My Comic Book Script Writing Process. Countdown to Neo Wonderland Episode 1

The first step to starting my new creator-owned book is, of course, writing the script. Once the foundation has been laid, it's much harder to turn back. Here is the first episode of "Countdown to Neo Wonderland", which I will be crowdfunding some time in spring 2023.
You can view the comic book SCRIPT OUTLINE, and FORMAT I use, here:
www.siyaoum.com/comic-book-sc...
I used screen writing books to learn the process of creating a story and scripting it. Below are links to my
AMAZON AFFILIATES to SCREENWRITING BOOKS:
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting
By Robert McKee
amzn.to/3EYSZcr
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field
amzn.to/3iuvMHo
The Screenwriter's Workbook by Syd Field
amzn.to/3OZcaak
Save The Cat!
The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
by Blake Snyder
amzn.to/3Utzi25
COMIC BOOK WRITING and DRAWING BOOKS:
How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way
amzn.to/3FMi5eH
Stan Lee's How to Write Comics
amzn.to/3Vczweo
FOLLOW ME on:
INSTAGRAM : / siya_oum
FACEBOOK: / siyaoumart
OFFICIAL SITE: www.siyaoum.com/

[@NachtmahrNebenan]

Oh, I was late for the premier! But so happy to watch now and learn 🌺

[@pawel785]

I really like the way how you edited the video. It was like you were being interviewed by a viewer in a very professional manner. Lots of insight that goes into writing too. Your channel is one of the best channels about comic craft.

[@SiyaOum]

Awww, thank you! That means a lot to me. It's nerve wracking putting myself out there, but def. worth it when I get comments like yours! Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

[@pawel785]

@@SiyaOum I can only imagine how traumatising it can be! Can’t wait for more videos. Thank you, you have a great Christmas and Happy New Year 🥳

[@SiyaOum]

@@pawel785 Thank you again, you have a great weekend!

[@JDSCT]

Thanks for another great video Siya! I hope you have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year! 2023 is the year of Neo Wonderland!!

[@farmerfox3332]

arrived to late to watch during live chat but i am loving the video.

[@SiyaOum]

Aw thank you! Have a wonderful Christmas eve and day!

[@Lonersquare]

I remember you would periodically mention "Shangri-La" back on FB many years ago, but I didn't know you changed it to "Neo W" since "Lola XO" took off for you. And yes, there isn't a direct way or mandatory structure to go about the Writing Process it per se - as long as the Artist can clearly and easily understand what the Writer is trying to convey to both them and the future Readers. I enjoyed the long intro, and the overall simplistic "down-to-earth-creator-next-door" approach here was/is very easy to relate to. The part about "The first 15 Minutes being the Mind on Autopilot." I honestly look forward to seeing more of these Episodes as time goes on. 💯💯💯💯💯

[@SiyaOum]

I hope your writing venture is coming along, I'm excited to see your progress as well! Have a wonderful Christmas, and Happy New Year! Thanks so much for your supportive words.

[@Lonersquare]

@@SiyaOum Likewise!

[@LizzVisions]

Thank you for sharing you process Siya !!! 💕 I feel like I comment on all your videos saying the same thing lol 😂 but it is so uplifting to see how you work and see what steps a beginner can try out (even if we don’t do every step word for word), having a starting point is better than nothing!! 🙌🏾 Also I really enjoy the editing style you’ve done lately !!

[@SiyaOum]

Aww, thanks dear! I know it may seem like you're saying the same thing, but I truly appreciate knowing that I'm giving you something you can take with you. I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend!

[@zachhughes9149]

It becomes its own universe once it’s on paper. Gotta print it out, for the sense of accomplishment if nothing else. Great video. And I got my set of Lola prints in yesterday. They’re awesome, so nice. Gonna have to get the others eventually.

[@SiyaOum]

Oh sweet! First off, thank you so much for getting the prints. I hope it made it there safely, especially in this crazy weather, and crazy time of the holidays. Thank for watching this episode. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, Zac!

[@zachhughes9149]

@@SiyaOum You’re welcome, and everything was perfect, nothing frozen. No worries there at all. Looking forward to the next video and to Neo Wonderland, cyberpunk is my absolute favorite. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, Siya.

[@REMComics]

You are such and amazing artist, I was wondering if you would consider showing a studio tour and the tools you use? Thank you for sharing your talent.

[@SiyaOum]

I will definitely do a studio tour soon, I think I need a few more episodes under my belt before I can show off my messy-as-heck-studio hahah! Thank you so much!

[@M2Original]

Really looking forward to Neo Wonderland! Your videos along with two other creatives/artists (Adebanji Alade & Francis M.) have helped me get out of a creative rut I've been in these last few months. Thank you for taking the time to show us your process and share your art/creativity with us. You've got my support. Happy holidays and Happy New Year to you and yours!

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you so much, between Francis and I, I think we keep the art flames going on KZbin because that rut happens to us all. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year to you as well!

[@M2Original]

@@SiyaOum you're welcome & thank you! 😁

[@NachtmahrNebenan]

Yay, I can make it here in Cologne, Germany at 7:30 pm! So looking forward 🌺

[@SiyaOum]

Can't wait to have you back!

[@martinstephenson9801]

Hi Siya, it's heartwarming to see that you're putting into practice many of the structural elements of passionate writing, in line with your beautiful illustration, clearly the most current writer artist influencer within the industry, your efforts will not go unrewarded.

[@SiyaOum]

Awe, thank you! I truly hope so, because I love the medium too much. Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

[@JoeyPerezthethird]

Everything I hoped for!🙌🏻❤️🤘🏻👍🏻

[@SiyaOum]

Have a great holiday weekend, and thank you!!!

[@HeruPrime]

Super Cool!

[@farmerfox3332]

looking forward to it. notification also set.

[@SiyaOum]

Woohooh! Chat soon!

[@Lonersquare]

This seems like it will be helpful... And respect for all the links & book info shared. 💯💯💯💯💯

[@SiyaOum]

You are welcome, it helps us all out! I could use a refresher at this point.

[@johnthomas3677]

I cannot wait. I think your videos are brilliant. I find myself watching them over and over. They are so relaxing. And your art skills are in point! Catch you on the 23rd✌🏻

[@SiyaOum]

Awwww. THANK YOU! At least one of us can watch them more than once without cringing hahah! See you on Friday!

[@CooLin1stPlace]

Thanks for taking us along your process. I like page turners too!

[@SiyaOum]

And thank YOU for coming along!

[@fuzzydragons]

I always print off my scripts/stories, its helpful to have actual words in hand.Always end up reading something that just doesn't fit and needs changes.And even if i dont end up drawing the story, I will have something to draw in the future.

[@SiyaOum]

Oh most definitely! I wish I didn't feel the need to print it when it's over 20 pages of paper, but it just feels different right? :)

[@fuzzydragons]

at least its only roughly 20 pages to go over and not 200 at one time (unless its a comic like Watchmen or Maus 😝)

[@pennylane377]

Omg cant wait!! I was going to suggest a video on writing. Best Christmas present

[@SiyaOum]

OH wow, perfect timing then! Thank you!

[@popesuavecitoxii2379]

Thanks for this. I'm writing my first comic and this is helpful to see how a professional goes about it

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you! You probably realized that we approach it the same way, huh? Haha. I've seen how others work and realized it's very similar, I just wasn't confident enough to run with it at first.

[@NachtmahrNebenan]

About page turn: my first (and last) 2 page comic was supposed to start on the right and have a page turn. But the magazine put it on a double page and the tension was lost. I guess keeping this is one of the hardest parts when breaking down a complete book!

[@SiyaOum]

Oh man, I know! When an AD goes in the wrong place, it just destroys it. That alone warrants an episode. It happens, no doubt.

[@JoeyPerezthethird]

Oooooo!!! Another one!! 🎉 Already got my notifications set for this Siya👍🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻✍🏻

[@SiyaOum]

welcome to the partayyyy!

[@purorey]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It's what I needed to see/hear at this moment.

[@SiyaOum]

I’m so glad. I’ve been there when the right message pops up At the right time. My best to you!

[@dmrfunkster]

Well said. =)

[@billcrabtree8700]

Thank you so much

[@officialejprice]

thank you so much for this video - it was very inspirational n motivational for me - very informative as well

[@SiyaOum]

Awww, thank you so much! Have a wonderful weekend!

[@fulmetalraven1]

great video! thanks :)

[@inkmatcha]

Thank you for sharing your process! :)

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you for watching! :)

[@WayneParker]

Thank you for this and all you videos really. Truly helpful and inspirational 🙂

[@SiyaOum]

Thank YOU so much for watching. :)

[@woopitywoo]

Thank you for giving us peak into your world as a writer. I appreciate how you focus on growth and discovery as a writer and artist. I sometimes struggle on getting out of the ‘it needs to be perfect’ or ‘this has to be a certain way’ mentality. Your content is so inspirational, and I appreciate the effort you put in your videos. I cannot wait for the first issue of Neo Wonderland!

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you so much for your comment! I would feel disingenuous if I didn't talk about the struggles of trying to make progress and getting things done. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! My best to you in 2023.

[@the7thseven873]

Inspiring🌟

[@mrroberttrujillo]

Very cool to hear your process, I jumped into doing a big graphic novel without understanding a lot of this process work that it takes to make it go smoother. And to make it so I can finsh.

[@SiyaOum]

Trust me, we have ALLLL jumped headfirst into something, which is good. It means ambition, and the willingness to go for it. My best to your graphic novel!

[@mrroberttrujillo]

@@SiyaOum Thx, I'm doing mini comics now first. Working my way up to it:) Take care

[@nighthawkwarriorcomics]

Thanks for sharing this video keep it up and can't wait to see more of this series and have a merry Christmas

[@SiyaOum]

Merry Christmas, and thank you so much as always!

[@nighthawkwarriorcomics]

@@SiyaOum your welcome and have a merry Christmas this weekend

[@cynxmanga]

This was the most relatable video about wrting process I ever watched. So similar approach to mine. I only don't write too long and too often bc this is just my hobby not a job, and I don't print my scripts. But the rest is basically same.

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you so much! I just mentioned the similarities with the process in the comment above yours. We all have a similar way of approaching writing. It just took my own confidence to run with it.

[@Paine128]

Thank you for this video and sharing not only your experience, but your thoughts on your writing process and tips on starting. Happy holidays and happy new year to you Sensei!💜

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you so much dear, have a wonderful holiday break and best of luck to your art as always! xoxo

[@Paine128]

@@SiyaOum Thank you!💜

[@randomartvibes1882]

As a writer and aspiring artist I found this very useful. Thanks

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you so very much! That means a lot coming from you.

[@BetinaLundkaerJensenartist]

Thanks for sharing your insights. I was wondering.. are you going to colour Neo Wonderland traditionally - I hope you will 😍

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you so much! You know...I have been pondering that for over a week now. I have been doing digital colors on recent projects for others and honestly, I hate it, lol. My eye sight has gone down the drain, and the feeling of drawing on plastic/glass just doesn't do it for me. But my book is cyberpunk so it can be more on the digital side. I'm not sure yet, but hopefully, I'll decide soon!

[@henrique2799]

thank you so much for sharing it. looking forward for the next episode and the comics itself

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you for the message as well! :)

[@henrique2799]

@@SiyaOum what you are doing have so much value, it what much people wanted since the good old art dvds days

[@SiyaOum]

@@henrique2799 I wish I had some of those art dvds but man were they hard to get a hold of.

[@henrique2799]

@@SiyaOum sure, the good old days :D

[@cinthiacruzado2594]

Hi Siya. I wanna say that I love your art style and this was a great video to watch. I was working on a script for a short horror/drama comic called Dario and I had to pause the process because I was feeling intimidated by the format of the script, where everything had to be divided into panels, and it ended feeling like a daunting task that I almost gave up on the idea of making comics all together but I really think this was great help. I might try scripting my comics similar to a movie script and outline the panels similar to storyboarding.

[@SiyaOum]

Awe. Whatever makes your job easier, please try it. I’m still doing that myself, and there’s no shame in it because we all feel overwhelmed. My best to you and your script!

[@samankucher5117]

awesome :)

[@anthonyw2931]

wow Siya! First this is one of the best videos I have seen about script writing process. It's not so much as the technical side, but the little nuances that goes into it. It's the way you told the story. But above that, c'mon! Your art is incredible! I have never read Lolo Xoxo, and it's a shame! I'm going to correct that mistake. I'll get the book just for the art (even though given how well you do these videos I'm certain you're a good storyteller). I thank you for the very helpful video and for being so cool. Have you done how you are able to juggle personal and professional life, support from your family and friends? Merry christmas! and/or whatever you celebrate.

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you so much! I haven't done the work/life balance one yet, but I think it's a necessary one now! No worries with not reading Lola yet. The idea of me writing back then, and the things I had to learn on the job are a bit cringy hahaha! Have a wonderful holiday weekend to you as well!

[@natebradley5970]

Happy Holidays Siya! Thank you for sharing your writing process. Do you ever start sketching out pages before you write your script? And what script writing books do you recommend for beginner artists/writers?

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you! Happy Holidays to you as well! I have started laying out pages before writing them in the past, I guess I will see if I do it this time around. Maybe a different approach will strike me! I have a list of writing books in the video description. Those are the go-to's.

[@natebradley5970]

@@SiyaOum Thank Siya!

[@JDSCT]

Notification set! 😃

[@SiyaOum]

Party time!!! *high five!

[@hughtims]

Thanks for posting on this - honestly the toughest part for me is the writing and I'd rather get to drawing as soon as possible but that means I may have less of an idea of where I'm going so my question is - do you always know how it will end or do you just go through multiple versions? Also - this is huge-- do you have a preferred editor or system where you can get other people's opinions before you start on the final draft? I find there's no one I can really trust online and people irl have to be paid to edit.

[@SiyaOum]

Thank so much for your feedback and questions. To the "Do you know where you're going before yo start." I have a few versions for the ending, usually they are within the same direction because the endings will circle around my main themes. It helps keep me grounded. I actually just ask people who "Love" me in real life to read some of it, hahaha! Start there, if you can't find an editor yet. Most people who don't read scripts will likely give you feedback that an average reader will react to your work. Whereas, an editor will give your a thorough feedback and maybe how to edit some parts. But it's best to start with friends and family to get the ball rolling.

[@rfernandez1648]

I want to live like this … it’s like a creatives monastery. I been using scrivener with save the cat methodology and my writing is getting better … I think

[@SiyaOum]

It's a very great starting point, and how to de-mystify writing for sure!

[@lakeshagadson357]

what subject would you teach writing

[@SiyaOum]

Do you mean, what specific genre? Or form of writing, like scripts, novels, etc?

[@Jonathan-0001]

Hi Siya what do you recommend I do as far as entering a school to learn comic books ( manga) , and animation??

[@SiyaOum]

Thank you for your question! My take on schooling for comics/manga, if you were to go to school for the art form exclusively, I'd say go to The Kubert School, where they focus exclusively on comics. But if you just want an overall skill set that you can use in comics and animation, there are a number of schools in CA that focus on that. However, the cost of art schools has gone way up, and the income created by going to art school, at least on the outset, does not warrant the cost of tuition. There are many other working professions that cover this topic on KZbin. I personally wouldn't go to school for comics, but if you want the overall experience of school, then go for it.

[@berniestaggers671]

how do u stay focused to finish your book.

[@SiyaOum]

I try to remember why I’m doing the project and seeing the printed book in my hands. ❤️

[@berniestaggers671]

@@SiyaOum thank u sister

[@JoeyPerezthethird]

Took me 3yrs 🥵

[@gearhustlerstv5597]

hey wondering if you liked to co-lab on a project

[@McCloud23892]

Very awesome video and art, wondering that tools do you used to get your scripts and page layout down? Thanks for the video, much love!