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Sunday 9 March 2014

Tips For Science Fiction Comic Book Authors

By Jaclyn Hurley


If you are looking to write a science fiction comic book then it helps to know how to write both comic books and science fiction. You have to be aware of genre conventions while at the same time looking for a new and interesting angle for your potential readers. With the right approach it is possible to learn how to join the great science fiction comic book authors with your seminal work.

The first thing to establish is whether or not you will be drawing the story as well as writing it. If you are going to draw it for yourself then you do not need to worry about the level of detail in the script as you are writing it for yourself. However if you are writing for an artist then you need to be aware of the level of the detail in the script.

Some people worry about this because they fear this will result in consciously or unconsciously copying ideas. This is why it is worth reading a wide variety of stories. This will then make it easier to get a story that is well constructed and borrows from a wide variety of influences.

It is often said that science fiction is a great genre because it reflects the time it is based in rather than being a prediction of events that could potentially happen. A good example is films such as Robocop. On the surface Robocop appears to be a violent action film. However when watched more closely it is also a very clever satire of the corporate philosophy and media prevalent in the Eighties.

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.

This means reading stories, watching movies and TV shows. As you watch and read you should learn more about the conventions. You can then begin to think about ways you can subvert those conventions when it comes to writing your own stories. A great example was the Edgar Wright film Shaun of the Dead where a classic romantic comedy storyline was fused with the zombie subgenre.

With a comic book there is also the issue of space. Typically a single issue will be around 22 to 24 pages. On average each page tends to be around four to six panels. Therefore you need to be careful when it comes to the amount of information you put in a panel. If you are drawing the story yourself then you do not need to worry about the description. However if you are writing for someone else you need to include enough information to guide the artist without being excessively instructive.

There are numerous ways you can develop ideas for your science fiction comic book. It is worth looking online for tips from established authors as well as looking for sample scripts. This will make it easier for you to learn the process of writing as well as how to set it out properly and get your comic developed as efficiently as possible.




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