The Reader Experience

I recently bought a compilation of Alan Moore's run on WildC.A.T.S. but I had to return it. Ignorant me, I didn't know that a whole bunch of artists contributed to Moore's stint. The back cover of the TPB only mentioned Travis Charest (whose Nowlan-ish art style I adore), and I didn't bother to ask the sales clerk for an open sample to check out the artwork. What did I say about a cover being a promise? *sigh*

Flipping through the pages of that trade made me think about how much art figured into the whole scheme of modern-day industry practices in popular comics storytelling. On one end you've got Charest's hard-edged linework, then on the other end you find Kevin Maguire's deliciously quirky renditions. Those two styles I admire, but in one book seems odd and schizophrenic.

It's like having Ang Lee directing the first half of The Incredible Hulk then passing the baton to Louis Leterrier for the second half--with two sets of actors to boot. Not a good idea.

Like movies and theater, comic books provide an experience which involves the interaction of text and image. And crucial to this experience is consistency. How often have we encountered a comic book series with art teams that change every so often, and end up frustrated? The frustration comes from the sudden shift in an experience we've gotten used to. A title with a set writer and art team provides a unique experience. Change the team, and you change the reader experience. The worst that could happen is a loss in readership.

A Graphic Novel A Year

Who doesn't want to make a graphic novel a year? I certainly would want to. I've been reading Karen Weisner's First Draft in 30 Days, a book for novel writers, and I thought, "Why can't graphic novelists join the fun?" Weisner's book is about coming up with a draft, not a full novel. A draft is something that can conceivably be achieved in the span of a month, since the document is far from being styled, cleaned up, and polished.

In a previous post, I proposed a "program" for the graphic novelist, in which he'll spend a year developing material for the next four years. I wasn't sure if it was possible since I've been wrestling with my own project. But Weisner's book was good inspiration, so perhaps the "one graphic novel a year" idea may just work.

Another inspiration is Blake Snyder's Save the Cat: The Last Book On Screewriting You'll Ever Need. The book has drawn a lot of flak because it appears to promote the formulaic film. But Snyder follows the book up with a sequel Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies: The Screenwriter's Guide to Every Story Ever Told, wherein he proves that most successful movies, from Saw to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, have a formula. The formula is in the structure, summarized by Snyder in "15 beats," which is wholly unnoticed by moviegoers. What makes each film unique can be found in the style and execution.

Weisner's book is more challenging to follow, however, because her system is worksheet based. But I understand that she had to do this because she was working with the 30-day frame. Snyder's book is more an overview of story structure among other things. So having these two books (or other similar references) can help graphic novelists speed things up.

Like I've said before, there are huge differences between graphic novels, prose novels, and screenplays, but they all have one objective--to tell a compelling story. The execution may be different, but their bare bones have a lot in common.

Cover Matters 2

If you want to earn the favor of someone, you have to speak their language. You have to present to them what they expect of you, whether they be your parents, your friends, a lover, or an employer. This is a crucial part of the marketing mix. To be able to connect to what your audience is looking for is a foot in the door towards making a sale.

So far, in the comics industry, you know a comic book when you see one. The covers are pretty standard, pretty traditional in execution. There's a whole culture surrounding it. Despite the innovations we've seen over the past decade, the overall sensibility remains the same. And this sensibility has been successful in drawing the comic book crowd in.

However, it's possible that these covers reinforce the stigma surrounding the medium. If we're looking to attract a non-comics reading crowd to our work, we need to speak their language. Our closest point of reference is the bookstore.

With that, the graphic novel covers shown above aren't real. I cooked them up as an experiment. (Trademarks belonging to Marvel.)

If, the moment you first laid eyes on these make-believe covers, you've been hit by at least squint-level curiosity, then what does this say about the power of a cover to get the attention of a passerby?

Granted, the Scarlet Witch and the X-Men are somehow familiar to comics fans, but what these covers seek to do is to rip these characters out of context and present them in a different light--one that doesn't scream superhero. To the comics person, these covers may seem baffling. There's no image of any character on the covers. There's no dynamic pose, no speed lines, nothing to suggest a superhero story.

But I'll go back to what I said in the first installment of Cover Matters. The cover is a promise, and the promise can be as fundamental as red shoes. To some of you, the Scarlet Witch cover can be mistaken for a piece of "chick lit." Think "Devil Wears Prada" or "Shopaholic," in a genre that I'd suppose could inspire an interesting superhero-drama story involving Wanda Maximoff.

Wanda: "You don't understand how I feel! You're incapable of feeling anything!"
Vision: [attempting to compute]

The X-Men cover moves the mutant superhero story well into the sci-fi realm. This cover can may as well fit in the science fiction section of a bookstore. The story can contain the usual flashiness of an X-Men tale, but the cover envelops the story in a non-superhero context. For these two covers, the only thing that gives them away is the tag "A Graphic Novel." There's no deception involved.

So will these covers really attract a non-comics reading audience? I honestly don't know. But what I do know is that if you want your graphic novel to reach a new audience, you need to think out of the box. And a good place to start is finding out what your target audience is looking for in a book cover.

Making Your Story Stick 2

No, my projects aren't done yet, but I feel the need to continue blogging here, even if only on a sporadic basis. There may have been a few who have repeatedly visited despite my previous post, and I can only express my sincerest gratitude for your patience.

With that said, on we go...

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In the first installment of "Making Your Story Stick," I outlined three of the six factors comics creators can use in developing their stories. These six factors are based on Chip and Dan Heath's book, "Made To Stick." The first three factors are simplicity, unexpectedness and concreteness. Let's move forward to the latter three.

1) Credibility. By far one of the more difficult to achieve, credibility is one of the more crucial. In a crowded industry where many comics creators hope to find their place in the sun, levels of credibility set them apart. Do you know how to piece together a compelling plot? Can you write memorable dialogue? Is your research extensive? If you're a writer/artist, are your skills balanced? Can you maximize the unique qualities of the medium?

Applying Credibility: To be able to enhance your credibility, you only need to do one thing: Hone Your Skills. If you feel you need a workshop, invest in joining one. If you can find a mentor, do so. If you can post samples on your personal website or blog, present your best work and take criticism objectively. If you get encouraging feedback, don't rest on your laurels. Push yourself to do better.

The strange thing about credibility is that you can create the illusion of credibility through deep insight. You don't have to have years of concrete artistic experience to be credible, but a unique viewpoint, and a novel manner of delivering that viewpoint. The best example I can think of right now is Diablo Cody, the lauded screenwriter of the equally lauded film Juno. Not a seasoned writer by any means, Cody put herself in an enviable position with an Academy Award nomination--and she's just in her mid-twenties. Her weapon? Honesty.

2) Emotional. Over the course of this blog, you've read about creating a central character that should speak to the reader. The emotional factor is that part of your story that effectively places the reader in the shoes of the central character. You may have heard of comic book plots that harp on concept and action, rarely touching on the protagonist's emotional base. While concept-driven stories can be cool, these stories can only sustain themselves for so long. What's cool today may not be cool tomorrow.

That's why the emotional base is important. Emotional struggles are timeless.

Applying Emotions: When you're developing your story, you would most probably start with defining what your story is about in a sentence. It's the overall plot that states who wanting what against something--that's what's your story is about. But what is your story really about? Where is your lead character coming from? Why is he or she doing all this? As an exercise, take your lead character into a room and post the question, "Why?" If your character says, "Someone's gotta do it," or "Justice must be served," then give your character a good whacking on the head. As a creator, you made the character--you have every right to probe.

So while you're plotting out the way your story physically unfolds, do involve your character's emotional journey as well. The whole essence of the emotional factor is answering the reader's need: "What's In It For Me?" Use your story to tickle something within the reader--fear, anxiety, sorrow, enthusiasm, lust, longing, celebration, etc.--and offer a payoff your reader seeks. This trumps "cool" anytime.

3) Stories. Stories not only convey ideas. Stories reinforce ideas. In almost any social setting, we use stories to drive a point across, to strengthen or dispel notions, even to manipulate. In our daily lives, stories figure into how we view our circumstances as well as those of others--whether these stories come from the evening news, or through banter over a billiard game.

Have you ever been in on a fence wherein your thoughts are conflicted because of two or more opposing takes on a situation? Your girlfriend says one thing and you best bud says another? The conflict sucks you in, and you're caught in the struggle for not just the truth, but the absolute truth. The truth that you would eventually choose to believe in, and suffer for. (Political thrillers have a lot of these little stories, since most characters are allied with an ideology which they will defend, tooth and nail. These characters believe they're right--it's the writer who decides who will win.)

Applying Stories: When you develop your story, every character you have has a story to tell, and many of these stories-within-your-story are meant to place your lead character in that tight situation of determining what's right or wrong. Some stories will have more weight than others. Some stories will be irrelevant, but will add color to the overall narrative. The idea is to make your big story a living, breathing thing. A straight line, yes, but with many coils in between, tight knots your lead character has to unravel or leave alone.

Your comments, criticism, and insight will be most appreciated.

Making Your Story Stick

Every year, thousands of stories flood the marketplace, but only a few will stand out, only a few will be talked about, and only a few will be remembered down the line. Creating a story that's "made to stick" can help generate powerful word-of-mouth and leave a lasting impression, as well as translate to long-term sales.

But what is a story that's "made to stick?"

Chip and Dan Heath's amazing book, Made To Stick, defines six key qualities for an idea to successfully linger in the minds of people. Though the hardcover volume is a business book, the six key qualities can serve as a criteria set for comics creators in developing their stories.

Let's go through them one by one:

1) Simplicity. While circuitous plot lines, complex concepts, and in-depth research can add a lot of flavor, stripping your story to its core not only helps you keep your narrative in focus, it helps your readers focus as well, ensnaring their senses from the first page to the last. I remember that Sandra Bullock "psycho-thriller" flick Premonition, one that was highly engaging for the most part until the "duh" moment at the end. Not that I dislike religious-themed movies, but where's the consistency? I also heard that the ending of Steven Spielberg's A.I. was a let-down as well. The point is, if you promise your audience a roller coaster ride, give it to them lock, stock and barrel. Never let the roller coaster suddenly morph into a ferris wheel.

Applying simplicity: Describe your whole story in one to two sentences, the way screenwriters do their loglines. Then do a one-page plot summary, defining the main character, the overall conflict, and the denouement. This results of the exercise will help you define exactly what your story is about, as well as be your beacon when you are tempted midway to make a detour.

2) Unexpectedness. Everyone likes a story surprise. One that stops the heart for a few seconds, leaving you breathless for what's going to happen next. One moment that stuck to my mind was an X-Men issue, where Hank McCoy discovers the shattered body of Emma Frost. Another moment happened in a Civil War issue, where during the climactic battle Captain America suddenly realizes "We're no longer fighting for what we believe in. We're just fighting." Or something to that effect. In film, M. Night Shyamalan wielded that magic, though it didn't last very long. And how about that moment in Independence Day when aliens blew up the White House?

The key to capturing and holding an audience's attention is to subject them to ever increasing complexity. When you move from one scene to the next, one encounter to the next, you need to sprinkle in some intensity, a twist, a discovery, a revelation...anything that will prompt the audience to ask, "How is the lead character going to solve all this?" And the complications can run the gamut from physical to emotional to spiritual extremes, depending on the nature of your story. The great thing about being unexpected is that you're forced to flex more creative muscles, especially when you have to tie them all up neatly in the end.

Applying Unexpectedness: The surprises in a story usually happen at the end of the first act (when the main conflict is introduced), at key points of the second act (to escalate the intensity of the story), and the climax. They sometimes happen in the denouement as well. There are small surprises and big surprises, each to be revealed at major points in your story. The objective, again, is for your story to gain momentum until the climax. You would want to avoid clumping a lot of small surprises together--this can build impatience. Ditto for clumping big surprises together--you don't want to exhaust your audience.

3) Concreteness. This is similar to "simplicity," but focuses more on solidifying concepts and abstractions to aid audience comprehension. Chris Claremont did this in almost every issue of his X-Men run--defining what mutants are, who the X-Men are, what they're fighting for--wherever he got the chance. In superhero comics, heroes would more often explain what their powers can and can't do. This practice has been done excessively, but it helps people know and remember why certain things happen in a story.

Applying concreteness: While it's always good to "show, not tell" in comics, you may have to do some telling when the showing isn't enough, especially if you're introducing a high concept. When your story is set in an alien world with an alien culture, it's best to tell your audience what's going on instead of trying to coax them into figuring things out for themselves. Likewise for a new technology or philosophy. Because many people don't want to get too bogged down mentally when all they're looking for is entertainment. You'd want your reader to stick with your story, not your concept.

In my next post, I'll go through the last three qualities: credibility, emotional, and stories.

Another Source of Stories 2

Educational institutions are always looking for innovative ways to impart information to students, and I think you know what I'm getting at.

A graphic novel or a comics series geared towards supplementing classroom instruction is another offbeat way to break in, because you're primary objective isn't only to help teachers, but also to flex some writing muscles to come up with something engaging and entertaining.

The television series "Numb3ers" uses math as a central element in its plots, and it has somehow clicked with an audience. Moreso with that monolith CSI, which has become synonymous to any kind of investigation. "Hey, Martha broke up with her boyfriend but she ain't telling why. Let's do some CSI on it!" It has become a particular favorite among criminology students, as much as "Boston Legal," "Law and Order" and countless other law dramas have satisfied many a law student's appetites.

Following are some subjects/courses where you can possibly spin a story that can use real world information in your storytelling. The breadth of these subjects almost cries out for a comics series, but you can focus on specific topics within these subjects for a one-shot graphic novel.

A. History
B. Psychology
C. Law
D. Medicine
E. Philosophy
F. Genetics
G. Anthopology
H. Archaeology

The clincher here is research--it has to be thorough. And you as a writer would have to be insightful enough to make something of the facts you've researched. The last thing you'd want to do is replicate a textbook. The story is still the star, and your research should only make it shine brighter.

Your research should also include checking out the lesson plans of teachers and professors, so that you don't find yourself drowning in information you might not be able to use. Choose that part of a lesson plan that you as a writer find interesting, then rattle your brain into making it into an engaging story.

Another obstacle is getting a good word in from an authority. It's a good reason to go back to school and catch up with your former teachers. They might even be willing to help you out in locating research material, particularly the obscure ones. Take note, however, that while your prerogative is creating a good story, the teacher's prerogative is information. The finished product has to be legit enough. So you have to find a good middle ground between what you want and what the teacher is looking for.

When you're done with your plot summary, take the teacher out to lunch so you couold go over the material before to pound a script out. If you've done a good job, you can ask your teacher to refer a few colleagues you can cross-check with, as well as add to your customer network.

Your book marketing will benefit a lot from whatever positive feedback you get from the teachers you've worked with. Be sure to acknowledge them in your book, because "consultant" is a great addition to their resume.

Writers: Take Control!

I've heard one too many concerns from writers who want to get into comics, only to realize that comics publishers aren't too hot about taking in new writing talent compared to those who can work magic with a pencil. It's a sad state where we find many comics "writers" who don't have much of a writing background, virtually bastardizing the craft. Comics may be a visual medium but, as far as I'm concerned, great art can't save a terribly-written story.

So I'm going to pitch an idea to any enterprising writer who wants to take matters into their own hands. It's going to take some coordination work, but I believe that the end product will justify all the effort.

The finished project can either be a self-published effort or coursed through a literary agent who can represent graphic novels. If I had to do this project, I'd do the latter.

Working Title
Naked America: A graphic anthology

Description
An anthology of ten graphic (comics) stories or vignettes of 12 to 28 pages each. Each feature is a slice-of-life featuring one lead character of no particular demographic, placed in a quirky or weird situation that touches on social--not political--issues America is currently facing. These stories are humorous but insightful, frank but poignant, and never forces the issue.

Sample stories are as follows:

1) A 50-ish Nebraska woman decides to go back to her first love--teaching elementary school. On the first day of class, she discovers that her students are goblins, ghouls, and gremlins, who change back to human form when they leave the classroom.

2) A 35 year-old man, down on his luck and contemplating suicide, decides to get lost in the Colorado wilderness. Deep in the forest, he indeed gets lost, but discovers a crater containing a meteorite made of pure gold. It is huge...and very heavy.

3) A struggling 20-something actor in New York gets a high-paying stint in off-off-off-off-off Broadway. The stage play is a dramatic love story between a man and a zombie. On opening night, the actor discovers that the audience is composed of high-class undead.

These are akin to Twilight Zone stories, and for the most part there isn't much difference. The point, however, of the anthology is to present social issues in a non-abrasive manner. The key is telling highly entertaining and quirky stories, with the thesis of issues only evident to those who look hard enough. (See Selling Points for more information)

Physical Specifications
200-page paperback (content only), 6" x 9", 80lb book paper (interior) and 160lb matte board (cover), full color cover, one color interior

Potential Audience
Naked America's primary target is anyone who's into American pop culture and the social sciences. University students and young professionals are included, with a balance of male and female between 20 and 28 years old. Because of this, the language can be a bit off-color as per the needs and treatment of a story. There can be a spillover to older audiences, possibly capping at 35 years old. Those who read Wired, Slate, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and GQ are also potential audiences.

Selling Points
1) Naked America is innovative and in-tune with the times, telling stories in an entertaining but insightful way, without dumbing itself down.
2) The commercial success of graphic novels with contemporary themes has yet to be fully exploited. Works like Jimmy Corrigan, Ghost World and Persepolis have paved the way for similar material, though Naked America won't use "depressing" as part of its editorial policy.
3) There aren't a lot of graphic novels that provide a multi-faceted view of social America. This anthology presents ten.
4) Naked America can be sold to professors of the social sciences to reinforce their teaching. This is a built-in audience.
5) The success of this first anthology can pave the way for more Naked America anthologies, thus starting a lucrative publishing franchise.

Benefits to Comics Writers
1) A writer is only required one story of 12 to 28 pages. It won't eat up a lot of time, and provides an opportunity to flex writing and craft muscles because of the editorial requirements.
2) Naked America provides a venue for solid insight and an opportunity to showcase one's unique voice, very much an advantage in the fiction writing world.
3) When marketed successfully, Naked America is an aspiring comics writer's business card. Even though royalties/profits will be divided over so many creators, the potential boost in reputation is priceless.

How To Set It Up
If you're a writer of an enterprising sort, ask your fellow writers to join in on this project, with you serving as the editor. "Editor" meaning the guy who's going to do most of the work.

Because your story will just be between 12 to 28 pages, your initial investment will be relatively low. The stories will all be in black and white, so a fee of about $20 per page to an artist who's also looking to break in can be acceptable. (Better than asking for art services for free.) Convince your writers to pool some money together to pay the artists. Oh, and make sure that at least one of the artists knows how to prepare artwork for prepress in case not one of you writers do. Pay extra for the service.

Once the scripts are done, pass them around your fellow writers for some nice and healthy critique and edits. You're all in this together, so you've gotta make sure everyone puts their best foot forward, with zero ego.

The entire process from script to finished pages can take anywhere between two to four months, depending on how fast the writing and art stages go. The good part is that artists don't have to worry much about going full "Marvel" style, since the anthology isn't for the superhero audience. Ixnay on the hyper-indie styles, though, since this can alienate some of your potential audience.

Once you have a few completed stories submitted, you can opt to contact some literary agents who represent graphic novels. If you haven't done this in your life, do some research on how to go about communicating and dealing with agents. They would need information about the project, a few samples of completed work, and perhaps even some input on sales potential.

If one agent doesn't bite, try another and another. Or, better yet, if one of your writers knows someone from a publishing company, you can take the short cut. In my book, the less you spend on printing and distribution, the better. Some experts, like self-publishing guru Dan Poynter, will tell you that a good deal of promotional activities will have to be done by authors, so let others worry about distribution and collection while you sell the book.

What do you think of the idea? Any takers?

Another Chance For "Superheroes"

The television series "Heroes" succeeded not because it featured superpowered people. It made a major dent because it featured ordinary people who happened to have superhuman powers. It's a grand what-if involving disparate personalities, backgrounds and ethnicities, mostly tackling the question "what would these people do."

As we've seen in a previous post, the superhero comics market is small, but there's no reason why you can't create a graphic novel involving superpowered people, which is something like what manga has achieved, though in a different fashion. Still, the focus on human drama and pathos is what drives these stories forward, with some slam-bang action thrown in for some healthy dose of kinetic energy.

Because the characters have "costumes" you can normally buy in a department store and don't run around toting a codename, potential readers shift their focus to the heart of the story. This isn't a story involving capes and a big logo on a chestplate. This is about Joe who's wrestling with an extreme case of insecurity--his mind-reading powers pick up the thoughts of his parents, schoolmates, and the girl he wants to be with.

How about mousy medical student Sandra who discovers she's as strong as five powerlifters? Will she trade her quiet non-descript life for possible fame and fortune, or fulfill the dreams of her conservative and religious parents in Nebraska?

And that's where you hook a potential reader--a character who goes through what many people go through, only exaggerated or complicated by the inclusion of some kind of power. When Joe, who's become rather socially inept because of his insecurity, discovers that some of his classmates plan a dastardly deed against the school principal, what is he going to do? Or, to be more like recent headlines, picks up the thoughts of a reclusive classmate and uncovers homicidal thoughts involving a couple of guns and a dormitory?

Sandra, on the other hand, accidentally breaks the bones and kills her boyfriend. Her hometown is stunned by the incident, but no one believes Sandra to be capable of doing such harm. Will Sandra turn herself in? If she does, how can she explain how the accident occurred without her revealing her unusual strength?

Human drama. Human conflict. Throw a superpower in to add interest, but never make it a highlight. In stories like these, having superpowers can affect a character's decisions, but using them is rarely one of the options unless pressed against a wall.

Exercise: Write a short premise of a graphic novel involving a person with a superhuman ability. Make it two to three short paragraphs similar to a back-cover book description. However, you cannot use the word "superpower" or "superhuman" or any word that could suggest some kind of superheroism. This premise can also be used for your press releases.

Another Source of Stories..With Built-In Backup

This is going to be a short one, I assure you.

Endorsements can help your book get some level of publicity, just enough to kick off a notch of interest from people. No, I'm not talking about getting a good word in from a highly-popular comics star, but that can help, too.

In a couple of previous posts, I sort of raised the flag in favor of graphic novels for and about women. But that's not the only avenue you can explore.

You can also create a story around a social cause. A cause you, as a creator, firmly believe in.

This is an opportunity for you, as an artist, to look within yourself and see what you are most concerned about as a freethinking and responsible citizen.

Is it discrimination? Animal rights? The environment? Poverty? Abortion? Child abuse? Homosexual rights? Religious tolerance? There's more out there to choose from, but you have to exercise honesty and genuine compassion when zeroing in on that social issue that gets you reeling.

Once you have completed your graphic novel, send copies to local or state chapters of organizations involved in that cause, and ask if your book is something they could support. They don't have to spend anything--an endorsement is enough. A review in their publication would be better. And if they're willing to give at least a one-sentence seal of approval, it's enough to add meat to your press releases. They might even ask you to be a speaker in one of their regular gatherings.

A few notes:

1) The social issue has to be something you believe in and support. This would ensure that your passion will take you through the writing and art stage. Also, choosing an issue you support as opposed to something that's merely 'hot and controversial' will help boost your credibility, and not make you look like you're an opportunistic milkman.

2) Your story has to present both sides of the issue, good and bad, pros and cons, with your thesis shining through by the story's conclusion. Thus, a lot of your time needs to be spent on research--reading, observation, even interviews. But remember that you're still out there to entertain and exercise your art and craft as a storyteller. You don't want to be perceived as hawking propaganda.

3) The tricky part is to make the social issue integral to the story, and not the story itself, unless that's what you want. Again, remember that you are first and foremost a storyteller. While you must inform, you must also intrigue and entertain.

4) Once you've chosen a social issue, check far and wide to make sure there are formal and sizeable organizations who rally about that issue. If there aren't, try and find another issue to talk about. The objective, after all, is finding the numbers who can back you up. This doesn't mean that your cause of choice isn't worth your time and effort. You're still starting out and trying to get your name out there. You can go back to your original choice once you've gotten your feet wet with your first book.

5) You can talk about more than one issue in your story, but it is imperative to have one main issue, that which is integral to the story. Having too many issues of equal weight will eventually cancel each other out, and it will be more difficult to find one organization to support it.

6) Your stories can be of the superhero genre, too, though arguably it would a stretch to incorporate a social cause. Some causes that can work with the superhero genre are:

a) Soldiers Who Are Minors
b) The Disabled
c) Media Ethics
d) Age Discrimination
e) Death Penalty
f) Drug Abuse
g) Immigration

For a list of social causes, here's the Yahoo! directory.

Cover Matters

Before I start, here's something you can do. When you've pinpointed that special something your graphic novel has to offer, as well as a possible potential audience, head for the bookstore and dive into the fiction books section.

Find books that more or less match your graphic novel, and pick out the covers you like, but ignoring those books that have big-name authors. Relative unknowns or debuting novelists are your targets. Read the description on the back cover, then return those books that don't appeal to you that much.

The remaining books you have can serve as your template for the kind of cover your graphic novel will have.

For the aspiring graphic novelist who's contemplating on a cover design, there's one overall principle to designing an effective cover:

A book cover is a promise.

And that's the most fundamental idea to keep in mind when you design your graphic novel cover. This is why we pick up books. We see the cover and the images, or colors, or titles appeal to us in ways more than other covers. These appealing covers make us curious, giving us enough reason to pick them off the shelf. Saying, "It spoke to me," applies strongly here.

We look at the back cover, and read what the book is about. The description offers a premise, more often with a simple description of the lead character. These descriptions contain a form of magic--the words tickle and entice, intrigue and mystify. They're telling you subliminally, "Have we got the story you want to read! Buy me! Buy me!"

Front cover and back cover work together to form the book's promise.

Book designers go over the book contents and talk to editors, searching for that one aspect of the story that will appeal to an intended audience. Romance novels succeed by displaying images fulfilling a women's deep fantasies, while horror novels love to use dark colors with generous servings of red or silver. Sometimes a cover will feature a mysterious object, or the facade of an ancient structure, or a landscape, all suggesting certain moods. Other covers make heavy use of a special typeface, the titles covering up most of the front cover, meant to stand out from a bookstore shelf.

Of course, the results of the above exercise shouldn't constrain you in exercising creative freedom. But do note that your cover is like the face of a person, and the expression of on that face tells the world what lies in the heart and soul.

Going to superheroes as an example. There was a time when comics readers complained about that trend of painted covers, featuring a character (more often female) in some superheroic or pseudo-erotic pose. While these images looked good they defeat the purpose of the cover. While the character is indeed in the book, the book itself is not painted. And a simple pose gives little hint to what's going to happen in the story. This strategy may have worked for fans, since they'd pick up a book no matter how the cover is rendered, but in principle it fails to attract newer readers who only have so much money to spend.

Some of the better graphic novel covers I've seen are Blankets, Maus, and 30 Days of Night. Each have their way of presenting their contents, and they make a promise that the stories keep. So when you're contemplating a cover, make several options. Because the so-called cool covers are pointless if they don't serve their purpose.

The Moral Question (and Answerr)

What is the moral question of your graphic novel story? What are you, as the writer, trying to answer?

Life is filled with questions. We wonder why the American Dream seems to be tainted. We wonder why our parents sometimes don't treat us like adults. We wonder why a number of celebrities do foolish things. And we wonder, with much perturbation, why a nineteen year-old would decide to gun down innocent civilians in an Omaha mall.

We ask questions to understand, and thereafter compare it with our views. Morality is about knowing the difference between what's good and what's evil. However, on a cultural, social, theological, and political level, my view of good can be another person's view of evil.

And herein lies the power of a well-written story. It has the potential, when written well, to present a compelling point of view. That nothing is black and white, and sometimes even the most evil acts are motivated by a person's desire to do the opposite.

Stories traditionally existed to educate. That's what the fables and the bard's tales were there for. While there are those who have written stories primarily to entertain, the best stories are the ones that endured. And these stories provided lessons to learn, points to ponder upon and issues to talk about, whether they be laugh-out-loud comedies or the most searing dramas.

It's a "what would you do" proposition, one strong enough to challenge a reader's sense of morals and values. Stories do this by placing a pawn, the lead character, to go through the hassle. By the story's climax, the writer makes a decision that the character acts out, and that decision has to be a convincing one. Not exactly the right one, but a convincing one. It's telling a reader, this is what this character would do. Do you, reader, feel it's justified? Would you do the same thing?

The moral question doesn't have to be life-threatening. Even the case of falling in love with your best friend's wife is a strong moral issue, because many people struggle with it everyday. A kid's moral issue could be about running away from home and abandoning school. Moral questions don't have to be dramatic, either--sitcoms have moral questions thrown in, too.

Now what if you want to do a straightforward action-adventure graphic novel and not bother with moral issues? That's fine. No bones about that. It's really about what your objective as a storyteller is. But do remember that stories involve human beings (or creatures with human attributes), and by definition alone they have to act human. That means they have their own worries, anxieties, and fears. If they don't, then you might be accused of casting cardboard instead of flesh and blood.

Make Your Character A Brand

In the previous post, I gave a few tips on how to humanize your characters in order to establish a link between your story and a reader. In this post, we go back to a more solid marketing concept, which is branding.

The website Marketing MO defines a brand as "the entire experience your prospects and customers have with your company. It’s what you stand for, a promise you make, and the personality you convey."

Put simply, a brand tells everyone, "This is who I am and this is why I'm not like that other guy." While Disney and Nickelodeon both have cartoons, Disney has successfully aligned itself with "family entertainment," while Nickleodeon has always presented itself as "fun for kids." Brands tout messages that target segments of people of a certain age bracket, financial status, lifestyle, even values and ideologies. Logos, taglines, websites, promo gimmicks, advertising--all these are meant to reinforce a brand.

In the field of career development, experts have stressed the need for people to identify their own personal brand as a way to gain an edge in a competitive job marketplace. As what Robin Fisher Roffer explained in her book, Make a Name For Yourself, people can possibly have successful careers when they distinguish themselves from others who do similar work, affirm their true identity, highlight their talents, and establish their reputation in business.

Another way of looking at a brand is representation. Mac computers represent the creative, artistic and innovative, while PC manufacturers have for the longest time focused on business productivity and efficiency at a competitive cost. Axe is the deodorant for men in their 20s, while Old Spice appeals to the older set.

Now let's look at superheroes.

Why has the X-Men been so successful? Because they've hammered into comics fans who they are and what they specifically stand for, an anti-bigotry ideology that no other superhero team has been able to lay claim to, a tenet that readers can strongly relate to. Why has the JLA been so successful, because they've solidified the idea that they have the mightiest and most iconic superhero guns ever.

Superman is about "truth, justice and the American way," a very patriotic tagline. While Captain America may also represent that, he is first and foremost a soldier with a military way of thinking and method of engagement. Very unlike Superman, that.

So if you have a superhero, define who they are and, more importantly, what sets them apart from similar superheroes. Lock a unique history, way of thinking, method of operation, manner of speech, ideology, combat strategy, specialty (like Psylocke's classic "focused totality of telepathic powers"), quirk, maybe even a unique battle cry or expression, as well as a symbolic costume. Seal that part of the character that your reader can relate to. You can even pattern his personality after a few people you know.

When you've completed your character's identity, ensure that the character delivers that identity consistently and strongly in your story, but short of being campy (unless that's what you want). Make him stand out in his unique way. Remember that for the longest time, readers couldn't relate to Cyclops of the X-Men, perhaps because they didn't know what Scott Summers was really all about. He wasn't the innocent "gentle giant" that was Colossus, or the majestic Storm with the "goddess complex."

Even if your story doesn't involve superheroes, branding your lead characters can help delineate one from the other, offering opportunities for various subplots and interesting dialog.

The scene is teeming with characters. Make sure yours stand out.

Character Development: Making Readers Care

Remember the time when New Superhero was given a personality flaw and some fanboys would suddenly rave, "Wow, great character development!"

Those in the know will tell you that character development is a process, a series of changes that a character goes through for better or worse, brought about by factors in the character's environment and interpreted by his values, experiences and morals.

Characters in a story have a "beginning status" at the start, and an "ending status" by the story's conclusion. One of the writer's responsibilities is to introduce events and situations that seek to alter or reinforce a character's beginning status. When the story ends, the resulting status becomes a thematic point of the whole process.

So if you decide to give a character claustrophobia, or a drinking problem, or an apathetic relationship with his supporting character wife, don't do so just to make him interesting. Make these qualities affect a major decision. Make them threaten his achieving ultimate success. Make them institute some change in the character's status.

When you begin to humanize a character, you initialize the link between the reader and your story. And maximizing character development can not only give your story a deeper level of complexity, but also a reason for your reader to care. When you get your readers to care, you give them a reason to stick around.

Character development is tricky, because you have to know your characters inside and out. How they think. How they view their situation. How they view the world around them. What makes them tick. What drives them forward. What holds them back. A well-rounded character acts like a normal human being who may not always be predictable, but will always have a reason for their actions.

For instance, a superhero who has a chronic case of claustrophobia would not likely rush into a cave to face a bad guy. If he does so, he may not be able to function well, thus threatening his team's victory. A superhero who has a major drinking problem might secretly be attending Alcoholics Anonymous, thus threatening his crimefighting career. A character with an apathetic relationship with his wife might be fooling around on the side with a woman who's a pawn of the main villain. In short, give your characters a reason to suffer, genuinely suffer. It's harsh I know, but why should a reader care if the good guy has it all easy?

To put matters another way, say you're a basketball fan and you idolize one particular player. You're excited everytime he's called into the court, and howl with delight when he makes a kick-ass dunk. To you, he's the god of basketball.

Then your friend tells you one day that your idol is going through a difficult divorce. The question is: would you actually Google it? Would you search for news about it? It's a divorce, not a basketball game, so why would some basketball fans want to know the nitty gritty of the settlement proceedings? Why would they talk about it?

One reason could be that fans want to know how the divorce might affect the player's game. They've begun to care about the player's performance. They want to see their hero emerge unscathed.

Here's an exercise. Write a personal letter, one that you don't intend to send to anyone, but write it as if you're the main character of your story. Pretend that the character is halfway through your story, and write down what he thinks and feels about the situation so far, the other characters, his objective, and the threats at hand. More importantly, write down why he thinks and feels the way he does.

When you're done with the letter, set it aside for a week, then take it out and read it. Does the letter convince you? Does it sound sincere? If this letter were written by someone else, would you care to know what happens next? Cross check the letter with your script and see if what the letter contains is consistent with how you presented the character in your story. You may be able to get fresh insights by doing so.

How To Write Comics: Addendum

In my previous post, I recommmended that beginning comic book writers check out screenplay writing books in order to get a feel of the different storytelling elements and the complexities involved in stringing a good and tight story together. After all, motion pictures (television or movies) are similar to comics in as far as the image+text connection goes.

However, comics writers should note that screenwriters operate on the premise that the finished product will involve motion, while comics involve static images. I have encountered a few scripts wherein the writer hasn't quite grasped the concept of stasis, thus rendering particular panels "undrawable."

To write comics stories, particularly full scripts (as opposed to plot breakdowns), writers need to visualize stories as a series of photographs, with each photograph capturing a moment of the story. As a rule of thumb, every character in a comics panel should be executing one specific pose, if not one specific action. To specify that "Character catches the granade and throws it back at the bad guys" in one panel is fundamentally undrawable, though the artist can draw the character twice in one large panel. This is one convention in comics storytelling that can break the one sction rule.

With that said, writers need to know and take advantage of the unique storytelling properties of comics, as well as avoid those properties unique to film.

Now the question is: plot breakdown or full script? I'm partial to the full script, because one of the most important parts of the process is editing, through the help of a good editor. With a full script, an able editor can spot typos, lapses in grammar and spelling, even storytelling hitches, that writers may not be able to see offhand. So as early as the script stage, the story can be meticulously fleshed out and refined.

How To Write Comics

When you go to a bookstore, you'll find tons of books about writing novels and screenplays, and their approaches vary from the casual to the academic. There are books that focus solely on plot, on character development, even on dialogue. There are even books that claim to help you write a full-length novel in thirty days.

But there are hardly any books out there about writing a comics story.

I think we can all agree that iffy writing and storycrafting cannot save gorgeous art. This is what I felt when I read Avengers Forever and Batman: Hongkong. But then that's just me. On the other hand, I really admire the writing in House of M, as well as in Supreme Power, even in Runaways, if you're curious about what kind of writing I go for.

Conversely, brilliant writing can almost always save crappy art.

If you want to up your arsenal when it comes to writing comics stories, the closest reference you can get is to pick up a writing book, particularly for screenplays. Because compared to fiction novels, movies are closer to comics as they use words and images to tell a story. Movie making requires storyboarding, which is similar to the panel-to-panel storytelling of comics.

Beginning graphic novelists would benefit from knowing the basics of plot, structure, character development, theme, and other storytelling elements, and how they all interconnect to make your story one solid living thing. You may not be writing a screenplay, but you'll discover much that you can translate to a comics story.

On my end, I found myself investing in fiction writing books first, not books on screenplays. The first book I bought about writing was The Novelist's Bootcamp by Todd Stone, which takes you through a bootcamp-like process when conceptualizing in putting together a story. It's not the best book on the subject, but it's a great kick in the pants. One of the better books I got was Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell. This book gives the lowdown on developing a plot and the laying out the three-act structure, with lots of writing exercises to experiment with. I'm still waiting on a couple of screenwriting books for delivery.

As they say, sometimes you have to look beyond your field to get better at it.

Built To L:ast: Characters

The real challenge of the graphic novelist is to create something that's "built to last." What does that mean?

Because putting together a graphic novel takes a lot of work, you wouldn't want your masterpiece to sit on the shelves for six months to a year then disappear into oblivion. To make your efforts worth it, your graphic novel has to possess the qualities that merit its longevity. Graphic novels like Persepolis, Jimmy Corrigan, Stuck Rubber Baby, and Ghost World have survived long after their original publication date, and are currently part of some kind of academic curriculum.

When you look through the lot of web and independent comics, most of them are either superhero or manga. But manga and superhero comics are already being dominated by large publishing companies. The only chance these comics have to possess some kind of longevity is to go under the corporate wing.

This is not to say, of course, that you shouldn't do manga or superheroes. What it does say is that you have to prepare yourself for a major uphill climb, if not major disappointment. Still, if you just want to get a comic book out with no expectations of fame and fortune, then do so. It's all part of the process.

If you want something that's potentially built to last, you need to focus on two elements: your lead character and that character's journey. While theme, dialogue, art style, production quality, and all the other good stuff do demand attention, who your lead character is and how the journey turns out are what directly connects to the reader.

Psychologically, a reader needs representation in the story. That's how readers "get into" the story. That's why romance novels have women as protagonists and spy thrillers have men as protagonists. Lead characters are the portals through which readers allow themselves to be immersed in the tale.

Or, a reader needs their fantasy feathers stroked. An action thriller featuring Lara Croft would sit very well with men because of the sex element. Likewise, an action thriller featuring a ridiculously handsome, hunky AND senstive man who's in touch with his feminine side may pull at women's heartstrings.

The journey of the character is likewise important because readers want to know how the character's going to turn out. When you're telling a story to a friend about your mother climbing Mount Everest, your friend would most likely ask, "So is she okay?" The key word here is transformation, the result. And if the result isn't powerful enough to justify the journey, then you may end up with a dud.

Why am I telling you this?

When you're starting out, you need a "claim to fame," or at least something that will help get you attention. A cool and flashy art style can help, but if your story sucks you may just end up being a creator known for art and nothing else. Notice that a lot of the more respected graphic novels do not use the superhero comics style or the manga style in their artwork (unless you're Tezuka).

So focus on what really counts at the end of the day. Story. Character. The transformative journey. Get that nailed, and you'll have a better chance.

Why Magazines?

Now some of you may have raised eyebrows over my last blog post. Making graphic novels for women may not sit well with comics creators who, by observation, are mostly male. But I hope you've taken the time to think about the idea.

Based on Amazon's subscription bestseller list, women's magazines top the chart. These are actual dollar expenditures from people who are willing to shell out money.

Plus, women read more than men. In a study conducted this year by the Associated Press, "the typical woman reads nine books in a year, compared with only five for men. Women read more than men in all categories except for history and biography." (Read the full story about reading habits through this link.)

So there's your target market right there.

And what's the bonus in finding a great story in the pages in women's magazines? Well, when you've finished your graphic novel and your female friends like it, you already have potential venues for press releases--the same magazines from where you got your ideas. The same magazines with the high sales rates. The same magazines that women spend money to buy.

And because women read more, they'll most probably find your press release in their favorite mag.

Story Hooks That Can Sell

Story ideas are everywhere. You can 1) go over the news; 2) recall a special event in your life; 3) recall a special event in a friend's life; 4) go through history books, etc. Then you ask a lot of "what if" questions. Chances are, you'll find a story hook that'll interest you enough to expand into a full plot.

However, not all story ideas will sell. Even the best-laid plans for Hollywood movies don't translate to record-breaking, not even modest, returns. So why invest all that time and energy on a story that's not going to fly?

Of course, many aspiring creators have their dream projects. And there may be a chance that these projects can get them somewhere. But this post assumes that you're stuck and would really need a nice kick in the brain for a story idea that can get people interested.

According to Amazon, the following magazines top their subscription sales list, in no particular order:

A) O, The Oprah Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, Redbook, Real Simple, FamilyFun, Glamour

B) Sports Illustrated, Men's Health, Esquire

C) Seventeen, CosmoGIRL!

D) Sports Illustrated Kids

E) SmartMoney, Bon Appetit, Wired, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Vanity Fair

Notice anything? Seven of the nineteen topsellers are magazines specifically for mature women (three of which are in the top five), and their main thrust is empowering women. Only three magazines are specific to men. Two are for the teen girl set, one is for kids, and the rest have subjects of general interest. And, surprisingly, the topselling kids' magazine is sports-themed--not cartoons, not toys, not video games.

So why am I telling you this?

It appears that more women read more magazines about empowering women. And the companies that produce these magazines know by experience what topics women are interested in. So if you're looking for a story hook that can possibly sell, check out the topselling women's magazines for ideas. There's a lot of material out there, and there is a higher chance that you'll have a market who'll be willing to check your story out.

Let's face it. There aren't a lot of graphic novels out there for women. Why not start the trend?