Course Syllabus

REQUIRED TEXTS

Panel One: Comic Book Scripts by Top Writers, by Nat Gertler
Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud
Making Comics, by Scott McCloud

Overview: 
Literary graphic novels are receiving unprecedented mainstream recognition, manga are surging in popularity, and the burgeoning medium of webcomics is bringing comics to millions of readers every day.  There’s no doubt about it—it’s an exciting time to be a comics creator.  Through reading and discussion of student scripts, this course will address traditional issues of narrative writing—characterization, plot, style, etc.—as well as issues unique to comics writing, such as visual storytelling, word/image balance, and writing for serialization.

Course Structure:
Each class will begin with a short discussion of issues and elements of comics writing.  Since this course is a workshop, however, the bulk of each class will be devoted to reading and discussing student work.   Each week, students will be asked to complete a short script to be discussed at the following class.  Students should bring enough copies of their work for everyone in the class.

Week One:
Introduction to visual storytelling
Basic elements of comics
Script formats and ways of writing comics

Week Two:
Choice of Moment
Transitions & flow

Week Three:
Word/Image Relationships
Image/text balance

Week Four:
Style, mood, & levels of reality

Week Five:
Writing for Serialization

Week Six:
Refining & revising
Working with artists
Working with editors