows them to see if they are interested in publishing or drawing the comic. This piece of writing will also allow the writer to see what will work and what won't. A good synopsis is 1-2 pages long. If one is unsure of where to go, many graphic novels will actually have outlines in the back, or original scripts.

So how does one learn to write the first script? Often the first story will not work out for the writer. It will be more of a learning lesson. The writer may keep the story, but often this first script will need major revision.

Consider, before writing this script, pulling out some loose leaf paper and exploring what can be done with a panel. Some of the top writers utilize what can be done with a panel. Studying anything by the likes of Alan Moore or Grant Morrison could help the comic writer learn the basics, but one should explore his or her own style. Just write down the first page on the loose leaf, panels and all, and one will see that though it isn't easy, a good script can be written with patience.

All these things should be incorporated into the comic script. Writing the story is another matter for another essay.