Sharing My Story

Continuing my Arizona Cactus Comic Con Report

I wanted to go the Modern Comics Production presentation
but it was apparently canceled and replaced by a fashion show.
I left the fashion show and stumbled into the Comics Writing
Workshop. The workshop was more of a free-wheeling audience
question directed panel discussion. The panelists were Mike
Bullock, Jake Black and Raven Gregory.

The panelists on the writer’s panel mentioned there were
three things that you needed to do in networking with the
editors of comics. One is to be a “really nice guy” in terms
of being the designated driver to take them home after their
drinking bouts at conventions. Second is to be good at what
you do (though you might not have the natural talent or
ability that some others may have). Third you need to be
able to get your work assignments in by the deadline-if not
well before- and not be late. Any two of those need to be
operative. Jake Black said that he is not the most talented
writer (though certainly competent) and he has become a
person to befriend (the designated driver) in his relationships
with editors. The panelists also mentioned to avoid giving
any full script or treatment to an editor but rather a finished
printed comic book as a work sample.

I asked how their personal worldview informed or influenced
their writing. This lead to a good discussion with the consensus
being that everything in your life will have an influence
on the content of your writing.

Some other tips for sparking writer’s creativity. One, watch a
movie with the sound turned off in order to study the action.
Two, reduce or eliminate all external media input for a week
(TV, video games, internet, extensive reading, etc). We live
in such a media saturated, over stimulated culture that creative
mental ideas don’t have a chance to surface because of the
constant barrage of external media ideas and thoughts. Cutting
off the external media and the mind will have time to digest
information and form its own entertainment. Third, write out
your thoughts in the morning before you do anything else.
One of the panelists mentioned that he had many notebooks
filled with his early morning thoughts that can lead to story
concepts. Often you can tap into fleeing dreams memories
for story ideas.

Raven Gregory stated that you are either a writer or
a non-writer. “There is no such thing as an aspiring writer.”
He also mentioned the immense satisfaction he has
received when he steps into a store and sees his work
being displayed for sale. “There is nothing like it.”

Jake Black mentioned that the sexual relationship
between Clark and Lana on Smallville last season
received very negative response from the viewers.
According to Black (a writer on the Smallville series)
the producers have backed off on the aspect because
of the controversy.