Advice For Science Fiction Comic Book Authors

By Jaclyn Hurley


The genre of science fiction is very diverse. It can provide stories that can be camp and imaginative but also dark and subversive. Whatever the type of story you want to do there are some basic story structure principles you ought to learn before you write. With the right tips for science fiction comic book authors you will find it easier to write your stories.

The simplest way to develop your skills is to read and watch plenty of science fiction. This is not just in terms of comic books but also television series, novels, short stories and movies. This will allow you to get an idea of how the genre works and give you an idea of structure.

On a basic level it is about creating an idea. It may be about the effect of time travel or a journey to another planet. Often stories offer a reflection of our modern society. The best way to develop these ideas is to read a lot of stories, watch movies and TV shows in order to learn about how the stories work and help you consider what kind of twists you would add.

The other thing to think about is the structure of the story you are writing. You need to think about whether you want to produce an ongoing story or a graphic novel. People often get confused by these terms and think graphic novel is a politically correct term for a comic book. In fact a graphic novel is a closed narrative in graphic form whereas a comic book is an open narrative similar to a soap opera.

You also need to think about the artist. If you are drawing the story yourself you do not need to worry as much. However for an artist you need to take a balanced approach. If you do not provide enough description then you waste time by replying to inevitable emails asking for more information. However if the description is excessive then the artist can often feel like you are intruding on their role in the project.

Broadly speaking an issue will tend to be around 22 to 24 pages long. You should have around four to six panels to allow for room for more detailed images. Avoid excessively long dialogue in speech bubbles. If a speech is necessary break it up and focus on images.

This will mean people do not spend too long reading speech bubbles. Remember the comic book is a visual medium!

In short if you want to write a science fiction comic book you need to be aware of the genre but also how stories are constructed. It is also worth looking online for scripts and sample templates as this will make it easier for you to write. With a sensible approach you will be able to develop your story and make it as interesting and engaging as possible.




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