General Comics Writing Discussion

[Richmond Clements]

Plot seems really difficult

Indeed! Too many people confuse having a great idea for a story with havng a plot.
I used to not be a fan of plotting and preferred to make stuff up as I went along- and sometimes I still do.
But when writing something long- like Corvus for example- I've found myself going back again and again to the plot and chapter breakdowns I'd written, because there are invairably things there that I'd forgotten I'd even thought of.
But you need to be aware that even if you do have it plotted, it is not set in stone, sometimes the tale can take on a life of its own as you write.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

Plot is murder.

I've had five or six scripts that I thought were really good rejected on the basis that while they had a solid idea, there was no plot. I found that galling, but I have to admit that it is true. I used to have an idea and then write it but, since Christmas, have really tried not to do that and instead to have some kind of story.

The result is that I've written an awful lot less. I am pleased with what I've done because I have identified as a flaw in my writing and have actively tried to address it. I've had an idea about a computer or gun or time machine or magic hat, but then thought "so what does someone do with that computer/ gun/ time machine/ magic hat" before writing. I also now have a notebook full of ideas (the "tramp bookseller" and "wolf at window" being ideas I can, frustratingly, really visualise but I don't know their stories - their plot - just yet).

This may be wankery on my part. I hope this makes my stuff better, but it might not. And the killer is, you still need to have a good idea and a good plot. It could be one step forward (knowing what I need to do) but one back (my ideas are pants).

So far, only Tharg and Bolt-01 have seen scripts I've produced using this new approach and neither has come back to me yet. But, here's hoping - and if I do get feedback, then that'll go into the mix until something, eventually, comes out properly.

[Bonehead]

Hi All,

I'm a newbie here on the boards, but have managed to loose about two hours nosing around. Hell of a resource on writing right here in this thread. I'm a writer and have been reading 2000ad for donkey's years off and on - more 'on' lately than off! 

I'm absolutely obsessed with stories and storytelling and spend an absurd amount of time trying to figure out how the damned things work, and why. Hope you don't mind if I spit out a few of my half formed thoughts on the topic hear.

To whit...

One of the things I find helpful when I'm stuck with a story is to forget about plot and structure and focus on my main character. Whenever I get lost or confused and don't know what the hell is supposed to happen next, I come back to my main character 'cause their the one driving the story along, and ask myself a couple of simple questions;

1. What the hell does this guy want?
2. What the hell does he actually need?

If I can't answer both those questions I know I haven't cracked the story yet, 'cause story flows from internal character conflict, defined as an external stated 'want' that conflicts with a subconscious hidden 'need'.

For example, in Beetlejuice (one of my favourite movies) Gina Davis and Alec Baldwin want to get the nasty New Yorkers out of their beloved home, but, ultimately, what they need is to fill their empty rambling home with a family, 'cause pretty as it is that big ol' house is dead. The story starts when they first consciously decide they want the nasty New Yorkers out, and they do something about it (perform an action that's motivated by their external want). It ends when they accept the family into their home, which fills that empty ol' house with life. 

As long as the audience can identify with the overt 'want' and subconscious 'need' - and by that I mean can you empathize with it - the plot itself can be as outlandish and bizarre as you like, which is why Beetlejuice works.

Hope that's helpful.

Probably not.

Probably gibber!

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

All very true.

But getting them dead, wanting the new family out, hiring Beetlejuice, his antics, realising their mistake AND the denoument in five coherent pages - that's the hard bit.

[Bonehead]

Yeah...but it's also the really, really fun bit!

And, to be honest, I reckon you could boil it down into five pages. It wouldn't be anywhere near as much fun, but you could do it. I reckon the old 'three act structure things' is rubbish. I think every story has five key movements and as long as you've got those nailed, it'll compress.

I might have a bash at doing that, squeezing Beetlejuice into five pages I mean, could be a useful exercise.

Probably fall flat on my arse and prove you right!

[chilipenguin]

I've finally come up with what I think is a good idea for a strip (been dealing with some pretty hardcore writers block for a while). Anyway, I'm in the process of writing the script but I was wondering what the best way you guys have found of finding an artist? Unfortunately, I am limited to stick men so doing the art myself is out.

[CrazyFoxMachine]

You ask some artists. THERE'S QUITE A FEW HERE. I think I saw one only yesterday.

[chilipenguin]

Ah, the obvious answers are always the best  

I just figured as I am new around here that I would be better off finding someone to draw my first script, show it to folks and see if they would be interested in helping me with something in the future. Don't like to impose...

[CrazyFoxMachine]

No no no no no problem at all. Hows about we start slow and you give us a general idea of the kind of script it is. I, for example, draw only very silly things.

[Richmond Clements]

I've finally come up with what I think is a good idea for a strip (been dealing with some pretty hardcore writers block for a while). Anyway, I'm in the process of writing the script but I was wondering what the best way you guys have found of finding an artist? Unfortunately, I am limited to stick men so doing the art myself is out.

What kind of script is it? A future shock type tale? Fan fic?

Send it to us at Futurequake and we'll let you know what we think- and if it's good enough, we'll even find you an artist...

[locustsofdeath!]

...or at the very least give you a heap of constructive criticism to apply to your next script!

[Richmond Clements]

...or at the very least give you a heap of constructive criticism to apply to your next script!

That too.

[chilipenguin]

Essentially, it is an origin script. I think when it's finished it will be five pages. I'm not sure where it would be suitable. I don't think it stands on its own enough to be acceptable for Future Shocks. It's about a child who discovers he has incredibly destructive powers. In this origin story, it is the first time they manifest themselves.

[chilipenguin]

I just reread my last post and realised that it doesn't really give anything away at all. I'm pretty happy with my first page at the moment, so I'll post that here. (If that's a problem, or if this the wrong thread for that, let me know and I'll remove it). Anyway, here is the first page of The Apocalypse Child (apologies for the formatting, the original is done in Final Draft and is fully formatted):

PAGE 1 PANEL 1
Long horizontal panel. Establishing frame. We are in a typical suburb of a small town. Nice, detached houses line the street. Average to expensive looking cars sit on the road, shaded by leafy green trees. In the distance, sitting in the middle of the tarmac, is a silhouetted figure. In the next frame we will see that this is Adam Jones, our protagonist.

ADAM CAPTION
Childhood is a funny thing.
ADAM CAPTION (CONT'D)
The things we remember most about it are usually the most terrible.
ADAM CAPTION (CONT'D)
Sadness. Anger. Pain...

PAGE 1 PANEL 2
Long horizontal panel. Now we see Adam; a 10 year old boy with bright blonde hair and blue eyes. He is sitting in the middle of the road, clutching his leg. He is bleeding from a gash on his knee.

ADAM
Muuummmyyy!!!!!!

THE NEXT THREE PANELS SHOULD RUN ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER, SHOWING THE DEGRADATION OF THE SURROUNDING TREES AND CARS.

PAGE 1 PANEL 3
We are still close in on Adam. He is crying with pain, looking around for his mother. Behind him is a blue car and above that is a healthy green tree. A squirrel has run into the frame. Adam is crying.

ADAM
<sniff> Mummy?

PAGE 1 PANEL 4
The same scene but with the destruction becoming apparent. The tree is starting to die; its leaves are falling off and branches are beginning to gnarl. The car is beginning to rust from blue to brown. The squirrel has died.

ADAM CAPTION
Those moments crystallize in our subconscious. They shape our identity.

PAGE 1 PANEL 5
The same scene once again, but this time the tree is completely dead, the car rusted beyond repair. The dead squirrel has burst into flames. Adam is still crying but now out of shock more than pain.

ADAM CAPTION
Those moments are the making of us.

[Richmond Clements]

That's a good opening page.