How to make your first story as a comic writer (Patreon)

When I wrote the first page to Black Key Incubus, it was really intimidating to think about all the elements that go into a comic/graphic novel. Finding an affordable artist, publishing, retaining ownership of copyrights, etc. – I about pulled my hair out half the time just trying to figure out which step I needed to tackle first.

But what stuck out was that I needed to make the story first.  

Duh, right? 

I had so many great ideas in my head, and I just wanted to jump to the building process. But the reality was I was without a game-plan to execute. I was a pirate with a treasure map – setting sail without a ship... 

What really helped me was sitting down and writing out what I needed first to get the comic moving: an imaginative setting, likable characters, and a unique plot. While those 9 words seem super easy to write out, building your own fantasy world from the ground up isn't. I always us the acronym KISS to help me make decisions as I build my stories:

Keep It Simple, Sis 

(Warrior Princess Hairflip)

Here are some writing tips based on how I wrote my comic and how you can use them to create your own amazing tales:

1. Identify Your Motivators

First and foremost, you need to acknowledge the elephant question in the room: why are you making this story? You want to have this idea out on paper first because it will help you shape your story from whatever your end goals may be. Here are some questions to keep in mind:

• Are you motivated to create a story because you have a passion for storytelling? 
• Are you creating a story YOU want to read or are you creating it for the sake of others?
• Is your desire to create a story for personal glory, attention, and/or fame?
• Do you want to create for the sake of creating? 
• OR are you creating a story simply because you want to do it?

These example questions help you create a better picture for the purpose behind your story. Not any one question provides the right path because they all tie together to create your unique goals. Think for yourself and your wants/needs – when it's all said and done and the story is published and printed, what do you want out of it? What's your endgame? Once you have this laid out, you can evaluate where you want your story to go.

As an example of this, I'm writing my comic because it's a story I would have wanted growing up as a closeted gay teen. I think stories like this would have really helped me learn to love myself better, and would have encouraged that self-love to grow into self-esteem. Maybe, if I'd had something like Black Key Incubus at 16, I wouldn't have felt so scared to come out of the closet.

2. Create an Imaginative Setting

The second step in bringing your comic to life is building the world where your characters will live, breathe, eat, sleep, love, fuck, fight, and die. But this is a hell of a lot more than just the physical location or space for your story – it's everything from the mythology, character lifestyles, backstory, and major influencing forces that affect your various story arcs. The key to nailing your setting is to go with what you like. What are your interests? Draw inspiration from those.

I draw a lot of inspiration from Abrahamic mythology (Judeo-Christian myths and creatures from the Torah and Bible) and occult studies to guide my story because it's what I like. I love magic, demons, and the occasional benevolent god/goddess, so I use historical and mythological tales of old to create my own characters and their powers. 

Black Key Incubus takes place in Redcove, Oregon – a fictional town I made up. I chose this physical location for my setting because I love the Pacific Northwest and Gravity Falls, one of my favorite cartoon shows, also takes place in Oregon. Use things that inspire you to create what you want to see, but be sure to make it original.

3. Develop Likable Characters

The third step in creating your story is developing your characters. While it's easy to think up characters and love them like any dad or mom would, you have to make them relatable if you want other people to care about them, too. Half of writing is drawing inspiration from things you have personally experienced or seen in your life, so use your experiences as fuel for your characters, their struggles, and their quirky qualities. Here's a step-by-step process I use for making my characters:

For main/supporting characters...

     1 – Design your character look.

     2 – Add a quirky physical or personality trait that keeps them humble and interesting.

     3 – Add an issue or negative trait that creates conflict for this character.

For villains/big bads... 

    1 – Design your character look.

    2 – Add an intimidating power or skill that makes them an obstacle for the hero.

    3 – Add a personal goal for this character that conflicts with the hero's moral code.

One thing to note: I make my main character and my villain at the same time. This, for me, is a crucial step in introducing the main arc for the plot and saves headaches later when you have your hero finished, but no real or appealing villain for them to face-off against.

It's hella easy to get invested in your main character, your protagonist, but your villain needs just as much love to be a successful addition to your story. Get down wit your bad self. Feel the evil flow through you and dive headfirst into your villains character development >:]

4. Build a Unique Plot

Plots are like pancakes – too much batter or milk can ruin them. You want your plot to be simple and interesting to follow, but also easy to grasp. Sometimes I have to rework an entire page because my ideas get wayyy to grandiose for what the particular scene can handle. While I firmly believe there's no surefire formula to creating the perfect plot, here are some things to keep in mind when creating yours:

• Organize by priority – what needs to happen first before the next action can begin?
• Take your time with dialogue and scene development – it never hurts to space things out.
• Use plot twists only when they're relevant.
• Humble your Hero – don't be afraid to have them make "wrong" decisions in a scenario.
• Humble your Villain – humanize your bad guys to make them more likable. Make their reason for being a villain believable and compelling.
• Give supporting characters a prominent role – build their backstory and highlight their personal growth, struggles, and story arcs.

There's no right or wrong way to build out a story – the key is to make it how you want and believe in it. Your story is your creation – it needs your love and nurturing to grow and develop. There are tips to make readers more invested in your characters, which helps drive and build your fanbase, but the ultimate takeaway from this is to find your unique voice as a writer/illustrator. 

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde

Thanks for reading :)

-J