Since the earliest cave drawings, people have told stories through sequential art. Comic books are the latest incarnation of this art form — and are hugely popular in Japan (as manga), in Korea (as manhwa), in Europe, and in the Americas. Now more than ever, comic books and comic book writing hold a significant place in entertainment, film, and culture.
In this 15-week class, online students learn the basics of comic book writing, both in plotting and writing a comic book script. Beyond learning how to write a comic book, students in our 15-Week Writing for Comic Books course will explore topics including the different types of script formats, proposals for submission to editors, the different forms for the medium (from manga to comic books to graphic novels to webcomics), and proper use of dialogue and sound effects. Students complete this course with a proposal for a graphic novel, manga or comic book series, and the script for the first issue or chapter of that project.
A live video class is held once a week via Zoom. If time restrictions prevent attendance, students can catch up via recordings of the class and communicate with each other and the instructor digitally. In between sessions, students interact with the class digitally, with feedback provided by the instructor.
Video lessons will be made available for viewing through our course Portals. Written lessons and assignments are posted for critique and the class interacts on an electronic course Portal. Instructors are available electronically for support.
The class meets once per week for 3 hours (two 1.5-hour sessions with a 30-minute break).
Additional video lessons are posted online and may be viewed according to a student’s personal schedule. Outside coursework will vary in time based on the student’s writing speed but usually takes 1-4 hours per week.
Deliverables: A proposal for a graphic novel, manga or comic book series, and the script for the first issue or chapter of that project.