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

Matthew Sardo

Monkeys Fighting Robots

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…

Written by Matthew Sardo

Comic books are one the greatest inventions of all time, and there is a comic out there for everyone. Read more comics and tell people what you love!

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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.

ABOUT US Join Monkeys Fighting Robots for an inside look at the world of comic books and the evolution of the industry.

CONTACT US Send your comments, questions, & concerns to - info @ monkeysfightingrobots.com

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Graphic Novel Review

Writing a graphic novel review is quite similar to writing a novel review. You need to show your own interpretation of the book, critical analysis and evaluation. But a graphic novel is in a genre of literature that combines text with illustrations. For this reason, you should analyze visual elements as well as explore their correlations with the text.

The history of graphic novels is closely connected with the history of comics – that is why the artwork is the essential part of graphic novels. You should examine both the visual and written work of the graphic novel you chose to review.

To Write a Good Graphic Novel Review You Should

• Define the subject and theme of the graphic novel.
• Point out its genre.
• Describe the plot in a few sentences.
• Identify the major characters.
• Explain the visual elements.
• Analyze the author’s writing style for graphic novel reviews.

Guidelines to Write a Graphic Novel Review

A) Read the graphic novel at least two times. For the first time, read the book to understand its general idea. On your second reading, make notes about the writing style, characters, plot, and visual elements.

B) Provide essential information about the graphic novel in one sentence.

In the introduction, mention the title of the graphic novel, its author and artist, and genre. Also, you should point out the publisher, the format (hardcover or softcover) and copyright/release date. As additional information, you can mention its price and ISBN number.

C) Identify the author’s/artist’s purpose of producing the graphic novel.

If you write a review for original graphic novels, this task will not be difficult for you. The purpose may be mentioned in the preface of the book. If it is not, try to read an interview of the author/artist or deduce it by yourself, relying on your careful reading of the book itself.

• Tell what the graphic novel is about. Mention the story’s main events, but do not retell the whole story. Define its central idea. Introduce the major characters and think over how their background can influence the way they act.
• Pay attention to the author’s writing style. Read the text carefully and try to find the unique features of the author’s writing style: for instance, note the usage of paraphrases, metaphors, allegories, and epithets. Define whether the style is deliberate or poor.
• Describe the artwork. Define the general artistic style (realistic, psychedelic, cartoon-like, graphical, etc.). Also, depict what colors and tones dominate and what they symbolize. Explain if visual elements support or contradict the story. Probably, they replace the usage of words.
• Provide your interpretation of the graphic novel. How did you understand the graphic novel? Did it impress you or not? Think over its strengths and weaknesses and give examples. Is it worth reading?

A graphic novel review should include your own interpretation of the book, analysis and evaluation of both the author’s and the artist’s work. For you as a reviewer, it is important to investigate how textual and visual elements correlate to each other: whether they contradict or support each other.

Graphic Novel Review Sample Analyzed

Click the images to see their full size.

Now you know how academic paper of this type should be written and what tips are necessary to follow. You may also be interested in our guide on how to write a novel review . Or read the following guide on how to write a poetry book review .

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Now while developing my craft as a comic book reviewer I decided to take what I’ve learned and share with anyone else who have/will want to review comic books. Comics are definitely one of the hallmarks of the Western world and definitely have a major impact on society. Possibilities include graphic novels, complete miniseries, single-issue stories, and complete story arcs within a continuing series. 

Honestly, brutal honesty is the only way I give my reviews and I highly recommend that others do the same.  It definitely makes reviews a lot more personal while keeping it interesting.  Note: this is a guide and does state sections of comic books that probably should be considered when reviewing it.

Introduction

What is the title?  Does it have a subtitle?  Be sure to include the issue number. Typically the basic information will probably include whether the illustrations are in color or black-and-white, the binding, and probably the page count.  Be sure to give a brief summary of the comic book.

• Comic title? Subtitle? Issue number?
• Who is the writer? What other works have they worked on?
• Who is the artist? What other works have they worked on?
• Who is the publisher?
• Is it a part of a series?

Give a brief plot summary without giving away any key details about the comic. What is the story about? Readers want to know enough about what happens in a comic to know whether they’ll find it interesting.  Does the plot make sense? Is the story line logical? Is it original? How complex is it? Is the story predictable or full of surprises? Is the story exciting or is it dull? What themes or motifs stand out? Is there a sub-plot and how is it related to the main plot? Is the plot primary or secondary to some of the other essential elements of the story? Other questions to be considered are:

• Does the story unravel gradually or is it quickly revealing?
• Is the story exciting or is it dull?
• How good is the pacing?
• How are the various elements of plot handled?
• Did the story grip you and keep you playing?
• What other devices of plot complication and resolution are employed?

Characters are just as important as story.  Who are the main characters and are they credible?    Could you relate/empathize to any of the characters in the story?  Does the writer make you believe in them as people? Why or why not? As you learn about the characters, use examples of things they’ve said or done to give a sense of their personalities.  Also, include the character development arcs as well as any stereotypes.  Other questions to be considered are:

• Are the characters flat or three dimensional?
• What did the main characters do in the game?
• How well do the characters develop?
• Who are your favorite character(s)? Why?
• Is character delineation direct or indirect?

The visuals focus on the comic’s art style. This will consist of characters and environment, lighting and shade detail. Some comics will require more heavily detailed graphics than others. Think about how the words and pictures work together to create the story.

• What type of animation style? Realistic? Cell-Shaded? Cartoon-like?
• How does the animation style hold up?
• What style does it resemble?
• Are the colors vibrant? Dull?
• How do the panels flow and how do they support the story?
• Is the reader’s eye led in the right direction by the layout?
• Do the word balloons fit into the composition?

This area focuses on the comic’s writing style (usually the story).  This is a great way of establishing another relationship with the writing.  Writing is artistic; both through the artist and writer’s presentation and through the reader’s interpretation.  Were certain types of scenes written particularly well (action scenes, emotional scenes, scary scenes, etc.)?

What was your favorite part of the comic?  Why?  What was your least favorite part of the comic? Why?  If you could change something, what would it be?  What do you like or dislike about the comic’s writing style?

• How effective is dialogue?
• How well is the overall script written?
• Is the writing simplistic or complex?
• Does it contain humor, wit, satire?
• Does the writing have rhythm?
• Does the writing style utilize symbolism?

The Verdict

Your conclusion should summarize, perhaps include a final assessment. What type of person would like this comic?  Would you recommend this comic to another person? Would you read more by this author? Why or why not?

Thanks for checking out this post.  For any ideas or comments on how to write comic book reviews,  leave them in the comment section below.

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  THE COMIC BOOK YETI 

• Nov 21, 2019

GET YOUR COMIC BOOK REVIEWED

Updated: Feb 4, 2023

(updated 9/22/2021)

After an ungodly amount of hours, poured in over who-knows-how-many months, you made a comic book. Well done! You should be proud of yourself.

Unfortunately, your job can't stop there. You now have the daunting task of getting the word out about it. One way you can do that is by getting your comic reviewed. Read on, you beautiful stranger, and I'll tell you how you can do just that.

HOW DO I GET MY COMIC REVIEWED?

Assuming you self-published, or your comic was made by a small-press publisher, you may have to do more heavy lifting when it comes to getting your comic reviewed. Luckily, there are people and websites devoted to reviewing indie comics, like yours. I'll list a few at the end of this article.

Usually, you can simply send them a tweet or an email asking them if they would like to review your comic. Most of the time, they'll say yes!

It's that simple.

Often, the files are pretty large, so creators will host them on Google Drive or Dropbox and send a link. That works just fine for us. (However, you'll want to make sure to limit their access so they can't delete them by mistake!)

And don't worry too much about selling your comic. You want to talk confidently about it, but this isn't a pitch. Let the work speak for itself.

*Pipedream Comics also has great review guidelines if you're looking for a second opinion or a simpler list.

WHAT IF I EMAIL A REVIEWER BUT DON'T HEAR BACK?

If they don't respond, don't lose hope. Most of us review comics on top of our day jobs and everything else going on in our lives. If you have the time to spare, give it a week, then try reaching out again if you still haven't heard anything.

Sometimes, silence is a way of declining the opportunity and avoiding conflict. It's not great, but it can be difficult to tell someone that the project that they spent so much time on isn't up to a quality that they would recommend to others.

There are so many comics out there, a lot of reviewers prefer to review comics we would recommend to others instead of spending time writing a negative review.

Other reviewers may be honest and give you feedback. It's up to you to decide to take their notes or leave them. Just because someone's a critic, it doesn't mean they're an expert, and it doesn't make them right.

8 IMPORTANT THINGS TO GIVE YOUR REVIEWER

When you're asking a critic to review your comic, there are things that help us do our job. At bare minimum, we need to see the comic, and we need to know who the creative team is. But if you truly want to take advantage of the review, you'll utilize more than a few of the checklist items below:

Your comic . DO NOT ASK US IF WE WANT TO REVIEW YOUR COMIC. Please just assume we do and attach it as a single PDF to your initial request for review email . Many of us do this in life's margins, for free, and it can be difficult just to find time to email someone back and say, "Yes, I'd like to review your comic." Sending it in your initial email saves everyone a little time, and is very much appreciated. Also, the "PDF" line above is bolded because many of us, ComicBookYeti.com included, share review copies with writers through services like Google Drive or Dropbox. When each page is its own separate PDF, things can get lost. When you send a link to your webcomic instead of a PDF, it can sometimes be "out of sight, out of mind" because it doesn't appear with the rest of the comics on the Drive/Dropbox. Sending it as a file type some devices can't open without special programs, or sending screencaps in Microsoft Word, also comes with its own problems. Attaching as a single PDF under 1GB will make just about everyone happy.

The full creative team and their roles , especially if not listed in the comic itself (Ex: Matt Ligeti – Writer, Creator, Comic Book Yeti).

Your elevator pitch (One or two sentences about the comic).

More detailed information about the comic (where the story is going, what it's about overall, what comics or other popular media it's similar to, when it will be released, what it will cost, if there are past issues to read and links for those, any awards it's won or been nominated for, the press release for the comic, if it had one.

Trigger warnings for the comic. Some readers and reviewers need a content warning for sensitive subject matter. These include Rape, Sexual Violence, Graphic Sex, Murder, Graphic Violence, Suicide, Self-Harm, Eating Disorders, Weight-Related Issues, Homophobia, Racism, Transphobia.

Got a webcomic? Pick a day/entry as the final one for your reviewer, like the end of a story arc. It makes it easier to review a story when there's an ending of some kind, and helps define what part of the comic was critiqued for anyone reading the review later on.

Your deadline. If you have a Kickstarter running or your comic hits shelves by a certain date and you want the review out before then, tell us! Please include the date of release/launch and when the campaign ends. Please list any embargos. Provide pre-order codes and FOC dates. We try to prioritize reviews with sensitive schedules but do not always have the time to track this information down. Include links for active campaigns. Many of us review many comics at a time, and deadlines help us prioritize.

Where people can buy it (Is it digital only? Can they order a print edition, or do they have to ask their LCS? Does it have a Diamond Code?)

Art (ex: a .jpg of the comic's cover, approved image(s) to show interior art, any videos or other PR-worthy media)

Information about the creative team (What other projects may creators want to plug? Is this anyone's first comic they've made? Is this someone's first time acting as writer, editor, letterer, etc? Were you or your collaborators inspired by any media while making this comic? Do they work a day job? What is it? Are there other fun facts, like someone once won the lottery, or something?

Who reviewers should contact for interviews or more information, emails, Twitter handles, or other contact information.

FORMAT FOR SUBMITTING A REQUEST FOR REVIEW

If you just want something to copy and paste into an email to a site or critic, you can use the format below when submitting your request for a review. This info's important for us to get a full grasp on the project and properly report on it and the creative team behind it. Without it, creators may not get credit for their work, reviews may come out too late, or interested readers may not be able to find your book, to name a few repercussions of a lack of information. Also, some critics simply won't review comics without a lot of this information. Including the below will help ensure your comic has the best chance of earning media coverage.

Here's the format:

TITLE OF COMIC:

WHERE PEOPLE CAN BUY/CROWDFUND IT:

WHEN IS IDEAL FOR US TO POST THE REVIEW?:

CREATIVE TEAM (everyone who worked on the comic):

TELL US ABOUT THE COMIC (can be two sentences or whatever you want to tell us):

CONTENT WARNINGS (see above for examples):

SAMPLE PAGES/REVIEW COPY LINK/PDF:

ADDITIONAL INFO (optional)

WEBSITE/SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS/CONTACT INFO:

ADDITIONAL INFO ABOUT CREATIVE TEAM (optional):

WHAT DO I DO AFTER I GET MY COMIC REVIEWED?

Reviews are great, but what do you do with them?

Well, if it's a good review, shout about it from the rooftops...proverbially speaking, of course. Get on social media, and share, retweet, repost, reblog. If you don't have a website, consider making one, and collecting your reviews there, like a dragon hoarding shiny gold. Pull quotes from it and use them wherever you can to show others your comic is worthwhile.

If the review isn't so good? Learn from your mistakes. Creators rarely get worse with practice. Quote the good parts, so long as it's not out of context.

Either way, keep in touch with reviewers! They can be a good resource to have.

WHO CAN I SEND MY COMIC TO?

Looking for other critics to review your comic? Here are some reviewers who will check out your work, along with their websites and Twitter handles.

Matt Ligeti, The Comic Book Yeti – ComicBookYeti.com – @ComicBookYeti

Indie Comix – indiecomix.net – @Indie_ComiX

Bleeding Cool –  BleedingCool.com –  @bleedingcool

Dave Stewart – WorldComicBookReview.com – @DStewartsTweets

Pipedream Comics – PipedreamComics.co.uk – @pipedreamcomics

The Pullbox – ThePullbox.com – @ThePullbox

Ben Howard – UnderTheInk.net – @ScaryCleve

Will Nevin – @willnevin

Robbie Billups –  Pop Culture Philosophers –  @TheRockinRobbie

A Place to Hang Your Cape – ap2hyc.com – @AP2HYC

Comic Art Festival Podcast – ComicArtPodcast.uk – @ComicArtFestPod

Clare Hemsworth – FANdemoniumNetwork.com – @CiaraCobb

Dustin Grey –  Sirens of Sequentials and Regina Community Radio –  @JustDrawnRadio

Anthony Composto –  Monkeys Fighting Robots – @The_Great_Ace

Jake Palermo – Gutternaut –  @JacobDPalermo

Jonathan Pilley –  Omnicomic –  @omnicomic

Samantha Maybe –  SANDBOX –  @SamanthaMaybe

Joshua Bermont – freelance –  @JoshuaBermont

#Articles #Selfpublished #Indie #SmallPress

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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!

Try Boords for free

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

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How to Analyze & Review Comics: A Handbook on Comics Criticism

Forrest c. helvie , william allred , el anderson ...more.

236 pages, Paperback

Published June 24, 2021

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Columns > Published on June 11th, 2012

Don't Write Comics: How To Write Comics Part 1

Don't Write Comics is a multi-part essay about writing comics, understanding what your options are, finding the right artist, and everything you need to do to get a strong comic book pitch package together.

If you’re interested in comics solely because you think it might be easy or that it might be a shortcut to another end (like having a movie made of your comic) let me just stop you right here and point you towards the exit.  While it's true that some screenplays get reverse engineered into comics, and then after being successful comics are turned into successful films (30 Days of Night springs to mind), there's nothing "quick and easy" about making comics. In fact, if you’re not well connected to artists (and possibly some publishers) and/or willing to lay out your own money upfront in some cases, then it can be the very opposite of quick and easy. In order to make good comics, I truly believe you have to already love comics. It’s the love that’s going to get you through.

IDENTIFY WHAT YOU’RE WRITING

So you’ve made it this far…which means you either do have a love of comics, or you’ve decided to ignore my advice - in which case I’m not sure why you’re reading on, but whatever, you’re here!

First and foremost, I would suggest identifying what kind of book best fits your idea. Because we are assuming you are not already a well-established comics professional, we’re going to assume that you’re not pitching an ongoing series (i.e. a comic series that has no definitive end).  In fact, let’s just list out what your options are and we’ll go from there.

One-Shot: A one-shot is simply that, it’s one comic book (generally between 20 and 22 pages depending on the publisher) that tells a complete story. This is probably not the venue for you as one-shots are not only very difficult to do successfully, they are also not a great jumping in point unless you’ve been commissioned to do one.

Anthologies : Anthologies are collections of short comic stories. And it's one of the best ways to get your foot in the door -- creating a solid short piece and getting it accepted to an anthology, or banding together with talented similarly motivated friends to create an anthology of your own. Short comic stories, just like prose, take a very particular set of skills, but getting a publisher to take a chance on you for one short piece (a short story could range anywhere from one page to more than a dozen) can be easier since they're risking less page space (and money) on an unknown.

Mini-Series: A mini-series is also exactly what it sounds like. It’s a small series of single issue comics – most mini-series run from 4 to 6 issues in length (so if you figure 22 pages per issue you’re looking at between 88 and 132 pages total). There are some 3-issue minis out there as well as the rare 7 or 8-issue series. Anything at 9-issues or above likely falls into a “Maxi-series” category, these are less common and generally run between 9 and 12 issues. 

Ongoing: An ongoing comic is a comic that has no intended end. While it will likely end at some point, it is not designed that way. It is open-ended and continuing. Like a one-shot, this is usually not the kind of book you want to pitch unless you are established already or have been asked to pitch (in which case, why are you reading this? You already know what you're doing).  An ongoing, depending on the ownership of the concept and characters, can continue on, even once the creative team leaves.  For example Batman is an ongoing title.

Trade Paperback aka TPB aka Trade : Trade Paperbacks are collections of single issues that come in two forms. The first collects an arc from an ongoing run, and packages it as one volume. The second collects a completed mini-series into one volume. Most publishers these days like to release a mini-series in single issues and then, once the entire series has released, they will bundle it together into a trade and release it for a price that is slightly less than buying the issues individually. Many publishers have adopted this method of late as it not only allows them to sell the book twice – once as a monthly, and once as a trade - but it also makes it easier to get those trades onto bookstore and library shelves. To add a bit of confusion, technically a Trade Paperback can also be a Hardcover, but is usually still called a Trade (see the Batwoman hardcover edition below). Sometimes collected trades include an intro or foreward. They can also include additional material like covers, sketches, and notes from creators.

Graphic Novel: A graphic novel is considered a longer comic book and it's designed to be released as one volume, as opposed to smaller pieces. Graphic Novels are published by both comics’ publishers and by regular publishing houses with regularity. Graphic Novels are all the rage these days, and they're great things, but you should understand that they're essentially longer and complete comic books. Comics is not a bad word, though in comparison to the much more hip "graphic novel" it seems to have become one.

Webcomic : There are a million ways to do webcomics these days. From posting randomly on a blog or tumblr, to posting with a weekly or daily schedule, from releasing a page at a time that appears like a regular comics page and contributes to a larger story, to releasing only fully realized strips. There are many sites that host webcomics, and there are some VERY successful webcomics out there – like Kate Beaton’s Hark A Vagrant! – which is brilliant. But like any other medium, there's a lot of dreck out there, so while this avenue might eliminate the publisher for you, you’ll still have to find a way to rise to the top and get noticed, which can be difficult.

Most people writing a comic for the first time should aim for the mini-series category, which, if you do it correctly, can also overlap with Graphic Novels, giving you a little more flexibility about where you can pitch and how you can organize things.  We’re going to talk more about how to actually write the comic in the next installment, but you should definitely be thinking a bit about length here. CAN you tell your story in 132 pages? If not, what’s it going to take?

After identifying how you should package your story, you should certainly identify what your genre is. Though I like to assume anyone that does any kind of writing knows the difference between medium and genre, I will admit that I’ve come across a lot of people that get confused about these two categories when it comes to comics, so I’ll break it down just in case.  The medium is comics. Period. The genre can be anything from memoir or horror to superhero to western. You should definitely know, with ease, what genre your story falls under, or if it’s a hybrid of a couple genres – like a superhero comedy, etc.

There are other things to consider here as they relate to the artwork inside, tone, color, font, panel layout, etc., but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, further down in the process.

READ, READ, READ

If you are already a big comics fan, then you probably have already done all the reading you need to do, but if you’re fairly new to the medium then I suggest, the same way I would for prose, that the best education is reading a lot of great comics. Reading great comics can teach you all kinds of things about how much text works on a page, what kind of visuals might be a good fit for your story, and perhaps most importantly, pacing. Pacing is, for my money, one of the single greatest things that differentiate a great comic book from a good comic book. And while a lot of this is going to have to do with your artist (and picking the correct artist) down the line, you can really set the pace and tone by how you initially lay out the story in your script, thus guiding your artist to the result you’re looking for. 

I would suggest reading a wide breadth of comics, so you can get a feel for everything that’s out there, but you should certainly look at books in your genre especially closely. Really examine what works and doesn’t work and why, the same way you would with prose. And while reading great books is always helpful, sometimes reading mediocre or bad books can be equally as helpful in illustrating what not to do. While I don’t urge people to waste money on bad comics, a day spent at a comic book store, reading through a lot of different books (but make sure to buy some good ones – support your local comic book store!) can teach you a lot. The library is also a great resource if you have one with a good comics & graphic novel section. Every book I mentioned above I'd recommend reading, as well as these and these !

GETTING PROFESSIONAL HELP

Writing comics is simply not the same as writing prose. Though it's closer to writing screenplays, it's still quite a bit different, even when it comes to formatting. So you may need some more specific (and more professional) help as you continue your research. While there is certainly a deluge of information out there, much of it bad, some of it is also very good. One book on my reading list when I was at the Savannah College of Art and Design studying comics (yes, that’s an actual major, if you’re insane, as I apparently am) was Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics . It was then, and is now, one of the best books I’ve ever read about comics. It breaks down both the broad and the detailed into easy to understand pieces. It’s a book I would never part with and have referred to frequently over the years. If there is a single book you buy in your attempt to begin writing comics, this is the book.

If you’re looking for a little more guidance, I’ve found Alan Moore’s Writing For Comics is a great resource about the writing side of comics, and Jessica Abel and Matt Madden’s Mastering Comics , a sequel of sorts to their popular Drawing Words & Pictures is also good. Mastering Comics is not for the light of heart, as it’s more like a great textbook and includes activities, homework, and even extra credit.

So now you have your story idea, an idea of what format it should be, what genre you’re working in, and you’ve researched your competition and looked at some educational books…I think you’re ready to write.

So come back next month to figure out where to begin. I’ll be using an example from a mini-series pitch I put together with artist Meredith McClaren this past spring to help illustrate some of the hurdles we faced and how we solved them.

About the author

Kelly Thompson is the author of two crowdfunded self-published novels. The Girl Who Would be King (2012), was funded at over $26,000, was an Amazon Best Seller, and has been optioned by fancy Hollywood types. Her second novel, Storykiller (2014), was funded at nearly $58,000 and remains in the Top 10 most funded Kickstarter novels of all time. She also wrote and co-created the graphic novel Heart In A Box (2015) for Dark Horse Comics. Kelly lives in Portland Oregon and writes the comics A-Force, Hawkeye, Jem & The Holograms, Misfits, and Power Rangers: Pink. She's also the writer and co-creator of Mega Princess, a creator-owned middle grade comic book series. Prior to writing comics Kelly created the column She Has No Head! for Comics Should Be Good.

She's currently managed by Susan Solomon-Shapiro of Circle of Confusion.

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How to Write a Book Review: A Comprehensive Tutorial With Examples

You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.

Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.

In this comprehensive guide,  PaperPerk  will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.

Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .

Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.

Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.

Table of Contents

Book Review Template

How to Write a Book Review- A Step-by-Step Guide

Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.

Step 1: Planning Your Book Review – The Art of Getting Started

You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.

Choosing Your Literature

First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.

Crafting the Master Plan

Next, create an  outline  that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.

The Devil is in the Details

As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:

• The characters and their development
• The plot and its intricacies
• Any themes, symbols, or motifs you find noteworthy

Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.

The Key Questions to Ponder

When planning your book review, consider the following questions:

• What’s the plot (if any)? Understanding the driving force behind the book will help you craft a more effective review.
• Is the plot interesting? Did the book hold your attention and keep you turning the pages?
• Are the writing techniques effective? Does the author’s style captivate you, making you want to read (or reread) the text?
• Are the characters or the information believable? Do the characters/plot/information feel real, and can you relate to them?
• Would you recommend the book to anyone? Consider if the book is worthy of being recommended, whether to impress someone or to support a point in a literature class.
• What could be improved? Always keep an eye out for areas that could be improved. Providing constructive criticism can enhance the quality of literature.

Step 2 – Crafting the Perfect Introduction to Write a Book Review

In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.

Identify Your Book and Author

Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its  title  and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.

Ponder the Title

Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.

Judge the Book by Its Cover (Just a Little)

Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.

Present Your Thesis

Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:

“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.

Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.

Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.

How to Write a Book Review: Step 3 – Building Brilliant Body Paragraphs

You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.

Summarize Without Spoilers

Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.

Support Your Viewpoint with Quotes

Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.

Analyze the Quotes

Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.

Structure Your Body Paragraphs

Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.

For example:

• In  Jane Eyre , Charlotte Brontë writes, “I am no bird; and no net ensnares me.” This powerful statement highlights Jane’s fierce independence and refusal to be trapped by societal expectations.
• In  Normal People , Sally Rooney explores the complexities of love and friendship when she writes, “It was culture as class performance, literature fetishized for its ability to take educated people on false emotional journeys.” This quote reveals the author’s astute observations on the role of culture and class in shaping personal relationships.
• In  Wuthering Heights , Emily Brontë captures the tumultuous nature of love with the quote, “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” This poignant line emphasizes the deep, unbreakable bond between the story’s central characters.

By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work. 

How to Write a Book Review: Step 4 – Crafting a Captivating Conclusion

You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a  conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “How to write a Book Review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.

Summarize Your Analysis

Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.

Offer Your Final Conclusion

Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.

Address the Book’s Appeal

Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.

For example:  The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.

Be Subtle and Balanced

Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.

Bringing It All Together

By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!

How to Write a Book Review: Step 5 – Rating the Book (Optional)

You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.

Why Rate the Book?

Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.

How to Rate the Book

There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:

• A star rating (e.g., 1 to 5 stars)
• A numerical score (e.g., 1 to 10)
• A letter grade (e.g., A+ to F)

Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.

Tips for Rating the Book

Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:

• Be honest: Your rating should reflect your true feelings about the book. Don’t inflate or deflate your rating based on external factors, such as the book’s popularity or the author’s reputation.
• Be fair: Consider the book’s merits and shortcomings when rating. Even if you didn’t enjoy the book, recognize its strengths and acknowledge them in your rating.
• Be clear: Explain the rationale behind your rating so your readers understand the factors that influenced your evaluation.

Wrapping Up

By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.

Additional Tips on How to Write a Book Review: A Guide

In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!

Hook ’em with an Intriguing Introduction

Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!

Embrace the World of Fiction

When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.

Opinionated with Gusto

Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what  you  think!

Express Your Love (or Lack Thereof)

If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.

Templates and Examples and Expert Help: Your Trusty Sidekicks

Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online  college paper writing service  platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease. 

Be a Champion for New Writers and Literature

Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!

Criticize with Clarity, Not Cruelty

When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.

Avoid the Comparison Trap

Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.

Top 7 Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review. 

In this section of “How to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of  modernist literature  examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.

Succumbing to the Lure of Plot Summaries

Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.

Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”

How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.

Unleashing the Spoiler Kraken

Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.

Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”

How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.

Riding the Personal Bias Express

Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.

Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”

How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.

Wielding the Vague Language Saber

Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.

Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.

Ignoring the Contextualization Compass

Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.

Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”

How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.

Overindulging in Personal Preferences

Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.

Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”

How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.

Forgetting the Target Audience Telescope

Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.

Example: “This book is great for everyone.”

How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.

By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.

These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!

Many students requested us to cover how to write a book review. This thorough guide is sure to help you. At Paperperk, professionals are dedicated to helping students find their balance. We understand the importance of good grades, so we offer the finest writing service , ensuring students stay ahead of the curve. So seek expert help because only Paperperk is your perfect solution!

What is the difference between a book review and a report?

Who is the target audience for book reviews and book reports, how do book reviews and reports differ in length and content, can i write professional book reviews, what are the key aspects of writing professional book reviews, how can i enhance my book-reviewing skills to write professional reviews, what should be included in a good book review.

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Guides • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Apr 16, 2022

How to Make a Comic Book in 5 Superheroic Steps

About ricardo fayet.

Reedsy co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Ricardo Fayet is one of the world's leading authorities in marketing indie books. He is a regular presenter at several prestigious writers' conferences, where his unique personal style has made him an instantly recognizable figure.

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.

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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 completed artwork 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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Jason Thibault

Rebel Art, Indie Spirit, Outlaw Marketing

45 Essential Books for Comic Creators

January 24, 2018 By Jason Thibault 1 Comment

I then turned to James Lynch’s extremely resourceful Facebook Group – Connecting Comic Book Writers and Artists  to help me fill in the gaps. Many thanks to Shawn Demumbrum, Robert Menegus, Simon Robins , Fred Kinslow, Kenn O’Neal and so many others for suggesting titles that I missed.

It’s not a perfect list, and there’s several books from my own library that I haven’t included here due to going out of print. But it’s a good start. I’m sure I’ll add in a dozen more titles throughout the year.

[ Disclaimer: the links to Amazon are affiliate links. If you purchase a book through one of these links, I get a kickback that helps fund the high-speed hosting of this site and occasionally a coffee down the road. Many of these books are also available through your local library and friendly neighborhood comic shop. ]

Table of Contents

General comics theory, books on writing comics, books on how to draw comics, books for lettering comics, books for coloring comics, books on self-publishing comics and graphic novels, the creative process.

‘Bookographic’ created by Massive Kontent .

There is a wealth of books covering the creation of comics including university texts. I chose to stick with the mainstays. You can’t go wrong with either Scott McCloud’s trilogy or Will Eisner’s classics. 

Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art | Scott McCloud

If you only read one book on this list… Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics is a seminal examination of comics art: its rich history, surprising technical components, and major cultural significance. Explore the secret world between the panels, through the lines, and within the hidden symbols of a powerful but misunderstood art form.

Reinventing Comics: The Evolution of an Art Form  | Scott McCloud

McCloud takes comics to the next level, charting twelve different revolutions in how comics are created, read, and perceived today, and how they’re poised to conquer the new millennium. Part One of this fascinating and in-depth book includes:

• The life of comics as an art form and as literature
• The battle for creators’ rights
• Reinventing the business of comics
• The volatile and shifting public perceptions of comics
• Sexual and ethnic representation on comics

Then in Part Two, McCloud paints a breathtaking picture of comics’ digital revolutions, including:

• The intricacies of digital production
• The exploding world of online delivery
• The ultimate challenges of the infinite digital canvas

Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels  | Scott McCloud

In Making Comics, McCloud focuses his analysis on the art form itself, exploring the creation of comics, from the broadest principles to the sharpest details (like how to accentuate a character’s facial muscles in order to form the emotion of disgust rather than the emotion of surprise.) And he does all of it in his inimitable voice and through his cartoon stand–in narrator, mixing dry humor and legitimate instruction.

McCloud shows his reader how to master the human condition through word and image in a brilliantly minimalistic way. Both comic book devotees and the uninitiated will marvel at this journey into a once–underappreciated art form.

Comics and Sequential Art: Principles and Practices from the Legendary Cartoonist | Will Eisner

Will Eisner refines the art of graphic storytelling into clear principles that every cartoonist, comic artist, writer, and filmmaker needs to know. Adapted from his landmark course at New York’s School of Visual Arts, Comics and Sequential Art is an essential text filled with invaluable theories and easy-to-use techniques.

Eisner reveals here the fundamentals of graphic storytelling. He addresses dialogue, anatomy, framing, and many other important aspects of the art form. Fully updated and revised to reflect current practices and technology, including a section on digital media.

Graphic Storytelling and Visual Narrative | Will Eisner

Will Eisner lays out the fundamentals of storytelling and their application in the comic book and graphic novel. Eisner reveals how to construct a story and the basics of crafting a visual narrative. Filled with examples from Eisner’s work as well as that of artists like Art Spiegelman and R. Crumb, this book covers everything from the fine points of graphic storytelling to the big picture of the medium, including how to:

• Combine words and images into seamless storytelling.
• Wield images like narrative tools.
• Master different types of comic book stories.
• Write and illustrate effective dialogue.
• Develop ideas that can be turned into dynamic stories.

Make Comics Like the Pros: The Inside Scoop on How to Write, Draw, and Sell Your Comic Books and Graphic Novels | Greg Pak, Fred Van Lente

A step-by-step guide to all aspects of comic book creation–from conceptualization to early drafts to marketing and promotion–written by two of the industry’s most seasoned and successful pros.

In Make Comics Like the Pros, veteran comics creators Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente team up with a who’s who of the modern comic book scene to lead you step-by-step through the development of a comic. You’ll learn everything from script formatting to the importance of artistic collaboration to the best strategies for promoting and selling your own sequential art.

The DC Comics Guide to Creating Comics: Inside the Art of Visual Storytelling | Carl Potts

This is a great resource for aspiring comics creators looking to make comics like the experts at DC Comics. This book shows readers how to take full advantage of comics’ sequential visual storytelling possibilities. With examples direct from DC Comics, featuring their best creators and classic superheroes like Batman, Superman, and the rest of the Justice League, it presents key principles and techniques for crafting professional-quality comics.

Words for Pictures: The Art and Business of Writing Comics and Graphic Novels | Brian Michael Bendis

Brian Michael Bendis reveals the tools and techniques he and other top creators use to create some of the most popular comic book and graphic novel stories of all time. Words for Pictures shows readers the creative methods of a writer at the very top of his field. Bendis guides creators through each step of the comics-making process—from idea to script to finished sequential art—for fan favorite comics like The Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, Uncanny X-Men, and more.

Tips and insights from other working writers, artists, and editors are also included providing an extensive look behind the creative curtain of the comics industry. The book contains script samples, a glossary of must-know business terms for writers, and interactive comics-writing exercises.

Foundations in Comic Book Art: SCAD Creative Essentials (Fundamental Tools and Techniques for Sequential Artists) | John Paul Lowe

In Foundations for Comic Book Art, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) enlists one of its top instructors, John Paul Lowe, to provide aspiring comic book makers with a thorough primer for creative comics, featuring must-know concepts like contour drawing, mastering perspective, using photo-reference, and adding digital patterns.

Lowe provides easy-to-follow, step-by-step lessons and exercises for readers, demonstrating the vital processes all would-be sequential artists have to know before joining the ranks of the comic book–making elite.

Drawing Words and Writing Pictures: Making Comics: Manga, Graphic Novels, and Beyond | Jessica Abel, Matt Madden

Drawing Words and Writing Pictures is a course on comic creation – for college classes or for independent study – that centers on storytelling and concludes with making a finished comic. There’s chapters on lettering, story structure, and panel layout providing a solid introduction for people interested in making their own comics..

How Comics Work | Dave Gibbons, Tim Pilcher

The artist behind juggernauts like Watchmen and The Green Lantern, Dave Gibbons teaches you scriptwriting, page layouts, lettering, cover designs and uses scans of original artwork and rarely seen workings to illustrate his personal processes.

How Comics Work covers both Gibbons’ hand-drawn and digital design techniques in depth. You’ll learn how he layers text for editing, creates effects such as flares and neon glows, and prepares artwork for print and online.

Creating Comics from Start to Finish: Top Pros Reveal the Complete Creative Process | Buddy Scalera

Scalera’s book tells you everything about how today’s mainstream comic books are produced and published. Top working professionals detail how comics are created from concept to completion.

Every step of the process including writing, editing, penciling, inking, coloring, lettering and even publishing are covered. Working professionals talk candidly about breaking into (and staying in) the industry.

Writing and Illustrating the Graphic Novel: Everything You Need to Know to Create Great Work and Get It Published | Daniel Cooney

This book gives detailed instruction in all aspects of graphic novel composition–creating characters and plots, and transforming them into dynamic illustrations that tell an interesting story. The introduction describes uses of tools of the trade, from drawing pencils, inks, and paper to word processing and Adobe Photoshop software. Other chapters include:

• The language of comics and graphic novels
• Establishing characters and story structure
• Scripting the story
• Illustrating the story, from sketches to finished art
• Selling the finished product
• Instruction includes how-to techniques for creating layouts, panels, captions, dialogue, panel transitions, and angles of view.

Over the past 2 decades there have been several notable collections of comic scripts (From Hell, Writers on Comic Scriptwriting Vols 1 & 2). But none of them remain in print. Below these books on writing I’ve linked to a fantastic resource for writers – as a lot of the material has moved to the web. 

The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics | Denis O’Neil

Dennis O’Neil reveals his insider tricks and no-fail techniques for comic storytelling. Readers will discover the various methods of writing scripts (full script vs. plot first), as well as procedures for developing a story structure, building subplots, and creating well-rounded characters. O’Neil also explains the many diverse formats for comic books, including graphic novels, maxi-series, mega-series, and adaptation. Also included are dozens of guidelines for writing proposals to editors that command attention and get results.

Alan Moore’s Writing For Comics Volume 1 | Alan Moore

The master of comic book writing shares his thoughts on how to deliver a top-notch script. The main essay was originally written in 1985 and appeared in an obscure British fanzine, right as Moore was reshaping the landscape of modern comics, and had been lost. Avatar brings it back in print, collected for the first time as one graphic novel.

The Art of Comic Book Writing: The Definitive Guide to Outlining, Scripting, and Pitching Your Sequential Art Stories | Mark Kneece

Comics writer and SCAD instructor Mark Kneece gives aspiring comic book writers the essential tools they need to write scripts for sequential art. He provides a practical set of guidelines favored by many comic book publishers and uses a unique trial and error approach to show would-be scribes the potential pitfalls they might encounter when seeking a career in comics writing.

Panel One: Comic Book Scripts by Top Writers | Various

Contains annotations, plots, interviews, and scripts by many of comics’ hottest writers, including Kurt Busiek, Neil Gaiman, Greg Rucka, Kevin Smith, Jeff Smith, Marv Wolfman, and more.

The 2000 AD Script Book | Various

Original scripts by comics writers accompanied by the final art, taken from the pages of the world famous 2000 AD comic. Rebellion presents an extensive collection of 2000 AD scripts, featuring original script drafts and the final published artwork for comparison.

Additional Resources: Comic Writer Services is a resource for aspiring and experienced comic book writers. The aim of the website was to improve on, and update, a similar resource that Caleb Monroe had compiled many years ago for aspiring comic book writers. The idea is to list every notable article and resource on the art and craft of comic book writing.

With comics being a visual medium, there is no end of books on how to draw, ink, or digitally create pages. Here’s some of the best ones out there.

Framed Ink: Drawing and Composition for Visual Storytellers | Marcos Mateu-Mestre

Using his experiences from working in the comic book industry, movie studios and teaching, Marcos introduces the reader to a step-by-step system that will create the most successful storyboards and graphics for the best visual communication.

Marcos introduces us to drawing and composing a single image, to composing steady shots to drawing to compose for continuity between all the shots. These lessons are then applied to three diverse story lines – a train accident, a cowboy tale and bikers approaching a mysterious house.

In addition to setting up the shots, he also explains and illustrates visual character development, emotive stances and expressions along with development of the environmental setting to fully develop the visual narrative.

Framed Perspective Vol. 1: Technical Perspective and Visual Storytelling | Marcos Mateu-Mestre

Framed Perspective 1 gives artists the technical knowledge needed to produce successful visual storytelling-related drawings: from understanding the basics of the space around us all the way to more sophisticated endeavors, like creating entire locations that will become the believable set ups our characters and stories will happen within.

The book includes extensive step-by-step practical explanations of how to build objects and environments, taking your first sketch to a fully rendered artwork with many illustrations as examples.

Framed Perspective Vol. 2: Technical Drawing for Shadows, Volume, and Characters | Marcos Mateu-Mestre

Building on the foundation established with the first book in the series, Framed Perspective 2 guides artists through the challenging tasks of projecting shadows in proper perspective on a variety of environments and working with characters in perspective set in particular situation or setting.

Author and artist Marcos Mateu-Mestre reveals the many techniques and mechanics he employs, including using anatomy, shadows, and clothing folds to define the shape and volume of characters within an environment.

The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics | Freddie E Williams II

The DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics shows how to start drawing dynamic, exciting comics art entirely with computer tools. Author Freddie E Williams, in clear, step-by-step directions, guides readers through every part of the digital process, from turning on the computer to finishing a digital file of fully inked comic art, ready for print.

Creating a template, sketching on the computer, penciling, and finally inking digitally are all covered in depth, along with timesaving shortcuts created by Williams, tested by years of trial and error.

The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics | Klaus Janson

Covering everything from anatomy to composition to page design, Janson details the methods for creating effective visual communication. Step by step, he analyzes and demonstrates surefire strategies for comic book pencilling. Using DC’s characters, he illustrates the importance of knowing the fundamentals of art and how best to use them.

The DC Comics Guide to Pencilling Comics is packed with a wealth of tested techniques, practical advice, and professional secrets for the aspiring artist.

The DC Comics Guide to Inking Comics | Klaus Janson

Legendary comic book inker Klaus Janson uses DC’s characters—including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman—to demonstrate an array of inking techniques, covering such topics as using textures, varying line weights, creating the illusion of three-dimensionality, and working with light and dark.

A great how-to on everything from basic inking materials to storytelling techniques, this sourcebook is packed with a wealth of tested techniques, practical advice, and professional secrets for the aspiring comic artist.

How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way | Stan Lee & John Buscema

The original! Stan Lee, and John Buscema, collaborated on this comics compendium: an encyclopedia of information for creating your own superhero comic strips. Using artwork from Marvel comics as primary examples, Buscema graphically illustrates various methods of comic art. Stan Lee’s prose gives assistance and advice to the apprentice artist.

And here’s more entertaining anecdotes about this book from Jim Rugg –

The Art Of Comic-Book Inking 2nd Edition | Gary Martin

Gary Martin’s two volumes of The Art of Comic-Book Inking have been combined into a single value-priced volume and expanded with new material, including three additional blue-lined artboards featuring pencil art by master comics illustrators Jack Kirby, John Buscema, and Gil Kane.

You’ll learn the techniques, tools, and approaches of some of the finest artists in comics today, including Terry Austin, Mark Farmer, Scott Williams, Alex Garner, and more.

How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling | Shawn Martinbrough

Shawn Martinbrough tells you why he loves black and white, then shows you how to do it. Lots of examples and easy direction. If you were never excited about black and white, you will be when you get this book in your hands.

Perspective! for Comic Book Artists: How to Achieve a Professional Look in your Artwork | David Chelsea

This clever book teaches artists the unique skill of drawing perspective for spectacular landscapes, fantastic interiors, and other wildly animated backgrounds to fit comic-strip panels.

Vanishing Point: Perspective for Comics from the Ground Up | Jason Cheeseman-Meyer

Vanishing Point shows you how to conquer the fundamentals of perspective drawing and then equips you with technical tricks and tools to make dynamic and complex scenes. Included:

• Instruction on drawing in one-, two- and three-point perspective and four- and five-point curvilinear perspective (where “straight” lines are drawn as curves).
• Full-color, step-by-step demonstrations move you beyond the theories and let you practice the techniques in real scenes.
• A special chapter on drawing curves helps you break out of the box and draw cylinders, ellipses, cars and, most importantly, people in perfect perspective.
• Shortcuts and tips show you how to create believable perspective quickly.

Rendering in Pen and Ink: The Classic Book On Pen and Ink Techniques for Artists, Illustrators, Architects, and Designers | Arthur L. Guptill

Arthur L. Guptill’s classic Rendering in Pen and Ink has long been regarded as the most comprehensive book ever published on the subject of ink drawing. This is a book designed to delight and instruct anyone who draws with pen and ink, from the professional artist to the amateur and hobbyist. It is of particular interest to architects, interior designers, landscape architects, industrial designers, illustrators, and renderers.

Pen and Ink Drawing: A Simple Guide | Alphonso Dunn

Pen & Ink Drawing: A Simple Guide covers the essential aspects of pen and ink drawing and more. It explores basic materials and instruments; fundamental properties of strokes and pen control; key elements of shading; and indispensable techniques for creating vibrant textures.

Pen & Ink Techniques | Frank J. Lohan

Richly illustrated and containing dozens of simple exercises, this book covers everything from the basic tools and materials to the production of advanced effects.

Author Frank Lohan presents dozens of exercises for beginning, intermediate, and advanced artists. Topics range from the creation of hatching, tones, and stippling to dealing with the problems that can arise when adding texture, light, and shade.

There are precious few resources in print for comic letterers. Hopefully Comicraft’s masterpiece never goes out of print. Letterers often need to get creative in their education mixing the disciplines of typography and calligraphy.

Comic Book Lettering The Comicraft Way | Richard Starkings & J.G. Roshell

From the award-winning Comicraft studio, this full-color, step-by-step guide of comic book lettering tips and tricks is illustrated with two Hip Flask strips – one by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen, and the other by Jeph Loeb and Ian Churchill.

Creative Lettering and Beyond: Inspiring tips, techniques, and ideas for hand lettering your way to beautiful works of art | Joy Kirkendall, Laura Lavender, Julie Manwaring & Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn

Creative Lettering and Beyond combines the artistic talents and inspirational tips and tutorials of several professional hand letterers and calligraphers for a dynamic and interactive learning experience.

After a brief introduction to the various tools and materials, artists and lettering enthusiasts will learn how to master the art of hand lettering and typography through engaging, easy-to-follow step-by-step projects, prompts, and exercises. From the basic shape and form of letters, to cursive script, spacing, and alignment, artists will discover how to transform simple words, phrases, and quotes into beautiful works of hand-lettered art.

The bulk of education for colorists is online in the form of YouTube tutorials. Luckily there’s these 2 books as well.

The DC Comics Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics | Mark Chiarello & Todd Klein

Artists Mark Chiarello and Todd Klein demystify the essential steps in traditional graphic storytelling. Chiarello explains the entire coloring process, from computer and software choice to creating color effects that give the action its maximum impact. Klein discusses whether to letter by hand or by computer and demonstrates an array of techniques for creating word balloons, fonts, logos, and more.

Hi-Fi Color for Comics | Brian Miller, Kristy Miller

You’ll learn digital coloring from start to finish–taking black-and-white art to stunning full color! Topics included: Importing art, color flatting, light & shadow, color selection, color rendering,advanced brush techniques, color holds, special effects, and color separation.

There’s no “one set way” to publish your own comic – but you could do a lot worse than read these 3 books.

Unnatural Talent: Creating, Printing and Selling Your Comic in the Digital Age | Jason Brubaker

Jason has done an excellent job at laying out all of the trials and tribulations an aspiring graphic novelist / artist needs to go through to break into the market. If you plan on going into the field of comics as an artist or writer, this essential read will explain in detail, exactly what it takes.

The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics: How to Create and Sell Comic Books, Manga, and Webcomics | Comfort Love

With The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing Comics, creators/instructors Comfort Love and Adam Withers provide a step-by-step breakdown of the comics-making process. You get in-depth coverage of each step—writing, drawing, coloring, lettering, publishing, and marketing.

How to Self-Publish Comics: Not Just Create Them | Josh Blaylock, Tim Seely

Josh Blaylock’s How-To prose book about the business of comic book publishing, now includes Tim Seeley’s companion writings on the behind-the-scenes realities of being a comic book artist.

Some of these books below will form the most important and valuable parts of your library. You’ll return to ‘The War of Art’ numerous times. Maybe even once a year.

Eisner/Miller | Will Eisner

Two of the medium’s greatest contributors—legendary innovator and godfather of sequential art Will Eisner, and the modern master of cinematic comics storytelling, Frank Miller—discuss one on one in an intimate interview format, the ins-and-outs of this compelling and often controversial art form. Eisner/Miller is profusely illustrated and features rare, behind-the-scenes photos of Eisner, Miller, and other notable creators.

Secret Teachings of a Comic Book Master: The Art of Alfredo Alcala | Heidi MacDonald & Phillip Dana Yeh

“Alfredo Alcala is one of the most disciplined and perceptive artists inking in comics. The years of distinguished work have earned Alfredo a special place in comics history.” — Gil Kane.

This unique work is loaded with amazing art and pointers on observational methods, composition, and other techniques. In addition to interviews with Alcala, the book features pages from his groundbreaking masterwork, Voltar, which was hailed as a new concept in comic book form, an epic in narrative art, and a milestone in sequential art illustration.

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles | Steven Pressfield

Novelist Steven Pressfield identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve success. The War of Art emphasizes the resolve needed to recognize and overcome the obstacles of ambition and then effectively shows how to reach higher levels of creative discipline.

Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life’s Work | Steven Pressfield

The follow-up The War of Art, Turning Pro navigates the passage from the amateur life to a professional practice.

“You don’t need to take a course or buy a product. All you have to do is change your mind.” –Steven Pressfield

Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way | Steven Pressfield

Could you be getting in your way of producing great work? Have you started a project but never finished? Would you like to do work that matters, but don’t know where to start?The answer is Do the Work, a manifesto by author Steven Pressfield.

Do the Work is a weapon against Resistance – a tool that will help you take action and successfully ship projects out the door. Picking up where The War of Art and Turning Pro left off, Do The Work takes the reader from the start to the finish of any long-form project—novel, screenplay, album.

Growing Gills: How to Find Creative Focus When You’re Drowning in Your Daily Life | Jessica Abel

Go from overwhelmed, anxious, and stuck, to consistent, clear, and in control of your creative life. If you feel like you’re floundering in the deep end (Not waving, drowning!), and anxiety over the complexity and enormousness of your creative projects overwhelms you, stop scrambling to fit everything in and feeling stretched thin. DIVE DEEP AND SWIM

• Sustain the energy you feel when thinking of how awesome your projects could be.
• Value your own creative work as highly as work you do for other people.
• Build a reusable structure and process that will consistently get you to the finish line.
• Blast through your stuck-ness.
• Focus. Finish. Move on to the next project.

The Artist’s Way  | Julia Cameron

First published twenty-five years ago, The Artist’s Way is “the book” on the subject of creativity. Author Julia Cameron takes readers on a twelve-week journey to discover the inextricable link between their spiritual and creative selves. A revolutionary program for artistic renewal from the world’s foremost authority on the creative process, The Artist’s Way is a life-changing book.

About Jason Thibault

Jason Thibault  is a writer, artist, & owner of boutique content marketing agency Massive Kontent. Follow him on Twitter (@jasonthibault) and Instagram (@jay_thibs). 

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Comic Book Script

You’ve got an amazing idea for a comic book. Now what? How do you develop that idea so that it blooms from concept to sequential story? It takes talent to be a great storyteller, but you need additional understanding to write scripts for comic books . This guide can help.

What This Guide Is

This guide will teach you the tools and techniques required to write stories for the comic book medium. When you are finished, you should be able to produce a serviceable comic book story. It will help you to learn to create comic book scripts for your own enjoyment and understand the process of turning an original story into a comic. It is up to you to continue developing these skills and to build your creative muscles.

What This Guide is Not

This guide is not intended to teach you how to write comic books for commercial consumption. It cannot make you a talented artist, creative writer or give you the self-discipline required to improve in this craft. This guide is also not written about comic book art.

Developing Your Idea

You may have a great idea for an epic comic book series that involves wars, dozens of characters, romances, and elements of magic. That’s great, but all of that has to begin with a cogent story that draws readers in and motivates them to take that journey with you. Your overall story is your setting. Now you have to give that setting a plot.

To discern your plot, you have to dig deeper. Start by identifying your main character. Who are they? Why are they there? What is their purpose, and what challenges will they face that will allow them to develop as an interesting character. 

It may help you to write a summary of your idea in order to maintain consistency. If you struggle with that style of writing, you can find a variety of resources and tools at GetGoodGrade . This summary may also help you better communicate your ideas to anyone you ask to help with your comic book.

The Main Character’s Motivation

Your main character won’t be relatable in any way if they don’t have motivation. Perhaps they are seeking revenge, redemption, or understanding? Maybe they wish to seek power or undo some injustice. Think about the most loved comic book characters. They may find themselves in hundreds of different stories experiencing just as many things, but their underlying motivation is consistent. As you develop your character, consider creating a backstory for them. In that, you can define the event that gave them their motivation. Finally, how will you communicate that motivation in this script?

What is Standing in Their Way?

Now, what are the events and antagonists that are preventing your main character from reaching their goals? Consider the following to make their experiences interesting:

• Life situations that cause them to struggle.
• Internal Conflicts
• Enemies and Frenemies
• Wars And Other External Events

Imagine you have a character named Deborah. She is traveling across Northern Europe to avenge the death of her father and take her place as Viking queen. As she travels, she must fight against tribal bands who have been bribed by the sitting king to stop her at any cost. She also has reasons to doubt that all the comrades who travel with her are truly loyal to her. Finally, she struggles with the trauma of war.

Who or What Will Help Them?

Every character has a superpower. If not a superpower, they have some other assets to help them gain some sort of advantage. Likewise, many have allies who are there to help them achieve their goals. Here are some examples of that:

• Sidekicks Assistants or Teammates
• A Mentor or Patron
• Supernatural Abilities
• Tools And Technologies
• Developed Skills And Strengths

Back to Deborah. She is among the most skilled fighters in Europe, having been trained at the most elite paramilitary academy in the world. Before his death, her father armed her with an enchanted sword, although she doesn’t quite understand how it works. Her closest friend is a brilliant war strategist and survival expert.

Creating The Stand Alone Story

Remember that each comic book is a snapshot in time. It is a story that stands on its own but should also build upon past plots and make room for new ones. Try to distill things down to a single event or brief period of time, so you can create a comic book.

Now, pay close attention to detail. Your writing should be clear and well-edited. This may not be academic writing , but quality is important. You won’t impress readers, artists, or anyone else if you present an error-laden script.

Writing a Script for The Comic Book Format

Keep in mind that your story must be translated into a script that an artist can accompany with panels of their art. Even before those have been created, you have to develop your story with those panels in mind. Remember that you can’t overload a single panel with dialogue. Also, you must give the artist room to use their art to develop the plot and characters as well.

You will have to do two things to give the artist enough to work with. First, provide a clear description of the action that is occurring in each panel. Next, you have to provide any dialogue and off page verbiage. 

General Tips to Follow

• Let the artist work. Don’t overdo your descriptions.
• Don’t cram too many panels onto a single page.
• Number your dialogue to make things easier for the comic book letterer.
• Avoid randomly introducing people or props as plot devices.
• Keep a one to one relationship between pages of script and artwork.

Final Thoughts

Your final step will be to find an artist to work with your script. Of course, if you are a talented artist, you may pursue this yourself. Just keep in mind that having creative input from another person can really help you put out a polished, final product. Leave plenty of time for this as you will want to be sure that your artist creates something that is true to your plot and character, yet visually compelling as Peter Parker’s revamped Spider-Man costume for 2021 .

Author’s bio. Jessica Fender is a professional writer and educational blogger. Jessica enjoys sharing her ideas to make writing and learning fun.

Do You Want to Know More?

Here at Nerdbot we are always looking for fresh takes on anything people love with a focus on television, comics, movies, animation, video games and more. If you feel passionate about something or love to be the person to get the word of nerd out to the public, we want to hear from you!

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15 Comic Book Writing Tips for Beginners

Last Updated on July 20, 2022 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD

Are you a creative writer with interest in comics? Or are you someone who has always loved comic books, even though you’ve never considered writing for them yourself?

Either way, knowing the tips and tricks of writing comics can make your experience a lot better.

Comic book writer and artist Russ Leach shares fifteen of his best tips for beginning comic book writers and artists.

#1 How to plan out a comic book before writing it

Comic books are broken into panels that tell the story. A panel is a single drawing with accompanying text. The trick to writing a comic book is to plan out the whole page before you write it.

Some writers will plot out an entire issue in advance, but this isn’t necessary for beginning writers. With planning, you can work up to plotting out an issue.

Russ recommends planning out the whole page in “thumbnail” form on paper. A thumbnail is just a little squiggle that lets you see how the panels flow from one to another. For your first story, stick with 3 or 4 panels per page until you get comfortable with the process.

Each panel should have clear action and dialogue that moves the story forward.

Russ says, “Thumbnails are great because you can plan, see if there is too much going on in any given panel and adjust as necessary. It’s also a powerful way to break down a script before you even write it.”

#2 Put your best work into the first 10 pages

Since you are writing for print, you have only so many pages to tell your story. As a result, editors are looking for stories that grab readers early on and don’t let go. Many writers will spend more time on the first issue because they know it is their best shot at getting a publisher’s attention.

Russ says, “The #1 mistake new writers make is not putting their absolute best work into the first ten pages of their comic book.”

#3 Start with a good hook

You’ve got just a few minutes to grab readers’ attention and keep them interested. As a result, it pays to start with an interesting hook.

This opening scene draws readers in, builds tension or action, and keeps them reading. You can set up your main character or introduce a mystery that keeps readers engaged.

A great comic book hook will leave people wanting to know what happens next. It’s the first step towards drawing readers into your story.

#4 Show, don’t tell

As a comic book writer, you need to understand the art of “show, don’t tell.” This is very important in comic books because the art tells the story.

Instead of describing things repeatedly or letting characters explain everything, it’s better to trust that readers will understand what is happening through the art.

Russ says, “Instead of writing a passage like this:

The villain laughs as he aims his gun at our intrepid hero! Our hero looks around and sees the dead body on the floor and realizes what has happened! He ducks behind a chair and tries to crawl out of the room!

A better way would be to write this:

The villain aims his gun. Our hero ducks behind a chair.”

#5 Know what your characters want and need

Think about your favorite movie or TV show. There is always something everyone wants, whether it’s money, power, information, or love. A good story always starts with what the main character wants.

Every scene and action should be about getting that thing. You can even break it down into a few categories: physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

It is important to know what your characters want right from the start so the reader can follow along, but keep in mind that what your character needs may differ from what they want.

#6 Finding inspiration outside of comics

You can learn a lot from reading comic books, but they only tell a small part of the story. To write engaging stories, you need to know about psychology, sociology, and history.

Stan Lee once said, “Every writer is a frustrated actor who recites his lines in the hidden auditorium of his skull.”

In other words, you should be studying people and putting yourself in their shoes. You can find inspiration from all sorts of sources: movies, TV shows, historical events, and even comics themselves. Of course, it’s also important to read other comic books to see how the pros do it.

#7 Know your bad guys

A hero needs a villain, so you need to know who your bad guy is and what he wants. Your villain should be as interesting as possible for this conflict to work. This means giving them clear goals and motivations that readers can understand.

What if your villain isn’t inherently evil? Russ says, “The most interesting villains are not mustache-twirling evildoers, but ones who have a legitimate beef with the hero. Maybe they’re just an ordinary person doing what they think is best to protect themselves in a dangerous world.”

Even if you are writing for bad guys, they should still be interesting and complex characters. You may even want to re-think the idea of a villain altogether and make the hero face a problem or a great challenge.

#8 Don’t be afraid to rip up your script

If you don’t have a basic idea of your story, how can you fix things when they go wrong?

When writing your script, be sure to leave yourself room for improvisation. You might find a new way to show a scene or decide that some characters should change places so their actions will have more impact at the end.

#9 Be creative with your sound effects

If comic book readers are anything like Russ, they are probably tired of seeing words or phrases in ALL CAPS. There’s not a lot you can do with the old-school sound effect “BANG!” It might look cool once in a while, but it’s probably best to avoid them.

Instead of using plain sound effects, you can develop new ideas. For example, if someone fires a gun, you might see an icon like FIREWORKS popping up above the panel (the graphic). If your character is wearing earplugs, you could show this by adding hands clamped over ears or a symbol of someone shouting into a megaphone.

#10 Focus on the plot

In movies and TV shows, it’s usually good to start with an interesting plot and make sure there is conflict and tension throughout. This doesn’t mean you can’t have a plot twist, but they will lose interest if your readers get too far ahead of your characters. You don’t want to leave too much room for a chance with your story, so be careful about adding anything you haven’t thought through properly.

#11 The best heroes are flawed and vulnerable

According to Stan Lee, “What makes a hero is not his actions, but how he chooses to act.” Usually, the best characters learn and grow as the story progresses. Nobody’s perfect, and your characters need to face obstacles for them to reach their full potential.

#12 Use suspense effectively

Sometimes it’s good to build up suspense in your story before revealing secrets and big surprises. However, you also want to keep things interesting throughout, so don’t forget to use humor or dialogue to break the tension now and then.

Stan Lee says, “A writer should never have his characters take anything for granted.” If they are smart and know how to outwit their enemies, you need to put them in situations where they can’t just use their brains to solve the problem. This is good because it will force your characters to use other skills and tactics.

#13 Use a variety of panel layouts

The layout of your panels is very important. Don’t be afraid to play around with the order, size, and placement of your panels so you can tell the best story possible. Russ recommends trying out different panel sizes for drama or impact, overlapping them, or even making one big image that tells a scene in a single frame.

#14 Give your characters interesting things to do

Make the most of every panel by showing your characters up to. Show them thinking, working on gadgets, or playing video games while waiting for something exciting to happen. If they’re not doing anything, it’s like having them stand around with their hands in their pockets (and no one wants that).

#15 Keep an eye on the lettering

Lettering is hard work, but it’s also incredibly important. Make sure the text in your panel matches the tone in your comic book, or else you could lose your readers’ attention quickly.

The clever use of lettering can help your story flow without too many words clogging up the dialogue or captions. Lettering can also show sound effects, emotions, and even emphasis.

 5 Ways to develop your comic book writing skills if you’re starting out

1. read a lot of comics.

There is nothing better for learning how to write comics than studying the work of other great comic book writers. Try to find a favorite series and follow it from issue one to the end, or track down as many back issues as you can.

Look out for any common themes running through your choices, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about what you perceive as successes or failures. You can even ask comic book writers for advice on Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit.

2. Practice writing “silent” comics

This is an exercise where you try and come up with a compelling story using only pictures (no text bubbles). It’s good for developing your storytelling skills; it helps you learn to rely more on your pictures than your words. This will help you perfect the art of “show don’t tell,” which is just as important for writing comics as it is for English essays or performance reports.

3. Write a screenplay first

Many comics are backed up by screenplays, so try delving into this genre before you write comics. It will help your story-telling skills; it’ll teach you how to describe the setting and characters through dialogue while avoiding long chunks of text or superfluous descriptions.

4. Learn about the craft

The best way to learn more about comic book writing is by seeking out some great blogs. There are so many talented people out there sharing their journey with you, and it’s all for free! Subscribe to some of the most popular ones like ComixTribe , Wikihow , Pixton or search “comic book writing” on Google.

5. Join a comics group

You can get feedback from professionals at any time by joining a comics writing group where you can post your ideas and ask questions. Sometimes it helps to bounce off other writers or hire a mentor to teach you the tricks of the trade.

Or even try taking a course online like Comics Experience , where you can read about comics writing and get advice from industry professionals. They even offer one-on-one consultations with comic book editors to help you polish your work.

 Frequently Asked Questions about writing comic books

What are the basics of creating a comic book script?

The basics of a comic book script format are fairly straightforward. The creator will create the storyboard, which is essentially a list of panels that explains how each scene will go down in order. They then write the dialogue and draw out action sequences for each page to illustrate their vision.

The script then goes to the artist, who will turn it into artwork used for illustrating. The artist may also suggest changes or new ideas for plot points and character arcs, which can help refine the story even further before going through the second round of editing processes if necessary.

Once all of these phases have been completed on your comic book script – from start to finish – you’ll have a finished product!

How can you turn short stories into a comic?

If you’ve written a few short stories but aren’t quite ready to start on your comic book script, try taking a few of these ideas and creating a comic or a graphic novel out of them! Just make sure that the endings for each story tie together nicely.

For example, if there’s an issue where two characters are arguing about something in the background while another character is telling his secret life story. If you’re trying to turn that into five pages or less, you may want to offer a brief conclusion for the first character or indicate that they’ll be back later in the story.

The comic book script will allow these characters to interact and clarify how their lives are connected.

How do you write a comic caption?

Comic book scripts are also an excellent way to write comic captions. The caption box is the same size as a panel, so it won’t be too difficult if you’re already familiar with writing dialogue for other media.

The caption box is typically used for explaining the setting to readers, so you should take this opportunity to give them a quick description of what’s happening.

For example, “Superman walks across the street, no one cares because he’s too powerful.”

You can also use captions for extra information like “Watch out! Someone is flying toward me!” or ” Batman is in the alley with his utility belt.”

Can comics have narration?

You’re allowed to have a narrator in your comic book script if you want, but it’s not a requirement. This is a great way of showing the passage of time or setting up future events without writing out long passages about them.

One common mistake for beginners is that they need narration when there isn’t! In most cases, where someone talks over panels and doesn’t do anything besides talk, this narration is unnecessary.

How do you format comic book script pages?

Once you’ve decided on your story and characters, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of writing a comic book script.

You’ll need an outline or a comprehensive list of all the things you want on each page (though some writers prefer not to use outlines). These will be different for every issue; they can range from 4 pages long with 10 panels per page to 12 and 48 panels. The more complicated the story, the more panels you’ll need.

You’ll also have a brief description of each page as well as an artist’s guide to show them what you want from your art. It will usually be about 3-4 pages long for 4 or 5 characters per page and two pages with 12 characters per page (if they’re all on one panel). If there is a dialogue in every panel, it may be a bit longer!

Am I writing a comic book script like if I were writing a movie script/screenplay?

Comic book writing is very different compared to screenwriting. A script represents one shot of the film, but a comic book has a three-act structure similar to novels, short stories, and plays; the three-act structure that you need to follow whether or not your character is named Batman , Spider-Man, or Tony Stark (Iron Man). Each comic book issue has an outline that will have the character’s name, their place in society (i.e., sidekick), and what kind of problems they will face. The story starts with a problem facing your main character and ends up resolving it so you can get back to the same sequence again next month!

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• Legends of the West

How to Write a Comic Book or Manga for Beginners

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Anny January 24, 2019 Art , comic books , drawing , manga , Web Comics 7 Comments

HOW TO WRITE A COMIC BOOK OR MANGA FOR

CREATING THE CHARACTERS AND DEVELOPING THE STORY - THE HERO'S JOURNEY

The core of every novel, manga, comic book, movie, and play is the story and its characters. In this post, I talk about some of the basics for writing a story, and the twelve stages of the Hero's Journey.

How characters in stories developed? How do stories evolve?

Creating and developing stories and characters is a unique process for every artist.

Art, in general, does not have strict rules that everyone must follow or the project will fail. It's not like cooking. Your dish won't be good if you don't follow step by step a recipe.

Writing a comic book, novel or movie for the public, however, requires some rules and knowledge. It's important to know the stages and structure to build a good story and interesting characters.

The easiest way to explain these basics is to talk about how I did create my characters and the steps that I am following to write my graphic novel.

In Legends of the West , I created many characters. Two of them, however, are not coming from my imagination but from two famous novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn written by my favorite American author, Mark Twain . Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer are two of the main characters in my story.

It's easy to think that I stole these two characters from the famous novels and adapted them into my story, like many other authors previously did for movies, cartoons, comics, and plays.

It comes natural to believe that taking characters from someone else work and fit them into a new story it's easier than create your own. Actually, this process it's harder than anyone may think.

Mark Twain is my favorite author. I like all his novels and I fell in love with Tom and Huck adventures. I have a lot of respect for these two masterpieces and its author. When I decided to use Tom and Huck in my  graphic novel, I promised to try to do my best to keep them as close as possible from the original books.

In order to achieve this goal, I have to constantly ask myself how Huck and Tom respond in situations happening in the manga. Researching and studying the original characters and their environment helped me to achieve this challenge. At least, I hope that, (I can't ask Mark Twain to review my story, unfortunately).

Writing a story requires a lot of work and involve a lot of research. Wherever a story is set in a particular time of History, in a futuristic period, in an imaginary world, or in our present time, it's vital for the author to know what he's going to write about it. The storyteller must research the landscape, the history, the costumes, and the way of life of a particular period or place. In my case, I learned about the Gold Rush era. I read analysis about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn characters. I researched costumes, weapons, and the way of life of that historical period.

For me, all of these work is not a painful job but all the opposite. That's why I always recommend to write or draw something that you are passionate about it.

My researching and digging about Mark Twain and the American history, helped me to understand the two characters and insert them into my story without going too far off from their own nature. Taking the time and the effort to know about your story theme is a good way to get inspired and generate new ideas for a story.

DO NOT TRY TO EMULATE AN ORIGINAL WORK

Another aspect of writing a story with non-original characters is do not try to emulate the original work. Hollywood, plays, books, and even cartoons tried to rewrite a masterpiece adapting the two famous characters into something for a younger audience. It didn't happen only for Mark Twain work, but for other novels too.

The result is not always great. Sometimes the story and characters change so much that doesn't relate anymore to the original work.

Before I knew about Mark Twain and his two novels, I watched an anime. Its title is, My Friend Huck. I was still leaving in Italy at that time. I enjoyed the anime, so much that I decided to read the two novels. You can't imagine my surprise. The cartoon and the books were completely different. The only common thing was the characters names. Just to give you an example, in the anime, Jim was the adoptive son of the Widow Douglas and he was the same age as Tom and Huck. Jim and Huck runoff on a raft but the reason was to visit Jim's mother who was recovered in a Cairo hospital. Yep. That's was a great surprise.

I didn't want to make drastic changes like that. I think that the beauty of Tom and Huck is their story. The two novels are masterpieces of the American Literature.

I wanted to use Tom and Huck in my comic book. But how could I use them without destroying their beauty? Definitely, I didn't want to rewrite the two novels. It's already been done too many times. I thought that writing about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn when they are still 13, 14 years old like in the original novels would be quite difficult. After all, Mark Twain already told us Tom and Huck adventures in their preteen years.

It came to me the idea that now it is time to tell their tale as young men.

To begin my graphic novel, I started from the ending of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn book and narrating their new adventure as teenagers in the wild American Frontier.

In Legends of the West, Huck and Tom are sixteen years old. Three years passed before the two buddies meet again.

How can I write about the two young men without changing their nature?

A way to accomplish that is to think about their environment. I asked myself a question: did Huck and Tom's environment change in these past three years?

THINK ABOUT THE CHARACTER  ENVIRONMENT

The environment in a story can impact a character. Just like in the real world, it can affect a person causing to change mentally and physically.

At the end of the Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer is dreaming a new adventure in the Indian territory meanwhile Tom's relatives decide to adopt Huck. The ending is left open letting the reader imagine what the two kids are going to do next.

At this point, in my thoughts, Tom went back to St. Petersburg together with his Aunt Polly while Huck is adopted by the Phelps and living with them in Pikesville, Arkansas.

When the two friends meet again, Tom is still the same old Tom. The same kid who dreams adventures and wants to be a hero. Tom hasn't changed because his environment did not change. He went back to the same familiar town, friends, and family. Nothing really impacted his personality.

The situation is different for Huck. He didn't go back to St. Petersburg like Tom. He's in a new and unfamiliar environment. New home, new town, new people, and new friends. Moving from a native place to a new one is difficult for everybody, especially for a child.

Huck had to cope with the fact of being away from a familiar place and people that more or less knew about him and his story. In the new town, he has to make new friends and meets new people. No one knows about his past and his adventures with Tom. Now, he's living with the reputation of helping a runoff slave. It's true that Jim was a free man, but Huck didn't know it till Tom revealed it at the end. It is not a breeze for him getting around the new town and making new friends with such reputation in a slave state.

This new situation impacted Huck and changed him. Now, he's more mature with his feet on the ground. Even if he lets himself getting drag in nonsenses by Tom, he has a better view of the world that surrounds him.

In the graphic novel, Aunt Sally mentions that she never saw him smile. He seems annoyed by his girlfriend too. Huck is melancholy indeed, nothing really makes him feel happy. That's why he decides to join his best friend's dangerous adventure not just because Tom asked him, like in the past, but because Huck wants to get away from that place and finally find himself somewhere else.

During their adventure, they will meet new people, and affront new challenges never faced before. Thus, make them change again and grow as the story progress.

This is an example how the environment is a fundamental part in the creation of a character and developing a story. It's one of the most important basics that a storyteller should always keep in mind. Ask yourself how the world around your hero in the story impacted him. This thoughts can really help to analyze and grow a comic book.

KEEP THE CHARACTERS RELATABLE TO THE AUDIENCE

Another important basic to keep in mind is that characters in a story must be relatable to the audience. People are not perfect. All of us has positives and negatives. We have obstacles in our life to affront, decisions to make, failures, rejections, deal with the unexpected. Sometimes we are winners, sometimes we are losers. This is the same for our characters. A storyteller must be able to export emotions to viewers or readers. No matter if you write a novel, a movie or a comic. An audience must feel involved in the story and relate to the characters.

Creating a character that is perfect in everything, is a big mistake. A hero that is always right, with no fears, does the right thing all the time, gets the woman or man that likes, and everybody loves him or her, is not a great character and is not realistic. The story ends to be predictable, boring, and hard to develop. There is not much to write about someone that wins all the time and is perfect. It would be a story with no emotions and no audience.

JOURNEY,...LIFE IS A JOURNEY .  THE 12 STAGES OF THE HERO'S JOURNEY

Life is a journey. Just like in real life, characters in comics, novels, and movies go through a journey both physical and mental. Since the day we are born, we embark into a journey without knowing the destination. And just like us, our characters are going to face challenges and cross the unknown that will change them forever. Some of you may know about the Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell .

Every story has common structural elements. The ancient Greeks used this structure in their mythology like in The Odissey . Fairy tales, Disney is a good example, and movies adopted this universal structure divided into stages.

Joseph Campbell divided these elements into twelve stages called The Hero's Journey . An example of movies that adopted this format are Star Wars, the Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, The Matrix, The Lord of the Ring, and the list goes on and on. It's right to say that every great story uses the Hero's Journey elements.

The 12 Stages of the Hero's Journey:

Ordinary World

1. Ordinary World

2.Call to Adventure

3. Refusal of the Call

4. Meeting the Mentor

5. Crossing the Threshold

Secondary World

6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies

7. Approach the Inmost Cave

8. The Ordeal

10. Road Back

11.Resurrection

12.Return with Elixir

A story doesn't have to follow to the perfection these stages. However, it's important to know what every single step means and understand the structure for writing a good story. Sometimes, it might be challenging to follow these elements, especially with short stories but the effort could be worth it.

The Ordinary World.

The Ordinary World is the Hero's safe place. It's the first place where the audience meets the main character for the first time. This is the stage where the storyteller has the opportunity to introduce the Hero's flows, emotions, urges, environment, to the audience. It's the part where the Hero finds the reasons to walk through the Secondary World. Writing a story is like building a house, and the Ordinary World is the foundation of a story.

The Call to Adventure

The Call to Adventure is the reason why the Hero begins the Journey. The Call to Adventure has multitude forms. A sudden death, a message, a natural event, an abduction, someone words, a villain, a discovery, and the list can go on and on. In some cases, the Hero needs a second Call to Adventure before taking the decision to enter into the Journey. Sometimes the Hero must choose between two conflicting calls.

Refusal of the Call

The Hero refuses the Call to Adventure because of insecurities, fears, danger, and uncertainties, that make it hard for the hero to leave the safe heaven of the Ordinary World. Even for us, at least once in our life, we didn't take some challenges for fear of changes. In this stage, it's important to underline the conflict between the security of the Ordinary World and the danger of the unknown Secondary World.

Meeting the Mentor

The Mentor is not necessarily a human. Like for the Call to Adventure, the mentor can be under any form. It might be an animal, an object, a signal, a message, etc. For example, in Legends of the West, Huckleberry refuses his call to adventure for fear of the dangerous voyage that could lead to his death. However, when Shannon tells to Huck about her Uncle living in California and describing that land as a wonderful place full of opportunities, Huck rethinks his decision and joins to Tom. In this case, the Uncle is the mentor, even if he never appears physically in the scene.

Crossing the Threshold

Crossing the Threshold is the step where the adventure truly begins. Everything starts at this point and nothing will be the same as before. Once the Hero Cross the Threshold there is no turning point. The Hero's Journey has begun.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

This is the stage where the Hero together with the audience steps into the Secondary World and learns its rules. He's preparing himself for greater conflicts. He meets allies, enemies, or forge a team of Heroes. Usually, this is the part where appears a sidekick. The hero begins testing his capabilities. For example, in Legends of the West Huck and Tom meet Sally and join her to reach California. They encounter some enemies and the first conflicts rise.

Approach the Inmost Cave

The Inmost Cave is the representation of inner fears. It can be a dangerous location, a fearful creature or an inner stage of the Hero. He must overcome this challenge in order to face the Ordeal. This is the stage where the Hero must prepare to Approach the Inmost Cave that will lead into the hearth of the Central Ordeal. Planning an attack, training before a battle, questioning feelings of a lover or weakening an enemy are just a few examples of the many possibilities in this stage.

The Ordeal is the highest point of the Hero's Journey. The Hero encounters difficult challenges and conflicts. He's battling with his most inner fears. In this stage, everything seems lost, and the Hero is falling apart. In this phase can occur the death of a friend, a mentor, or a break up with the loved one. At this point, the audience looks at the hero with suspense. The Hero is touching the bottom and the viewer is wondering if he or she will survive and stand up again. If he fails nothing will be ever the same.

The Hero survived to the Ordeal. He earned the Reward. The Reward has different forms. It could be the return of a loved one, a friendship reunited, an object, a treasure, the conquering of a person or a throne. Anything can represent a Reward for the Hero. The Hero's celebrating his victory and there is a sort of peace. The Audience can relax and catch the breath before the Journey resumes to its climax and resolution. The Journey is not over yet.

The Road Back

The Hero must return to the Ordinary World. Like for the Threshold, the Hero might need to be pushed back into the Ordinary World and leave the Secondary World. A threat into the Ordinary World might cause the Hero to take the Road Back. A villain may regain forces and search for revenge. Sometimes, the Hero must choose between an internal or external decision.

Resurrection

This is the highest stake of the Hero's Journey. The Hero resurrects from the "death" and reborn. He uses everything that he learned during his Journey to fight his final battle. The Hero's last battle is no longer for his life but for everything dear to him. If he fails, nothing will be the same anymore, he will lose everything. The Hero must prove that he conquered his fears and learned his lesson, now he's ready to fight one more time for the benefit of the Ordinary World.

Return with the Elixir

The Return with the Elixir is the final stage of the Hero's Journey. The Hero resurrected and fought his final battle. He won, the Ordinary World is safe again. He defeated the enemy and conquered his love. He overcame his fears, insecurities, and obstacles. He crossed the unknown, the danger, and now he is back into the Ordinary World with knowledge, and everything that he learned in the Secondary World. Now, he can apply his new abilities to embark a new journey and help others forever influenced by his adventure.

The Hero's Journey is not a straight line that begins and ends. It's a circle where everything gets repeated over and over till the Hero learns a new lesson. Just like in real life for all of us, there are many lessons to learn and journeys to embark.

GREAT STORIES SHARE EMOTIONS WITH THE AUDIENCE

The Hero's Journey stages are a good reference point to keep in mind for writing a story. A good story that keeps the audience entertained. A storyteller must produce emotions and relate the characters to the audience. Readers or viewers share together with the Hero the same feelings; fell in love with the girl or boy, despite the enemy, feel joy, and sadness.

Some of the most acclaimed TV series on the screen has appealing characters and stories that transfer emotions to the public. Who didn't feel anything for Walter White and Jessie in Breaking Bad? Who wasn't shook when Ned Stark died in Games of Thrones? Who didn't suffer together with Rocky Balboa? There are many good books, movies, and comics out there that became part of our society, and make us feel joy, fear, anxiety, love, and hate. These storytellers delivered us a great story.

Those movies or novels are masterpieces wrote by professionals, veterans in the writing field. However, it's not impossible to write a good story even for unknown artists. Remember all these great directors and writers are not born famous or with some kind of special gene that made them create these amazing movies or novels. Everyone must start somewhere. They wrote a lot of stories and failed many times before getting where they are today.

In conclusion, whatever story you decide to create, remember the Hero's Journey stages. Think about the character's environment. Keep them relatable. Write a story that makes feel emotions and transfers your feelings to the audience. Your readers don't know what you have in your mind. They can't figure out what you want to express with your story. That is your job as a storyteller. Take time, don't rush the story forcing the audience into confusion and emotionless. Don't try to emulate others. Do your homework, research everything related to your tale. Study the history, the era where the comic book is set, costumes, and the way of life. If it's a story based in the present days, learn about the country and the city where it takes place.

Writing a good story requires time and a lot of work. But as you should know, Rome wasn't built in a day.

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How to Write a Book Review [Tips with Examples]

My journey to becoming a professional writer began with reading books and developing the intellectual capacity to critique them. Sharing my reviews with others has not only helped me form communities with like-minded people but also fostered personal growth and expanded my thinking.

Writing a book review is a process that you can quickly master if you’re eager to learn. In this article, I will show you how to write a good book review that perfectly reflects your opinion and understanding of the book, along with useful tips and examples.

What is a Book Review?

A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, where the reviewer offers a perspective on the book's content and quality. Unlike a simple summary, a review involves analyzing the book's arguments, themes, and effectiveness. The goal is to provide insights and engage in a dialogue with the book's creator and other readers.Features of a book review entail:

Critical Assessment:

The main feature of a book review is its critical assessment of the content. This involves expressing your reactions to the book, discussing what you found noteworthy, and evaluating its effectiveness and persuasiveness. You should highlight where the book excels and where it falls short.

Concise Summary:

While the primary focus is on analysis, a review should include a concise summary of the book's main points. This helps readers understand the context and scope of your evaluation.

Argumentation:

A book review makes an argument. Your review should clearly state your opinion of the book, supported by evidence from the text. This might resemble other academic writings, with a thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Reader Engagement:

Another purpose of a book review is to help potential readers decide whether the book is worth their time. Your review should suggest whether the intended audience would appreciate the book, helping them make an informed choice.

What is the Structure of a Book Review?

When writing a book review, it's crucial to have a structured approach. This ensures that you cover all essential elements and provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis. A clear structure also helps you navigate the content more effectively during the reading process, allowing you to identify key points for a thorough review.

Here is the basic structure I recommend:

Introduction:

Begin by setting the context. Mention the book's title, the author's name, and provide some background information. Is it a debut novel or the latest work from a renowned author? Specify the genre and include a hook, such as an intriguing quote from the book or a thought-provoking question it raises.

This section should be divided into three main parts:

a) Book Summary: Provide a concise summary of the plot, introduce the main characters, and discuss the central themes. Avoid spoilers to maintain the reader's interest.

b) Analysis and Evaluation: Critically assess the book's writing style, character development, and plot structure. Discuss the effectiveness of the narrative and provide specific examples to support your opinions.

c) Personal Response: Share your personal reflections on the book. Describe how it impacted you, whether it altered your perspective on certain issues, or reminded you of other works or personal experiences.

Conclusion:

Summarize your overall impressions of the book. Recommend the book to specific audiences who might appreciate it. Provide your final verdict and reinforce your key points to leave a lasting impression.

How to Write a Book Review? [Step by Step]

Writing a book review is an art form that allows you to share your thoughts and opinions about a particular book with others. As a reader, your perspective is unique and valuable. However, to create a compelling and insightful book review, it’s crucial to approach it with proper structure, thorough research, and genuine interest in the book. It's not just about saying whether you liked the book or not; it's about diving deep into the author's world, understanding their intentions, and critically evaluating how well they've achieved their goals.

In this section, we will explore how to make and format a book review, and we’ll also discuss how tools like WPS Office can simplify the process, making it easier to produce a well-organized and professional review.

Step 1: Read Carefully

The foundation of any great book review is a thorough, attentive reading of the book itself. I can't stress enough how important this step is. When I pick up a new book to review, I treat it like a treasure hunt, always on the lookout for hidden gems of insight or beautifully crafted passages.

I keep a notebook by my side as I read, making notes of my thoughts, questions, and reactions. This isn't just about summarizing the plot - it's about capturing my real-time engagement with the text. For example, when I read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams, I found myself scribbling notes like:

"Love how Adams uses humor to explore deep philosophical questions. Pg. 42 - the meaning of life is 42? Hilarious and thought-provoking!"

"Marvin the depressed robot - brilliant character. Adds both comedy and a touch of existential dread. How does this reflect on human nature?"

I also use sticky notes or a highlighter to mark passages that strike me as particularly significant or well-written. This makes it easy to find these sections later when I'm writing my review.

By the time I finish the book, I have a wealth of material to draw from for my review. This careful reading and note-taking process helps me form a comprehensive understanding of the book's themes, characters, and overall impact.

Step 2: Plan Your Review

Once I've finished reading and have my notes ready, I always take some time to plan my review. This is where having a great writing tool like WPS Office comes in handy. It's not just about putting words on a page – it's about organizing your thoughts effectively, and WPS Office offers features that make this process smoother and more efficient.

First, let's talk about using the basic WPS Writer. I start by creating a simple outline using the built-in formatting tools. Here's an example of how I might structure a basic review outline:

This simple outline gives me a clear structure to follow as I write my review. I can easily adjust the formatting, add or remove points, and rearrange sections as needed. WPS Writer's user-friendly interface makes it easy to create a clean, organized outline like this in just a few minutes.

Now, here's where things get really interesting – WPS Office's AI Assistant. This powerful tool can take your outlining process to the next level. By providing a few key details about the book and the type of review you want to write, the AI can generate a more detailed and tailored outline for you.

Here's how I might use the WPS AI Assistant to create a more comprehensive outline:

The AI-generated outline provides a more detailed framework for your review. It might include specific aspects of the plot to discuss, key characters to analyze, major themes to explore, and points to consider about the author's writing style. This can be incredibly helpful in ensuring you cover all the important aspects of the book in your review.

What I love about using WPS AI for this task is how it jumpstarts the brainstorming process. It often suggests points I might not have immediately thought of, helping me create a more comprehensive review. Plus, I can easily edit and customize the AI-generated outline to fit my specific thoughts and impressions of the book.

Step 3: Make a Summary

Once we have our outline ready, it's time to craft a compelling summary. This is where we hook our readers and give them a taste of what the book offers. A great summary isn't just a dry recounting of events – it's an invitation to explore the world within the pages.

When I write a summary, I focus on capturing the essence of the book without spoiling any major plot twists. It's like creating a movie trailer – you want to build excitement and interest, but leave plenty for the reader to discover. Be sure to touch on the major themes of the book, exploring the big ideas or questions it presents.

Introducing the main characters is crucial too. Provide a brief sketch of who they are and what drives them, without diving too deep into their arcs. For example, "We follow Jane, a brilliant but disillusioned scientist, as she grapples with a groundbreaking discovery that could change the world – or destroy it." Also, remember to mention the genre and setting of the book.

Remember, it's all about giving a sneak peek without spoiling anything. Touch on the storyline but leave the surprises intact. Now, let's look at some good book review summary examples.

Example #1: Fiction

"Dune" by Frank Herbert

Summary: Set in a distant future, "Dune" follows Paul Atreides, whose family accepts the stewardship of Arrakis, a desert planet that's the only source of a highly valuable spice. As political forces collide for control of Arrakis, Paul must navigate treachery, ecological challenges, and his own emerging powers to survive and fulfill his destiny.

Example #2: Non-fiction

"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Summary: Harari takes readers on a journey through human history, from the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa to the present day. He explores how biology, culture, and technology have shaped our species, challenging common beliefs about human progress and offering thought-provoking insights into our past, present, and potential future.

Your summary should flow smoothly, use engaging language, and capture the essence of the book concisely. If you’re finding it difficult to infuse your thoughts into your words, try using the WPS AI "Improve Writing" feature to enhance your writing. This tool can help you refine your language, improve clarity, and ensure your summary is compelling and well-structured.

Be concise: Aim for a summary that's brief yet impactful. You want to give readers a clear picture without overwhelming them with details.

Avoid spoilers: Never reveal major plot twists or endings. The goal is to intrigue readers, not tell them the whole story.

Use your own words: Don't simply copy passages from the book. Restate the main ideas in your own language to show you've truly understood the material.

Focus on clarity: Make sure your summary is easy to understand. Avoid jargon or overly complex language that might confuse readers.

Step 4: Analyze and Evaluate

Now we come to the heart of the book review: the analysis and evaluation. This is where you really get to flex your critical thinking muscles and dive deep into what makes the book tick.

When I'm writing this section, I try to look at the book from multiple angles. It's not just about whether I enjoyed it or not – it's about understanding what the author was trying to achieve and how well they succeeded. Here are some of the questions I consider:

How well has the book achieved its goal? Every book has a purpose, whether it's to entertain, inform, persuade, or provoke thought. I assess how effectively the author has accomplished what they set out to do.

What possibilities are suggested by the book?

Great books often open up new ways of thinking or seeing the world. I try to identify and explore these potential impacts.

What has the book left out?

Sometimes what's not included can be just as important as what is. Are there perspectives or aspects of the topic that the author hasn't addressed?

How does the book compare to others on the subject?

Placing the book in context with similar works can provide valuable insights.

What specific points are not convincing?

If there are arguments or elements that didn't work for me, I explain why, always backing up my opinions with examples from the text.

What personal experiences have I had related to the subject?

Connecting the book to my own life or knowledge can add depth to the review and help readers relate.

Let me show you a couple of examples of how I might approach the analysis and evaluation for different books:

Example #1:

Example #2:

In both of these examples, I've tried to balance praise with critique, always supporting my points with specific examples from the text. The goal is to provide a nuanced, thoughtful analysis that gives readers a clear sense of the book's strengths and weaknesses.

Need some good points to include in your analysis? While reading the book or after finishing it, try asking WPS AI for ideas. This tool can provide fresh perspectives and insights that might help you evaluate aspects you might have missed or overlooked. With WPS AI, you can ensure that your analysis is comprehensive and well-rounded.

Step 5: Conclude with Recommendation

As we wrap up our book review, it's time to bring everything together and offer a final verdict. This conclusion is your chance to leave a lasting impression on your readers and help them decide whether this book is right for them.

When I write my conclusion, I always keep in mind that different books appeal to different readers. My job isn't just to say whether I liked the book or not, but to help potential readers understand if it's a good fit for their interests and preferences.

Here's how I approach writing recommendations:

Summarize your overall impression:

Start by briefly restating your main thoughts about the book. What are its standout qualities? What were its weaknesses?

Identify the target audience:

Think about who would most appreciate or benefit from this book. Is it best suited for fans of a particular genre? People interested in specific topics? Beginners or experts in a field?

Compare to similar works:

If relevant, mention how this book stands up to others in its category. Is it a standout in its genre, or more of a middle-of-the-pack offering?

Highlight unique features:

What makes this book special or different from others? This could be the author's writing style, a novel approach to the subject matter, or particularly impactful ideas.

Be clear about your recommendation:

Don't leave your readers guessing. State clearly whether you recommend the book and why (or why not).

Let me show you a couple of examples of how I might conclude reviews for different types of books:

These steps will help you write a book review essay that allows your teacher or your readers to truly understand your thoughts on the book. Great book reviews are clear and to the point—informative but not too long. Aim for that sweet spot between 500 and 800 words. Why? Because readers often prefer reviews they can digest quickly, getting the essence without drowning in details.

If your review starts to feel like a novel itself, don’t worry. That’s where WPS AI becomes your editing partner. Here’s how WPS AI can help you shorten the contents of your book review:

Step 1: Select a paragraph or section of your review.

Step 2: Use the WPS AI "Make shorter" feature to condense it.

Step 3: Review the shortened version to ensure it retains the key points and your personal voice.

This approach allows you to condense your writing without sacrificing meaning or essence. It’s like having a skilled editor on your team, helping you cut the fluff while keeping the heart of your insights. A concise book review often packs more punch, respects your readers' time, and still gives them the scoop on whether the book is worth their while. So, keep it short, keep it sweet, and let your unique voice shine through.

Using WPS to Perfect your Book Review

Whether you choose to write a book review to submit, for fun, or as an assignment, you might want to pay extra attention to detail. It's important to get it right so that those reading your reviews find them engaging and informative. Even when you have your evaluation ready, analysis done, and know exactly what to write, you might struggle with starting or maintaining the flow. WPS Office with its AI can help. It offers a range of services you can benefit from.

Improve Writing:

WPS Office's AI-powered tools are designed to enhance your writing quality. It provides suggestions to improve sentence structure, word choice, and overall coherence, ensuring your book review is polished and professional. These tools can help you maintain a consistent tone and style throughout your review, making it more engaging for readers. Whether you're a seasoned writer or a beginner, WPS Office can help elevate your writing to the next level.

Check the Grammar and Syntax

Proper grammar and syntax are crucial for making your book review clear and professional.  WPS Office’s AI-powered grammar checker can identify and correct errors in real time, helping you avoid common mistakes. This tool ensures your review is free from grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, and punctuation mistakes. By using WPS Office to check your grammar and syntax, you can be confident that your review will be easy to read and understand, making a positive impression on your audience.

1. How long should a book review be?

Book reviews are generally brief, typically falling between 500 to 750 words. It's crucial to keep them concise. This length allows reviewers to cover the essential aspects of the book without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary details.

2. Do book reviews need citations?

Book reviews should start with a complete reference to the book you're discussing. When mentioning specific details from the book in your review, it's crucial to cite page numbers to support your points.

Enhance Your Book Reviews with WPS Office

I used to write book reviews for fun, and the experience of exploring how to write a book review in so many genres led me to pursue a career as a writer. Throughout this journey, WPS Office has been my utmost companion. With its advanced tools and AI, I can focus more on the quality of the content and less on worrying about the small mistakes that everyone makes. This has made me more efficient in my work. Download WPS Office so your book reviewing experience becomes a lot easier and more enjoyable.

• 1. ThinkFree Office Write Review: Features, Review and Download
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• 4. How to Write a Hypothesis? [Tips with Examples]
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15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.

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08-09-2024 HOW TO BE A SUCCESS AT EVERYTHING

How I wrote a book in 15 minutes a day

Every first novel started as an unpublished writer’s wild idea. Here’s how to make yours a reality.

[Photo: Stas Knop /Pexels]

BY  Julia Dahl 4 minute read

The first time I tried to write a novel I was 23. I had all the time in the world. I was a full-time graduate student. I lived alone, I had no children, and it took me three years to finish a draft.

Five years later, I tried again. I was working full-time as a reporter and I lived with my boyfriend, but we had no kids. This time, it took me five years.

All that time, my technique, if you could call it that, was the same: set up my laptop at a coffee shop or a library or at my desk at home, and “write.” But, as New York Times best-selling author Meghan O’Rourke recently tweeted : “It’s really important to have at least three hours to write every day so you can spend the first two hours squirming and checking the internet and daydreaming before getting down to it.”

Touché. I thought I needed hours with nothing to do but write. But even with all those hours, I didn’t produce much. So I started applying for retreats and residencies , thinking maybe I needed long stretches—days, weeks—to do nothing but write.

I wrote three novels that way. Fits of progress followed by long lulls of nothing. And then I had a child.

Suddenly, there were no long stretches.

I struggled. I had to figure out a way to fold my writing back into my life, but my life had changed so dramatically I wasn’t sure how. I turned in my fourth novel two years past the deadline. I had an idea for another, but no idea how I’d actually get it gone.

And then, my friend, author Laura McHugh, told me she’d started doing “writing sprints.” I don’t have all day, she told me, but I can commit to one hour.

Frankly, an hour felt impossible, but I liked the idea of a sprint. I turned off my Wi-Fi, silenced my ringer, put on some noise-canceling headphones, and for 15 minutes, I wrote. I didn’t produce a lot, but it was more than I’d done the day before. More than I’d done in a month. I did the same thing the next day, and the next. And less than two years later, I had a solid draft.

Words add up

There is nothing magic about 15 minutes—and yet there is. We all waste 15 minutes every day scrolling on our phones. Probably more, but definitely 15. And in 15 minutes, if you can write 100 words, you can have a full-length draft of a novel in two years. (One hundred words times 365 days times two years is 73,000 words, which most editors will tell you is on the shorter end of average novel length.) You’ll also probably start enjoying those 15 minutes; what you accomplished will help carry you through the day. And sometimes those 15 minutes will turn into longer sessions.

Will what you write be ready to publish? No. First drafts never are. Part of the 15 minute technique is to give yourself permission to write badly. You’ll fix it later. But here’s the key: There is no published novel without a finished first draft. What if two years ago you’d decided to write 15 minutes a day? You’d have hundreds of pages to polish into something publishable.

Training your brain

But more than the words on the page—which add up!—the genius of the 15 daily minutes is that the real secret to writing a novel, or achieving any long-term artistic goal, is time spent thinking about the thing you’re creating. You can’t write a novel without hours and hours spent considering the world you’re building, the people you’re creating, the problems they’ll encounter, and the route it will take for them to get to the end of their journey.

To do all that, you need to spend a lot of time walking around with the novel in your brain. Spending even just 15 minutes each day “with” your novel means that it will always be present in your mind. Nurture that presence when you aren’t writing. Cut down on podcasts when you’re walking or driving. Give yourself quiet. Tell yourself: I’m going to think about the next scene I need to write while I go through this car wash, or walk to the grocery store, or wait for my son’s lacrosse practice to end. 

Keep a notebook with you to jot down plot ideas and snippets of dialogue. Or, use your phone to dictate messages to yourself, though your phone can be very dangerous as a distraction, so beware. 

How to find your 15 minutes

It’ll be different for everyone. You can’t get me out of bed one minute before I need to be awake, so mornings are out for me. And once I’ve put my son to bed, I’m pretty wiped. It’s certainly not my most creative time. So I do my 15 minutes in the middle of the day. 

I coach novelists who do their 15 minutes after their morning workout, or after they’ve dropped their kids off from school, or right before bed. I know writers who write at work on their lunch break. All that matters is the time; the where and when can change as your life does.

Give yourself permission

Let me tell you a secret: Most writers—even those with books in your favorite bookstore, reviewed by the big papers—don’t make enough money off their writing to pay all their bills. The same is true of all other artists: musicians, painters, actors, dancers. Does that make their work less legitimate? If you write, you’re a writer. Own it.

Another thing to remember is that every novel you pick up (and every song you listen to, every performance you attend) started as somebody’s wild idea. It exists only because its creator decided to spend unpaid time working on it. Little by little, the wild idea turns into something real.

Apply to the Most Innovative Companies Awards and be recognized as an organization driving the world forward through innovation. Early-rate deadline: Friday, August 23.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julia Dahl is the author of five novels including I Dreamed of Falling , out this September from Minotaur Books. She teaches journalism at NYU and provides private coaching and creative writing classes online .   More

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REVIEW: Uncanny X-Men #1 Builds the Suspense with a Dream Mutant Team

Krakoa has fallen. In Uncanny X-Men #1, a small group of mutants, Rogue, Gambit, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler, search for purpose in a world that continues to hate mutantkind. Mutants still need the X-Men because they’re being hunted, locked up, and killed. But what exactly makes a mutant an X-Man? That’s what this little team must contemplate. But they’d better do it fast. Because something’s coming.

Uncanny X-Men #1

Jay bowen (design), vc’s clayton cowles (letters), david marquez (artist), gail simone (writer), matthew wilson (colours) marvel comics august 7, 2024.

Following the end of the Krakoa era, mutants are scattered around the world. (One, Phoenix , is even in outer space.) Some, like Cyclops, have set up a new X-Men team to continue to protect mutantkind. Others, like Rogue and Gambit, are enjoying life as a married couple. But for mutants like Wolverine, there’s always a fight, and some fights, you can’t win alone. So, who better to lean on, but the super-strong southern belle who can siphon powers and memories, and her ragin’ Cajun husband with kinetic gifts? Of course, with mutants, it’s never just one enemy they have to fight—it’s usually the start of a whole new war as the mutants and readers learn in Uncanny X-Men #1.

Okay, look, who isn’t going to read Uncanny X-Men #1? You’ve got Rogue, who everybody loves. You’ve got sexy, dorky Gambit, who everyone loves. You’ve got Wolverine, arguably the X-Man, who, guess what, everyone loves. Nightcrawler makes an appearance, and I will fight anyone who doesn’t like him. This is the dream team of X-Men. So, yes, when WWAC got a review copy of this issue from Marvel, I snatched it right up.

Uncanny X-Men  is heavy on the action. Rogue, Gambit, and Wolverine fight a villain-of-the-week that’s not just powerful but also wise. He uses his wits as much as his strength to put the beat-down on the X-Men. I like a villain with an attitude, so I had a lot of fun with these action scenes. I also liked that this issue front-loaded the action and let the rest of the book focus on the interpersonal struggles of the mutants.

As the first issue of a new series, Uncanny X-Men #1 packs in multiple plotlines. The book introduces of a new X-villain, Dr. Ellis, and her takeover of the former Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. Marvel Zero had included this scene about Dr. Ellis and her evil plans to decimate the much-loved school, as well as hinted at her having a high-profile prisoner. Dr. Ellis’ complete disregard for the history of the mutant school made for a chilling opener to this story. Yet another reminder of how little marginalized communities’ histories and cultures are regarded, let alone protected.

We get the first inklings of the primary villains, of course, but much of this book ponders the nature of mutant teams and the X-Men. While Gambit and Wolverine choose Rogue as the natural leader of whatever their team will become, Rogue is surprisingly unsure. I think of Rogue as a natural leader, but this book posits otherwise. Rogue is also somewhat discombobulated by her fellow mutants’ reluctance to be X-Men anymore. I found this quite surprising. Not sure if I’ve missed something or if I have to wait for more books, but why are certain mutants straight-up not interested in being X-Men? I guess I’ll have to find out in upcoming issues.

What I liked about Uncanny X-Men #1 is something I wished the Krakoa books had delved more into, the interpersonal relationships between the mutants. When we did get those moments, I felt more invested in the mutants. But far too often, the stories prioritized suspense or spectacle over character development. Uncanny gives us some fascinating character moments. There’s a page-long Wolverine subplot that demonstrates exactly why he’s such a fascinating character. In all honesty, I would have loved more of that story and the impact it had on Wolverine. Will we get more of it in future issues? I certainly hope so.

Gambit is seeing a resurgence thanks to X-Men ’97 , but here at WWAC, we’ve been Gambit fans for a long time. I’m delighted to report that this book does Gambit justice. He rightfully worships his incredible wife and has some solid action scenes, but he also brings his oft-overlooked brains to proceedings. I loved every second I saw him in this book.

Rogue’s voice leads Uncanny X-Men #1 and writer Gail Simone captures what makes Rogue such an enjoyable personality and a fan-favourite. Rogue is perceptive and curious, hopeful yet understandably melancholy about the fate of mutantkind in a hateful world. And I love how much she openly adores her fellow mutants, particularly her husband.

Having said that, there were some weird moments in this issue that gave me pause. What is with characters being overly leery around Rogue? The woman can’t say a single thing about her body or her love life without some guy inserting himself into the situation. Noticeably, Gambit rarely gets this treatment, even when he’s sexualising himself. I don’t know if Simone was going for raunchy humour, but it came across as unnecessary to me.

We now go from the uncomfortable to the sublime, because that’s the only way to describe the art in Uncanny X-Men #1. David Marquez’s pencils and Matthew Wilson’s colours are spectacular. There’s a villain in this issue that is so gorgeously rendered that I actually sighed out loud. The landscapes and architecture were so exquisitely detailed, they immersed me completely into the world of this story. But the characters’ faces weren’t far behind. The mutants look beautiful, and their eyes are so expressive. I could feel the emotions resonate right off the page. I guarantee you will keep going back to pages to look at the beautiful panels because that’s what I did.

I know I’m going to read all the X-Men books because I love the X-Men. But Uncanny X-Men #1 is the first From the Ashes book I feel invested in. And yes, that has a lot to do with the make-up of the team which includes three of my favourite characters and Wolverine. I also like the direction of the story and what’s been promised in this first issue. And if the art continues in this vein, I will definitely be waiting with bated breath for each issue.

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Using Comic Strips as an Assessment Tool

Unorthodox assessments can bring out students’ creativity and improve their engagement in class.

In running an after-school club for students learning English on the island of Mauritius , I always strive to bring interactive, engaging, hands-on activities to the learners under my care. And as a National Geographic Certified Educator, I use nature and environmental literacy to teach the language. Each lesson includes creative art as part of the learning process. When I first started teaching, I had no idea that what began as a fun activity for my students would become an assessment tool using comic strips.

My students and I started a project last year to learn about the effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health along with how to take concrete action to reduce, reuse, and recycle, or 3R, plastics. One of the activities was to create a mini-story about being a 3Rs ocean superhero, using a six-box comic strip. My students range in age from 7 to 15 and have different levels of English knowledge, mostly intermediate. They have all done the same activity with varying degrees of creative expression and vocabulary.

Scaffolding

The following scaffolding activities allowed the students to create a mini-story comic strip about how they could implement the 3Rs, which I used to simultaneously assess their understanding:

• Playing a lifespan-of-plastic matching game
• Watching a TED-Ed video on the life cycle of a plastic bottle
• Discussing photos of marine animals affected by ocean plastic pollution
• Reading Let’s Clean Our Precious Mauritius and drawing our favorite part of the story
• Reading Earth Reminder , a 3Rs infographic
• Brainstorming about how to 3R plastics in their immediate environment (at home, at school and in their community)

The Comic Strip Assessment Process

I asked students to create a mini-story comic strip where they would be 3Rs ocean superheroes.

The criteria: The words reduce , reuse , and recycle had to be part of the story. The drawings and sentences also had to show and/or describe the actions they were taking to be a 3Rs ocean superhero.

Vision board: A vision board helped the students keep their focus on the flow of the story and which elements should be included while crafting their comic strips.

The aim of the vision board was to give space and time for the students to imagine themselves as main actors in the understanding and application process. Even though writing sentences would suffice, having visual reinforcements can help students better retain the information.

Collaborative assessment: After the task, the words and drawings were assessed orally, working with each student one-on-one. Additionally, peer assessments could be applied here: I call it the gallery assessment, where I displayed all comic strips on the wall, and students walked around and gave constructive feedback.

The samples in this article are from Eva, age 8, and Pearl, age 9. The activity or assessment can be applied to different ages. The drawings vary from simple to more detailed visuals. The sentence structures also vary based on the students’ proficiency levels. The key as an educator is to keep an open mind with the creative expressions, as they are unique for each student.

Comic Strip Styles

Traditional: There are numerous websites with free downloadable or printable comic-strip formats. Here are some of them that I found and used:

• Picklebums Free Comic Book Templates
• Teaching Ideas Comic Strip Templates
• Canva Comic Strip Templates

Now, if you are Canva-savvy, you can create your own themed comic strip, as I did for the 3Rs ocean superhero.

Digital: I have encountered some students who needed more confidence in drawing, so I encouraged them to create a digital comic strip using Canva. Some of them used the templates already in place; others made their own by using graphics and photos.

Interdisciplinary Options

Comic strips can be used to assess many areas of learning. As a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and eco-educator, I have used them as a way to assess my students’ understanding. The process of using creative arts as an assessment tool not only is an interesting and engaging way for the students to be assessed without test pressure, but also gives them the space and agency to express and transfer their creativity on a canvas.

Below are some activities where I have used comic strips as an assessment tool.

Environmental Science: Growing of a Seed: The students are asked to represent on a comic strip the different steps of how to grow a seed into a plant.

ESL/English: Adjectives (Emotions): The students explore different adjectives connected with emotions ( sad , angry , delighted , amused ) and find the meaning in the dictionary. As an assessment, the students create a small story on a comic strip and use the different adjectives they learned. After listening to a story or watching a short video about any topic of interest, the students show the sequence of the story on the comic strip.

Most of the time when we think about assessment as trained educators, we think in terms of grids, points, testing, and reports. The word assessment itself often becomes a source of stress and anxiety for both students and teachers. But the process can be made fun for everyone by allowing students to tap into their creativity to show what they know and can do.

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Project 2025: A wish list for a Trump presidency, explained

It is billed as a policy "wish list" for the next Republican president that would vastly expand presidential powers and impose an ultra-conservative social vision on the US.

Donald Trump has disavowed the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 document, though many of its authors worked for his previous administration.

Links between the Trump campaign and Project 2025 have been highlighted by the former president's critics, and this attack line will likely continue at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this month.

Here's your guide to what the document contains.

Who wrote Project 2025?

It is common for Washington think tanks of all political stripes to propose policy wish lists for potential governments-in-waiting.

The conservative Heritage Foundation first produced policy plans for future Republican administrations in 1981, when Ronald Reagan was about to take office.

It has produced similar documents in connection with subsequent presidential elections, including in 2016, when Trump won the presidency.

A year into his term, the think tank boasted that the Trump White House had adopted nearly two-thirds of its proposals.

The Project 2025 report was unveiled in April 2023, but liberal opposition to the document has ramped up now that Trump has extended his polling lead.

The Republican nominee himself has distanced himself from the proposal.

"I know nothing about Project 2025," he posted on his social media website, Truth Social. "I have no idea who is behind it.

"I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal."

But the team that created the project is chock-full of former Trump advisers, including director Paul Dans, who was chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management while Trump was president.

Mr Dans left the project in late July, clearing the way for Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts to take over. He said he was leaving during the presidential election season in order to "direct all my efforts to winning, bigly".

Russell Vought, another former Trump administration official, wrote a key chapter in the document and also serves as the Republican National Committee’s 2024 platform policy director.

More than 100 conservative organisations contributed to the document, Heritage says, including many that would be hugely influential in Washington if Republicans took back the White House.

The Project 2025 document sets out four main policy aims: restore the family as the centrepiece of American life; dismantle the administrative state; defend the nation's sovereignty and borders; and secure God-given individual rights to live freely.

Here's an outline of several of its key proposals.

Project 2025 proposes that the entire federal bureaucracy, including independent agencies such as the Department of Justice, be placed under direct presidential control - a controversial idea known as "unitary executive theory".

In practice, that would streamline decision-making, allowing the president to directly implement policies in a number of areas.

The proposals also call for eliminating job protections for thousands of government employees, who could then be replaced by political appointees.

The document labels the FBI a "bloated, arrogant, increasingly lawless organization". It calls for drastic overhauls of this and several other federal agencies, as well as the complete elimination of the Department of Education.

What does the Republican party platform say?

The party platform includes a proposal to "declassify government records, root out wrongdoers, and fire corrupt employees", pledges to slash regulation and government spending. But it stops short of proposing a sweeping overhaul of federal agencies as outlined in Project 2025.

Immigration

Increased funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border - one of Trump's signature proposals in 2016 - is proposed in the document.

Project 2025 also proposes dismantling the Department of Homeland Security and combining it with other immigration enforcement units in other agencies, creating a much larger and more powerful border policing operation.

Other proposals include eliminating visa categories for crime and human trafficking victims, increasing fees on immigrants and allowing fast-tracked applications for migrants who pay a premium.

Not all of those details are repeated in the party platform, but the overall headlines are similar - the party is promising to implement the "largest deportation programme in American history".

What a Trump second term would look like

Climate and economy.

The document proposes slashing federal money for research and investment in renewable energy, and calls for the next president to "stop the war on oil and natural gas".

Carbon-reduction goals would be replaced by efforts to increase energy production and energy security.

The paper sets out two competing visions on tariffs, and is divided on whether the next president should try to boost free trade or raise barriers to imports.

But the economic advisers suggest that a second Trump administration should slash corporate and income taxes, abolish the Federal Reserve and even consider a return to gold-backed currency.

The party platform does not go as far as Project 2025 in these policy areas. The platform instead talks of bringing down inflation and drilling for oil to reduce energy costs, but is thin on specific policy proposals.

Abortion and family

Project 2025 does not call outright for a nationwide abortion ban.

However, it proposes withdrawing the abortion pill mifepristone from the market, and using existing but little-enforced laws to stop the drug being sent through the post.

The document suggests that the department of Health and Human Services should "maintain a biblically based, social science-reinforced definition of marriage and family".

On this issue at least, the document differs fairly substantially from the Republican platform, which only mentions the word "abortion" once. The platform says abortion laws should be left to individual states and that late-term abortions (which it does not define) should be banned.

It adds that that access to prenatal care, birth control and in-vitro fertilisation should be protected. The party platform makes no mention of cracking down on the distribution of mifepristone.

Tech and education

Under the proposals, pornography would be banned, and tech and telecoms companies that allow access would be shut down.

The document calls for school choice and parental control over schools, and takes aim at what it calls "woke propaganda".

It proposes to eliminate a long list of terms from all laws and federal regulations, including "sexual orientation", "gender equality", "abortion" and "reproductive rights".

Project 2025 aims to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and government departments as part of what it describes as a wider crackdown on "woke" ideology.

Project 2025's proposals in this policy area are broadly reflected in the Republican platform, which in addition to calling for the abolishing the Department of Education, aims to boost school choice and parental control over education and criticises what the party calls the "inappropriate political indoctrination of our children".

Social Security

Although Heritage has long supported reforming the country's public pension plan, Project 2025 barely touches this third rail of American politics.

The platform says Social Security is a "lifeline" for millions of retired Americans and Republicans will "restore Economic Stability to ensure the long-term sustainability" of the programme.

The plan's future

Project 2025 is backed by a $22m (£17m) budget and includes strategies for implementing policies immediately after the presidential inauguration in January 2025.

Heritage is also creating a database of conservative loyalists to fill government positions, and a programme to train those new workers.

Democrats led by Jared Huffman, a congressman from California, have launched a Stop Project 2025 Task Force.

And many of the proposals would likely face immediate legal challenges from Trump's opponents if implemented.

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