Inspired by a recent post in the forum, I throw around a few thoughts that have been percolating in my mind about naming comics projects. Should we fire from the hip on this, or are there other concerns we should consider when naming a comics project? And what’s all this got to do with comics in libraries?
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Thunder Punch Daily 47 – Naming Your Comic Read More »
Today I submit an creative exercise that I think makes for better writing. And the best part? It’s probably something you already do. Take a TV show you really love, and talk to someone who loves it as much once a week. During your conversations you should be looking for character inconsistencies between episodes. As you find these inconsistencies, ask yourself if they suggest some deeper aspect to the character that isn’t apparent within the context of the show itself. As usual, I highlight some of my own experiences to back up my points.
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Thunder Punch Daily 42 – Nerdy Fascinations Read More »
Today I answer a question from Rene van Belzen about how to keep the fires burning when working on a long-form comic. I share some of my personal experiences in letting old projects go until I found the story that made me say “…and it’s gonna be awesome!” Afterwards I share a few thoughts on the importance of taking on tons of small projects until you find that awesome story.
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Thunder Punch Daily 37 – Keeping The Fire Burning Read More »
Another one from the forum: Is copying and pasting artwork cheating? I share some of my thoughts on the subject, using my professional illustration work, the works of other comics creators, animation, and the Switch Runners project to back up my points.
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Thunder Punch Daily 34 – Copy & Paste Read More »
Today I build on some thoughts I shared on a recent Art & Story Extreme!! and talk a bit about sincerity and how I use an experience I had when watching the Robotech series to put myself back in that mindset.
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Thunder Punch Daily 26 – Jumping on the Couch Read More »
Today I share some thoughts about another go-to premise that offers lots of story building ideas: The Trap. Taking a character out of their comfortable element and thrusting them into a situation they didn’t ask for and can’t escape from. Such a situation becomes an exploration of how their character must evolve in order to become worthy of their new vocation.
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Thunder Punch Daily 23 – The Trap Read More »
Today I leap off of topics broached in Mark of the Beast 12 and High Adventure Daily 13 to share a few thoughts on writing longer stories without letting any extraneous (or fat) make it into the narrative. One mustn’t mistake our focus on creating lean stories as an indictment on long-form comics.
I refer to Thunder Punch Daily 06 – Argue For Your Theme in this episode as well.
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Thunder Punch Daily 22 – More Content, Half The Fat Read More »
Today I answer a question asked in the forums by Rene van Belzen:
How do I know what a character thinks or feels if it hasn’t been developed yet, nor feel any compassion for it?
The big secret of writing is that it’s what we did on the playground as children. The problem with teaching is it becomes too easy to bewilder the audience with terminology, charts, and definitions.
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Thunder Punch Daily 20 – It’s Only Pretending, After All Read More »
Today I model a word association exercise I use in classrooms to demonstrate how one can build a simple point of interest into a serviceable (or at the very least, fun) story idea.
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Thunder Punch Daily 18 – Associate for Ideas Victory! Read More »
Today I discuss what could be considered a character archetype: The Small Soulful One. Many of us think of characters like Yoda as a good representation of that type, but I explain why I think characters like Paddington Bear and Pippi Longstocking are even better at exploring what makes that kind of character special.
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Thunder Punch Daily 16 – The Small Soulful One Read More »