Rewriting While Writing

Hello Comic Book Fans!

I wrote a new page of a script I'm working on called Hit 'em High this morning. I only had five to six panels to tell a complete scene and the shift from the character being in a hopeful state to going to a disappointed that he got what he wanted state.

Does that make sense? It's early and the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.

Coffee approved by the Comics Code.

I only got the one page done this morning, but I took extra time to make sure the scene worked (at least for this draft). I used to rush through drafts just to finish things, but I feel like my writing has improved by slowing down and making sure I do rewrites as I work.

Stephen King's On Writing had a few sections that talked about writing and rewriting. I haven't read the book in several years, but I remember him saying that you shouldn't do rewrites until you've walked away from the project for a little while.

Here's a related quote from On Writing from Business Insider:

Part of "22 lessons from Stephen King on how to be a great writer" businessinsider.com

This is the most direct quote I can find that talks about "identifying the trees" when it comes to character, but it applies to all aspects of the story.

My only problem with waiting so long to work on a draft is that your intentions and idea of the story can change after waiting. I might want to completely change what the story is about and undo the original intention of the piece because I waited to long to go back to the project. Rewriting while writing allows me to think about what's happening while I write instead of after I write the story.

Do you feel the same way?

Would you rather wait to rewrite a story until after you've completed the entire project?

Post a comment and let me know!

Thanks for listening to today's rambling on writing and comics and a bigger thanks for reading this blog post.

Talk to you soon!

- Kenny

Writing a Comic Book Memior: Part 3

Hello Comic Fans!

I've been having a bit of a crazy week dealing with some family stuff, but I'm back on track with writing now. I actually recorded an episode of a podcast on writing, which I'll share when it gets posted.

The memoir is coming along on schedule. I was sent some updates by Gale and she asked me if it she was good to start working on the layouts. I told her to go for it, so now I'm waiting for those sweet pages to roll in! She's a delight to collaborate with and I couldn't be happier with the process.

I still don't have anything that I can share just yet, so please enjoy this little snippet of writing advice from Brian Clark that I completely agree with.

Makes sense to me.

I'm revising the outline for the rest of the story and coming up with the pitch for the book. I plan on submitting to both comic book and regular book publishers. I might even send it to some literary agents, since comic book memoirs tend to be a bit more popular in the literary world. At least when it comes to academia.

The projects I'm spending more time on while I work through these next steps are a manga inspired title that I talk about on the podcast, as well as the edits of the chapters of the novel I wrote this past summer.

The Importance of Writing Every Day

I've been off the radar for a little while. I haven't been slacking off... not completely. I've just been really bogged down with school. I'm in my senior year of college, and although I've been going long enough to be a doctor I'll only have a bachelor's degree in Writing.

I wanted to write up a blog for a couple of reasons. First, it's been way too long. Second, I wanted to remind everyone how important it is to still write every single day, no matter how busy you get. My time has been severely cut lately. While I might be able to count academic writing as part of my actual "writing" I don't do that. Why? Because I don't get the same joy out of the process.

So if you're facing a serious lack of free time I suggest trying some of these methods to revamp your writing schedule:

1. Pick a new time of day to write

If you find your usual ritual of waking up early and hitting the keyboard isn't cutting it anymore then try finding a new ritual or method. My big change was afternoon writing. I was used to going to the coffee shop or library and sitting down with my scripts or pitches and not being interrupted for hours. That's not happening right now, so I've had to switch to writing between classes and in the evening. It sucks for consistency, but at least it gets done.

2. Don't be too hard on yourself

You should still be hard on yourself, but not at the jump off a bridge level. I used to set a word goal every day that I would try to hit. For a while it was 2,000 words minimum. I just don't have time to do that right now. So usually, especially with scripting, I set a minimum page requirement. With scripting that's pretty easy. I give myself a goal of three to five script pages a day. Not terribly huge work, but not that small either.

3. Just write -- even if you feel like you can't

I've never really had writer's block, but when I'm stuck on a story and can't figure out what to do I just start working on something else. That way I don't lose momentum and when I work my way out of the problem in the first story I can jump back in. Now this might not work for everybody out there. I know lots of writers who can't switch back and forth. I just know that it works for me, so it might work for someone else.

4. Do a warm-up

This has helped quite a bit. I tend to write something else first before diving into my bigger projects. I write the Alternative Comics Beat article for Cosmic Book News. That's a great warm-up because I get to talk about comics without actually writing scripts. I get my head in the mindset of what I think a good comic book can do and then jump off that springboard I've built for myself.

I hope this helps someone who is stuck in any kind of writing rut and has had their free time cut short. Feel free to drop me a line if you have any other good suggestions or any questions. I'm going to try to post daily or at least every other day from now on.

Thanks for reading!

Writing Goals for the Summer

Things Are Happening...

This summer I've got a lot going on in terms of writing projects. I just started my internship at Cosmic Book News, where I'll be rebooting/restarting my "Alternative Comics Beat" column. If you missed it the first time around it's a place where I recommend comics you might not be reading if you only read the standard superhero fare. Even then, I still find some superhero gems that might have slipped out of your reach.

I've also got three comic book projects I'm currently working on. Bluster is the public project, the one I'm working on with Andy Budnick, but I've also got two secret projects going on right now. Once the scripts are done and there's artwork to show for it I'll gladly put it out there for the world to see.

On top of that I'm also slowly working on a novel. It's with a character that I've developed over the years, and admittedly is just a version of myself with black magic and a mean streak. But since the story is a personal one about the past and how people perceive you based on things that have happened to you, I think it's fitting to just openly admit that the character is heavily influenced on my life experiences.

What I've Been Pondering

I've been thinking a lot lately about self-publishing comics, especially with Bluster. Everyone who got a sneak preview of the comic at C2E2 this year really enjoyed what they saw, and it made me more excited than ever to produce creator-owned content. While I would love it if a bigger company picked up Bluster, I plan on releasing it first as a digital run and then collecting it in paperback or hardcover afterwards. There's something rewarding about doing everything yourself and being completely in control of the material, especially if you have a fan base. While we don't have one yet, the positive feedback we got tells me that Bluster is a story that people are going to be excited to read.

But For Now...

For now I just want to say that I hope anything I post on this blog inspires others to create. I don't care if it's comics, novels, music, web series, or even a blog or personal journal. Sharing and creating art, in any form, is best when someone connects with your message. So if you've got something to say, or an experience to share, don't hesitate. More than often someone else is looking to share that experience and can find it in your work.

A Big Thank You

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who supported Artifacts #33 being released last week. I'm just happy to have produced a comic that so many people enjoyed.

I promise more projects in the future, but for now enjoy your Wednesday pull lists!

Oh, What a Lovely Tea Party

The 2013 Fall semester has started and I'm already knee deep homework. I've got a full load of classes combined with the work up at the cottage that constantly needs to be done. Throw in the fact that I'm becoming the neighborhood dog walker and the chances of me ever taking an afternoon nap again get slimmer and slimmer.

The good news is that I'm still working on comic projects, as well as a few prose pieces.

In the comics department I've got a project cooking with Andy Budnick, a Michigan artist and dear friend of mine.It's my take on a superhuman prison and a story that looks at the prisons we build for ourselves inside of our work, family, friends, and minds.

Also there's a lot of explosions, so it's got that going for it.

I've also got some pitches I'm working on with other artists, but those are going to take a bit more time to get ready. Of course I'll share everything and keep people posted as things develop.

In other news, Cincy Comicon is almost here! This convention sounds like it's going to be one of the better events I've attended. If you haven't seen the guest list you should really check it out. The artists and writers attending are all stand-up ladies and gentlemen.

I would like to let everyone know that I'll be posting some writing services here with prices (varied) for different freelance projects. If you know someone that needs content written, edited, or even just critiqued, I'm going to be available for a multitude of different mediums and genres.

Hope all is well out there in internet land! And make sure to check out my new Alternative Comics Beat column on CosmicBookNews.com.

The Hoax - Short Comic

FIRST COMPLETED WORK

This is a short comic I wrote for the upcoming anthology called Cryptophobia from Viper Comics. The anthology is a collection of stories about cryptozoological animals and monsters.

This story is called The Hoax, and it deals with a shape shifter who takes pictures of cryptids in order to make a living. But when he sees an actual cryptid he experiences a mental breakdown that pushes him to the edge.

THE HOAX

Written by: Kenny Porter

Pencils/Inks/Letters by: Kendall Goode

Colors: Paulina Ganucheau

*Note* - I suggest reading it in full-view by clicking the link title to get the full effect of the amazing art and color work.

The Hoax - Finished-1000x(1)

Ink Ribbon - Re-Release - Published by Visionary Comics!

INK RIBBON GETS THE SPECIAL EDITION TREATMENT!

(Current New Work-In-Progress Cover)

My first completed comic book, Ink Ribbon, has been picked up by Visionary Comics for publication.

Ink Ribbon is the story of Michael Green, an art thief who always relies on the one person he can trust -- himself. But when he fails to listen to his girlfriend Elaine's warning about being a lone wolf, he soon finds himself on the verge of death with the police hot on his trail.

Visionary's editing team is going to help make Ink Ribbon a much leaner, meaner, and more formidable comic book.

I can't thank C. Edward Sellner and the rest of the Visionary Comics team enough.

More information about the release as we find out about it!

First Sample Script - "Lotto"

First Sample Script!

I just uploaded the first sample script with Scribd on the Sample Scripts page. It's an original one-shot I wrote and submitted to Dark Horse comics, though I'll be submitting it other places as well.

Feel free to read it and let me know what you think. That's why I designed this site after all!

Here's a link to it:

Lotto

Enjoy!