For my first contribution to the site, I thought I’d start with the single best piece of advice I could ever give a creator. (more…)
Posts Tagged: Writing Tips
Comic Review Checklist, Part 2: Words
Hi again everyone! This is the second part of my comic review checklist, which has three parts: everything that relates to the “flow” of the pages, everything that relates to the words on the pages, and then everything else. This is part two! (more…)
You Have a New Idea! So What?
No one ever says to the surgeon, “You know, I think I’d really like to try performing a kidney transplant sometime.” Meanwhile, there is no professional or aspiring professional writer who has not heard, at least once, upon explaining his or her vocation, “You know, I think I’ve got a novel in me, somewhere.” It’s infuriating. (more…)
WRITING TROPES: EXPOSITORY DEVICES
Tropes are storytelling devices. Used well, they enrich a story; used badly, they result in the dreaded cliché. This series of articles takes a closer look at some major tropes relevant to comics and the pitfalls they may present.
Exposition
“Exposition is a literary tool that is used to give information to the audience through dialogue, description, flashback or narrative.” Source: tvtropes.org
Dialogue That Writes Itself!
Dialogue can, in essence, make or break a comic. To graciously sidestep the pitfalls of comic speech, it’s a good idea to heed these pieces of advice:
Keep genre in mind
Where is your story set? How, realistically, would your characters interact with one another? Let’s say that you’re writing a period piece set in 1800s England. Quite obviously, you would like to avoid any anachronistic words such as “derp”, or “bro”, or “hashtag.” Unless, of course, your protagonist is a time traveler. (“Hashtags! Bloody hashtags everywhere, bro!”)