Obviously, pacing is a very important part of making comics but what are the do's and don'ts of overarching stories, like 10-20 issues?

I want to know if the idea for my comic's personal conflict is being dragged out for too long

This is not me asking for advice on how to end my comic.

I have a sci-fi story I wrote the bones of a long time ago, and have been fleshing it out for months. I have the direction I want to go, but i don't know how i want to end it, if I do at all. I love the characters and the world, and want to explore them more than just where the story will go, but I also fear that if I don't plot the story from beginning to end, I'll never actually start drawing. I love stories that plant ideas and themes early, and have incorporated it so far, but I worry that after I've started drawing I'll come up with an ending I like that requires early planting that I didn't do, if that makes sense. I don't plan on publishing or even posting, this is purely for my own personal enjoyment, so no real need to worry about an audience, but I know if I have to redo or redraw I might lose investment in my own project, and I don't want that to happen.

Any advice? About plotting, or endings, or just starting would be lovely.

**What makes someone a hero when they lose everything that makes them super?**

*Ordinary* is a short superhero comic about a hero who loses his powers and is forced to confront the one thing he never expected to lose: his sense of who he is.

It's a story about identity, self-doubt, and discovering what makes someone extraordinary when everything that once defined them is gone.

This story is personal to me. After being diagnosed with a chronic illness in 2023, I spent years feeling like I'd lost the ability to pursue my dreams. This year, I decided I wasn't going to let that be the end of my story.

I channelled those feelings into *Ordinary*, and I'm now crowdfunding the comic on Kickstarter.

If you enjoy character-driven superhero stories with an emotional core, I'd love for you to check it out.

**Back *Ordinary* on Kickstarter:**

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/eminent-comics/ordinary-the-short-comic

Hi! I (20F) have had a character story I’ve been working on since I was like 14 years old and I’ve always wanted to turn it into a comic. I’m pretty good at drawing so that’s not the issue I’ve run into but I’m more concerned about how to actually start turning my art and writing into a comic format.
I don’t know if this is a common approach but over the years my story has never been written down like a book, more just something abstract that exists in my head and in the drawings I’ve made. I know what happens in the story but I struggle to write it down for whatever reason.

Is the first step to write my story down like it’s a book? Or should it look more like a movie script with dialogue and things like that?
My story was always intended to be a comic one day and was written in a way that specifically works as a series of comics. The larger story/universe is comprised of six smaller stories following the repeated reincarnations of one character meaning if I were to make a comic it would be split into six different books. Does anyone know how long a script should even be for those?

Is it better for me to make something smaller first before trying to tackle the behemoth story I’ve been writing for nearly a decade? Or does it not really make a difference? Sorry for all the questions that probably seem super obvious but I just really have no idea where to start and I’d love to make something great with my characters. Thanks in advance if anyone has any ideas!

If you use AI to generate your post, it's gonna be deleted. This is a writing subreddit, you are required to know how to communicate to your fellow humans. Please note, that this includes posts SUSPECTED of being AI generated. This isn't a court of law, where things need to be proven--if it reads like AI slop, it's gonna get blasted.

If you don't follow the rules for posting promos, it's gonna be deleted. It doesn't matter if it's AI or human made.

And here's the part people need to understand:

If you are genuinely trying to use AI to produce a comic this subreddit does not discriminate against AI if you follow the other posting rules.

You're not likely to get a lot of support or positivity posting AI generated comic stuff here, you're probably better off in one of reddit's dedicated AI comic subreddits... but we're not going to stop you if you feel you must share here.

Write on, write often!

Suspicious that my dialogue comes off forced or unnatural or just not like how people actually talk and it will be unpleasant to read. Is there a way to learn better dialogue? Does it matter? Pretty sure comics, tv shows, books, anything intentionally written must be a little theatrical and I might be blind to what is normal and an exaggeration of normal or is this a non-issue?

Just got into comic writing a few months ago. As a first-timer, is it bad practice to have more than 6 panels on a single page?

Thanks!

EDIT: oh my goodness! Thank you all for your responses and suggestions! They have all been useful 🫡 😁

I have been writing short stories for. while but trying to get them written like panel scripts is new to me. any advice/links for someone?

Hi,

I'm currently working on a graphic novel idea and hiring an illustrator. However, am not sure how to move forward with it. For instance, I started writing a script but keep forgetting that graphic novels don't involve movement lol (I have a Film Studies background so film scripts are what I'm used to). As such, I started sketching (terribly!) out the story which has helped but I can't imagine doing so many drafts!

What would be the best way to plan this out?

Thanks!

I've been starting to read comic and manga again after graduating for a while , and finally decided on making my own manga, its really story focus, its also fantasy like lord of the rings and frieren stuff but with my own view on things like the regions, creature ,politics and more, its also full with backstories for each important character, its a soft romance and a lot of things in em are filled with something that based on my childhood, so far the stories is all checked out but the only problem with the process is the drawing stuff, my whole life i just draw stuff i saw like in my environment and things that i thought was cool in the internet, all i know to do is copy stuff or have reference and i find it hard do something like proportion, shading, and the drawing software. i'm not used with doing stuff in the software especially like shading and color stuff, maybe i just bad at this stuff but I'm not gonna give up, please give me some advise on stuff like this cuz i don't know how to do it

Today I stopped a deal with an experimented comic book artist for a single test page.
"The page was much more complex than I expected"

What could I have done better?

SYNOPSIS: The heroine Alys and her small delegation arrive in Aquilapolis, where they are welcomed.

PANEL 1: Cross-sectional view: A small spacecraft (a cross between a space shuttle and a sleek supersonic private jet, designed to travel between an orbital station and the planet below) lands smoothly on a large platform. In the distance, towering apartment blocks rise above sprawling, densely packed slums reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong.

RADIO VOICE (off): Congratulations, travelers. You have just completed your journey of 38.4 light-years in less than 12 days, thanks to Hansa Corp.

PANEL 2: Close-up of Alys (25 years old, wearing a gray jumpsuit, blonde hair braided because of the low gravity during the voyage, oval face, determined gaze) as she opens the spacecraft's hatch.

RADIO VOICE (off): We hope you had a pleasant journey...

XANDER (off): Ah, the Gallians! You've finally arrived!

PANEL 3: Reverse shot from Alys's point of view as she steps onto the platform and sees the welcoming committee before her:

- an official, Xander (short, stocky due to the armor concealed beneath a loose cloak, 30, large intense eyes, a broad smile, short brown hair),

- an officer in uniform, Martin Zorn (wearing a green-brown uniform with a peaked cap, in his short thirties, a face still youthful but hardened by hardship, a scar above his left eye),

- several guards in the background (wearing simpler versions of Zorn's uniform, carrying modernized rifles, helmets concealing their cheeks as ancient greek helmets, and empty parts for eyes eyes are protected by glass).

Xander greets Alys with a Roman salute.

XANDER: I am Xander Mammon, son of Hansa's CEO, and I have come in person to welcome you. I want to tell you...

PANEL 4: Alys steps away from the delegation as another Gallian, a man in his thirties wearing the same uniform, exits the spacecraft accompanied by Rico, a bipedal mammal about 75 centimeters tall, with raccoon-like paws, a broad pyramid-shaped head somewhere between a cat's and a raccoon's, and beautiful white fur.

ALYS: This time, to bring us good luck, we've brought a mascot.

PANEL 5: Xander studies the creature with curiosity. Rico sticks his tongue out at him.

XANDER: Fascinating. I didn't know your planet had such large mammal-like creatures.

ALYS (off): They spend most of their time hiding. Don't worry—he's already been through quarantine.

XANDER: Fortunately, at Hansa we're extremely vigilant when it comes to disease. I have someone I'd like you to meet as well.

PANEL 6: Close-up of Xander introducing Zorn to Alys. Their body language reveals that both the officer and the traveler feel uncomfortable, unlike Xander.

XANDER: This is Captain Zorn. He'll be responsible for your safety throughout your stay.

ALYS (suspiciously): Is that really necessary?

XANDER: The loss of your last delegation was such a tragedy. We never want to live it again.

PANEL 7: An extremely distant shot of the building where the characters are standing, revealing it in its entirety: a massive truncated pyramid of concrete, steel, and glass. The characters stand on its roof, reduced to tiny stick-like silhouettes.

XANDER: You'll be able to enjoy all the wonders our planet has to offer.

Dm me for more info.

Or email: Losmeric@gmail.com

I really don't like books, it's not precisely my favorite format, tho I heard you have to read a lot to improve writing but does it work if I read comics? I am really not interested in improving my prose, more like in narrative and script, since I am gonna be the artist of the project myself I wanna apply the narrative in the format I am going to write.

I'm curious when you guys are writing your scripts how in depth do you go with the actual shots in the panels?

In most of my scripts I go pretty in detail but I know when they eventually get to an artist I'm all for negotiating if they want to change things if they have another idea.

Are you guys hardcore one way or the other or does it depend on the artist?

Hello, citizens of the comicwriting Reddit! I am seeking some advice on writing/crafting a superhero suit for an upcoming project that I am in love with!
I sometimes look at some of my favorite superhero suits out there, and for some reason, I can’t understand how somebody just decided, “This character is going to look like this!” and created generational suits that are AMAZING and unique. Maybe it’s me being uncreative but I can never storm up a suit this peak, but maybe somebody can give me some insight into what they do or things I can do so that the process can feel more natural!

I try to make superhero suits, and I notice that I try too hard to make them too “different,” to the point where they sort of don’t make sense for the character, if you get what I’m saying…

I have a passion for edgier superhero suits, like the ones shown, since my story is more edgy… sorta.

I want my suits to be unique but still have the fundamentals of a superhero suit present. It’s kind of hard to explore when you don’t have an artist and are just relying on text and references.

To give myself some credit, I am AMAZING at creating heroes under the mask (hair color, accents, personality, race, etc) but when it comes to suits I struggle.

I've been a fan of comics and comic book media since I was a child, recently while trying to figure out the direct i want to take my life I keep comic back to comic books. Whether its writing, drawing or inking I just would love to be apart of this process but I wouldn't even know where to start. If anyone is working in this field or has worked and have any advice or information please share below.

No IA art

Hello everyone so I really want to make comics but it's very intimidating.

I want to just start and I have the idea for the stories and scenes in my head but I just don't know how to plan. Can you guys please give me advice on how to plan and write and everything. Any advice is helpful.

One of the main concerns of mine is how I'm gonna edit stories I write easily. It's just intimidating but creating stories and letting people see them is my dream. All help is appreciated thank you 🥹