The Writer Will Take Your Questions Now (#72) -- Most Important Comics Writing Tip

What is the single most important comic book writing tip you could share with new writers?

Now this one's a piece of cake to answer. The most important thing new writers need to learn is this: make sure readers have a reason to turn the page at the bottom of EVERY PAGE. There are lots of ways to do this that aren't "cheating," but instead are some of the commonly used tools in a comic book writer's toolbox.

1. Unfinished dialog.

2. Shocked expression.

3. Words cut off: "Wha--"

4. Unanswered question? "Tell me now! Who is the baby's father?"

5. A hidden piece of image information. (See Image 1 from Gene Simmons Dominatrix #1, how I hide Happy Jacq's face until the page turn for the reveal.)

6.Scene of surprise. (See Image 2 from my story "Nymph" in Gene Simmons House of Horrors #1, where our heroine walks into a bloody picnic scene instead of her husband waiting for her with a glass of wine like she was expecting.)

7. And as many more ideas as you can dream of.

Image 1. Art by Flavio Hoffe.

Image 2. Art by John Alderink