New Comic Writers Don't Do This [2021]

[@clydoscope5841]

Start small is actually great, just save the idea you've been thinking about, and start with small comic strips, and when you're ready, you can do that idea you've been thinking about.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Exactly…thanks so much for watching 👍

[@ladysknightthefamiliar]

Same here i am starting to learn how t make comics too, i got a big idea in my head but best to save it until i learn the basics and gain experience. Best to start small with mini comics and 2-4 panel comics.

[@МариянМихалев-з4п]

@@MattGarveyComics May I talk whit you

[@yohanalexander2850]

Sometimes mini comics are harder to make. You must cram your ideas to a little amount of pages. But it is a good training how to express a more compact story.

[@andrewness]

I find writing in the passive tense is a good way to avoid the "and then" problem. "Spider-Man *is* hanging upside down from a fire escape." It's a frozen moment, not an action.

[@MattGarveyComics]

That’s a good idea! Thanks for sharing!

[@jpickens189]

As someone who is doing both the art and writing on my comic, I found that I was more motivated working on a larger project I really cared about, but I had to be okay with making some mistakes along the way.

[@MattGarveyComics]

As long as you’re ok with it, that’s cool, matey 👍 Thanks so much for watching

[@saturnitetoaster8310]

Same, I’ve done a lot of disconnected storyboards, so one day I wrote the script out edited it like it was for a movie and now I’m starting the art and panels.

[@popesuavecitoxii2379]

Same. Too much practice and avoiding making the thing you dream of can lead to procrastination. Been there, done that!

[@TheLobstersoup]

The question now, one year later, is: did you finish it? I am three panels away from finishing my first chapter. I still have 10 more to go. I feel very motivated at the moment, but this means I'll need more or less a year to finish. And I'm going to need support, set up a website, kickstarter/Patreon, layouts for all of those and goals for the overall result. I want to release a low-res (English language) version for free, a high-res (English or German version) to every Patreon and printed editions for the superfans. Those include new panelling and layouts, since I am doing this as a webtoon. But the knowledge that I have a full story and the actual fun I am having doing this supersedes all worries. It's much more than just the drawing. My entire life has changed, down to my nutrition and exercise. I want to stay fit, so I can keep on drawing on this level start to finish. Remember that your body is a tool too.

[@jpickens189]

@@TheLobstersoup Unfortunately, my progress stymied significantly when I had a massive change in life circumstances, I am hoping to either continue on it or change direction entirely.

[@roymakescomics]

Keeping it simple by putting one action per panel is the way to go, and definitely helps make the splash pages stand out all the more. Great tips man!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Cheers dude thanks for watching! 👍

[@pauscorpi]

taking notes for when I eventually try to write my own novel

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwwww, if anyone can write a comic, mate...ITS YOU! you know if you ever need ANY help I’m only a DM away, right?!

[@matthewgammon7430]

Does making a facial expression count as an action in a panel? Here's my sample: "Dad crosses his arms and makes a stern look at me."

[@MattGarveyComics]

I’d say that is one panel….unless you write, “dad crosses his arms (insert different facial expression)” then “same as previous panel but this time dads facial expression changes to a stern look’

[@torid.344]

You have no idea how helpful this is!!! I have a comic series I’m working on, but it’s a bigger undertaking- the magnum opus. I never even considered the need to start small, even though that’s what you do in every other creative field. Thank you so much for all this advice, I’ll be referencing this time and time again!

[@MattGarveyComics]

You’re more than welcome, matey...I’m glad you found it useful 👍 Thanks so much for watching!

[@nerissacrawford8017]

Watching this on the edge of a carpal tunnel. Thank you for your advice, it is always appreciated when people from the industry share with us! It is making my little bit of break very useful to watch people like you!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awww you’re more than welcome, matey. Glad it helped. Thanks for watching

[@ladyseshiiria]

"Start Small!" Awesome cuz I don't want to get into webcomics. I just want to make a few one-shot one-off sheets introducing characters to build hype for my art page. Simple EASY SMALL!

[@MattGarveyComics]

it honestly is the best way to start. thanks so much for watching!

[@bamb3928]

I’m an animator but I loved comics as a kid and want to make my own some day. Your advice is great, I’ll start with mini comics. Don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. 😅

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awesome, good luck and thanks for watching

[@Omarthedemigod]

These are pretty helpful tips. Been working on my superhero comic for awhile now. I just got the first ever drawing of my character the other day. I've rewritten the first issue five times and still working on it. I'm finally putting it into an comic book outline and what you said about too many character actions in a panel definitely got me called out. Just by me luckily. I went back and fixed those issues. Also using past and present tense has me fucked up lol. That's one I'm really working on right now. Thanks for the video!

[@MattGarveyComics]

You are more than welcome, matey! Glad it helped 👍

[@SillyGooseTV]

It is truly inspiring in this day and age to see so many people still appreciating the comic art form. Mind me I was always too poor to have a comic collection, but I always made them. I find it a therapy like process and I have been meaning to reconnect with my roots. One of my roots being, comic making. Writing, illustration, that shiz the teets

[@MattGarveyComics]

Thanks so much for watching matey

[@Elle-elle-elle]

Finding your channel as my own artist collaborator is simulataneously very interesting and very funny. Great to hear from a purely writers perspective.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Cheers matey, thanks for watching 👍

[@motherjup1ter]

Tip for starters and stuff: Pleaaase make some sort of storyboard that shows you what to draw in each frameee. I would forget to make those and my comic would get so long I wouldn't have any motivation left to finish it.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Hey buddy, thanks so much for watching….sadly I’m just a writer so drawing storyboards is a bit beyond me but there are some crest comic art books out there from people like will Eisner that will help

[@motherjup1ter]

@@MattGarveyComics Hahaha, I meant it as a tip for other mentioning a mistake I always make😂. I'm so sorryy-

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awww sorry, my bad...I getcha 👍

[@jeffkimbler1444]

Hi Matt, I'm pretty new to your channel but wanted to say that your videos are great! So to comment on this video, I'm an artist and a couple years ago I collaborated with a writer who had never done comics before (they had worked on tv/film scripts) and in their script they would describe multiple things happening at once all the time. I ended drawing many more panels than they expected - they would always tell me "wow you really slowed it down" and they didn't mean it as a bad thing but more that they were just surprised at how when I drew what they described in a short blurb in the script, it wouldn't be one panel but it would end up being a page of panels - they didn't understand at all that each action needed it's own panel. Their script wasn't broken down panel by panel but was written more like a film with a paragraph describing what the character does and then had dialog following like "Character A enters his apartment shutting the door behind him and sets down his keys and picks up his mail and begins tearing it all open" which obviously would have to be drawn in multiple panels. One thing I learned from that experience is that I would definitely prefer a writer/collaborator in the future who actually reads comics because I had to educate this person all the time on how comics work. It was a little frustrating at times. Luckily they were flexible in let me do what needed to be done to get it to work.

[@MattGarveyComics]

That’s a very common story matey. As you know they are very different mediums…well done for overcoming it

[@tariqclarke1022]

Haha! I already did the first mistake 😂 I wanted to tackle my first manga but I ended up making(currently) a full fledged series with now 6 chapters 😗

[@MattGarveyComics]

ha ha ha! don’t worry, buddy. mangas are like 8 million chapters anyway so the fact yours is 6, that’s the equivalent of starting small! 😜

[@zombeef2158]

oh buddy all i think about are multi book series my first thought needs five books my second needs more than six and i thought about a series that wont end no matter how much comic's i make also there going to be 100 pages long and i have more ideas but i cant just put it in i doubt your still reading this edit: spelling mistakes i cant live without fixing

[@craigwexler7759]

@@MattGarveyComics ok that's good to know. I kinda already made the first mistake too. I'm about 8500 words in already.

[@ZackSNetwork]

Damn what is the manga about and did you finish it?

[@goodplantmom3620]

I swear this guy is one of the only people I have found on KZbin who’s video topics are exactly what I needed to watch and what I was looking for thanks again for all your advice I hope to send you a copy of my comic once it’s all finished 🙂

[@goodplantmom3620]

Fun fact I’m from Leonardo New Jersey and my family’s home is next to quick stop where jay and silent bob was filmed they inspired me as well and if you enjoy them you will love my comic it’s a stoner comic but it’s much more than that as well super exciting don’t want to give away too much right now but will love for you to see it one day!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwww cheers mate, glad you’re enjoying the videos 👍

[@MattGarveyComics]

That is a fun fact! And awesome too…snootchie bootchies

[@mythebe]

I write and illustrate my own comics and what annoys me the most is when I write too many words per panel in the first place, and then when I fill up the entire panel with art in the second place!!!! The only good part of collaborating with myself is that I don't get defensive whenever I tell myself how difficult I am to work with.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Ha I’m sure you’re not difficult!

[@juliamissey847]

Awww, I'm glad I stumbled upon this. Thanks for the encouragement. I'll be giving this channel a closer look.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Thanks for watching! And YOU GOT this!

[@deadly.deadpan]

I've taken the last month to draw my first comic from a website where comic writers donated come scripts. I did it for practice and the first thing I did after reading the script was writing on each page starter how many panels there'd be because I felt it'd just make it easier for me to plan out the thumbnails, and this in my first try, so Mark Lammon definitely has a point

[@MattGarveyComics]

I know artists who like the writer to put the panel amount at the top of each page but I also know artists who don’t like that and like a bit more freedom and like to merge panels if they think it works better visually.

[@deadly.deadpan]

@@MattGarveyComics Well, I did change the panel count and the panel composition suggestion on quite a few pages too, not many writers understand about visual composition so I took some liberties with it. The panel count helped never the less because it helped me keep track of the starting point. If you're not gonna suggest the panel amount, is good, but if you're gonna put it, getting the number at the start of each page definitely helps to plan stuff out.

[@deadly.deadpan]

On some comic scripts I've read the writers would describe the character in parts like put some description, then some dialogue and then more character description. It'd be easier for the artist if you just put all the description on a single part they can refer to, preferably at the start of the script, with some warning if the character is going to change the look midway if necessary, because it's a bit frustrating to skip through dialogue and pages to peace together the look of a character

[@MattGarveyComics]

I think writing full script is perfectly acceptable, but I would say when I work with regular collaborators, as further issues come I do put a little less description in because I want them to bring THEIR input to the story too. But at the same time my job as a writer is to script a script that brings out the BEST in my artists collaborator.

[@deadly.deadpan]

@@MattGarveyComics Yeah, the freedom is good, I'm talking about when you start reading planning it one way, then there's a bit of character description sprinkled, then you change it in your head and there's another piece of character description on the next panel or page, so instead of just reading one single description I'd have to take notes to put the pieces together which would take more reading. If there's not much description I don't mind coming up with something, but if there is, keeping it organized in one place would really help.

[@ravenzaphara5513]

So about a month ago i got a wild idea to make a comic from a very small scene of an already idealized book i'm working on. I wanted to use it to get a feel for the characters and capture a moment between them. I am not, by any stretch, a great artist. I know enough to just draw crappy shapes and then make a layer and make (hopefully) less crappy shapes on top, repeat ad nauseum. This was a big leap. I opened krita and chose the comic template which i don't recommend; it's set up newspaper comic style, i guess, just like 9-12 equilateral panels. I didn't want to do research into the whole planning/panel flow can of worms so I just rolled with it. After all, I'm not looking to do really well, i'm just trying something new. I immediately caught myself twice on the "and then" kind of thing, and it led to me extending the comic from 4 pages to 6. Since I'm a writer first, I basically just wrote out "x happens" and put the dialogue and then sketched the bg and figures in after that. It takes a lot of work, a lot of time, and there's definitely a learning curve! Anyone who's looking to commission someone to do art for your idea, do yourself a favor and sketch it out with stick figures first. there are free storyboarding programs (opentoonz, storyboarder) that might help you get the idea flowing. On the bright side, my artist friend says my bgs look amazing. Which is cool bc i'd never tried to draw bgs before. I guess just try and you'll be surprised what you can do. The less seriously you take it, the more you let yourself make mistakes. Humans learn very well from mistakes. Just mess around, be wild and curious.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Oh you are so right, every writer should try and draw one of their comics at least once…even with stick figures because it’ll give you so much appreciation for what comic artists do! Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching!

[@ignaciodimeglio9840]

I was listening to Fatman Beyond 300 and paused it to see your vid. Kevin and Marc are inspiring and you are doing great work dropping some knowledge. Thanks.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwww cheers dude! Big compliment pausing silent bob for me so I really appreciate it!

[@ignaciodimeglio9840]

@@MattGarveyComics well, you deserve it Matt. Silent Bob is a great cheerleader but you are the coach.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Ha...cheers

[@emeryltekutsu4357]

I'm starting with a "magnum opus" but I've actually written and completed plenty of other, much longer things before, so I'm actually finding it quite enjoyable even though the format is different. I'll see what other issues I might run into down the line, but I plan on working page by page as I get the art done (self-publishing. Yes, I know. Expensive.)

[@MattGarveyComics]

Best of luck dude! Rooting for you

[@Juke-Fox]

5:22 To be fair, a comic is capturing time in a series of pictures, and each picture is a moment in time. You can't really compound much more than a couple simultaneous actions in a single panel, because those sequential actions can't be captured in a single moment, they're happening over time.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Yep

[@BarriesChannel]

Just got around to watching this video. Great as always! The point about putting the number of panels at top of the page is brilliant - why hadn't I thought of it before?!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Me neither! Good old Marc Laming...hence the shout out to him, because it was a great suggestion

[@Andrewtr6]

I've heard the first one a lot but I'm already too far in now to stop. My friend and I have been working on a Marvel-esq superhero universe since HS. We're going on maybe 5 yrs now. We have been working out details and story ideas while at college and are hoping to start producing when we get out in a few years. I do want to work on some small projects in the meantime, but small contained stories aren't my thing. It's also hard to put the ideas on hold and switch over to another project. The closest we'll get to starting small is probably launching a few test comics to build an audience (hopefully) before we jump into the superhero universe. Don't want to release a massive project without having some support.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Sounds like a plan, thanks so much for watching Andrew!

[@nonotaku5612]

It's so interesting to learn about the other side of comics (I'm an artist and not much of a writer). I hope my next comic turns out well!!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwww thanks buddy and I have no doubt your next comic will be AWESOME! 👍

[@nonotaku5612]

@@MattGarveyComics wah thank you!!

[@MattGarveyComics]

👍

[@psyko-920]

I Would like to check out your comic

[@nonotaku5612]

@@psyko-920 wahh thank you!! I'll put the link to webtoon here, once I've uploaded it! :)

[@alfierowlinson8962]

Really helpful video man! I'm hoping to enter the 2000 AD writer's completion soon and this is just what I needed! Cheers!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Cheers, buddy! Good luck with the competition! 🤞 for ya

[@alfierowlinson8962]

@@MattGarveyComics Thanks Matt!

[@MattGarveyComics]

No worries buddy

[@neshiah4747]

Wow, concise delivery of all essential information🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@MattGarveyComics]

Cheers dude!!!!

[@Markus465]

Totally agree on everything you said. Kevin Smith's Daredevil is extremely wordy (but a great book). Splash pages, check. Too many actions in one panel, check. Panels per page at top of script, check. Making sure the artist knows about important, seemingly minor, details, check. I, myself, have had to really pay attention to the last 2. Thanks, Matt!

[@MattGarveyComics]

phew...i'm glad you agree! ;) i'm just waiting for someone to have a pop out me and say i'm chatting utter hog wash! ;) thanks so much for wacthing...i appreicate it!

[@Markus465]

@@MattGarveyComics If someone does say that then don't listen to them as they obviously have no idea what they're talking about! LOL

[@MattGarveyComics]

Ha...cheers! 😜

[@naomiheartvecino4498]

Thank you. Starting small is really the first step to go. I love your channel hehe I subscribed . I am making small 8 one panel per pages comics, just small mini projects until I get used to it and make 2 panels per page. I'm working on my story by the way, it has no title but it happens in a desert land hehe. Have a good day!

[@MattGarveyComics]

That’s wonderful, matey! And thanks so much for the subscribe and support 🙏

[@Ramen_Bean22]

Thank you! This was a big help! Keep it up bro!! ☺️ I’m having trouble with my comics, I write my own comics, are well, I’ve been a beginner for a few months, and I’m really bad at planning out the scenes, I tried writing out an entire script, but everyone was very confused on what was going on, so I kinda just wing it🤔 but then I look over my pages a hundred times, worrying that it could be better, but what could I do to improve it. As if I’m blind to my own work, it’s weird. But anyways, this video was really helpful! Thank you!

[@MattGarveyComics]

My pleasure, dude! Glad it helped…you’ll get there it’s a steep learning curve. If you’re having trouble I did do a video on plotting that might help. It’s all about breaking the comic down scene by scene! 👍 Any questions let me know!

[@shoshigraff3238]

Definitely started too big too soon, but I think I'm going to make my chapters even smaller so they'll be closer to standard issues.

[@MattGarveyComics]

👍 we all do it matey…too big to soon…but at least you can recognise it. Thanks so much for watching!

[@cupckaer9374]

Pretty good information, thanks man i was needing some of these advices, you called me out a couple of times here.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Ha…cheers for watching matey!!!

[@zorokugames]

This was very helpful I ran into that problem this week. This year I went full gear on working on my dream of becoming a comic book artist for the past two years I usually do a 1-2 comic panel but this week I did a 10 panel comic and it didn’t get notice so I took it down and did the usual 1 panel comic and it got better result I’ve learn I got slow down my pacing and don’t anything big since your just starting continue working small while learning the basic tools then tackle the big comics when you’re ready and by watching this video help me understand working small better thanks for the tip and to all the comic book creators here embrace your dream, never give up, more importantly have fun you got this 🎨💪🏾

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awesome to hear matey, thank you so much for watching 👍

[@naniyotaka]

I’m writing and drawing my own comics and I have made some of these mistakes and yeah I yell at myself when doing the art because they make it hard LOL. But since I’m the writer, I just rework my own writing a bit while doing the thumbnails and they turn out much better.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awesome dude keep going!

[@doot8963]

Great information and sense of humor haha :) thanks!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Sense of humour?! I was being deadly serious 😜 kidding! Thanks so much for watching, Doot! Glad you liked it!👍

[@misspandaa..1131]

I don,t actually have an "team". I do all the work by my self the inking sketches colouring script editing I mean how can an 11 year old have an team😑😆 Btw the video was REALLY HELPFUL 😄

[@MattGarveyComics]

awwww cheers, matey! only 11 and already making comics?! that’s wonderful to hear...keep going...and you’ll be a future superstar!

[@misspandaa..1131]

Thank you 🥺

[@MattGarveyComics]

Anytime buddy! 👍

[@saturn012]

I’m 11 to 😂

[@iskwhattoname7335]

Maybe a 11 year old team can be a relative he knows that can do art good or a Freind in their school that is good?

[@eroane84]

Thank you so much for this video as I just started to buy notebooks for an original comic script…Hence, I tend to write too much dialogue and also have a vivid imagination when it comes to art…^_____^ Your advice is dead on!!!^___^I support your videos and hope to use your tips…^_^

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwww that’s very kind, thank you so much for saying and I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Kindest regards Matt

[@bluehorse4217]

I've been thinking for years, I think I need to stop thinking and start preparing and practicing.

[@MattGarveyComics]

You got this matey!!!! Just have a go!!

[@bluehorse4217]

I forgot I even commented on this video. A bit of a tragedy struck last year which acted like a wedge but I still practiced. Right now I'm currently working hard on my writing skills and drawing. It's going well but I obviously won't be able to make big moves until a few months since I'm currently in college. Just wanted to say thank you for being that big push! @@MattGarveyComics

[@MattGarveyComics]

Hey, guys, If you are a regular to the channel thank you so much for the continued support. If this is your first time watching my videos, thanks for stopping by...hope you like what you saw. Below is a link to the first video to the series, so hopefully that helps! kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHy8n6VpoMSomMk Kindest regards Matt

[@KittyHarper]

Thanks so much for this content Mark, your advice is really useful and encouraging! I've been a writer for over a decade, but only just started venturing into the world of comic writing as it's something I've always wanted to do, but obviously I'm a complete noob and kinda terrified as its all new to me haha! I've just finished my first comic book script (yay me! lol) however, it's 28 pages long. Is it best to aim for 24, especially for first time writers? I've taken your comments on board about limited panels and dialogue (something I already figured as I read a lot of comics and know that any more than 6 is over kill) Thanks so much, keep up the good work!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Hello Kitty, Thanks so much for t he kind comments, glad you’re finding the content useful! We’ll done for finishing your first comic script! 28 pages is absolutely fine, it’s a multiple of 4 so will still print nicely. What I would say is, what I find with new writers is they either try and cram too much in OR their first comics are too “dragged” out because they don’t understand how to write a scene. It’s very common and I include myself when I say that because I used to do this myself! What I would say is, put the script in a “draw” for a week. Then go reread it again with a critical eye and see if you can trim it down…is every scene required and more importantly do they affect the pacing. Remember you’re not in the business of writing comic scripts…you’re in the business or REWRITING comic scripts! 😜 I’ve done some videos where I critique some new creators actual comics and it maybe worth having a watch of those to try and avoid the pitfalls we fall into when we start!

[@KittyHarper]

@@MattGarveyComics Aw fantastic, thanks for saying that 😊 it was a bit disconcerting seeing everyone online say "you HAVE to do 20 pages, you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT make it any longer". Ah yes, the 'leaving it in a drawer' technique, very useful! I do that a lot with screenplays 😊 I will definitely give it a go, and I'll be sure to check out those critiquing videos. Thanks so much!!

[@MattGarveyComics]

If I am being brutally honest, you should start small with 4 page scripts…BUT you’ve finished this 28 pager and that’s awesome…that’s why I’m suggesting putting it in a draw and go watch some more videos especially because I want you to come back and look at this with a critical eye and see if it can be trimmed down, to see if your scenes are too long…to see if the pacing isn’t right…to see if you’ve made best use of your page turns aaaaaaaaaand all the other things you need to learn on they way when writing comics… So take a break from it and come back and have a look. Also remember comic scripts are waaaaaaay different from film ones too in structure…I even have a vide about that too 😜

[@KittyHarper]

@@MattGarveyComics good idea TBF, I was thinking starting small to ease me into it. I will check out your other videos for sure, thanks buddy 😊

[@Michael_Bancroft]

As a writer/ artist, may I ad try to have whoever's speaking first in the panel placed on the left of the other characters.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Absolutely!

[@JuwanBuchanan]

I'm currently creating my own website for my comic writer journey for my portfolio. Should I contain sketchers of pages, inked pages with no Dialogue, or with full pages with Dialogue etc?

[@MattGarveyComics]

Your ears must be burning buddy, I’m gonna be talking about portfolio in my next vid. 🤪 From the editors I know , in a hard copy portfolio seen at a con, they only wanna see what you want to do. So if you wanna be a penciler. Just pencils, no inks, no letters. Of you wanna be an inker...just inks no letters and so on. Because you’re doing yours on line you can show more, but me personally I’d just show what needs to be shown and only put your best lashes up. Three awesome pages is better than three awesome and five lesser ones, if you know what I mean! 😜

[@danielg.w5733]

How do you put 14 panels on a standard us sized comic book page?.. I am just baffled

[@MattGarveyComics]

YOU DONT 🤣

[@psyko-920]

I'm trying to get my own comic made I have a script and all the character designs but I can't do environments so I'm considering using another artist

[@MattGarveyComics]

a lot of artists use back up artists to do backgrounds...especially the big names it’s the artist version of when a colourist gets a flatter 😜

[@psyko-920]

@@MattGarveyComics good to know thanks 😊

[@bloke1348]

As an artist I hate writers who describe in rigid detail every aspect of a panel...

[@MattGarveyComics]

Yeah, me too…I’m never rigid with my scripts. I love it when an artists puts their own visual stamp on it, because they’ll have a much better artists eye (hopefully two) than me! 😜

[@ms.council]

As someone who really wants to be a comic book artist/creature this is so helpful I've always admire Stan Lee (RIP🙏🏾) and have been a huge fan of X-Men since I was a kid I really appreciate you for this insight and info cheers 😘

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwwww my pleasure buddy. So glad you found it helpful and thanks for watching 👍

[@ObsidianRex-23]

"Start small" *glances at my 2, going on 3, Deathstroke projects* oh dear

[@MattGarveyComics]

You work for DC?

[@ObsidianRex-23]

@@MattGarveyComics no, but i wanna write some stuff for them

[@MattGarveyComics]

That’s a great goal, buddy. I’d you want that…start small…get your own stuff done out there abs give them a reason to ask you to pitch! 👍 You got this

[@ObsidianRex-23]

@@MattGarveyComics thanks a million

[@darrenwilson157]

Great video. Encouraging to know that I'm on the right track. ❤😊

[@MattGarveyComics]

You got this dude!

[@terranceray1989]

Hey thanks love the advice I use to do comics when I was young I thinking about trying to start back up with it Any tips

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwww cheers buddy, thanks for watching! Coming back in I’d start small with a couple of four page stories to get yourself back used to the format… Then when you think your ready move up to longer stories 👍

[@chaosordeal294]

Panel1: Character lives a full life -- really try to capture the pain in his eyes throughout the months where he knows he is dying. Panel 2: His son lives on and invents Space Travel!! An instellar empire is founded, but millenia later, it is in shambles -- dig into the texture and wear (during the later ages)

[@chaosordeal294]

Actually these could both be done adequately in a single, long "medley" panel.

[@MattGarveyComics]

I say combined them into one single panel too 🤣

[@thedigitalnoodle4021]

So much knowledge! Thanks

[@MattGarveyComics]

Glad it was helpful!

[@xhydra870]

thank you this really helps!

[@MattGarveyComics]

My pleasure buddy, thanks for watching 👍

[@craigwexler7759]

How small is small? If we're talking just a couple panels, is it just for practice? Would you try to get a couple panels published somewhere?

[@MattGarveyComics]

Start with four pages comics, matey. It’ll teach you how to create an beginning, middle and end within those pages…THATS A SCENE then apply that logic to longer stories 👍 Thanks so much for watching

[@michaelwright8896]

I love Nobuyuki Fukumoto pieces and as far as I know no one in USA is making comics focused solely on gambling. But I am struggling finding a gambling game that would be as good as Mahjong for writing about.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Make one up 😜

[@SkyStarNova]

Very true. awesome video.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwww cheers buddy! Appreciate the view! 👍

[@trixer230]

If you have comic book scripts you have written where you would find artist collaborators? Like are there discord groups for them?

[@MattGarveyComics]

This’ll help buddy! How to find a comic artist (2022) kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6TMqGpvo9SIoMk

[@johnjack5245]

Great video Matt!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Cheers dude

[@JamesFleming1]

I’ve written a few screenplays and there are several formatting tools for that. Are there any formatting tools for comics?

[@MattGarveyComics]

I think final draft has one, but I just use WORD. For comics it’s more about structure rather than format.

[@FiftyWalrus]

Great advice! Thank you!

[@MattGarveyComics]

awww, my pleasure, buddy! glad you enjoyed it and hopefully it helps! thanks for taking the time to post a comment. really appreciate it!

[@elumiie]

I'm currently writing everything (action, dialogues, notes) out in full text format, as if I was writing a book. Do you think it would be better if I wrote in script format, even tho I'm my own artist?

[@MattGarveyComics]

I always think it’s nice to write ba script in script format, even if you’re the artist too. It’s a good discipline to learn & it’s another nice tool to have have…plus you never know one day you might need to have another artist draw a comic for you.

[@TyphoonBeam]

You know what, I think I might be mildly dyslexic. I read the title and channel name as "New Comic Writers Don't Exist [2021]" and "Matt Gravy" respectively.

[@MattGarveyComics]

I’ll answer to gravy

[@rickyramirezjr.1182]

Tbh, the 5 action one panel thing is plausible

[@MattGarveyComics]

You do what works for you matey

[@SlobZombie]

Too much dialogue defeats the purpose of a comic book! Ha Great video bro

[@MattGarveyComics]

Cheers dude, appreciate the watch

[@waltzcentral6500]

I'm working on my first comic book. Volume 1 of a 6 volume series. I got finished writing the script. The villain doesn't get any screen time until the last chapters. So I wrote the villain's backstory and motivation at the end. But, I fill like I've written myself in a corner. Should I cut it out of the story?

[@MattGarveyComics]

Screen time?! It’s a comic! 😜 Comics don’t he write be linear and you can put origin stories at the end to show some motivation IF it serves a purpose to the story, matey

[@waltzcentral6500]

@@MattGarveyComics I got help from someone yesterday. I fixed the problem by cutting out a lot of stuff. And saving the wild parts for VOL 4 through 6

[@c3lmitz619]

Very helpful advice

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awwww cheers buddy, thank you!

[@antonyjudy5528]

My son writes comics and he is nine years . I don’t know how to encourage and where to showcase his skill. Should I start a KZbin channel? I don’t know. Any help is appreciated

[@MattGarveyComics]

Maybe buy him a couple of books..I’d recommend words for pictures by Brian Michael bendis. Also, maybe bring him to some comic cons to meet other creators.

[@TJ-cg8mq]

..nice one mate..got any vids on short story comic creating??!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Hi buddy, Thanks so much for watching, I’m glad you enjoyed it. I don’t currently have any vids on making 4 pate stories, but I can make one if you think it’ll help. I’ll put it on the list

[@TJ-cg8mq]

@@MattGarveyComics ..yeah that would be great, mate !! I have trouble condensing my stories - plus I want to take full advantage of the comic medium - it has so much potential...!

[@MattGarveyComics]

cool, leave it with me and i'll put it on the list...may take a while though ;)

[@MattGarveyComics]

Keep your peepers open for Monday...you might like this next video 😜

[@cheznooney]

I am planning on makeing a long series is evey 5 books till the main villen but in the other 4 books have normal villens should I make less books untill the main villen or more?

[@MattGarveyComics]

Hey Yoki, apologies for the delay in my response...I’ve been flat out. I love the facT that you have a BIG plan and there is nothing wrong with that all. One thing you need to consider that it may take you a long time...potentially years to get that 5th comic with the BIG villain...comics, especially small press ones take looooooong. So, it may be worth rethinking the structure, but if you know you can get there DO IT! You got this!

[@cheznooney]

@@MattGarveyComics thank you! I will try tto put he villen in the 2nd book

[@americanroger9285]

What is a splash page?

[@MattGarveyComics]

Hey buddy thanks for the view. A splash page is a single comic page made up of one single images. Other pages are made up of several panels, but this is just one abs they are meant to be used for big reveals or action. But new writers tend to over use them.

[@revolt81]

My writing partner and I write in screenplay format is this okay? We have found an artist that works with that.

[@MattGarveyComics]

You can write ANY way you want…there is no set way to write a comic script. Just have to make sure that what you write is clear enough for your artist collaborator to understand. BUT breaking the script down into panels and actions will help that… Otherwise you can’t get upset if the artist doesn’t put something specific on the page if you are leaving them to decipher the script abs translate it into a comic format. Thanks for watching. 👍

[@zombeef2158]

great now to fix my drawing skills

[@MattGarveyComics]

Ha…I’m sure you’re awesome! Thanks for watching 👍

[@RandomStuffses]

Hi Matt , new subscriber here! I have modest drawing skills and I have several ideas and characters going around my mind. Would you recommend I write and illustrate on my own? Is it worth pursuing both ends My only writing experience was 20 years ago as a middle school kid lol Many thanks for the great content !

[@MattGarveyComics]

Doing both will help keep your costs low, which ALWAYS helps when you’re starting out. Just start small with 4 page comics and learn the craft 👍 Also dude I didn’t write my first comic till I was 28 so I was in the exact same position…and I failed English at school…dm didn’t stop me! 😜

[@RandomStuffses]

@@MattGarveyComics Thank you so much for taking the time to answer a question that might've been asked 1000 times!! Ill do my best!! Best wishes

[@jasonwynne1546]

I’m trying to write comic book .Wow it’s hard made my first issue down any more tips on writing Or Maybe drawings ?

[@MattGarveyComics]

Got a new video dropping today at five that might be able to help on the writing side! 👍

[@raol635]

Thank you.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@raol635]

@@MattGarveyComics i have just subscribed to ur channel. I will see if there is a vid explaining how to write a comic and how to diff between the text of narration, bubbles and special effects. Description of the scene... Like storyboarding.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Plenty of video on the channel buys that cover a lot of those subjects 👍 Thanks for subbing

[@hossennamooya3938]

Is it worthwhile to make a comic book nowadays?

[@MattGarveyComics]

Depends what your goals are, matey. I love it

[@hossennamooya3938]

I should like to make comics on moral teaching for kids even adults also mainly for sharing. I'm a writer and I published a book on moral teaching recently. I need some pieces of advice please. Thanks

[@tonyborris9584]

Me: First timer, just finished sketching and writing out a graphic novel. This Guy: "Start small" Me: Well I guess in the dumpster with you Good advice on everything, I'm taking notes

[@MattGarveyComics]

Not at all, buddy. Don’t you dare dumpster it… All you’ve done is created a first draft and that’s great. My advice would be put in in a draw and save it. Have a practice with some smaller stories…as practice. THEN revisit that first draft and look at ways you can improve it. It’s all practice, buddy! You got this!

[@tonyborris9584]

​@@MattGarveyComics Haha sorry I was making a joke, I'm working on it piece by piece and smaller works in the mean time

[@MattGarveyComics]

No worries buddy! Glad you’re getting stuff made! 👍

[@mspooner]

Ahahahaha ahahaha ahaha 💀 When you only discover the tip to start small......... after you're elbows deep in the story

[@MattGarveyComics]

Well hopefully it catches people in time before they put all their glimmer in play on that epically long first comic 😜

[@HalkerVeil]

Don't overdue text... don't put one big image... Everyone do the exact same thing and make the same comic or else!

[@MattGarveyComics]

Ok if you say do 🤣😜

[@TheLobstersoup]

That's too many panels to say the coffee was good.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Or is it? Dun dun daaaaaaar 😜

[@TheLobstersoup]

@@MattGarveyComics Plot twist: it got cold in the meantime.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Nooooooooooo!

[@Pyro-Moloch]

Could you take a look at a script I wrote last year? It's about 30 pages long. I kinda gave up on trying to produce it 'cause I can never earn enough money to get it drawn. And the people I've shown it to, I'm not sure if they gave me an honest opinion because they say it's good, but they don't sound very impressed by it. I would love to hear what a professional such as yourself would think of it. It's totally okay if you don't want to or don't have the time for it, you can just tell me that directly. I understand that reading scripts is time-consuming and not necessarily very fun, especially when it's from a random noname. I feel very uncomfortable even asking this, so please don't feel free to just refuse, there's gonna be no hard feelings or anything of that sort. But, if you could just check it out and tell me if it's any good, I would really appreciate it.

[@MattGarveyComics]

Sure, buddy...I’ll happily take a look. Drop me a message via my website and I’ll be able to email you back...my site is mattgarvey.co.uk

[@Pyro-Moloch]

@@MattGarveyComics thanks, I'll send it right away!

[@MattGarveyComics]

No worries, buddy

[@adamdombovari6215]

I really liked it

[@loristresoldi1212]

If it wasn't for you and you're tips, I would be dead....as I would have done ALL of the misktakes you mentioned, then I'd be asking myself why the whole thing didn't work out as I planned! 🤣 So I wanted to thank you for making this video...you deserve a new sub! 😁

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awww dude, thank you so much for the message of support! Trust me if you made these mistakes you wouldn’t be dead because I’ve made many of them…and I’m still here! 👍

[@adamdombovari6215]

This videó was very usefull

[@MattGarveyComics]

Awww thanks buddy, glad you liked it

[@spacemunky1982]

omg i hate wordy comics.. the old xmen comics from the 70s were like that.. they were soo annoying to read.. i lost interest soo quickly and found i was skipping pages... it was like reading game of thrones...

[@MattGarveyComics]

Ha...I’ve never really read xmen but I’ll take your word for it! And I don’t mind a wordy comic...as long as it’s not covering ALL the amazing art! 😜

[@JollyGreenComics]

WOW

[@MattGarveyComics]

I know 😜

[@6341haha]

A nice comment in the comments section

[@MattGarveyComics]

I do like a nice comment, it’s true 🤣