how to write a comic book review

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How to Review Comics

Why review, writing a good review, risks of reviewing, benefits of reviewing.

To draw attention to good books — especially if they’re not as well-known as they should be — and to warn people away from bad ones. Although writing a bad review is easier than writing a good one, the best reviewers spend more time talking about good books than bad. It’s more productive in the long run, too.

To analyze the craft of creating a comic. To dissect how a good comic works or explain why a bad one doesn’t. To teach readers what lettering adds to a comic, or how panel layouts help or hinder the story, or any of a myriad other skills necessary to build a good comic book.

To Communicate

To start discussion or provide an alternative point of view. Beware, though, this may work against writing a good review, if the reviewer winds up discussing plot and characters too fannishly just to get responses. Also, reviewers shouldn’t cop an attitude just to get noticed. Attitude is cheap; content is rare.

To Develop Craft

To learn discipline and improve one’s writing and thinking.

To Get Free Stuff

If you’re good, and consistent, and build an audience, people may want to give you material in the hopes you will talk about it. However, it’s a mixed blessing: it’s great to get a chance to check out something you wouldn’t have bought for yourself, but review copies are a large responsibility, and the best material isn’t generally given away, so you’ll find a big range of quality in what you get (particularly if you’re starting out). For more on this topic, see How to Get Review Copies .

To Be Discovered

Please note that this is a bad idea, but some reviewers have this as a goal. Building a name for oneself cuts both ways; for everyone impressed by the comments (or opinions), there will be someone who takes it personally and holds a grudge. Plus, writing for comics is a different skill from writing about comics, so an aspiring creator had better be working on developing both abilities.

Comics journalism isn’t taken seriously in part because of this reason. It’s seen as a stepping stone instead of a craft in itself. Some professionals accuse critics of being jealous… and some critics are, but there are many more who aren’t. Many things are easier for competent writers to do instead of reviewing, and with most of them they’ll be better respected and maybe even paid. The medium needs intelligent criticism to continue growing and be taken more seriously.

What to Cover

Ideally, reviews should be written of complete stories, chunks that provide a satisfying experience to a reader. Possibilities include graphic novels, trade paperbacks, complete miniseries, single-issue stories, and complete story arcs within a continuing series.

Reviewers covering monthly comics piecemeal should avoid assuming everyone read the previous issue. Coming up with something new to say about chapter 3 of 6 after reviewing parts 1 and 2 is challenging, but it can be done. Also, a reviewer might be criticized for not waiting until the end of the story to criticize it (especially if the comments are negative). It’s perfectly valid to review anything that’s offered for sale to the public, but it’s hard to evaluate the overall story without an ending.

Reviews should express an opinion about a work and say something interesting and unique. Online reviews should not go on longer than the reader wants to scroll. Also, short paragraphs are better; densely packed text can look daunting and unreadable on a computer screen.

What to Write

Pick a format and style and use them consistently. Include all the relevant pieces of information (creators, dates, titles) to identify the work being reviewed. Here’s one example:

COMIC TITLE: Subtitle (or #Issue Number(s)) Creator Credits, as printed in the work, one per line US release date, if known, or cover date, or year of publication Publisher, format (page count, binding, color or black-and-white, whether digital), price

Tell readers something of what the comic is about, but keep it brief, and use spoilers as sparingly as possible. The plot of many standard-length comics can be summed up in a sentence or two. It may on occasion be impossible to discuss a story without revealing elements of it, but that should be a rare occurrence. Recommendations for or against a work should be based on the reviewer’s opinions and criteria, not the events of the story. A reader should be given enough information to determine whether or not she would find the comic interesting without her reading experience being ruined.

In the main body of the review, a reviewer should discuss what she liked and what she didn’t in regards to writing, art, plot, character representation, storytelling, and entertainment value. Comments should be balanced; there is always at least one thing in any comic that was well-done, and one thing that could be improved. Give examples. The reader should understand the basis for the reviewer’s opinions. I shouldn’t need to say this, but avoid personal remarks. Discuss the work, not the creator.

All comic reviews should contain art criticism; one doesn’t have to be an artist to describe what one sees and give opinions on it. Do items and characters look like what they’re supposed to be? Do the panels flow smoothly, supporting the story? Is the reader’s eye led in the right direction by the layout? Do the word balloons fit into the composition? Think about how the words and pictures work together to create the story. A reviewer who doesn’t cover both art and text is reviewing a plot, not a comic.

The tone should be informed and intelligent, but not superior. Readers may be ignorant of the work, but they aren’t stupid. Keep it friendly and entertaining. Readers are interested in the reviewer’s reactions and opinions, and some personal information may be necessary to understand the reviewer’s perspective (if she’s never read a comic in that genre before, for example, or if she previously worked with the writer), but reviews are not about name-dropping or unrelated life anecdotes.

Ratings are not mandatory. Some critics sum up their reviews with one, but other people find them unnecessarily simplistic. Regardless, they should match the comments given. The reader shouldn’t be left wondering why the rating is higher or lower than the rest of the review suggests. The scale should also be obvious and understandable, and the rankings should be consistent across reviews.

Try hard to get an overview of the entire medium. While it’s economically understandable that hobby reviewers can’t afford to spend that much money, reviewers who stick only with what they’ve already decided to buy are doing their readers (and themselves) a disservice. Be creative in finding ways to expand coverage. Many reviewers cut deals with their local shops to borrow comics in order to read more widely, for instance. Reviewers also owe it to their readers to be familiar with the best-known and -respected works of the medium (not just the superhero genre).

Given the bizarre nature of the comics industry, be sure to include information on how to obtain the book at the end of the review. If it’s a small press title, include the publisher contact address and/or website. If someone wants to read the reviewed book, let her know how. Also, be sure to state whether you received the comic for free for review.

Just because someone’s working in comics as a professional doesn’t mean they’ll have a professional attitude regarding criticism. People who should know better sometimes take comments purely about their work personally and respond on a personal level. No one’s handing out maturity with comic book work; sometimes a reviewer has to laugh and move on. In return, the critic’s behavior must be mature enough that people aren’t laughing at her, either.

There are also many people out there who identify too closely with the published work. With creators, at least it’s understandable; the fans, though, can be scary, especially the ones who take a negative comment on the latest superhero book as a personal attack. If fans become too pushy or threatening, take necessary precautions, such as using a post office box instead of a home address for review copy submissions.

Critics have to put up with being evaluated and reviewed themselves. No matter how bulletproof a review (in terms of pointing out flaws with copious examples; keeping the discussion about the work, not the creative team; and clarifying with terms like “in my opinion”), there will be immature people who will take a differing opinion as an excuse to question the critic’s intelligence, sex life, and general worth as a human being. Be prepared to ignore immature responses, no matter who they’re from.

On the other hand, don’t be one of those people who rank being right over being a decent human being. Keep the work in perspective. A bitter reviewer can be fun to read once or twice, but not long-term. People can be entertained by or find useful information from criticism even if they disagree.

Everyone has their own list, but mine includes the intellectual joy of figuring out why I liked or disliked something, and the pleasure of expressing it well. I’ve met a lot of interesting people through comic fandom, and this is my way of giving something back.

Even if you disagree with me, please think about the issues I’ve raised. You may come to different conclusions, but you ought to be able to answer these questions:

• What approach should reviewers take?
• What’s their perspective?
• What are their criteria for “good” and “bad”?
• Are they able to distinguish “good” from “what I like”?

Reviewing is an art, like any other form of writing. Support the good, avoid the bad, and keep encouraging improvement.

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How To Review A Comic Book

The art of reviewing a comic book is hard work, and most reviewers are not professionally trained. However, with the invention of the blog and social media — everyone can be a critic, which is amazing and god awful. Over the past seven years of running Monkeys Fighting Robots, the Editor in Chief and I have developed a five-star system for reviewing books.

5.0 = A near-perfect comic; one of the year’s best. You’ll remember this issue for a long time.

4.0–4.9 = An excellent book that’s well worth your money. It has memorable moments, stunning art, and a fundamental understanding of how comics work.

3.0–3.9 = A pretty good, middle-of-the-road comic. Maybe not worth your money unless you’re a big fan of the series/character.

2.0–2.9 = Meh, it’s okay. Below average. Not terrible, but ultimately forgettable.

1.0–1.9 = It’s bad. Maybe it has one or two redeeming qualities, but the bad outweighs the good. It’s not worth your time, let alone your money.

0.0–0.9 = A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad comic. Not worth your time, let alone your money. You probably shouldn’t bother reviewing the book if this is your score.

I would add one caveat that the rating or grade you give a review should be consistent with your previous reviews. A five-star review should mean something and not be given out at the drop of a hat. Create a list of five comics you believe are perfect, and then judge all other comics against them. But, again, reviewing comics books is an art form, so everything is fluid.

So now that you’ve established a baseline for reviewing a book make sure to review every aspect of the comic, and definitely DO NOT RECAP THE STORY. Talk about the writing and how it made you feel. Make sure to question and break down the pacing of the story. Your review is about a comic book, so the bulk of your review should be about the artwork, panel layout, colors, and letter work. The cover is an essential aspect of a comic too. Did the cover make you want to pick it up off the shelf?

Talk about your favorite page or panel to take your review to the next level. It should be easy to write about, and your reader will notice and feel your passion. Talking about your favorite page will help you focus on panel layout, colors, and how your eye led throughout the page. It should all lead to the question, what does this mean? That question will then lead you back to the book’s writing, and hopefully, you will expand on that section of your review.

A comic book is a fantastic piece of artwork that invokes an emotional response, talk about how the book made you feel! In future installments, I will talk about how to critique the specific elements of a comic book.

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Review 101: Tools for Reviewing Comics

This week, Ron Marz reviews the current state of comic reviews, and suggests some needed improvements to raise the level of sequential discourse.

A few weeks ago, I was glancing at a comic review online. Not for one of my issues, but for an issue by a couple of friends of mine. No, I'm not going to tell you the title, because that's not the point here. As I recall, the issue received something of an average rating, but I honestly didn't finish reading the review.

That's because I got a few paragraphs into the review, and stopped dead when I got to the term "textboxes." I was frankly stunned that someone reviewing a comic on a well-known site would not know the term "caption," and instead make up... well, "textboxes." It's like writing a baseball game summary and calling the shortstop the "middlefielder." Things have names. If you're writing about those things, you need to use their proper names.

Look, I get it. Reviewing comics is not a gig that pays well, or in a lot of cases, at all. People are often doing reviews because they love the medium, or maybe for some free comics. I understand there's not a lot of reward in doing the job. But that's still no excuse to not do the job properly, to not do your homework, or to not know the proper terminology.

I've previously suggested that comics reviewers... or really, anyone writing about comics... get a basic background in sequential storytelling. For my money, the two indispensable references are "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud , and "Comics and Sequential Art" by Will Eisner . The companion volumes (McCloud's "Reinventing Comics" and Eisner's "Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative") are also recommended. But the first two are essential. This is a visual medium. If you don't understand the visual aspects of comics, you can't write about them effectively. For what it's worth, you also can't write comics effectively if you don't understand the visual aspects.

A review is not a plot summary. That's what a fourth grader writes as a book report. "Batman did a really cool thing, and I liked it" is not a review. What happened should never be the meat of a review. How successfully it happened is what a review should be about. Tell the audience why something worked or didn't.

Reviews are also not a venue for what the reviewer thinks should have happened instead. The comic should be reviewed as it exists, not compared to the hypothetical comic that exists only in the reviewer's mind. It's not the reviewer's job to express what Batman would "really" do in a situation.

So first, let's learn some words:

As mentioned, we have "captions" in comics, not "textboxes."

We have word or thought "balloons," not "bubbles." The balloon's "tail" is the part that points to the speaker.

Sequential art is presented in "panels," not "boxes" or "frames" or God forbid, "storyboards."

A horizontal row of panels is called a "tier." Traditionally, superhero comic pages often utilized three tiers, while "funny animal" or comedy comic pages utilized four tiers.

The spaces between panels are called "gutters."

The line around the outside of the panel is the "panel border." When an element of the artwork extends beyond it, it's called "breaking the border."

A single-page illustration is a "splash," which can sometimes have an inset panel or panels.

When two facing pages are butted together, with an image or sequence running across both pages, it's called a "two-page spread" or "double-page spread"... not a 'two-page splash."

A page layout with repeated, same-size panels is called a "grid." Famously, "Watchmen" is based on a nine-panel grid format. "The Dark Knight Returns" utilizes a 16-panel grid.

Got all that? Good.

The most common element lacking in comic reviews is attention to the artistic side of the equation. Most reviews spend a cursory paragraph, or maybe just a few sentences, mentioning the art. I've certainly seen more than a few reviews that make no mention of the art or artists whatsoever, which is shameful.

To an extent, it's understandable, though absolutely not excusable. The vast majority of reviewers come to comics from a story-first perspective. I don't think it's unfair to say that a significant percentage of reviewers might well harbor dreams of one day writing comics. And there's nothing wrong with that... unless it skews the story/art balance in the review. Ideally, a comic review should be a 50/50 proposition, devoting equal space to discussing story and art.

Story and art are inextricably linked in a comic. One does not work without the other. This is a visual medium; the art is not pretty pictures, it's storytelling. There's just as much "writing" in the artwork as there is in the word balloons. Don't assume the writer is responsible for every story beat, especially visual beats. The writer and artist are co-authors, and the storytelling is a combination of their skills.

Writing about art is intimidating if you're not an artist, or at the very least, well versed in art and storytelling. But it's a job requirement to write about comics. Understand storytelling; do the visuals succeed in telling the story clearly? You should be able to look at the art in a comic, without dialogue, and have a fairly strong sense of what's happening in the story.

You don't have to be an artist to understand art. I can't draw at all, but I love art. I've educated myself in it, not just since I've been a pro, or even since I was simply a reader, but most of my adult life. A sense of comics history helps immensely. If you don't know who Alex Toth is, or why Will Eisner is important, or why Michael Golden is such a huge influence, learn those things.

Art taste is subjective, and an almost endless array of styles is present in contemporary comics. Style is a compilation of myriad choices: shape, form, value, line, rendering, exaggeration, negative space, and more. Is the anatomy consistent within the style, or is it simply poor draftsmanship? Is the perspective accurate or faked? You need not love an artist's style to appreciate its effectiveness in telling the story.

Reviewing comics is the quintessential "jack of all trades, master of none" pursuit. It's not necessary to be able to do any of the jobs on a creative team, but it is necessary to understand each of them.

The writer writes, most often in full-script format. The basic story and words on the page come from the writer (unless, of course, there's been editorial input on a work-for-hire gig, which is a determination you really never know). How that story is told is a combined effort by the writer and art team.

As comics move more and more to digital production, there's less division between the penciler and the inker. Increasingly, the line art is being produced by a single artist. But even so, it behooves a reviewer to understand the roles of both the penciler and inker.

In the pencil stage, the artist is akin to a combined film director and cinematographer, choosing and executing the visuals that best tell the story. The inks refine and complete the black-and-white art, lending line weight, spotted blacks, depth, and texture. (Because it needs to be said: inks have nothing to do with color. I've seen reviews that credit the inker with color choices, I guess somehow assuming "colored inks" were used.)

The colorist's role is far more than simply adding color to black-and-white line art. Color is just as much of a storytelling device as line art, conveying mood and directing the reader's eye. The colorist's role has never been more essential in comics than it is now. A passing familiarity with color theory should be one of the tools in the reviewer's tool box.

The letterer's job is part of the graphic presentation of each page. In addition to basics like balloon placement, balloon shapes, fonts and display lettering/sound effects, the letterer is responsible (in concert with the writer's lettering script) for properly leading the reader's eye around the page. I constantly tell people putting together pages for comic pitches to get professional lettering. An otherwise professional comic can be ruined by amateur lettering, like an otherwise great cake can be ruined by awful icing.

As a creator, I deeply appreciate someone taking the time to review one of my comics. Reviews are useful to creators and publisher as marketing tools. That said, I think as a creator you have to take all reviews -- positive and negative -- with a grain of salt. If you're going to ignore the barbs of negative reviews, you have to ignore the praise of the positive ones. But reviews -- positive and negative -- that are written with a deeper understanding of comics, and the process of creating them, are a boon for everyone.

Ron Marz has been writing comics for two decades, and thinks it's pretty much the best job ever. His current work includes "Witchblade" and the graphic novel series "Ravine" for Top Cow, "The Protectors" for Athleta Comics, his creator-owned title, "Shinku," for Image, and Sunday-style strips "The Mucker" and "Korak" for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Follow him on Twitter (@ronmarz) and his website, www.ronmarz.com .

Writing a Comic Book Script 101: Expert Storytelling Tips

Think comic books and graphic novels are just for kids? Guess again. Comic book writers are some of the smartest people in the writing game, creating rich stories that readers of all ages love.

In this post, we’ll explain the writing process that goes into making comics, covering formatting, industry standard terms, self-publishing, and everything else you need to start crafting your own comic book ai script generator .

We’ve got tips for writers, letterers, and artists – whether you’re looking to create a plot first (‘Marvel style’) comic script or full script comic. Our guide’s perfect for short stories, graphic novels, webcomics, and more, taking you from your first idea right through to the final draft and finished comic.

Dive into the world of comic book creation with our detailed post on the writing process. We cover everything from industry standard terms to the intricacies of self-publishing. Essential for both writers and artists is to create storyboards with AI , which can turn your comic scripts into detailed storyboards, aiding immensely in the pre-production process of your graphic novel or webcomic.

Learn essential comic book terms

There are some crucial terms to know when script writing for comic books especially if you want to be taken seriously by the likes of Alan Moore and co. The terms below cover the most important elements of a comic book page.

A still image in a sequence of juxtaposed images. Comic book creators can use a number of panel sizes and dimensions to mix up their formatting: square, round, triangular, narrow vertical, shallow horizontal, diagonal, and anything else you can dream up.

Some types of panels have special terms:

While panels are usually surrounded by heavy lines called borders, parts of the art sometimes pop outside panel borders for dramatic or ironic effect. Borderless images can also qualify as panels.

Any text on a comic book page.

Traditionally, dialogue and caption lettering was all uppercase. However, comic book writers nowadays mix things up a lot more, using upper and lowercase.

Display lettering includes sound effects and any other text that isn’t contained in a balloon or caption (like store signage, license plates, words on a computer screen, etc.).

While some comic book writers overlook them, lettering and balloon placement are vital things to get right when creating your comic book page.

Word balloon (US) / bubble (UK)

A bordered or borderless shape containing dialogue, usually with a tail that points to the speaker. Tailless balloons sometimes represent voiceover or off-panel dialogue. Like with panels, balloons come in various shapes, but ovoid is the most common when scripting.

You can use different shapes for different characters or moods. However, it’s important to use these elements consistently so that you don’t confuse your reader.

Thought balloon

A bordered or borderless shape that contains a character’s unspoken thoughts. Thought balloons almost always have bumpy, cloudlike borders and tails that look like trails of bubbles.

While thought bubbles can be useful for writing comics, it’s important not to overuse them. Like with any other form of scriptwriting , the golden rule is ‘show, don’t tell’.

A tool used for narration, transitional text (“Meanwhile...”), or off-panel dialogue. Captions usually have rectangular borders, but they can also be borderless or floating letters.

Sound effects (SFX)

Stylised lettering that represents noises within a scene. Most SFX are floating letters, and sometimes they’re an integral part of the imagery.

Again, it’s important not to overuse sound effects. Reserve them for important sounds, whether large (bombs) or small (a door gently closing).

The lines that enclose panels, balloons, and captions. You can use different styles and line weights to show different effects or moods, for example:

You can also use different background colors or borders for different characters or types of dialogue.

The space between and around panels. Although it’s usually white, you can use coloured or shaded gutters to help demonstrate mood, denote flashbacks, or just for aesthetic effect.

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Storyboard your comic book script outline

Writing a comic book script without storyboarding the outline is like going hiking without a map. You’re going to get lost (or eaten by bears).

Storyboarding your comic book helps you nail down the storyline and key plot points, saving time, money, and stress when you start writing script pages and inking your comic panels.

Whether you’re writing a one-off indie graphic novel or an ongoing, serialised comic like Stan Lee’s Spider-Man, most comic book creators agree that you should follow a traditional three-act structure. (It’s loved by screenwriting pros around the world, so you know it works.)

Some people call this the ‘inciting incident’. This alliterative treat is the fancy name for the moment when the story's set in motion.

Where your characters start going through big changes (the pros call it character arc) as a result of what's happening.

The resolution. Our characters confront the problem, the story comes together, and we wrap up any loose ends (a.k.a. the ‘denouement’).

The most important parts of your outline are the arcs for your main character and any secondary characters. You should map these out in as much detail as you can.

Once your outline’s starting to come together, it’s time to fire up a storyboard template with Boords . A storyboard is every comic book artist's friend. It shows you if you've missed some necessary details in the script, or if something only works in text but not visually.

Your storyboard is like a rough outline of your graphic novel, with each of the comic panels dedicated to an important moment in the story. The storyboarding process has two main goals: ensuring you have everything you need before you start script writing and lettering, and doing it in an efficient way so that you don't have to spend time fixing things afterwards in Photoshop.

Write your comic book script

Pick a script format.

Unless you’ve got the whole caboodle of skills needed to create comic books – writing, drawing, lettering, and coloring – then you’re probably going to collaborate with other people to make your finished comic.

The usual way comic books come together is writing, pencilling, lettering, inking, then coloring. But this will change depending on who’s involved, how much time you have, and the publishing model.

There are two basic script formats in the comic world:

We’ll explore both below.

Plot-first script (‘Marvel style’)

The plot-first script, a.k.a. ‘Marvel’ style was made popular by the legendary Marvel Comics, largely because of Stan Lee’s relationship with artists like Jack Kirby. Even if you’re writing and drawing your own comic, this can still be a good way to go. It tends to work like this:

The best thing about this script format is that the writer knows exactly what the art looks like, and how much room there is for text, when scripting. However, the writer gives up some control over pacing and composition, and might not get the results they want from the artist.

Full script

Full script is the most common format for comic book scripts. With full script, the writer produces a complete script with panel descriptions, which the artist then uses to pencil the story.

As a writer, you never know exactly how the artist will interpret your descriptions. However, this method gives you a bit more control over layout and pacing. The disadvantage is that you may need to trim or tweak your dialogue and captions after seeing the art.

Comic book scripts are pretty similar to screenplays in terms of script format. The tricky part is that there’s no single format that all comic book writers use.

Remember to make your script format clear and easy to follow. It should have clearly labeled page numbers and panel numbers, with indented paragraphs for all balloons, captions, sound effects, and display lettering.

Edit, edit, edit

Once you’ve got your story down, there’s going to be a lot of rewriting. Write as many drafts as you can, making tweaks and adjustments as you go. Send the script to friends for their input. Leave drafts for a couple of weeks before diving in again with fresh eyes.

Why so much rewriting? Because it’s much easier to make script writing edits at this stage than when you’re drawing the comic. If you make changes later, it’ll be costly. Remember: measure twice, cut once.

Strong comic book scripts are usually super economical in their storytelling, putting across a huge amount of information and emotion in a deceptively simple form. Here are a few tips to help you edit your script so it’s publisher-ready:

Also, here are a few things to watch out for when reviewing your script:

Find a publisher

If you’re thinking of going the self-publishing route (with Amazon, for example) then you can ignore this section. But if you want to get your comic published, then we’ve got some tips that'll help.

First things first, you need to identify some companies that publish the genre and format of your comic. Then decide which works you like the best, and try to make contact with the editors of those comics. See if you can find their email online, or send a quick Twitter DM asking if you can email them.

Once you’ve got an editor’s email or postal address, you can send them a proposal package. This should include:

Your entire proposal (excluding script pages and illustrations) should be about two pages long for a short or single-issue story, or five pages for a graphic novel or multi-issue title.

If you’re sending your proposal package to a submissions editor, check the publisher’s guidelines to find out whether you should follow up on the submission. Most publishers get a lot of unsolicited submissions and don’t like to be pestered.

If you’re sending your proposal to an editor you’ve made personal contact with, wait about a month, then get in touch to see whether they’ve had a chance to look at it. You might need to do this a few times as editors can be busy. Just remember to keep it short and be polite.

Hopefully, you’ll have good news soon. We’ll all be rooting for you here at Boords!

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Thanks to Anina Bennett and Chris Oatley for their helpful posts on comic book writing.

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How to Write a Book Review: The Complete Guide

by Sue Weems | 23 comments

If you've ever loved (or hated) a book, you may have been tempted to review it. Here's a complete guide to how to write a book review, so you can share your literary adventures with other readers more often! 

You finally reach the last page of a book that kept you up all night and close it with the afterglow of satisfaction and a tinge of regret that it’s over. If you enjoyed the book enough to stay up reading it way past your bedtime, consider writing a review. It is one of the best gifts you can give an author.

Regardless of how much you know about how to write a book review, the author will appreciate hearing how their words touched you.

But as you face the five shaded stars and empty box, a blank mind strikes. What do I say? I mean, is this a book really deserving of five stars? How did it compare to Dostoevsky or Angelou or Dickens?

Maybe there’s an easier way to write a book review.

Want to learn how to write a book from start to finish? Check out How to Write a Book: The Complete Guide .

The Fallacy of Book Reviews

Once you’ve decided to give a review, you are faced with the task of deciding how many stars to give a book.

When I first started writing book reviews, I made the mistake of trying to compare a book to ALL BOOKS OF ALL TIME. (Sorry for the all caps, but that’s how it felt, like a James Earl Jones voice was asking me where to put this book in the queue of all books.)

Other readers find themselves comparing new titles to their favorite books. It's a natural comparison. But is it fair?

This is honestly why I didn’t give reviews of books for a long time. How can I compare a modern romance or historical fiction war novel with Dostoevsky? I can’t, and I shouldn’t.

I realized my mistake one day as I was watching (of all things) a dog show. In the final round, they trotted out dogs of all shapes, colors, and sizes. I thought, “How can a Yorkshire Terrier compete with a Basset Hound?” As if he'd read my mind, the announcer explained that each is judged by the standards for its breed.

This was my “Aha!” moment. I have to take a book on its own terms. The question is not, “How does this book compare to all books I’ve read?” but “How well did this book deliver what it promised for the intended audience?”

A review is going to reflect my personal experience with the book, but I can help potential readers by taking a minute to consider what the author intended. Let me explain what I mean. 

How to Write a Book Review: Consider a Book’s Promise

A book makes a promise with its cover, blurb, and first pages. It begins to set expectations the minute a reader views the thumbnail or cover. Those things indicate the genre, tone, and likely the major themes.

If a book cover includes a lip-locked couple in flowing linen on a beach, and I open to the first page to read about a pimpled vampire in a trench coat speaking like Mr. Knightly about his plan for revenge on the entire human race, there’s been a breach of contract before I even get to page two. These are the books we put down immediately (unless a mixed-message beachy cover combined with an Austen vampire story is your thing).

But what if the cover, blurb, and first pages are cohesive and perk our interest enough to keep reading? Then we have to think about what the book has promised us, which revolves around one key idea: What is the core story question and how well is it resolved?

Sometimes genre expectations help us answer this question: a romance will end with a couple who finds their way, a murder mystery ends with a solved case, a thriller’s protagonist beats the clock and saves the country or planet.

The stories we love most do those expected things in a fresh or surprising way with characters we root for from the first page. Even (and especially!) when a book doesn’t fit neatly in a genre category, we need to consider what the book promises on those first pages and decide how well it succeeds on the terms it sets for itself.

When I Don’t Know What to Write

About a month ago, I realized I was overthinking how to write a book review. Here at the Write Practice we have a longstanding tradition of giving critiques using the Oreo method : point out something that was a strength, then something we wondered about or that confused us, followed by another positive.

We can use this same structure to write a simple review when we finish books. Consider this book review format: 

[Book Title] by [book author] is about ___[plot summary in a sentence—no spoilers!]___. I chose this book based on ________. I really enjoyed ________. I wondered how ___________. Anyone who likes ____ will love this book.

Following this basic template can help you write an honest review about most any book, and it will give the author or publisher good information about what worked (and possibly what didn’t). You might write about the characters, the conflict, the setting, or anything else that captured you and kept you reading.

As an added bonus, you will be a stronger reader when you are able to express why you enjoyed parts of a book (just like when you critique!). After you complete a few, you’ll find it gets easier, and you won’t need the template anymore.

What if I Didn’t Like It?

Like professional book reviewers, you will have to make the call about when to leave a negative review. If I can’t give a book at least three stars, I usually don’t review it. Why? If I don’t like a book after a couple chapters, I put it down. I don’t review anything that I haven’t read the entire book.

Also, it may be that I’m not the target audience. The book might be well-written and well-reviewed with a great cover, and it just doesn’t capture me. Or maybe it's a book that just isn't hitting me right now for reasons that have nothing to do with the book and everything to do with my own reading life and needs. Every book is not meant for every reader.

If a book kept me reading all the way to the end and I didn’t like the ending? I would probably still review it, since there had to be enough good things going on to keep me reading to the end. I might mention in my review that the ending was less satisfying than I hoped, but I would still end with a positive.

How to Write a Book Review: Your Turn

As writers, we know how difficult it is to put down the words day after day. We are typically voracious readers. Let’s send some love back out to our fellow writers this week and review the most recent title we enjoyed.

What was the last book you read or reviewed? Do you ever find it hard to review a book? Share in the comments .

Now it's your turn. Think of the last book you read. Then, take fifteen minutes to write a review of it based on the template above. When you're done, share your review in the Pro Practice Workshop . For bonus points, post it on the book's page on Amazon and Goodreads, too!

Don't forget to leave feedback for your fellow writers! What new reads will you discover in the comments?

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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How to Analyze & Review Comics:

A handbook on comics criticism.

PDF format $4.00 on Patreon

Kindle edition $5.99 MSRP

"An invaluable asset to comics reviewers and critics, giving them much-needed context for their writings." -- Mark Waid

Although comics press and criticism has risen in recent years, the resources available to help inform the discussions on how to talk about comics from a critical perspective remain more limited in nature.

How to Analyze & Review Comics serves as a mainstream-friendly resource for journalists, academics, students, bloggers, and fans of all kinds. Presented in “bite size” articles and interviews focused on all areas of the comics medium, this accessible collection is for anyone who wants to learn more about how to write, discuss, and better understand the medium of comics.

ABOUT THE EDITOR

Forrest C. Helvie lives in Connecticut with his wife and two sons where he is chair and professor of developmental English at Norwalk Community College. His literary interests are broad-ranging from medieval Arthurian to 19th-century American, and most importantly, pedagogy, comics studies, and super-heroes. In addition to academic publications, he writes a variety of comic short stories, including his own children’s comic series, Whiz Bang & Amelia the Adventure Bear . He regularly writes for Sequart and reviews comics for Newsarama. Forrest can also be found on Twitter (@forrest_helvie) discussing all things comics related.

See more, including free online content, on Forrest Helvie's author page .

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Seven Indispensable Tricks for Writing Comic Books

As the longtime creative director of Marvel Comics™ and one of the most iconic comic book creators of all time, Stan Lee (1922 – 2018) was the mastermind of a Marvel Universe full of timeless characters and stories that continue to capture the imagination of new generations of comic book fans.

At first, however, Lee lacked confidence in his writing. As he would later explain in his autobiography , he felt that comic books (and therefore, comic book writers) had a low status in the literary world. As a result, he used a pseudonym for some of his earliest comic book work. He writes, I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people's lives. Without it, they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you're able to entertain people, you're doing a good thing.

As we all know, Stan Lee's comic books not only brought him (and the Marvel company) massive success—they also played a large role in elevating comics to a genre that is well-respected and continuing to grow in popularity. If you have been thinking about writing a comic book and are unsure of how to go about it, here are seven little tricks to keep in mind as you write.

Tip #1—Focus on story first, then layout second

Even though comic books are often best known for their imagery, as a rule of thumb, when writing a comic book, you should first focus on the story. Stan Lee puts it simply: Comics are stories; they're like novels or anything else. So the first thing you have to do is become a good storyteller.

While we're on the topic of storytelling, if you are unsure which story you want to tell, consider the fact that many comic books and graphic novels published in today's market are retellings of older stories. This graphic novel retelling of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and this comic book-inspired version of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables are great examples. Even Stan Lee borrowed much of his storytelling from classic Greek and Roman myths, so don't be afraid to put a new spin on an old tale if you are stuck on the story part.

Tip #2—Know the end and work backwards

This same piece of advice holds true for writing any type of story, whether it be a short story, novel or comic book. When you know your ending first—before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) for the first draft—you'll be able to write a more succinct storyline with fewer holes in the plot.

This doesn't mean that you need to know every detail about how your story will end. It only means that you should have a general idea of the major events that will take place at the end. You should know which character will be involved and the overall character arcs for your major characters (particularly the protagonist).

This is especially important if you plan to write a series of comics. Knowing what happens at the end will help you divide the story correctly into segments and end each book on the right kind of cliffhanger (which we'll discuss more in tip #4).

Tip #3—Outline completely before writing

Here's another tip you should follow in the writing process, regardless of what type of fiction you are writing. Having an outline is one of the most important things (if not THE most important thing) you can do before sitting down to write your comic book. You don't need to know every detail at the beginning, but you should have a general idea of your setting, plot structure, major characters, their motivations, and their character arcs as the plot progresses.

If you're stuck at this part, I recommend reading Blake Snyder's Save the Cat! series. While he initially focuses on writing a screenplay, he offers invaluable advice on two different facets of outlining a story for any media. First, he provides a "beat sheet" focusing on the 15 major "beats" that occur within all great movies/screenplays. You can essentially take these beats and fill them in with your story's unique details to have a well-rounded plot outlined quickly. Second, he reviews the essential ten types of stories that encompass most plots. For example, he breaks down the most popular types of stories into easily digestible, overarching themes. A few examples are:

• Monster in the House ( Alien , The Ring , etc.)
• Dude with a Problem ( Die Hard , Open Water , etc.)
• Rites of Passage ( Napoleon Dynamite , Kramer vs. Kramer , etc.)
• Buddy Love ( When Harry Met Sally , Brokeback Mountain , etc.)
• Fool Triumphant ( Forrest Gump , Legally Blond , etc.)

Tip #4—For multiple issues, end on a cliffhanger

I touched on this briefly above, but this is especially important during the outlining process if you are creating a series of comic books. As with any series—and particularly in comic books—ending each issue on a cliffhanger is essential if you want to keep your audience engaged in the overall story you're writing.

In writing comics, it's important to keep this in mind as you outline each issue. If you are creating a series, you should outline the entire series before writing the first comic book, and the outline should be completed before any artwork is begun. Pay special attention to page numbering as you outline and determine cliffhanger cut-off points for each issue, as this will determine the level of interest you are able to maintain with your audience and whether they'll want to purchase following issues (after reading the first).

There are also software programs available such as Celtx , which includes a comic book option for its script writing features. Using software to assist with layout and page numbering during the outlining and writing processes helps extensively with this cliffhanger strategy.

Tip #5—Make sure your setting and characters are memorable

Since comic books have limited room for extended exposition, having a memorable setting and unforgettable characters is important. Stan Lee puts it like this: To my way of thinking, whether it's a superhero movie or a romance or a comedy or whatever, the most important thing is you've got to care about the characters. You've got to understand the characters and you've got to be interested. If the characters are interesting, you're half-way home.

When you think back over some of the bestselling comic books and graphic novels (Neil Gaiman's Sandman series and Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead series come to mind), you'll find that two things they all have in common are a unique, intriguing setting and fascinating characters. Both drive the story when limited exposition and dialogue are necessary (such as in comic books) and both will ensure a comic's success if crafted properly.

Tip #6—Notebooks and audio recorders are great for stealing dialogue you hear throughout the day

This tip comes directly from Tony Max , indie comic book author and illustrator of The Golden Silence series. As a writer, he often catches conversations on audio recorders (with the permission of the speakers, of course) to get a feel for the cadence and word choice of everyday conversations between people. He is then able to listen back through and recreate a realistic dialogue in his comic books.

Since comic books rely heavily on dialogue to fill in details of the exposition, creating realistic dialogue should be a focus while you're writing. Often, panels don't have enough room to have a lot of dialogue either, so the dialogue you do include needs to be sharp, poignant, essential to the narrative, and realistic for the genre. Think of it as the bones that hold the narrative framework together.

Tip #7—Phrase books help to find the right words

Phrase books are great resources for writers of all genres in that they can help spark the creative Muse when writer's block sets in (and let's face it, all writers experience writer's block at some point or another). For example, this phrase book by USA Today bestselling author Jackson Dean Chase offers over 500 descriptions of weapons, wounds, wild animals, weather, emotions, dangerous places, and more, plus a combat thesaurus that covers everything, from attack to defense, ranged to melee, and from monsters to magic spells and psychic powers.

Whether your comic book is sci-fi, action and adventure, romance, fantasy, or somewhere in between, you'll be able to find phrase books offering a plethora of information on costume, weaponry, fighting techniques, survivalist tricks, technology, period-correct verbiage, naming strategies, and more. They are really indispensable to any writer's collection of source books and are especially useful in writing comics, where elements like worldbuilding and costume are essential for success.

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The 8-step guide to creating and publishing your own comic book

Regular contributor Tammy Coron has made a comic book - here are her tips.

I grew up surrounded by some of the most powerful superheroes. Characters like The Amazing Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Incredible Hulk to name a few.

Creating a (believable) alternate reality through the art of visual storytelling has always fascinated me. But it wasn't until recently that I decided to write my own comic book.

Truth be told... it happened somewhat accidentally.

Need some great typography? See our roundup of the best free fonts .

01. Start with an idea

All things start with an idea; and your comic book or graphic novel is no different.

As a storyteller, your best tool is a notebook (whether it be electronic or paper). My advice: keep it with you at all times. That way, when an idea pops into your head, you can jot it down.

Don't worry if your idea isn't fully realized yet. Go with it. You never know where it'll take you.

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For example, when I interviewed Maya Posch on Roundabout: Creative Chaos , I never intended that conversation would be the catalyst for a new comic book. During the interview, we talked about having super powers. She made an off-handed comment about a "super cat" and almost a year later, G.E.N.T.S. was released.

02. Write a script

One of the most common mistakes is to start drawing your comic book before working out your story. While you may feel like grabbing a blank sheet of paper – or launching your favorite drawing app – and just diving in, by doing so, you're likely setting yourself up for failure.

Take the time to write a script. It doesn't need to be fancy and you don't need an expensive app to get it done. A simple text editor will do. However, if you're looking for a more robust app for writing, my preference is Scrivener .

When it's time to write your script, there are four main points to keep in mind:

• Know your genre
• Understand your main character's goals/challenges
• Create a believable setting
• Include a beginning, a middle, and an end

03. Plan the layout

Once your script is complete, it's time to start drawing. Well... it's almost time to start drawing.

When working on the layout, your goal is to keep the reader interested. One way to do this is to end each page (maybe not all, but some) with a cliffhanger. Draw the reader in! Let them know something interesting is about to happen, but don't reveal what that is until they turn the page.

I find the most efficient way to 'work out a layout' is by using thumbnails. Thumbnails, which are similar to storyboards, help work out any composition problems before you invest time into inking and coloring your drawings. Think of them as a very (VERY!) rough draft of your drawings, and of course, your layout.

Note: Don't forget to leave room for the dialogue!

04. Draw the comic

Whether you're working traditionally or digitally, drawing the comic can feel like a daunting task. But at this stage of the process, your work doesn't need to be perfect. Focus on getting your comic drawn; you can work on perfecting it later during the inking stage.

Choosing the right tool (personal preference)

I'm a digital artist, and my application of choice (for comics) is Manga Studio Ex . Because it's specifically designed for making comics, this seems like the obvious choice. But it's more than just that... the tools feel natural.

If you're interested in learning more about Manga Studio, check out this review .

05. Time for inking and coloring

Now that you have your comic drawn (penciled), it's time for inking and coloring; two tasks that don't necessarily need to be done by the same person.

It is at this stage where you clean-up your drawings and add depth to your illustrations. If you're inking/coloring illustrations from another artist, don't be afraid to ask questions if things aren't clear.

Choosing the colours can make or break a scene. In addition to proper color selection, not keeping your colours consistent can break things too.

Imagine how confusing it would have been to see Superman's cape colored red in one page and green in another. While this silly example is just that – silly – the point is, keep things consistent or your readers may be confused.

06. Lettering

An often overlooked task when creating a comic is lettering. You may have a great story. You may fantastic illustrations. But if your lettering is messed up, people won't read your story!

I won't lie. I don't hand-letter my comics. Granted, I may hand-letter a few 'sound effect' words here and there, but generally speaking, all of my lettering is done using installed fonts.

But not just any fonts!

I like to use fonts that fit the comic. The biggest collection of comic book fonts can be found at Blambot . They have both free fonts and paid fonts. Be sure to check the font license before using any font in your work.

07. Selling and marketing

Congratulations! You made a comic. Now what?

Selling and marketing your comic isn't easy. The best thing you can do is tell people. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell the world!

Luckily, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter make this relatively easy. Your best best is to create a daily post telling everyone about your new venture. Let them know what it is and how they can get it. Just don't be a pest; don't flood their feed with your sales pitch. Keep it to once (maybe twice) a day.

08. Wrap Up

Creating a comic book or graphic novel takes a lot of work. If you have the skills and the time to tackle this task on your own, great! If not, don't be afraid to collaborate with another artist. And don't be afraid to ask questions.

There are a lot of places on the web to help get you started. One of my all time favorites is Comics For Beginners .

Now, if you'd like to take a look at my new comic book here's a special offer just for Creative Bloq readers: receive a discount when purchasing G.E.N.T.S . issue #01 using coupon code: CB-READER

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Tammy is an independent creative professional, author of  Apple Game Frameworks and Technologies , and the maker behind the  AdventureGameKit – a custom SpriteKit framework for building point and click adventure games. As an innovative problem solver and industry leader, Tammy enjoys working on projects from content creation – including books, tutorials, videos, and podcasts – to the design and development of cross-platform applications and games. For Creative Bloq, she has written about an array of subjects, including animation, web design and character design.

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Last updated on Apr 16, 2022

How to Make a Comic Book in 5 Superheroic Steps

These days, almost any comic creator with talent and a strong vision can reach an audience. And with some luck, their creations might even join the ranks of the indie comics with screen adaptations (think I Kill Giants, Polar, and The End of the F****** World). In other words, there's no better time than today to be an indie comic creator.

If you have a passion for telling great graphic stories , here's how to make your own comic book in five steps: 

1. Focus your ideas into a hook that pops 

2. choose the format your story needs (or the one it deserves), 3. draft a punchy script, not a novel with pictures, 4. team up or go solo for the artwork, 5. drop issue #1 like it’s hot.

Ex Machina by Brian K Vaughan and Tony Harris — Iron Man meets The West Wing : The world’s only superhero becomes the mayor of New York City.

Maniac of New York by Elliott Kalan and Andrea Mutti — Jaws, but with a serial killer instead of a shark.

Crossover by Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, Dee Cunniffe and John J. Hill — A rupture in reality sees every fictional comic book character dropped directly onto real-world Denver, throwing the world into disarray.

The Private Eye by Brian K Vaughan and Marcos Martín — A near-future world where the Cloud “bursting” has led to normal people becoming intensely guarded over their personal lives — even wearing masks day-do-day and assuming false identities to keep their secrets safe.

By establishing your “hook” before you delve into writing and inking your comic, you will remain laser-focused on what gives your story an edge.

How you choose to publish your book will affect how you write and illustrate it, so make sure you pick the right format. (We’ll talk more about how to publish your comic book in the next post of this guide).

Print comics

Whether you’re hoping to sell your comic to a publisher or go the indie route and publish it on your own, there are a few formatting issues to bear in mind.

Keep it under 30-40 pages. Comic issues are usually 32-pages long, but the stories tend to be around 22 page, to allow for ads and ‘letters from the editor’. If you’re going in the indie route, then you can be a lot more flexible, though keep in mind that printers will charge you by the page!

Black and white isn’t all bad. Color is hard to get right in comic art. This is why you’ll often see first-time comic creators working on books that lend themselves to the monochrome aesthetic, as going black and white can be both easier and cheaper to produce. (PS — You can always come back and add color later, like Fantasy Sports author Sam Bosma, whose indie B&W comic was picked up by a publisher and reimagined in color).

Don’t go too wild with your trim sizes. The trim size of modern comic books is 6.625 inches x 10.25 inches (or thereabouts). Most of the shelves in a comic store are for books this size, as are the clear plastic comic protectors that collectors use. Unless you have a truly revolutionary reason for printing a 9” x 9” title, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by sticking with a standard size.

Digital comics

If you’re planning to write an ebook comic, then you’ll obviously have a lot more freedom with how you format your artwork 一 which is why ever more artists are going down this route.

Most digital devices like phones, tablets, and computers aren’t ideal for reading comics in the traditional 9-panel grid. When it comes to handling short wide panels and double-page spreads, they can be even worse. However, with ‘guided view’ — a slideshow-style mode you can set up on Comixology using Amazon’s comic creator —  you can make it a fairly reasonable experience on many digital devices.

So when writing a traditionally-formatted comic for the digital market, consider keeping things simple — if only for the sake of your readers’ eyesight.

Services like Webtoon and Tapas host comics that are designed to be read on the phone, where the images are sequenced vertically. All the reader has to do is swipe up to see the next panel. Currently, these platforms mostly cater to fans of manhwa (an originally Korean style  of comic which is aesthetically similar to manga ) — but you can expect these outlets to diversify as time goes by.

Blogs, Tumblr, Instagram

Some artists choose to cut out the middleman and share their artwork directly with their social media followers. One example of an author doing this is The Eyes by Javi de Castro, a comic hosted entirely on the author’s blog. Even published comic book artists use their socials to share small comics, like Thomas Wellman’s Carmilla comics which he shares to Instagram.

The great part about this is that you have total creative control; provided your artwork is appropriately formatted for your platform of choice, you can create and share it instantly.

If you want more information on different formats for comic books and how to publish them, you can check out the other part of our guide here .

Comics are, above all, a visual medium and most comic scripts reflect this. They are blueprints written for an audience of one: the illustrator. As a result, the script must convey the writer’s vision in a way that facilitates collaboration.

Plot style scripts

In most writer-artist partnerships, the illustrator will have an incredible amount of input in the final product. If this were a movie, the artist would be the director, cinematographer production designer, and casting director — and the writer is, unsurprisingly, the writer.

In these situations, it’s best for the writer to describe the action of the scene along with the dialogue — and leave it to the illustrator to bring that scene to life however they feel best to do it. 

In plot-style scripts, the writer will describe the action of the scene in the present tense. They might present dialogue in quote marks, or in the style of a screenplay.This style of scripting is sometimes referred to as a “Marvel script” due to its longtime use by the publisher of Spider-Man and X-Men.

Total script

Oftentimes, a writer will want more influence over how the story visually develops across the page. If this is the case, you may want to take a panel-by-panel (or ‘total script’) approach. 

When working panel-by-panel, be specific: let your artist know your ideal panel size, and how you visualize the “shot” — like you would to a cinematographer. Alan Moore’s scripts are a great example of just how granular you can be when writing this way.

Most contemporary writers go with the panel-by-panel script, which is best if you have a clear, specific vision for your comic book. However, if you’re flexible on the details and would like some room to improvise, then the page-by-page option might be better.

Tailor your script to your artist’s needs

If you’re collaborating with an artist on making your comic book, you may need to tweak the way you’ve scripted to make sure they have everything they need. It’s good to bring an artist on board as early as possible (which we’ll discuss more in the next section) so that you can keep them in mind while scripting.

Since some artists may request more or less detail in your scripting, it’s important to agree on how much creative control your artist should have, or if they’re willing to follow more granular instructions. Generally, most artists will be happy to make creative decisions when illustrating, but don’t be afraid to get specific and make requests while collaborating!

Even if you’re your own artist, it is a good idea to have at least a page-by-page outline before you start drawing, so you can refer back to it and you’re never left wondering what’s supposed to happen next.

While there are a few different ways you could script your comic book, here are some hard and fast rules you should try and stick to:

Cut the small talk

Above all, comic books are a visual medium, so try and keep dialogue short and sweet. Remember when Twitter only allowed 140 characters per Tweet? According to comic book editor Rachel Gluckstern , this is also a good limit for each line of comic dialogue — and try to keep it to 10-12 total lines per page, captions, and speech bubbles included.

Pace your action

You’re working with still images, and what’s happening on each page needs to be understandable from a few frames alone. Any more than two or three distinct actions per page (say, a character climbing the stairs, opening a door, and locking it behind them) is too “busy” to show on a single page, and can really throw off the pacing of your comic.

Don’t forget that page count

As we mentioned, you can go longer or shorter, but 30-40 pages is about the expected length of a comic book, and a realistic scope for a first-time author — and of course, you can always create additional installments to your first issue.

These technical considerations can be a little overwhelming, but don’t forget that you can always consult a professional to make sure your script is production-ready. At Reedsy, we work with the best editors in the industry, who can advise on technical requirements and  help you create the right script to realize your vision.

Looking for an editor for your comic book?

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It's the moment you’ve been waiting for: bringing your comic book to life with illustrations! If you’re not an artist yourself, this is where you’ll want to call in a pro. If you don’t know where to find them, you could start with the brilliant comic book illustrators right here on Reedsy. Sign up for free to look through their portfolios and find the perfect style for your comic.

If you’re collaborating, team up early

Oftentimes, the way to get the most out of your comic book collaboration is to bring an illustrator onboard nice and early. By sharing your visions and getting on the same page, you’ll have the best chance of producing a comic book you’re both happy with, and with minimal friction.

Starting early will also give you the time to find an illustrator who really works with you. Don’t rush into choosing your artist, and take time to review any potential illustrator’s previous work, and see whether their style is the one you want for your work.  

Start with a storyboard

Whether you’re creating your own art or collaborating with an illustrator, this part should begin with storyboarding: sketching out your panels to get a rough idea of how they’ll look and “flow” together on the page.

You may have done a little storyboarding in the writing stage, but it’s good to sketch out your entire comic book before you proceed. Even if you’ve gone for a panel-by-panel script, storyboarding often reveals ways you can improve it — altering the pacing, adding or deleting captions, even transplanting entire panels that would work better elsewhere. 

If you’re working with an illustrator, having them storyboard first ensures the two of you are on the same page. Though there may be a few kinks to iron out, it will be worth it to know that your illustrator 100% understands your vision.

If you’re illustrating your comic solo, you should still consider storyboarding. A “rough draft” of your visuals will help you spot anything you may have misjudged while scripting, like too many dizzying POV shifts or awkward scene transitions. As tempting as it might be to just get started on the real deal, it’s better to sketch things out before sinking too much time into panels that may never get used.

You can lay out your panels the good old-fashioned way on a corkboard or whiteboard, or use storyboarding software like Storyboarder or Canva . 

Whether you’re storyboarding yourself or have professional help, take your time with this, and don’t move on to full illustrations until you’re happy with your storyboard. You’ll still need to adjust small things for the final product, but storyboarding should prevent mid-production disasters, potentially saving you a lot of time and money.

Time to illustrate

If you’re collaborating with a pro, then it’s time to hand over your files and let them do their thing! Be prepared to give some feedback on various iterations of the comic; your artist might want to consult you on certain decisions during the process, and ask you to give constructive feedback before you reach your final product. 

To see what a professionally drawn comic should look like at this stage, check out these examples from our illustrators:

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If you’re illustrating solo, then there are other things to keep in mind. You’ll want to establish a “house style” before you get started, including an idea of your color palette, and some character concept art, to make sure you achieve continuity throughout your work. You may find your ideas change over the course of illustrating, so be prepared to go back and make revisions.

You may think that adding text is the final step in your illustration process, but hold up! Before creating your illustrations, you’ll want to consider how much space your text will take up. Even if you haven’t decided on your final font yet, you should make sure you outline a space that each panel’s text can sit in comfortably, and then use the remaining space to draw.

Next will come penciling and then inking your images, followed by adding in any color. Finalizing lettering will be the final step in the process, which we’ll discuss in the next step.

If you’re going analog and illustrating using pen and paper, make sure you have access to a high-resolution scanner to digitize your artwork. If you want to go digital from the start, do your research and pick out a software that can support your needs (for example, a lot of pros swear by Clip Studio Paint Pro, but you’ll want to see what else is out there before committing). 

Maybe invest in an experienced letterer

Comic book lettering is a distinct art form of its own, and is very important in creating a polished final product. Conventionally, your lettering should be capitalized, and framed by balloons or boxes. There are some other conventions that are used to convey emotion, or as a shorthand for readers, which a professional letterer will be well versed in, so hiring one is well worth the investment.

If you’ve hired an experienced comic book illustrator, they may also be able to assist with lettering. If not, you have a couple more options: you can research fonts and lettering software to attempt it yourself, or you can hire a typographer who specializes in comic book lettering.

Lettering is a good investment, as working with a pro on a custom font is the best way to create the perfect typeface for your work, and one that you can then go on to use forever.

Create your perfect cover image

As much as the old saying suggests otherwise, people really do judge a book by its cover — and especially a comic book. You may want to collaborate with the same artist who created your interior design to make your cover, to ensure readers have a good idea of what they can expect from the art style. 

Having said this, some writers and publishers work with different artists to create their covers, so this isn’t outside of the realm of possibility. Some illustrators specialize in covers, because they understand the artistic “language” of creating a commercial cover. Using a second illustrator for cover art is especially common in the US market, although less so in Europe or Japan.

Either way, you’ll want to make your cover image attention-grabbing and representative of the tone of your work, and mark your title and issue number clearly so readers know what they’re looking at.

Comic book, assemble!

Now you’ve got all your elements, it’s time to pull them together, and assemble your comic book. Arrange your final panels into their final flow, and give everything a final review. Is the flow from panel to panel intuitive? Does the eye get drawn to the right places? Is the action comprehensible? If the answer to any of these is no, you’ll want to go back and make revisions until you’re completely satisfied.

Congrats, you’ve made your comic book! After you’ve assembled everything and finalized the artwork, it’s time to get publishing. We have a whole post on this, which also covers how to print and market your comic book, but here are some quick tips.

One of the best things about comic books is that when you find one you love, you can look forward to future installments of the story. Start with just your first issue, and incorporate feedback from readers into the rest of your run. If there’s an unexpected fan favorite that people want to see more of, or a common critique, you can use that information to shape the rest of your series.

Don’t let too much time pass in-between issues, though — you’ll want to be timely with your releases so that your story doesn’t lose momentum. Between editions, keep your fans engaged using social media, and share teasers from upcoming installments to keep your work fresh in readers’ minds.

For more tips on publishing your comic book, check out the next section of our guide to learn how to bring your creation to the masses!

4 responses

Dominique Wilson says:

11/05/2017 – 15:04

I have an artist I'm collaborating with for the illustrations and I am providing the story/script. I only commissioned the illustrator for the pictures. So who can I get to write the words in the captions and balloons? Is there software for this that I can do it myself? Obviously I am in the very beginning stages of the project but I would like to plan accordingly and create a great product.

↪️ Rachel Gluckstern replied:

11/05/2017 – 20:28

Great question! There is software you can use, but if you want it to be the best it can be, you should be looking for a Letterer. There are many, many talented freelance letterers out there who will probably be able to work out a reasonable rate depending on how long the project is and how wordy it is as well. A really good letterer will know how to place the captions and balloons so that they flow in the proper reading order and integrate well with the art. It's recommended that you have the manuscript that they'll be extracting the words from as clean and as well-edited as possible before they work on it, so that there's little need for revisions. Best of luck to you!

10/12/2017 – 06:40

I have had my first graphic novel in progress for quite a number of years. I've gone through chapter revision after chapter revision, and now I'm going to revise again. I'm currently faced with a problem, though: what is the best way to ensure that I can hire a good enough artist? Would I have to get funding from a publisher, or would I need to start a Kickstarter or Indiegogo page, or would I need to save up my own money to hire an artist?

↪️ Reedsy replied:

11/12/2017 – 10:02

Graphic novels work like a charm on Kickstarter, so this would be my advice. However, it's very important for a crowdfunding campaign to already have some art to display. Campaigns need to be highly visual if they are to reach their target. So I'd recommend first looking around for a talented illustrator who matches your style, then hiring them (with your own savings) to produce some artwork (cover + a few illustrations, maybe a double page spread) that you can showcase on the Kickstarter campaign. If you pursue that route, we have an indispensable (and free) course on crowdfunding here: https://blog.reedsy.com/learning/courses/publishing/crowdfunding-for-authors/

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Organizing Research for Arts and Humanities Papers and Theses

• General Guide Information
• Developing a Topic
• What are Primary and Secondary Sources
• What are Scholarly and Non-Scholarly Sources
• Writing an Abstract
• Writing Academic Book Reviews
• Writing A Literature Review
• Using Images and other Media

Purpose of a Book Review

Note: This information is geared toward researchers in the arts and humanities. For a detailed guide on writing book reviews in the social sciences, please check the USC Libraries guide to  Writing and Organizing Research in the Social Sciences , authored by Dr. Robert Labaree.

When writing an academic book review, start with a bibliographic citation of the book you are reviewing [e.g., author, title, publication information, length]. Adhere to a particular citation style, such as Chicago, MLA, or APA.  Put your name at the very end of the book review text.

The basic purpose of a book review is to convey and evaluate the following:

a.     what the book is about;

b.     the expertise of the author(s);

c.     how well the book covers its topic(s) and whether it breaks new ground;

d.     the author’s viewpoint, methodology, or perspective;

e.     the appropriateness of the evidence to the topical scope of the book;

f.      the intended audience;

g.     the arrangement of the book (chapters, illustrations) and the quality of the scholarly apparatus, such as notes and bibliographies.

Point "c. how well the book covers its topics and whether it breaks new ground" requires your engagement with the book, and can be approached in a variety of ways. The question of whether the book breaks new ground does not necessarily refer to some radical or overarching notion of originality in the author’s argument. A lot of contemporary scholarship in the arts or humanities is not about completely reorienting the discipline, nor is it usually about arguing a thesis that has never been argued before. If an author does that, that's wonderful, and you, as a book reviewer, must look at the validity of the methods that contextualize the author's new argument.

It is more likely that the author of a scholarly book will look at the existing evidence with a finer eye for detail, and use that detail to amplify and add to existing scholarship. The author may present new evidence or a new "reading" of the existing evidence, in order to refine scholarship and to contribute to current debate. Or the author may approach existing scholarship, events, and prevailing ideas from a more nuanced perspective, thus re-framing the debate within the discipline.

The task of the book reviewer is to “tease out” the book’s themes, explain them in the review, and apply a well-argued judgment on the appropriateness of the book’s argument(s) to the existing scholarship in the field.

For example, you are reviewing a book on the history of the development of public libraries in nineteenth century America. The book includes a chapter on the role of patronage by affluent women in endowing public libraries in the mid-to-late-1800s. In this chapter, the author argues that the role of women was overlooked in previous scholarship because most of them were widows who made their financial bequests to libraries in the names of their husbands. The author argues that the history of public library patronage, and moreover, of cultural patronage, should be re-read and possibly re-framed given the evidence presented in this chapter. As a book reviewer you will be expected to evaluate this argument and the underlying scholarship.

There are two common types of academic book reviews: short summary reviews, which are descriptive, and essay-length critical reviews. Both types are described further down.

[Parenthetically, writing an academic/scholarly book review may present an opportunity to get published.]

Short summary book reviews

For a short, descriptive review, include at least the following elements:

a.     the bibliographic citation for the book;

b.     the purpose of the book;

c.     a summary of main theme(s) or key points;

d.     if there is space, a brief description of the book’s relationship to other books on the same topic or to pertinent scholarship in the field.

e.     note the author's affiliation and authority, as well as the physical content of the book, such as visual materials (photographs, illustrations, graphs) and the presence of scholarly apparatus (table of contents, index, bibliography, footnotes, endnotes, credit for visual materials);

f.     your name and affiliation.

Critical or essay-length book reviews

For a critical, essay-length book review consider including the following elements, depending on their relevance to your assignment:

b.     an opening statement that ought to peak the reader’s interest in the book under review

c.     a section that points to the author’s main intentions;

d.     a section that discusses the author’s ideas and the book’s thesis within a scholarly perspective. This should be a critical assessment of the book within the larger scholarly discourse;

e.     if you found errors in the book, point the major ones and explain their significance. Explain whether they detract from the thesis and the arguments made in the book;

f.     state the book's place within a strand of scholarship and summarize its importance to the discipline;

g.    include information about the author's affiliation and authority, as well as the physical content of the book, such as visual materials (photographs, illustrations, graphs) and the presence of scholarly apparatus (table of contents, index, bibliography, footnotes, endnotes, credit for visual materials);

h.     indicate the intended readership of the book and whether the author succeeds in engaging the audience on the appropriate level;

i.     your name and affiliation.

Good examples of essay-length reviews may be found in the scholarly journals included in the JSTOR collection, in the New York Review of Books , and similar types of publications, and in cultural publications like the New Yorker magazine.

Remember to keep track of your sources, regardless of the stage of your research. The USC Libraries have an excellent guide to  citation styles  and to  citation management software . 

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How to Write a Comic Book

Last Updated: January 13, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Lucy V. Hay . Lucy V. Hay is a Professional Writer based in London, England. With over 20 years of industry experience, Lucy is an author, script editor, and award-winning blogger who helps other writers through writing workshops, courses, and her blog Bang2Write. Lucy is the producer of two British thrillers, and Bang2Write has appeared in the Top 100 round-ups for Writer’s Digest & The Write Life and is a UK Blog Awards Finalist and Feedspot’s #1 Screenwriting blog in the UK. She received a B.A. in Scriptwriting for Film & Television from Bournemouth University. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 13 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 428,874 times.

Have you ever wanted to create a comic book, but you haven't been quite sure where to start, or what to do? Comics are a rich and fun art form that is finally getting the respect it deserves, combining gorgeous illustrations with face-paced dialogue and stories. Though there is no one "right" way to write a comic book, there are some threads that any burgeoning writer would do well to pull.

Drafting a Compelling Story

• Keeping the story visual: A conversation taking place in one room wouldn't work well since you won't have many new scene changes. A character musing to themselves might work, especially if the background reflects their changing thoughts.
• Streamlining the story: More characters, locations, and action are great, but it significantly increases the workload on the illustrator. The best comic books tell their stories quickly and efficiently, using both dialogue and visual cues to keep things moving.
• An Artistic Style: Great comic books have art that fits seamlessly with the tone of the writing, like the dirty, watercolor artwork in V for Vendetta. In short, the tone of the artwork should be the same as the tone of the writing.

• What characters are the most fun to write?
• What plot points did you find yourself most interested in exploring?
• Are there things that you thought were good ideas that you just can't write? Consider ditching them.
• Talk this draft over with some friends to get advice on what they love and how to go forward.

• Has both strength and weaknesses. This makes them relatable. We don't like Superman just because he saves the day, but because his awkward alter-ego Clark Kent reminds us of our own awkward, nervous days.
• Has both desires and fears. This adds conflict to your story and makes it more interesting. It's no mistake that Bruce Wayne is scared of bats, just like he's scared of failing his city and parents. This makes him more relatable than a weirdo in a cape.
• Has agency. Whenever a character makes a choice, make sure it is the character deciding to do it—not the author forcing the character to do it because "the plot needs it." This is the quickest way to lose your audience. [2] X Research source
• Remember to diversify your cast. We live in an age now where we want more diversity than standard—it doesn't have to be about race. You can diversify your characters about gender, sexuality, and age. Very often, we see the same types of characters all the time in particular types of roles, so try to avoid that.

• "First act—Get your hero up a tree; second act—throw rocks at him; third act—get him down."—Anonymous [3] X Research source
• Make life hell for your characters. It makes the payoff more rewarding.
• You can and should always play with this structure. Don't forget that ( spoiler alert ) Captain America gets assassinated shortly after peace is brokered in Civil War. This moment is great because it plays off the three-act structure, even as it breaks it with a second, surprising climactic moment.
• If you want to make your story around a mystery, tension is one of the key elements you need to add. It's also important to make it compelling from the beginning. Mysteries are very plot heavy, so they usually begin with some sort of crime or question that someone has to answer.

• A page of illustrations where the character frantically runs through the door, down the hall, to the office, and then finds it "Closed."
• A sign on the wall labeled "Final Papers Due TODAY!" that the character walks right by when leaving class.
• A single shot of every other student turning in papers, with your character alone at the desk writing furiously, or with his head in his hands.

• What is crucial in each scene? What moment or line of dialogue pushes each scene into the next.
• In any storytelling form, each scene must end in a different place than it began for the readers, plot, and/or characters. If not, then the whole book is just spinning its wheels!

• There is nothing that says you can't write dialogue first, either! If you like play-writing or screenwriting, you may be more comfortable drafting out scenes in dialogue as opposed to timelines.

Building a Mock-Up

• If you're not artistically inclined, you don't need to worry about hiring an artist just yet. Instead, just focus on the basics. Even stick figures can get the point across and help your visualize the final book.
• While this is "only" a mock-up, you still want to take it seriously. This will be your blueprint for the final project, so treat it like a sketch for a painting and not some throwaway practice run.

• That said, some comic books choose to let the dialogue balloons spill into other frames, creating a somewhat looser, chaotic feel.
• For longer speeches or monologues, consider connecting the speech bubbles from frame to frame. The same person is giving the same speech, just with different action underneath.

• [Page 1.] Spiderman is swinging down the streets when he spots 2 police cars chasing a yellow sports car.
• Caption1: Hmm it's strangely quiet today...
• Caption 2: I guess I spoke too soon!
• [Page 2.] Spiderman is swinging down the street and the two blank caption spaces.

• If you're getting an outside artists, send them the script and ask for samples. This helps you see if their visual style is right for you.
• Illustrating a comic book is a topic worth its own tutorial, as it is a challenging and exciting art form.

Getting Your Book into the World

• Getting up on social media every day, even if only for 20 minutes, is essential to build some traction online and get potential readers.
• If you can point to a large follower list, on any platform, publishers are more likely to see and like your work. Having followers tells them there are people already who want to buy the book.

• Get contact information, including email, website, and address, for every company.
• If applying for graphic novels, be sure to check if the publishing house has a specific division for graphics work, or if they take all submissions the same way.

• Any cover letters or emails should be short and professional. You want them reading about the story, not about you!
• Make sure artistic samples are included with the story.

• To self-publish a comic book, simply create a PDF from the pages using Amazon Self Publish or a similar site.

• Don't forget that even the most famous authors were rejected 100's of time before success. It may hurt now, but working through it separates published comics from unpublished.

Sample Comics

Expert Q&A

• If you're struggling to create a story, first think about the concept. It’s what gets the audience to get through the door to read your book. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Try to make your 2-page splashes start on an even-numbered page. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Don't forget, PAGE 1 will face the inside front cover, so don't have a 2-page splash until page 2. Likewise, page 22 will face the inside back cover. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://medium.com/@abobrow/how-writing-for-the-tv-show-community-cured-me-d703b80ff3e5#.roeoqokfa
• ↑ http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/01/13/25-things-a-great-character-needs/
• ↑ http://quoteinvestigator.com/2015/09/05/up-tree/

About This Article

If you're planning to write a comic book, create a timeline showing what the reader will learn at each point in the story. Next, make timelines for each character so you can keep track of their development. To combine your story with images, make a fully mock-up by dividing a blank page into sections, then add a sketch of the picture and the text you want to go together in each section. Once your mock-up is finished, hire an artist to make the final product or design it yourself. To learn how to come up with a compelling story by creating exciting characters and how to market your comic book, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Comics Review in 2 Hours?

Reading a comic can be super exciting. It is not a boring novel with plenty of tedious pages; it has fun images and keeps your eyes interested in reading. Yes, these are not just for kids; so many reading reviews are coming out. Here is a way to perfect the art!

Work on an Outline

Whenever you work on any piece of writing, what do you do first? Don’t tell us you’re one of those people who blindly jump into the draft without doing any preparation. If so, there is no way you’re getting it right or saving any time in the process. You have to be clever enough to know that you need an outline to act as a roadmap to your destination of the review. How will you add the details and separate them from the introduction? Only an outline can be your weapon here!

It is alright if you feel lightly or heavily intimidated by the paper right now; take a deep breath and start. However, if it is too overwhelming for you, reach out to an online writing service and ask them to write my paper in 2 hours and take some time away from the stress. These professionals will take the burden off your shoulders, and you’re good to go.

Here is what you need to ask yourself when you work on the comics review:

• What is it about?
• Who are the characters?
• What was the genre?
• How did the writer portray it?
• Which points will you critique?
• Was the climax making sense?
• How were the major and minor characters of the story?

Once you’re done with your comic book outline, you need to work on where to put these questions in the entire review:

• Introduction;
• Body paragraphs;

Comic book reviews aren’t an easy write-up. You need to focus on it and add as many positive and negative critique points as possible. But can you remember every little piece of information? Not at all. You need to make sure you have it all somewhere to make your life easy; Otherwise, you will find yourself going back to the comic after every two minutes.

Do you remember the exercise of taking notes? Yup, it’s about to come in handy. Keep your notepad and your pen with you as you read the comic, and jot down all the essential points with some keywords to help you link everything better. You can also add your thoughts and opinions next to each point in a bracket to ensure consistency in the content when you write it.

If you feel the notepad and pen are too old-fashioned, or you might lose the notes, open your phone, install any note-taking app, and write everything there. You now have everything at your disposal digitally and will never lose it! Might the app stop working? Use the notes on your phone if you don’t have space issues. See, everything is so seamless now when it comes to making notes, so never skip this step out of laziness.

Keep it Formal

A classic comic discussion is never informal. Indeed, the reading itself was informally written, but you have to write your review in a formal tone. But it should never be a formally superior tone. Keep it lighthearted and avoid slang. You should instead sound informed and quite intellectual when you write this piece.

The readers might be ignorant towards the comic as they skim through it, but they aren’t dull. They will always see whether your paper adds value to their knowledge or wastes their time, so don’t try to play games here! It can cost you your reputation, so be safe and intelligent.

Keep your comments about the comic easy to understand instead of sugar coating them over being overly enthusiastic. Sound friendly and entertaining but make sure you strike a balance. Know that the audience is looking for your opinion and reaction to important events like the climax. Therefore, you should give them that so they continue with your work.

You don’t have to give a numerical rating to the comic. Many reviewers do that, but it isn’t necessary. However, if you choose to go down that road, make sure the rating matches your written work; Otherwise, the readers will be ambiguous as to why the ratings are too high or too low when they expected the opposite judging from your words.

Follow the Same Format

How to write for comics is one of the most common questions that students ask. The first answer to that comes in the form of a consistent format. If you’re habitual of deviating from one format to another, you need to drop this habit of yours.

Your paper will seem confusing and unstructured if you don’t use the same format throughout. You can go for the basic one where you introduce the author of the comic, the title, the date of the review, and so on, and then proceed with an introduction and body paragraphs, followed by a conclusion.

It is best to avoid making any changes unless your teacher asks you to; Otherwise, two overlapping formats can result in a significant loss of marks. The best advice we can give you is to keep it simple in the first few times you write, so you understand how to work on a review instead of throwing yourself in a dark pit of utter confusion.

Proofread and Edit Everything

When you write a paper, there is a high chance that you might have made silly mistakes, and your writing will have plenty of irrelevant words and details. What to do now? Proofread it, of course!

Your task doesn’t stand a single chance of scoring well unless you proofread every word and identify your mistakes. It allows you to check the content, use the correct vocabulary, eliminate the wordy phrases, and improve your grammar. Never let go of this golden opportunity. You can make the necessary edits and ask a trusted friend to go over your paper for the final checks.

The whole process will become easier for you by ten folds if you have a friend review it. It will not cost you time, guys; it will save your marks.

Now that you have all these points at your fingertips, you can write any comic review you want; all you need is a bit of practice. Give yourself time, don’t think it is something you can swiftly get a hold of; it will be a slightly slow process but will pay off! Good luck!

Irwin Fletcher

I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.

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