The comic script is complete. The beast turned out to be twenty five pages instead of twenty two. I believe after re writes I'll have the little bastard darling firmly within his twenty two page box. John Cutter walks amongst you now, all monsters beware!
Next on the project agenda is a contribution to the blog Doctor Her. I've been rather neglectful during my battle to perfect Cutter. The blog is based on certain beliefs both political and social. I love being a featured contributor for the simple fact it keeps me "SMART."
After running around in the multiple universes of my creation, dealing with real people and real issues can become problematic. Sure you want to discuss the thirty six ways there are to kill a werewolf or how to blow of a Prince of Hell, I got you. Now after a couple of weeks sequestered away writing, ask me whats going on in the REAL WORLD.......I got nothing.
Doctor Her allows me to combine my love of science, fiction, writing, horror, and life lessons with the nasty problems facing real people. It keeps my research skills sharp and give me a metaphorical way to suggest solutions or incite debate.
I've got my new topic and I've started my research, please feel free to stop buy www.doctorher.com any time. Leave comments, join in the debates, whatever you choose to do keep your mind in gear and for the love of all things, STAY SHARP!!!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Comic Script Writing and the Onslaught of Verbal Vomit
Writing dialogue for a comic book, no matter what genre, is absolutely frustrating for the novelist. I believe perhaps it maybe easier for me, seeing that I write horror and dark fantasy. There's some, not a lot, but some practice with condensing your verbiage.
What has to happen when writing for comics is.....each word must be carefully weighted, petted, cooed over and dissected from each angle before you use it. Each word has to convey the mood, the meaning and the overall theme.
When writing short fiction or a novel you can use pages or paragraphs to covey these messages. In comics you MAY, just MAY, get to use four words.
Most of your story and the lives of your characters should be see by the reader, like a snapshot in one space of time. most of your writing conveys limited directions to your artist on how you want the panels to look and the overall feel of the entire story.
My job as the writer is to condense everything the characters need to say and the actions and interactions into twenty-two too thirty -four pages of awesomeness. Within these pages I've got my theme, the plot, the background of my characters, their motivations, and the creation of a story that makes you want to give a fuck about why they are doing what they do.
The time I spend on each section of dialogue is MONUMENTAL to what I used to do when pumping out short fiction or working on a novel.
I can tell you this type of writing makes you smarter, more creative, concise and well planned with the journey you commit to taking. You come to understand that empires rise and fall from the whisper or shout of just one word.
What has to happen when writing for comics is.....each word must be carefully weighted, petted, cooed over and dissected from each angle before you use it. Each word has to convey the mood, the meaning and the overall theme.
When writing short fiction or a novel you can use pages or paragraphs to covey these messages. In comics you MAY, just MAY, get to use four words.
Most of your story and the lives of your characters should be see by the reader, like a snapshot in one space of time. most of your writing conveys limited directions to your artist on how you want the panels to look and the overall feel of the entire story.
My job as the writer is to condense everything the characters need to say and the actions and interactions into twenty-two too thirty -four pages of awesomeness. Within these pages I've got my theme, the plot, the background of my characters, their motivations, and the creation of a story that makes you want to give a fuck about why they are doing what they do.
The time I spend on each section of dialogue is MONUMENTAL to what I used to do when pumping out short fiction or working on a novel.
I can tell you this type of writing makes you smarter, more creative, concise and well planned with the journey you commit to taking. You come to understand that empires rise and fall from the whisper or shout of just one word.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
When Reality Kills the Monster
I've been wrangling these insane ideas in my head for years, never once has the Muse stopped answering, until today.
Finishing my project today has been an Olympic event. The act of putting anything besides shit down on paper has been exhausting. I shall endeavor to conquer on.
Writing for me is all about the mind set. I have to be set to to let the Mind Monster loose. The Monster finds the Muse, they whisper sweet things in dark closet. I creep up and scribble down the ramblings. Often or not there are a few squid in the mix too. The problem, the car crash, the killer, the virus occurs when "REALITY" and "WORRY" stand between the Monster, the Muse and myself.
Just have to re-set the brain and find the right station, then transmission can begin again.
Looking over my current projects, things I've already posted about prior, I can see I'm progressing. I can see things getting finished polished and off to run amok amidst the normal folks.
My main focus today is completion of my twenty two page comic book script for Cutter. These characters deserve to have their story told. It's my responsibility to put it down in the best possible manor.
Comic book writing is all about the seeing, novel writing weaves a picture with words. Sounds similar doesn't it? Well it absolutely isn't. Both very separate mediums, with techniques exclusive to the particular craft.
I've found an artist that plans to help me bring Cutter and his world to life. This particular project has become my special little darling, and we're supposed to kill our darlings aren't we? Maybe I just don't want to let this story or these characters go because they are so real to me.
Regardless of my subconscious reasons, the Monster and the Muse demand their sacrifice and I shall kill my special darling this week.
Finishing my project today has been an Olympic event. The act of putting anything besides shit down on paper has been exhausting. I shall endeavor to conquer on.
Writing for me is all about the mind set. I have to be set to to let the Mind Monster loose. The Monster finds the Muse, they whisper sweet things in dark closet. I creep up and scribble down the ramblings. Often or not there are a few squid in the mix too. The problem, the car crash, the killer, the virus occurs when "REALITY" and "WORRY" stand between the Monster, the Muse and myself.
Just have to re-set the brain and find the right station, then transmission can begin again.
Looking over my current projects, things I've already posted about prior, I can see I'm progressing. I can see things getting finished polished and off to run amok amidst the normal folks.
My main focus today is completion of my twenty two page comic book script for Cutter. These characters deserve to have their story told. It's my responsibility to put it down in the best possible manor.
Comic book writing is all about the seeing, novel writing weaves a picture with words. Sounds similar doesn't it? Well it absolutely isn't. Both very separate mediums, with techniques exclusive to the particular craft.
I've found an artist that plans to help me bring Cutter and his world to life. This particular project has become my special little darling, and we're supposed to kill our darlings aren't we? Maybe I just don't want to let this story or these characters go because they are so real to me.
Regardless of my subconscious reasons, the Monster and the Muse demand their sacrifice and I shall kill my special darling this week.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Demons, Dead Girls and Monsters
It has been some time since my last post. Real life interrupting the writer at work, real life has been beaten with a stick and chased back to its closet. I’m now able to devote myself to the whispers of evil tales inside the noggin.
I have been learning the art of comic script writing and boy what a devious mistress she is. I’m currently working on my first twenty two page script and this type of creating certainly tests your limits and forces you to examine each word, each pause, each thread in the pattern. I love it, I believe it will make me a better novelist and short fiction writer. If I could give any new author advice it would be to attempt to cram one hundred pages of work into twenty two pages of pure descriptive art. Once you begin, you may want to hunt me down and kill me BUT I promise if you learn the craft and be honest you will emerge a better and more capable writer. This all being said I can’t wait to let my boy John Cutter, the main protagonist of my script, loose on the unsuspecting world. It has been an absolute pain in the ass to create but it’s my most loved and cherished work so far.
I anticipate more news forthcoming regarding the final publication date of my non-fiction work, Autumn Painted Red, this book has taken myself and the other contributors on one hell of a roller coaster ride. It’s some amazing writing and I am looking forward to comments and feedback.
My zombie anthology project, The Final Migration, lurches toward completion. This is another overdose of talented people putting their own precise spin on a common subject. Lots of time, work, effort, and cussing have gone into getting this book off the ground and rolling. There’s no one who deserves more thanks or credit than my good friend and talented writer Alex Ness.
Two more projects have made their appearance this week. A short story of divine evil and perhaps another comic script about little dead girl and her companions. Things are still evolving and as always ever changing.
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