The Script

This is where the writer has the most control over the final product. A script breaks down the story into what happens in each panel and exactly what words, be they dialogue, text, title, or sound effect, are lettered on the page. The purpose is for the artist to know what to draw. With that in mind, you should be clear and descriptive about what is important in the picture. This will help the artist put your point across most effectively. Sometimes artists take liberties with a script. A good artist with lots of experience may be right, may understand what you want and my know something you don’t about visual storytelling. If you think the artist is wrong, you should be able to talk it out, or, in the worst case, go to the editor to straighten it out. This should be a last resort. A writer always wants to have a good working relationship with his artist.

The format for a comic book script is not as set hard and fast in uniformity as a script or television or film, different publishers having different formats that they use. When submitting a script to a publisher it is good to find out what their format is. In lieu of that, this format should be understood by most who would need to read it.

Go to a sample script

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Pg.1: Definition and History of Comics
Pg.2: Comics Today
Pg.3: Terms of the Trade
Writing: Story and Plot
Writing: Script

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Sample Script
Penciling: Tools: Short Answers
Penciling: Tools: Furniture and Paper
Penciling: Tools: Pencils and Erasers
Penciling: Tools: Straightedges and More
Penciling: Creating Characters
Penciling: Character Sheets
Penciling: Costumes
Penciling: Locations
Penciling: Props and Vehicles

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