From Idea to Storyboarding: Scriptwriting a Graphic Novel
*The following transcript is the version I wrote for the presentation, not the exact word-for-word as I gave it at the event or on the pre-recorded video. Notwithstanding, the content is the same. For a more dynamic experience, I recommend watching the video.
Transcript
Remember when you learned to read? That moment when everything clicked into place and you could suddenly read every sign and billboard before you passed them in the car?
It was like I entered a new, secret world.
I felt the same way after reading Smile by Raina Telgemeier.
It was the first graphic novel I ever read and I was an adult, working at the Springville Public Library.
I read Calvin and Hobbes when I was a kid, but I wasn’t into comic books.
Smile, though, was revolutionary. For me, it brought all the storytelling elements that I love from novels and also from animated features.
Right then I knew that one day I would write a graphic novel.
That was over a decade ago. I have written several manuscripts since then, mostly middle grade and YA. After my first book did not sell, I talked to my agent about a graphic novel idea I had.
She loved it and I immediately got to work on the script. But the question of the art loomed over me. My agent had warned me that publishers don’t pair writers with cartoonists they way they do for picture books.
I bought into the thinking that artists might as well write and illustrate their own graphic novels because the work between writer and illustrator is so heavily weighted on the artist’s side.
Certainly, for me, that’s true. Writing is so much easier in my opinion. So, I set out to learn how to be a cartoonist. It’s been a long, difficult journey, but along the way I learned I’d been wrong.
You do not need to be an artist to write a graphic novel.
Turns out artists think the same way about writing as we do about drawing. They have to learn all the storytelling and writing techniques that we’ve spent our lives studying.
The learning curve is just as steep for them as it is for us. And I know plenty of artists now who love just doing the art.
So welcome to my graphic novel class for writers.
Today, I’m going to take you “From Idea to Storyboarding: Scriptwriting a Graphic Novel”.
You can get the written script for this class and all other resources through this link on the screen. If you miss anything, you can refer back to the transcript.
[change slide]
The terms “comics” and “graphic novels” are often used interchangeably or side-by-side. “Comics” refers to sequential art. Often, they tell a story, but they can also be used to deliver information, just like the mini-comic or “zine” that I put together for you today. You can get the ebook and pdf through the link from the first slide. Don’t worry, it will be on the last slide, too.
If comics are an idea expressed through sequential art, you might wonder if picture books are comics. Picture books are not generally considered comics as the art usually supports the narrative rather than being the narrative. But there are times when the line between picture book and comic book blurs, and there is a hybrid picture book, which uses tools from comics to tell the story.
Graphic novels are a form of comics that follows the conventions of long-form storytelling using sequential art. You may hear them called comic books. Graphic novels are a type of comic book. Not all comic books are graphic novels.
I think of them separately. In my mind, comic books refers to volumes of serialized comics. Graphic novels and comic books are like movies and mini series.
Now, let’s talk about writing graphic novels. The process I’m teaching you today is the basic framework I use to write my comics. I adapted it from my method for writing prose, and like all writing methods, it will not always be a perfect fit. But it will give you a place to start so the next time you can adapt it to match your style.
[change slide]
Now, let’s begin with the idea.
How do you know your idea will work as a graphic novel?
Pretty much any idea can work as a graphic novel. The format will dictate the final result, so you need to think what kind of impact you want to make. I love middle grade graphic novels partly because at that age emotions get complicated and hard to explain in words. But comics allow visual reactions that readers can see clearly. Graphic novels are literally a show-don’t-tell medium.
On the other hand, if you want to get deep into your character’s head, then graphic novel may be the wrong choice.
For the purpose of this presentation, let’s say I want to adapt *A Christmas Carol* by Charles Dickens into a graphic novel. I think it would work well because Dickens provides plenty of description, and the story is not heavily reliant on introspection.
[change slide]
Next, I expand the idea into a web of more ideas that could fit into the story. Characters, quirky behaviors, settings, conflicts, emotional scenes, etc.
In the case of *A Christmas Carol* I need to choose whether I am going to do a faithful reproduction or a creative adaptation. Then I brainstorm primary themes, mood, key character traits, key scenes, etc.
[change slide]
Then I string the ideas together into a loose plot. In an adaptation, I can choose which scenes I want to use.
These first couple steps I can do on a note-taking app on my phone. I’ve got loads of ideas on my Notes app, and several loosely plotted in bullet points. Many will never become books, but the exercise keeps my writing brain engaged throughout my busy days, and in the habit of storytelling.
[change slide] END OF PART 1
Finally, it’s time to freewrite. With an idea of where I’m going, I write out the full story, writing quickly to get it out. No panels, just fun prose. I learned to do this during NaNoWriMo and it’s the greatest writing skill I’ve developed because it gets me into the zone immediately. Even if all I have is fifteen, ten, or five minutes, I can push all the noise in my head aside and just write.
This writing is not polished. It’s not something I let anyone read, but it lets me explore and discover new things about my characters I didn’t plan beforehand.
If you have a hard time getting into the zone, the best thing you can do is practice. I was terrible at it for a long time. By my third year doing NaNoWriMo, I started to get the hang of it. I have a blog post with tips and tricks on my website if you want to learn more about that.
For the adaptation, I can just use Dickens’s manuscript.
[change slide]
From the freewrite draft, I create a page outline by identifying the action beats and listing them out. It might seem like I’m repeating the step before the freewrite, and in a way, that’s exactly what I’m doing. Freewriting allows me creative freedom to discover more about my story than I could come up with just by outlining. So this outline is typically more detailed than the loose plot outline from earlier.
For *A Christmas Carol*, I’ve created a table with descriptions, actions, and emotions.
[change slide]
Now that I have a list of action beats, I can arrange them into pages and panels. I call this my storyboard. Illustrators will create thumbnails, which are rough sketches of what’s happening in each panel, the panel arrangement on the page, and where dialog will go.
The storyboard I create on this step is just words organized into pages. It helps me see where the beats fit. There are several illustration techniques to keep in mind as you storyboard.
– Page Turns – you want the final panel on the right page to encourage the reader to turn the page and keep reading.
– Panels per page – New panels are required when there is a change in time or space.
– Panels for pacing – The average graphic novel page contains 4-6 panels. The number of panels directly impacts the pacing. As a rule of thumb, the few panels you have, the faster the pacing.
– Splash Pages and Double-spreads – Splash pages refer to a single illustration on the entire page. Double-spreads are one illustration across the left and right page, the “spread”. These are used for impactful moments in the plot and emotional arc. Using them with too much frequency will diminish that impact.
[change slide]
Finally, I start writing the script.
There are two main ways comics creators work together. One is with a script written similar to a movie script, and the other is called the Marvel Method, or the Plot-first Method. This is where the writer hands the illustrator the story in paragraph form and lets the illustrator figure out the panel layout on the page. This method seems to work best after the team is comfortable working together and they each know what the other needs. Today, we’re going to talk about scripting with an actual script.
There is no universally adopted standard format for scripts, but there are a few templates you can use. Camilla Zhang and Steenz, comics creator and editor duo, came up with their template and share it on their website. The talented Brigitta Blair made their template into a Scrivener template, which you can also find on their websites. I have a link to it on my resources page.
If you use the template, I highly recommend you read the “how to” file that Zhang and Steenz provide. And if you use the scrivener template, you should definitely read the “about” section that Brigitta wrote up. I’m going to show you how I use it in real time, but reading the instructions will help you understand better.
[change slide]
Let’s do a quick overview of what goes into the script.
First, at the top of the page, you want to define the page number and whether it is the left page, right page, or double-spread. You can also list things like how many panels will be on the page, characters present, and time of day.
Then, below that, is the first panel with its number, and under that—in italics—is the description. You can define the type of panel and perspective, who is in the panel, what they are doing, the general atmosphere, relevant emotions, etc. This is all information for the illustrator. The amount of detail will depend on how much you want to control and how much creative liberty you want to leave up to the illustrator.
Then, any words that will appear on the page are written below the description. First, the tag in all caps tells the illustrator and letterer what kind of text it will be. Types of tags are speaker, caption, and sound effects. The speaker is identified by name along with any subtypes such as voice over (VO), internal dialog, whisper, radio, etc., anything that will change how the speech bubble will look. Captions can also be differentiated like the “TIME CAPTION” used in the sample. Sound effects is written SFX.
Then, under the tag, you have the actual text that will show up on the page. Many letterers like to have the dialog numbered so they know the order the balloons need to be read in.
As a general rule of thumb, a balloon should have no more than 25 words. After that, it starts to feel heavy and tiring to read. So if you go over, it should be on purpose to create that kind of effect.
A note about dialog. I have found it extremely important to be flexible with my dialog. I keep it loose until layout when I start to arrange balloons in the panels and I can visually see how much room my words take up and then I can tighten my dialog as needed. In the plot-first method, the writer describes what needs to be said and the intended emotional impact. Then, after the initial art is done, the writer tailors the dialog to fit the illustrations. The letterer then puts the dialog on the page.
For every panel, keep in mind the following questions:
– What is happening?
– To whom is it happening?
– How do they feel about it?
You know you need a new panel when there is a change in time and/or space or for emotional impact. So, if your character moves from the kitchen to the patio, one panel will be in the kitchen and the next will be on the patio, or possibly in the threshold between the kitchen and the patio.
If your characters are having a long conversation, you may need panels for reactions.
The layout of a page is a narrative tool that will define pacing and can elicit emotion. As the writer, you can suggest layout by explicitly writing it in, or leave that part up to the illustrator. Either way, the way you write the script will influence how the illustrator interprets the story.
Be sure to write in the time of day whenever that changes. This will make it a lot easier later in the artistic process.
[change slides-sample from Real Friends]
Check out this page from the book *Real Friends* by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham. It’s a pretty typical layout. 5 panels, all pretty average sized.
We know what is happening, to whom, and what she is feeling: Shannon is lonely as she tries to find a place she belongs.
The emotional beat on this page builds from the page before and culminates on the last panel, which has a girl calling her name, proving that she is still wanted.
I like this last panel because it’s nothing huge, but we want to see Shannon’s reaction. It’s a quiet page turn.
[change slide]
So, let’s turn back to *A Christmas Carol*.
I’ve identified and organized the action beats onto my storyboard. Even though I like doing my own illustrations, I am not a visual organizer when it comes to plotting. Using flashcards doesn’t help me much. I do like having everything on one page, though. So, my storyboard may look like this or a two column list for left and right page, or even just an expanded outline with the pages labeled.
From that, it’s fairly simple to write up the script.
I write in the panels, but I know those panels will change. It’s just good to have a starting point for illustrating, and everything important written in the right order.
And it feels really good to have a polished script you can send to agents, editors, and most importantly, your artist.
[change slides]
Okay, I know all of that was overwhelming, and we’re going to put it into practice in just a moment. But first, I want to talk briefly about collaborating.
When you write a picture book, the publisher usually has illustrators they can set you up with. In the graphic novel space, many publishers don’t offer that service. They want you to come with your artists. The comic book industry operates differently from graphic novel imprints. They have teams that consist of a writer, a penciller, an inker, one or two colorists, and a letterer. They are all separate disciplines requiring expertise.
In the graphic novel space, collaborations typically consist of the writer and the penciller. The penciller makes the creative decisions for layout and does all the drawings. They may also do the ink work, coloring, and lettering, or they may choose to hire out one or more pieces. The work for hire is usually paid upfront.
The copyright page tells us that Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham hired a colorist, and one other person helped with book design.
When searching for an illustrator to collaborate with you, you can wait until you have the script ready, or you can pitch the project much earlier to the prospective artist. There are typically two ways of collaborating: you shoulder the costs and pay the artist for their work, or you share the costs and the profits.
[change slides]
If you want to know more about finding an artist, and how collaboration works, I have a couple resources on my website, including a fantastic interview with Johnell DeWitt and Maggie Shang, co-creators of “The Runaway Train” in the *Let’s Go!* anthology.
[change slides]
Great! Time for the fun part. We’re each going to write a mini-comic, like the handout.
You can view this in action with my friend and author/editor, Laura Henriksen, in the pre-recorded session. You can find her on Facebook and on Bluesky.
Let’s start with step 1: Brainstorm
Think of some ideas that can fit on 6 pages. You don’t have to start from scratch. You can use a story you know really well for this exercise. Just pick a single scene. It doesn’t need to be a complete story. A scene will work well.
Pause the video while you decide on an idea. Then start it up again when you’re ready.
[change slides]
Step 2: Plot outline
For this, we just need a loose outline. Where do you want it to start and end? And a few beats to get you there.
I’ll just write it as bullet points.
Ready to move on?
[change slides]
Step 3: Freewrite
Write out your story. Don’t worry about polishing your prose. Just get out the whole story. Remember to keep it short for this mini-comic. Give yourself no more than thirty minutes. Less if you are experienced at freewriting. Or, if you are using an existing book, pick the paragraphs you want.
[change slides]
Good. Now on to Step 4: Page Outline.
Identify and organize the action and emotional beats, and the descriptions. A table can be a useful way to organize the information.
[change slides]
For Step 5:
Storyboard, you can use the template I provide on my website if you like to plot visually, or you can just expand the plot outline into the storyboard. That’s what I usually prefer. But for this mini-comic, it’ll be helpful to fold my paper and write directly onto the pages.
To fold this mini-comic, I fold the paper lengthwise.
Then width-wise.
Now I have an eight-page book with a few pages still attached. Before unfolding it and writing on the pages, I need to number the pages so I don’t lose track of order and orientation.
Front and back cover. Then 1-6.
Unfold the paper and be careful to write your story in the right order.
[change slide]
Finally, Step 6: Write the script.
You can pause it here if you want to use the sample script as reference. Or, you can follow along as I use the Scrivener template.
[film this part separately]
[change slides]
Congratulations! You now have a completed comic script.
Keep in mind that even though I numbered these steps, I approach each project differently. I may skip a step, or combine a couple, and I often repeat steps. Storyboarding is the most useful one for me. I might jump right into it after the freewrite and then go on to create a few drafts of the storyboard.
I encourage you to be flexible with your process, too. Remember, you have access to the transcript of this class and many more resources through this link to my website. I won’t be sharing the link publicly for the next several months.
With that, you have all the tools you need to write your own graphic novel.
Thanks so much for coming and I hope to read your books soon.
D. Higbee 