I was actually asked some writing questions the other day. Who the deuce would ask ME for advice? But I happened to have a little.
Here are some thoughts on writing that smallest unit of a story: the scene (reprise):
First off, what is a scene? What defines it?
It ...
The Hated - Part One
Banes at 12:00AM, Jan. 19, 2017
art by Sandy Jarrell
The Hated, Part One - Villain Heroes
I've picked up all the “new” versions of the Archie universe and enjoyed them to different degrees for the most part. Sometimes there are a few laughs. Or some nice artwork. Or just the fun of seeing the characters ...
The Romantic and the Cynic
kawaiidaigakusei at 12:00AM, Jan. 2, 2017
The year 2016 was not as horrible as some people thought it to be. I did go through some personal changes that might not be seen as monumental in the wide scope of the world. I have always been a true romantic–a label given to me by an English ...
Beginnings
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Dec. 31, 2016
Happy New Year’s Eve!
Thinking about the new year that is just about to begin, I thought to talk about beginnings in stories, and especially in webcomics.
How a story begins, the very first pages of it, are key for catching the audience’s attention and keeping it. The ...
Happy Holidays from the Great White North!
HippieVan at 12:00AM, Dec. 23, 2016I claimed in last week’s newspost that I tend to work best in a nice quiet environment. Well, I’m currently testing whether or not that’s true. As you’re reading this, I’m in the middle of the woods in a lovely cabin with a fireplace and ...
Diminishing Returns
Banes at 12:00AM, Dec. 15, 2016
Emotional Charges and Diminishing Returns
Many writing methodologies suggest mapping out the emotional change of each scene. The scene either starts positive, and goes to either negative or “extra positive”, or starts negative and goes to positive or “extra negative” by the end of the scene.
So if a lovelorn ...
Characters based on Human Beings
HippieVan at 12:00AM, Nov. 25, 2016
In my newspost last week about the “No Hugging, No Learning” mantra, I mentioned that I was basing a throwaway character – a loveable misanthrope – on a real-life friend of mine. It’s something I’m tempted to do fairly frequently; I spend most of my time in an academic environment ...
Timeliness vs Timelessness
Banes at 12:00AM, Nov. 24, 2016
Rogue from the X-Men encounters President Ronald Reagan!
(…who???)
Timeliness vs Timelessness
Some comics are very much “of the moment”, while others are more timeless.
Connecting to the events of the moment can be a worthy endeavor. The political satire of Jesus 2016 comes to mind. Webcomics are well suited ...
Controversy Has its Uses
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Oct. 29, 2016
art by yours truly
So I was thinking… in this day and age if you get on any type of social media, you are going to be punched repeatedly with CONTROVERSY! HERESY! HEATHENS! LIBERTARDS! CONSERVOTARDS-OR-HOW-EVER-THEY-ARE-CALLED-TARDS! …and so on. On blogs and tweets and even more so on youtube, making a ...