Comics Script Advice from Gail Simone

by Gail Simone

NOTE: This was originally a series of posts on Twitter (X). 

I have read a lot of first comic scripts by new writers lately.

A lot of them have very good ideas, but make basic mistakes in execution.

Here are a few bits of advice if you are just starting out writing comics, things to avoid.

Other pros welcome to add to this thread.

1/NAME YOUR CHARACTERS.

This  is annoying, and even pros do it.  If you have a character we are supposed to know, you have to name them ON PANEL, not just in script.

I read a major publisher book recently where the main characters were never called by name. 

A huge mistake.

2/TOO MUCH DIALOGUE

Almost all writers do this at times. 

But it is wearying, it is exhausting to read, and mostly it shows a lack of awareness of how to use a comics page.  There are people who do this well and a LOT who do it badly.

It's alienating. Don't do it.

3/VARY THE CAMERA ANGLE

You can't always do this, and again, sometimes it's on purpose.

But for god's sake, page after page of it, it might as well not have art at all. 

Sometimes, you write a diner scene and it's static. That's okay, but I see it in action scenes too.

4/USE ESTABLISHING SHOTS FOR GOD'S SAKE

Establishing shots give us mood and tone and a ton of essential information. Over and over I read stories where I have no idea where the characters are.

A good establishing shot also helps the artist, they don't have to draw repetition.

5/THE READER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR HEAD

Really, this shouldn't have to be said, but read your script through (or have someone else read it) as if you were coming in cold.

The stuff that you think is super cool means nothing if it's not actually on the page.

6/TAKE A SECOND DIALOG PASS

This is serious, if your dialogue feels like you're heard it before, for god's sake, take the time to rethink it.

No one is excited by dialogue they have heard before. Only surprise makes an impact.

Write, then rewrite.

7/INCLUDE YOUR ARTIST

The artist is your collaborator and partner, try to avoid what they hate drawing, and LEAVE ROOM for them to add their skills and talents.

I usually choreograph fight scenes carefully. With some artists, you just let them go, because they kill it.

8/PAY ATTENTION TO STORY VELOCITY

Stories have a speed to them. Try to vary it a bit, include a speaking scene before or after an action scene.  The emotional response from the reader is well worth it, and it stops your script from feeling one-note.

9/THAT'S IT

Other writers feel free to add on. A lot of people want to try to write comic scripts, and it used to be that companies had editors teaching basics like this.

That doesn't happen as much now.

Take your lessons where you can and use what makes sense to you!

Also, feel free to ignore what doesn't work for you. Just be sure you're right.  :)

Good luck!

Movie Reviews for Writers: She Makes Comics

 

Some movies tell stories. Some movies teach. Some movies inspire. Some movies really (we're here to) pump you up. And some fortunate flicks manage to do all of that. 

While being a straight-up documentary, She Makes Comics is also the biographic story of the changing role of women in an industry that is largely considered THE home of the adolescent male fantasy trope.

I'll admit I haven't reviewed a lot of documentaries for this series of movies about authors, but so many of them suffer from being so scholarly that they don't really hit the proper cylinders for the mass market viewer. Well, this one overcomes that potential pitfall admirably. In fact, the director, Marisa Stotter, actually addresses than in an online interview with Bleeding Cool: 

"The trouble with a documentary that tries to span a long period of time is avoiding the 'classroom movie syndrome,' where you're throwing a lot of facts at the viewer and little of it has any emotional resonance. So we tried to find the middle ground between demonstrating the breadth of women's involvement in comics and highlighting particular women's stories that we felt were representative of the major milestones of comics history."

The real beauty of this documentary is not that it just has something to say not just about (and for) writers but about (and for) readers as well. In fact, historically, prior to the comics code pretty much reducing comics to a single market -- super heroes -- the readership was about 55 percent female. Quite an accomplishment. Now, that's a time when comics might be anything from westerns to sci-fi to horror to crime to romance to, yes, even superheroes, and women enjoyed them as much as men. The advent of the comics code pretty much wiped out a lot of the non-costumed hero books (either for being unsavory with all that kissing or all those creepy ghoulies and those violent goons with guns), and with them went that high percentage of female readers. 

Of course, that started to change again when a certain young editor, Karen Berger, climbed the ladder at DC and was allowed to start her own imprint, Vertigo Comics, for the company, an imprint renowned for opening its doors for more diverse topics and creators. 

And since then, the market and comics publishing world has continued to change and be a lot more welcoming to female artists and writers and editors. 

All the greats you'd expect are here: Louise Simonson, Trina Robbins, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Gail Simone, Marjorie Liu, Karen Berger, Jenette Jahn, Colleen Doran, Amy Chu, Jill Thompson, Wendy Pin, Nancy Collins, Ramona Fradon, G. Willow Wilson, Ann Nocenti, Felicia Henderson, and more. Their stories are tales of struggle, tales of endurance, and most important, tales of triumph. 

If there's a writer's theme to this film, it's this -- persevere. Stick it out. Chase the dream. Even when -- no, especially when -- the whole world stands against you and tells you it's pointless. 

Without women who chose to live that theme, well, this documentary wouldn't exist, and neither would so, so, so many of the industries favorite titles and characters. 

It works for comic books. And it works for major publishing houses. And it works for mid-size and indie houses too. 

It works for women. But it also works for all disenfranchised writers. Even you guys who can't get a leg up. It's not a gender thing. It's a keep at it thing. Write. Write some more, and then when you feel it's not getting you anywhere, keep at it and write even more. 

She writes comics. But you write what you write. And it'll take perseverance from you too, my friends.

Boring -- The Unforgivable Sin

by Gail Simone

I have some pretty stern ideas about what makes a good superhero comic, but the one felony, the one unforgivable sin, regardless of style or talent level,  is being boring.

If you can make two superheroes getting coffee fascinating swell, go do that. But a lot fewer people can do that than the number who THINK they can. 

However, the same thing applies to your giant fight scene. It’s not automatically fascinating just because two dudes with laser punches or atomic jockstraps are smacking each other around. The onus is still on the creative team to put some jam in that sandwich. And again, thinking and doing are different matters entirely.

The greats out there, the lasting pros that I admire most, they make it look easy, so we extrapolate that it IS easy, and then we realize that X-Factor, that thing they bring, is not exactly automatic.

Shoot for the three point, shoot from mid-court. You may not swish it, but it’s a hell of a lot more fun to watch. 

That’s my advice as a writer, but even more importantly, it’s what I want as a READER.

If you’re writing comics, bring some hot sauce, for Pete’s sake. No one ever looked back on their superhero comics and said, “I wish I’d made them more boring.”

Used by permission of the author. 

Gail Simone: Easy To Get Down on Yourself

See folks? It's not just you. Even the greats and the gifteds like the amazing Gail Simone (Facebook, Twitter) get the feels of imposter syndrome or the downs and sads in a creative career. So hang in there.

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A little story about perspective.

It's no secret that making comics has always been my dream career. It was a dream so big, I learned not to speak it aloud because I knew people would be derisive or dismissive or both. I listened to those people for a long time, so much so that I got a completely different career and ended up owning a beauty salon instead of writing stories about guys in capes punching each other.

I was pretty sure my dream was no more likely than becoming a starship captain, so I made a good, less dream-filled life and was okay with it, mostly. 

Through a bizarre set of circumstances I ended up with that dream career coming true. I am endlessly grateful. I kid you not, I feel that gratitude every day, you have probably seen me express it here many times. I never wanted to write comics as a stepping stone to anything else...to me, comics were the destination. 

And I still love it, I might love it more than ever. The editors you get to work with, the artists, the retailers and readers...traveling around the world talking to all these people, it's magic, it's my favorite thing. Trying to be a good caretaker to characters who made life SO much more bearable as a kid, it's a joy and privilege. 

But life has taken a weird turn and a lot of opportunities have come to me that are very long-form projects, in other media. And I love a challenge, and I wanted to try them out.  So I am still working with a lot of characters I have loved forever, but now a lot of it is in film, tv, games, and prose. 

I have to say, the welcome I have received in those fields is amazing. But I can't really talk about it yet.

And that's the problem, some of this stuff takes a year or more, and you can't TALK about it, and if you're used to having multiple comics coming out every month, you're ALWAYS talking about what's coming up instead of waiting for a window months and months away. I kind of miss it. 

And I miss making comics, even the comics I AM making are mostly either very short or VERY long in the process. But I just love comics, I always will.

So I got a box of comps from a major publisher and I didn't really have anything in it, except a short story in a nice anthology book. And I was kind of mopey and feeling a bit sorry for myself because I'm so used to having new comics come out every month and that hasn't been the case while working on this other stuff.

Hubby asked what was wrong (normally I love opening the comp box) and I moped a mopey mopester response..."I don't have any comics in this box, I have been working my butt off and it seems like I haven't done anything in a year (even I knew this wasn't true, but this stuff all takes SO much longer than a monthly comic that it kind of felt that way)." 

I must have had a pitiful look on my face because hubby looked at me like I had a head injury. "Are you KIDDING?" he asked.

Then he started listing off some of the things I have done in the past year and I had not really put it all together like that. Turns out that I had a year to be proud of, in some ways.  This isn't boasting, it's just about how easy to get down on yourself if you head in that direction.

So, in 2020, here's some stuff I did:

I took a train to Chicago for a convention, something I've wanted to do my entire life. 

I am writing my first novel for one of the most prestigious literary agents in the country, and it's just going beautifully.

I worked on the Red Sonja movie script and production with the fabulous and brilliant Joey Soloway.

I wrote the intro for an upcoming Triple-A game from one of the biggest video game companies in the world.

I am developing tv, film, and game projects with some of the most fantastic and talented people I've ever met. 

I am doing fantasy comics with the lovely people at Hit Point Press.

In the past six weeks, I've had two a-list directors call me saying they want to work with me.

But even MORE important to me...

I built and maintained a huge garden with lots of delicious, healthy fruits and vegetables. Despite being born on a farm, I have never had a successful garden before.

I started a fun, joyful exercise program (including Beat Saber!) that actually is a pleasure to do and makes me happy.

I helped raise thousands for comic shops during the #Creators4Comics event.  I also packed up big boxes of high-quality new graphic novels to donate to local comic shops.

I wrote (with Jim Calafiore illustrating) a benefit book about a real-life little hero, a three year old Navajo boy who loved Batman who was tragically killed by a distracted driver. It's called ZAADII: THE LEGEND OF Z-HAWK, and it meant so much to me, and to his family. You can read the story here:  https://www.travelers.com/.../zaadiis-unfinished-story

Perhaps the thing I am proudest of, I conceived and spearheaded (with an astounding team of volunteers and the ridiculous generosity of the entire comics industry) a 100% twitter-driven benefit that in two (sleepless) weeks raised over $328,000 for black support organizations. Artists like Jim Lee, Bill Sienkiewicz, Greg Hildebrandt, Denys Cowan, and so, so many more donated their beautiful art to raise money. I will be forever grateful and it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever been part of. 

And just a few days after THAT I had an idea for a comics bundle with the nice folks and Humble Bundle, and again with a great team, we raised ANOTHER $75,000 for black support causes.

The point of this is two-fold...

First, marry the right person. 🙂  LOVE YOU, ROCKETSPOUSE!

Second, this has been a weird year. If you looked back and thought, 'Oh, I haven't accomplished what I'd hoped...' do me a favor.

CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK, IT'S A PANDEMIC.

Maybe I didn't have many comics in the box. Maybe you didn't learn to play the violin. Maybe we didn't learn French.

I bet you STILL did a lot more than you give yourself credit for. 

If you got up and made your kids breakfast. 

If you took care of your own physical and mental health as best you could.

If you did video schooling.

If you helped others.

If you loved someone. 

If you rescued an animal.

If you donated time or money to a good cause or to someone in need.

If you crafted, sang, talked a friend through a bad patch, if you tried new making new dishes, if you cheered someone up.

All those things count. They all go big on the LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2020 WHEN IT SEEMED LIKE THE WORLD WAS ON FIRE.

Give yourself a break, pat yourself on the back for what you COULD accomplish.

It really is a matter of perspective and most of us tend to be harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else. We cut others slack and keep our own leashes SO TIGHT. 

I say, shine a light on what you did that was positive, for you or for others. 

I love ya, I am glad you're out there. 

Keep it up.

P.S. I know I am very fortunate, just was missing making comics a bit!  Hope to do more soon!

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Editor's Note: Reposted here by permission of Gail Simone. 

[Link] Brutal Tips On Breaking In To Comics

by Gail Simone

All right,  recently, I lost two very dear friends of mine, writers who were intelligent, inspiring and endlessly supportive to me. One was Perry Moore, author of the lgbtq YA superhero novel HERO, and the other was Dwayne McDuffie,  one of the finest writers of comics and animation ever.

These two guys were dissimilar in many ways, but they both had a quality that made them heroes to me, and that is that they spoke truth to power. They loved comics as fiercely as the rest of us, but they were not afraid to point out the blemishes and open wounds, and they addressed those problems in their own work.  And over a period of just a couple weeks, we lost both their voices. They can’t be replaced but others can carry on with that mission.  Maybe you’re one of those people. And that’s why I’m doing this, to potentially help someone who has that goal in mind.

When I am talking to people about breaking in, I am honest, but I try to be kind, and polite, and patient. I try to find positive things to say. The problem is, and I’m sure everyone who has reviewed a portfolio knows what I’m saying, that that’s not what someone who REALLY wants to break in and has the stuff to make it happen needs to hear. They need to hear the truth. So, I’m going to give some truth tonight. A lot of this, you should already know.  I am not going to talk about craft or format or anything like that. That material is out there. If you want to do this right, find it, study it, buy the books, do the research. I’m going to assume for this discussion that you have the baseline talent level required to make it in.  I’m also assuming for this discussion that you want to work at one of the larger publishers.  That may not be the case for you, but it’s what I get asked about the most.

I want to make this very clear…I’m not presenting points for an argument, I’m not offering an opportunity to present excuses. No one can fix whatever roadblocks are in your way but yourself.  Telling me about it doesn’t help anything. If you want my advice, which you are then free to ignore, just listen, let it sink in, and then do with it what you will. I’m trying to help, but how seriously you take it is up to you.

I am going to say some things that will make some aspiring creators unhappy.  It will be uncomfortable.  Again, it’s your choice to listen. If my saying that fanfic can be holding you back makes you feel defensive, I’d stop right here, because it gets a lot worse.

Simply put, there’s a lot of polite stuff out there. There’s a lot of books on craft and blogs with scripts you can study.  Partake of that stuff.

This is more to kick your ass and get you to stop kidding yourself, if that’s what’s holding you back.  It is SOLELY intended to help you get to a position to work on comics. What you make of that chance is up to you entirely.

Continue reading: http://gailsimone.tumblr.com/post/4654769851/brutal-tips-on-breaking-into-comics-warning-long

[Link] Excellent Advice from Gail Simone ("Bugs Are So Creepy")

While I can't read people's pitches (just not a good idea legally, I've been told often), I will say that I am regularly suprised by the demeanor of people who want to pitch at a comics company.

I hate to reveal an industry secret, but it is very easy to spot those who are likely to have a shot and those that aren't. Those that aren't aren't listening. If you tell them that a 48-part epic that includes every hero in the DCU from Anthro to Zatanna is not a good first pitch, they don't listen, so convinced are they in their own brilliance. If you have advice about storytelling, they are certain in doesn't apply to them.

They are often vaguely hostile and insulting. I've had letters from these people where they start off with, "I'll be honest, I don't follow your work..." which is fine, except, why in the world are you asking my advice?

Full article: http://happystains.blogspot.com/2006/12/bugs-are-so-creepy.html