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 Memoir: Part 4 (Restructuring)

Hello Comic Fans!

It's been a few days since I've updated, but sometimes life finds a way to stop your blog. Sometimes its with hospital visits and helping family, sometimes its because someone created dinosaurs in a theme park by splicing frog DNA.

Well put Dr. Malcolm.
(You can find this on Etsy by sweetandlovely)

But I've still been writing and working on the memoir whether I've posted about it or not. Gale and I email frequently and talk about the project, as well as just check up on each other since we're both quality people. I'm going to say it a lot, but Gale is a fantastic collaborator.

Right now my challenge is breaking the second chapter. I have a general outline and a solid ending, I'm just discovering new recurring themes and elements in my true story that I didn't notice until now. It's like my life is a movie I've had on in the background a hundred times, but never sat down to actually watch and analyze the damn thing. Once you do you start noticing some pretty interesting stuff.

One recurring element in my life is prison or imprisonment. I'm kind of the black sheep of my immediate family, because I'm the only one that's never been incarcerated. But there's a period of my life that was very much like being in prison, and playing with that element in the story is going to be important.

At least I think it will be.

I'll be sharing some layouts and character sketches in the next post, as well as a more solid synopsis. I wanted Gale's permission before I started posting stuff, because this is her project just as much as it is mine.

I'm also willing to share script pages and talk about the writing process if anyone is interested. Just leave a comment with any questions you have and I'll make sure to answer them!

Thanks for reading and keep on writing!

- 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.

Studying Comic Book Craft

Studying Comic Book Craft

Writing every single day is only half the battle for someone looking to create their own story. It doesn't matter if it's a comic, a novel, or a screenplay, the only way to get better at something is to constantly expose yourself to elements of your craft.

Despite being in school for the past umpteen years, I've found ways to learn a little more about creating comic books and the comic book industry nearly every day of the week. They might not be big leaps or bounds, but even the littlest bit of information or exposure keeps me excited about writing and making comics with other creators.

Podcasts

I spend a lot of time in the car, so listening to podcasts that talk about comic book craft helps me feel like I'm less of a road zombie between errands and classes.

Right now one of my favorite podcasts about creating comics is Decompressed by Kieron Gillen (Young Avengers, Phonogram). Gillen talks to other creators about creating and crafting comics, and the guests always provide deep insight and methods for producing great material.

Decompressed Podcast Cover

Books

I try to read a book on comic book craft at least one every week or two weeks, even if it's just a chapter a day or every other day. There are a ton of books that you can get on the subject of making comics. So here are a few that stand out on my shelf:

• Make Comics Like the Pros - by Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente
• The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics - by Dennis O'Neil
• The Insider's Guide to Creating Comics and Graphic Novels - by Andy Schmidt
• Making Comics - by Scott McCloud

I'd personally recommend starting with The DC Comics Guide, because O'Neil goes into detail about setting up a plot, character arc, and a resolution to a single-issue comic book script.

The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics - O'Neil

Reading Comics

This is a big one, and it's not always easy to do. I try to read at least a single comic book every day of the week. I'll often read it once for fun, then go back and analyze how panels were paced, where the cliffhangers and page turns were used, and how the story played out over 20-24 pages. Having apps like Marvel Unlimited and Scribd help a lot for this, since it saves me serious money on a daily basis.

You can't really write if you don't read.

Just make sure not to replace all writing with reading - I'm guilty of that sometimes. Haha

Finally

I try to remember that some days I'm not going to find anything new, and that's fine. Even if I do one of these things it feels like I'm making steps in the right direction. I'd suggest adopting any of these habits if you want to keep your motivation up and deepen your knowledge of comic book craft on a daily or even weekly basis.

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!

"Rise and Fall" - Flash Creative Nonfiction Experiments

I've been experimenting with creative nonfiction lately between juggling comic book projects, my internship, and plugging away at the novel I'm working on (Chapter 13 currently). This is a little piece I wrote about this summer. I't kind of prose poetry, but most flash creative nonfiction tends to read that way.

I still want to work on this, but this is the current draft.

Enjoy!

Rise and Fall

Written by: Kenny Porter

From LifeHacker.com

Her chest rises and falls with each sleeping breath. Navy blue sheets bundle at our feet. Fan blades hiss in the window between wood molding and white walls. Recirculated air cuts over her body and drapes over mine. Monitor light bathes the room in a deep, rich yellow.

My hand slides up her back. I rub her shoulder, letting her know I’m awake. She stirs, but still sleeps. My hand glides down her arm, her side, and her leg. Her hair lifts from a burst of air. Goosebumps rise on her skin and her feet slide up and down the mattress.

Summer crickets lull me to sleep. My body sweaty from her embrace. My heart still booms in my chest, but my mind races faster -- walks we’ve shared, meals we’ve eaten, and the travels we’ll embark on together.

She rolls on her side, hands under her head. I slide my arm under her pillow, fitted against her back. The heat is unbearable. Two bodies wrapped in navy on a ninety degree night.

I can’t let go. My heart beats against her back, rhythmic, like an old locomotive. Louder in my ear than the chirps from crickets.

My hand runs up her leg, back to her face. She moans and nuzzles backward toward me. My hot breath wraps around her neck. Her chest rises and falls as she breathes.

I drift to sleep. Slowly, then like a hurricane.

Our first date is the stage, we the players. A coffee shop in a blistering Michigan winter. The date flashes like the bulbs of ancient cameras. Hot coffee, wood stove pizza, and a musical backdrop for the drinks on my couch. We probe with jokes and anecdotes. The conversation crests and drops between the two of us.

She sits at the other end of the couch, legs curled up, and I mimic her on my end. We talk, laugh, and the moment comes when we lock eyes. Everything rises in our chests. I want to kiss her. She’s too far away. I feel the moment drop away. A perfect moment built like a metaphysical bridge. Now it’s a cinder block, dropped off the side and falling toward a cold river.

I ask if I can kiss her.

She laughs and says, “yes.”

I shudder awake. My sweat is frozen from the fan. I grasp for blankets at my feet. I’ve shifted to the other side. The dark side of the mattress. Romantic heat from my body has run dry to fuel my dreams. I wrap myself and press against her back again.

She’s warm. I wrap my arms around her, rest them below her chest. Cold night air has settled. I hold her tightly. I time my breaths with hers. My heart booms out of sync, but our lungs rise and fall together.

Comics Experience Make Comics Podcast Ep. 71 - Guest Appearance!

I was asked to talk on Ep. 71 of the Comics Experience Make Comics Podcast to talk about works inspire me to make my own comics. The other fantastic guests are Paul Allor, Amy Chu, Rich Douek, Bryan Richmond, and Joe Sergi!

Listen to the podcast

A big thanks to Joey Groah and Andy Schmidt, as well as the whole Comics Experience team!

My So-Called Writing Life

The story so far

This year marked the release of my first major comic book title. When Artifacts #33 hit the shelves a feeling came over me that was hard to describe. To paint you a picture as closely as possible, I'll tell you that I was excited, scared, and five-years-old. What I mean by the whole age thing is that I felt the same rush at the comic book store that I did as a youngster. I wasn't just a fan of the magic, I was part of it. It's the equivalent of Harry Potter fans reading about Hogwarts and then stepping off the train for their first class of Defense Against the Dark Arts.

But one thing kept coming up right before and after the book's release. Many people I know assumed that I wasn't going to be working as hard as I had been before the comic was released. In fact a few people have been throwing the word "famous" around. While I appreciate anyone who calls me famous (seriously it makes me feel like a giddy teenage girl) I don't think it applies in the slightest. Besides, that's not really what I'm going for when it comes to my writing career.

I see the publication of my first big issue at Top Cow as a step in the right direction. The first of many stone pillars I hope to climb in the next few years. And I don't think that I've made any big splash in the pond to start waving around flags, shooting flares, or chucking lightning bolts about. If anything I see it as the new bar that I have to continuously reach towards and now surpass. Which isn't easy, considering I'm hard on myself when it comes to writing.

Meanwhile, at the hall of scribbling

To achieve all of my writing goals I've had to come up with a schedule that's pretty brutal. Considering I'm working, going to school full time, and trying to make a comics career, there isn't a lot of room for screwing around. I feel bad when I have to turn down some trips to the bar, but when I'm there I just have creator's guilt anyway. I find myself wishing I was back at home working instead of overpaying for a glass of scotch.

So here's what I've been doing, and if it helps any other aspiring writers that's fantastic. If not, maybe it'll just be interesting to someone who wants to read more about comic book and fiction writers.

1. I write daily

This seems like the thing that everyone remembers from Stephen King's On Writing, but it's a solid piece of advice. Not only does it keep me sharp, it gives me a creative product at the end of the day. Right now I'm working on a novel that I dedicate at least 500 words to every afternoon (unless I have a short story due) and pair that with writing a minimum of five comic book pages and editing at least one script or short story before bed.

Treating writing like my own 9-5 job helps in ways you can't imagine. I remember hearing Jim Lee say on Kevin Smith's "Fat Man on Batman" podcast that he treated his drawing like a full-time job, even when no one had hired him. Whether you enjoy Jim Lee's art or not, that's a philosophy that separates people who can dream and people who can build there dreams into reality.

2. Process versus Product

I have a class right now that's almost completely full of shit in terms of how it romanticizes writing and "the process." Don't get me wrong, the instructor is a delight and I've learned a great deal of things about consulting and tutoring someone in writing. But the thing about the class that pisses me off is that it supports those kids who sit around "world building" for five years.

What do I mean by the "world building" kids? Well, first of all, "kids" is a blanket term. I use it way too much in life, but I figured I'd just explain that now instead of backspacing and writing this post like someone I'm not. Second, the "world builders" are the people who are studying writing or want to be writers but never produce anything. They're in love with the idea of being a writer and being admired for it, but they never finish any stories or put them out for exposure in the real world.

Referring to my writing as a product doesn't make it corporate or cheap. It gives me a finished labor of love that I can rework, reshape, and put out for the world to enjoy. Without a product there's no point in writing. So if someone tells you that you should never call your writing a "product" and that it's a "process," remind them that all of that person's favorite writers turned in a finished product when their manuscripts went to print.

Having a product of your writing at the end of the week will do wonders for you, even if it's just a rough draft.

3. Going out is a reward

This is the part that turns a lot of people off. I was talking to a girl in my major and she asked me about my writing/work/exercise schedule. When I told her she laughed and asked if I had anytime for a social life. The truth is, no matter how much I love those incredible times I spent with my friends after high school, part of me wishes I had worked harder.

My friends are incredible. I consider them family and I spend as much time as I can with them. But I also want to improve my craft and work towards writing as a living. That means putting in the time to get as good as I can at it, then putting in more time to be even better than that level.

No matter how hard I work, I always take time to spend with my friends. Even if it's just one night a week. They're my inspiration and my collective for talking about books, movies, TV, music, and all other forms of literature. 

That's all folks

I wish it were some big, complicated system that I could sell and make a million dollars from. But it's not. It's just these three simple things that I've crafted around my busy schedule. So if you're looking for inspiration, take it from a guy who is his own harshest critic -- feel free to beat yourself and work hard, but make sure to at least reward yourself. You should always be striving to go farther in your creative endeavors, always reaching for a new goal, but not at the cost of sleeping or eating.

Writing Improvements for Mr. Porter

I've been really lacking when it comes to writing up posts on this blog, but I do have a good reason for that. You see I've been putting my nose to the grindstone so much that I now only have a hole on the front of my face. I knew that I had the whole summer to write comic book scripts and pitches, but I didn't know I was going to spend the entire season doing exactly that.

I regret nothing!

Don't get me wrong, I go outside all the time. Between walking the dogs, going for runs, and taking strolls with my headphones on, I keep active. And a good book and a tall cup of iced coffee usually get me outside in the evenings.

The stories I've been working on are some of my best. Do I think that the things I've written in the past were bad? No, not at all. But I have seen an increase in creativity and skill from myself that I've never noticed before. Usually after a year or so I would notice a jump in my craft, but lately I've been jumping by leaps in bounds.

How can I tell without sounding like I'm giving myself fellatio?

That's a hard question (laughs like a schoolgirl at that pun), but I think I can answer it. The help that I've received from fellow writers and people in the comics industry has been phenomenal this year. The Comics Experience Workshop has been a huge help to me. The staff of Comics Experience, led by Andy Schmidt, is so knowledgeable and willing to push others to succeed that it should be criminal. Monthly challenges and critiquing other writer's scripts has kept me on my toes this year and I'm very thankful for it.

If you'd like to know more, here's a video for a bit of a visual appetizer:

Learn more about Comics Experience courses and the Creators Workshop community from Comics Experience on Vimeo.

If you're thinking about writing or drawing comics I can't recommend Comics Experience enough. They have classes for every aspect of the comic book industry and workshops each month that delve deeper into the creative and business sides of panels and gutters.

Instead of sitting around and asking yourself if you should create your own comics, why not just sign up and see if you like it?

Also, I want to point out that I'm not getting paid for this. This is pure opinion. Andy Schmidt has no idea that I'm writing this post.

So as I sip on this tall iced coffee before I go for my daily run, I want to remind everyone that they should always pursue what they love and surround themselves with others looking to succeed.

PORTER OUT!

*Drops invisible microphone*

Writing Comics with Ken Porter - Part 1: The Idea

The first installment of many!

The most dreaded question in any facet of the writing kingdom is “where do you get your ideas from?” For budding writers or creative types, it seems like a valid question. There wouldn’t be content if people didn’t have a means of finding ideas for stories, projects, or other endeavors. The truth is that generally creative people can’t turn it off. It just keeps happening. The best way I can describe how my process works is in two words – what if?

But it isn’t just the two words that contribute to my wondering imagination. I’m also heavily influenced by music. I walk the dog every morning and take lots of other walks just for fun. Each time I hit the pavement or trail I throw my headphones on and pick music that suits my mood. I’ve always been really into visual mediums, so music is also visual for me. What I mean by that is that while I’m listening to any song I default to picturing images to go along with it. Sometimes it’s a fake trailer for a movie. Other times I just let the images pour over me. To be honest, when I’m in a bit of a rut, I’ll listen to theme songs of cartoons and TV shows I liked as a kid (or now) and think about how I would reinterpret them. Aside from divine inspiration, this is how I usually milk the ideas out of my skull.

Once I have an idea for a comic book and have a story locked down I think about how long it should naturally be. Is it a one-shot, an original graphic novel, or a mini-series? It might sound strange to decide how long a story is going to be before you write it, but in comics you’re working in pages and limited space. For example, a lot of the Big Two (Marvel and DC) comics are just about 20 pages long. That means that every story told by writers at those companies have to be told in 20 pages or in parts of that increment. Independent series have a bit more leeway with the page count, but it’s still around 20 or 24 on average.

This doesn’t have to be set in stone. It usually changes after a day or two of outlining, but it’s good to know within a good margin how long a story is going to be before you start it. I guess at least for me it is. One thing about writing comics is that there is no set way to approach or script a story. It’s similar to screenwriting, but doesn’t have all of the rules and regulations. The concept of pacing is really important, so if a story seems like it’s going to be too condensed or too fluffy I’ll trim or expand where necessary.

When the idea is fleshed out I make a one-sheet that has all of the series information. This isn’t for anyone else to see but me. It’s just a guide so that I don’t forget.

Here’s an example.

Title: A Crazy Space Adventure

Genre: Science Fiction/Action/Thriller

Length: 4-Issues (20-Pages Each)

Synopsis:

Captain Space Guy and his crew struggle to solve a murder mystery before the killer can crash their ship into the sun.

Characters:

Captain Space Guy

This is where the description would go. Etc.

And that’s generally what I do first. I need to know what the story is and who the major players are. Then I usually write out a treatment, or complete story in paragraph form, of what happens in each issue below that information. That way I have a guide on how to pace the pages of the story later.

I’ll get more into how I decide to pace out pages in the second installment, but for now I hope this helps with anyone who uses Google to try and find information about comic book writing.

Comment with any questions you might have!

Updates - 12/19/2012

The Wonderful World of Pitching

It's been a while since I updated this site, but I wanted to keep everyone who has been following my aspirations this far in the loop.

What do I have planned for 2013?

Each New Year's resolution that I've made has been related to my career in some way. This past year it was working for a publisher. I worked for Visionary Comics for just over seven months and it was a wonderful experience.

This year's resolution is to have an original title published. How I'm planning to do this is by working with artists that I trust and respect on multiple pitches this year and getting them out to as many eyes as possible.

Right now Kendall Goode and I are working on a project that we're both very excited about. I don't want to spoil the story just yet, but the premise is wrapped around our love for Super Sentai (Power Rangers/Kamen Rider) from Japan. It'll be a celebration of the genre as well as playing on it a little. It's a lot like Invincible and how it played off of Superman.

Andy Budnick and I are going to be working on a space mystery that I've come up with after reading Planetary by Warren Ellis and having my mind blown. It's similar in tone, but I've had an idea for a space exploration story for a while that would fit the mood I've been put in by Ellis' work.

Brandon Williams and I are doing a manga-inspired story that, like the Super Sentai project, will both celebrate and poke fun at the genre. Anime and manga heroes tend to have a very similar arc, and I want to move that story out of its comfort zone and give that kind of character much more cerebral problems than tournament manga tends to do.

So that's the basic plan! As the projects come to light I'll be sharing them with everyone. I've also got a screenplay I'm writing, a novel I'm working on, and writing for Sequential Review and Cosmic Book News. Needless to say, I've got a lot on my plate.

Good thing I'm hungry.