How do you write?

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Ideal Comics
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How do you write?

Post by Ideal Comics »

How do you write? Full Script, Marvel Method, some weird fusion your created?

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Ti-Phil
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Ti-Phil »

Usually I have a basic idea or plot for the story. Some checkpoints I know I want the characters to reach.
I usually try to write/draw a few pages in advance in pale blue so that, when I clean one of the page, I can make sure that the link between this page and the incoming ones are correct.
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Re: How do you write?

Post by genzharp »

I have the basic plot written down, then the script, then that's when i make the drawing.

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Re: How do you write?

Post by genzharp »

I have a plot outline first then the rest follows

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Re: How do you write?

Post by genzharp »

I usually start with an outline first for the plot. So I write the whole thing, then the dialogues, and then I draw them.

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JSConner800
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Re: How do you write?

Post by JSConner800 »

Whenever I write anything, be it comics, short stories, novels, or film/stage scripts, I always spend at least a couple months mapping everything out in my head before I even start writing. I still make a ton of revisions as I actually begin to physically put the story together, but I like to at least try and get it right the first time.

I went to an interesting seminar once where the speaker defined two main types of creative writers: diamond polishers, and swamp drivers. Diamond polishers work slowly, trying to perfect their writing as they go. Swamp drivers, on the other hand, go as quickly as possible and lay down the foundation of the story with typos, plot holes, and all - then they go back and fix it up later. According to her, the only way to drive through a swamp is to gun it and just let momentum and sheer force of will carry you over the mud. Maybe it's because I've never lived in or near a swamp, but I've always been a diamond polisher, for better or worse. It takes forever to get anything done, but it's the only way I can feel good about my work.

I'm curious, though - what's the Marvel Method? I tried looking it up, but I couldn't really find a definitive answer. I write out full descriptions for each panel (which have gotten longer and more descriptive as I've gained more experience in comics writing), plus a separate column for dialogue. When I first started, that was the recommended format that I found, but I'm curious to know if there are alternatives I should be exploring.
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Bustertheclown »

I start with storyboards. I don't see much reason to script for a visual medium, since I work on my own.
JSConner800 wrote:
I'm curious, though - what's the Marvel Method? I tried looking it up, but I couldn't really find a definitive answer.
It's a complex system where you do the lion's share of the work, and Stan Lee screws you over, and takes all the credit. Excelsior, True Believer!
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Yeahduff »

Plot an outline, maybe take note of specific lines or images that will eventually go in there. Then do a kinda Shakespearean script with lines and vague action notes. Probably not a great way of doing it.
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Ideal Comics
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Ideal Comics »

My process used to be to map beginning middle and end, and then write a full script. For the last while, though, we have been using a modified Marvel style: Plot-->Story outline-->art--dialog

Been a wild trip, but we are getting fun results

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Re: How do you write?

Post by Cortland »

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do this. Currently, my scripts consist entirely of dialog between characters, which I then use to sketch thumbnails of each strip to determine how to frame each panel (so the character speaking first is positioned on the left, etc.) One immensely helpful tool I've devised recently is a template of each strip that I them populate with text before drawing begins so I can tell exactly how much room I need to leave for the dialog. I'd written myself into a corner before creating a beautiful panel only to discover my dialog would be covering up characters' faces, at which point I'd resort to Photoshop surgery to rearrange the panel to make room (or redrawing it altogether).

In the future, I'd like to start writing with far less dialog and doing more visuals, specifically what Scott McCloud called "aspect-to-aspect" transitions in his books.
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Re: How do you write?

Post by McDuffies »

I dream and words appear.

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all work and no play makes mcDuffies a dull boy

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I had a dream that mcDuffies came back. I must've eaten something weird.
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Toxic »

Oh my gosh, all these sudden reunions! It's like Game of Thrones S8E1!
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Re: all work and no play makes mcDuffies a dull boy

Post by Ideal Comics »

Cope wrote:I had a dream that mcDuffies came back. I must've eaten something weird.
It might be my fault. I name dropped him here...

https://www.patreon.com/posts/joe-jobs-1-22584100

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Re: How do you write?

Post by Bobadventures »

I generally start a story arc with some vague idea of where it's going, but I rarely do any seriously detailed plotting ahead. The one time I did was in my longest storyline, "The Island and the Idol," for which I had piles of notes. I'm happy with the way it came out and I know I couldn't have done it without all those notes, but having all those notes to follow actually ended up slowing the process down, oddly enough.

I generally find that when i'm just trying to be silly and funny, that comes pretty quickly and naturally to me (thank goodness), but that when I get it into my head to *say something,* that takes a lot more effort.

I'm currently in the middle of a scene which has involved historical research into a fairly obscure topic, and that has slowed progress down.

And now, of course, ComicGenesis has stopped updating. I hope the site isn't dead. But I'll migrate over to SmackJeeves or someplace if I have to.
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Ideal Comics »

Am I the only one, when coming back to the message board, finds it weird to not be able to 'like' posts. Its like I feel broken.

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Ti-Phil
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Ti-Phil »

Likes? What sort of machination is this? Are we not in 2005?
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Re: How do you write?

Post by Cortland »

Ideal Comics wrote:Am I the only one, when coming back to the message board, finds it weird to not be able to 'like' posts. Its like I feel broken.
What I find funner is that we can list our handles for AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo, ICQ, and Jabber on our profiles here, but not Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube.
Because yes, this is 2005, and social media has yet to be invented to replace blogs and user forums.

At least we can edit our posts, though. Take that, Twitter.
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actually, scratch that. I had dialup in 2005.

Post by Cope »

Cortland wrote:this is 2005,
I wish.
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