DIALOGUE AND WRITING FOR COMICS
This week we recorded the penultimate episode of THE TERRIBLE ANVIL, this time discussing scripts, dialogue, and writing for comics!
LISTEN ON:
The words we use and how they are arranged on the page can guide readers' understanding of our comics and influence how they feel about a story and its characters. But how do you pick the right words? How much is too much dialogue? How can you make sure readers understand your text the way you intend?
SOME QUICK TIPS:
If you've got a lot of dialogue from one speaker, break up the text into multiple balloons to give readers space to digest what they're saying
Read your dialogue out loud to make sure it sounds natural
Try not to repeat information that the images are already conveying, unless the text is there to clarify what's happening in the visuals—if your drawing is lousy, a good caption will help the reader 'believe' the story! This strategy is helpful for paring down long scripts as well.
Sometimes the language can help direct what the drawing should be, or the drawings need to fill in more subtle/abstract language.
OTHER THOUGHTS
Oneita shared in the precap that there's a great writing exercise by Kurt Vonnegut where one writes a scene using dialogue only!
Tom mentioned Little Orphan Annie comics where she exclaims about things or people happening off scene (a no-no in David Mamet's book on screenwriting) and it seems like a quite effective way to have the reader conspire with and invest in the character's point of view.
We looked at this page from Ivan Brunetti, a visual gag on the space a word balloon occupies!
Tom shared a clip from Moomin on dialogue! Over here, it was about the midway point!
We also admired this early draft of Alan Moore's WATCHMEN (More is more! Moore is more?)
There's EVEN more from the full PENULTIMATE episode, so check it out—and BE THERE FOR THE FINALE NEXT WEEK!
WATCH THE FULL EPISODE FOR MORE TIPS AND ENCOURAGEMENT!
WANT TO MAKE AND READ MORE COMICS?
Do you have a story inside you that’s just itching to come out, but want some guidance to help push it out?
Learn more about intensive comics learning with teachers at SAW by checking out SAW’s Year-Long Intensive Program and our Six-Month Graphic Novel Intensive.
Be sure to also check out our Online Courses, some courses are offered year-round and are always enrolling while others are limited in space and come around only once a year!
Our Graphic Memoir Intensive runs year round and is always enrolling. It includes access to a vibrant working community, twice-monthly live online check-ins, weekly prompts, and access to SAW’s Monthly Pro Calls!
Our Comics Flow Group, or SAW FLOW MEMBERSHIP, is also year-round and always enrolling and is SAW's MOST AFFORDABLE course option with access to Monthly Pro-Calls!
And, of course, come see what we’re all up to on SAW's Mighty Network anytime!
