Comic Book Writing

My name is Ferg Handley and for the last eight years I've been earning my living as a freelance comic book scriptwriter. My first published work was on D.C. Thomson's Commando book line, and since then I've scripted almost two hundred war stories for the title. More recently, I've worked for The Dandy and Panini \ Marvel UK (Spectacular Spider-Man and Marvel Rampage titles), plus various other bits and pieces. So a typical month might see me scripting, say, a couple of Commando books, a Spidey strip and a Dandy story. In fact, many writers work on several titles at once - it's the only way to pay the bills!

The first thing a prospective comic book writer needs is patience. It's a relatively small industry and there aren't that many writers in full-time employment in the UK. There's a finite number of titles, meaning that there isn't a massive amount of paid work on offer. And to be perfectly honest, those writers already working are more likely to pick up any new work on offer. None of the titles I've worked on have advertised for writers, it's more of a word-of-mouth process, which means making contacts.

Basically, I got lucky. I'd always wanted to work in comics, but wasn't sure how to go about it. Then I saw a notice in a trade magazine (Comics International). A London-based organisation, the Cartoon Art Trust, were running a series of courses for writers and artists. I got in touch, attended a few sessions and learned that Commando were always on the lookout for scripts. I sent off an idea which was rejected, but the editor encouraged me to keep trying as my proposal was fairly near the mark. Next time, I was successful and before long I'd been paid for my first script. And by continuing to attend the scripting workshops, I learned how to develop my material and also began making contacts in the industry.

Another way of making contacts is by attending the various comic book conventions held in the UK. The late night bar is always a good place to meet people, but be careful not to pester them when they are socialising. It's like trying to get a date - if you act desperate, chances are you'll fail. Also, plenty of publishers have booths at conventions and are usually willing to chat and pass on advice. Sadly, the major U.S. companies have a limited presence at UK cons, but there's a lot more out there.

Many comic book pros have began their careers in the self-published \ small press market. If that appeals, write a script, find an artist who is willing to work for nothing and somehow generate the cash to publish the comic. Then hire a table at a convention and sell your comic book, or advertise it in trade papers. Also, this will give you something to show a prospective publisher. Editors need to know you can come up with the goods and, believe me, you'll need to prove it. After I'd written a few Commando books, I went down that road and self-published a football comic magazine named Foul!. It had several strips in it, meaning I worked with various artists and the project was a crash course in learning about the industry.

Getting a foot in the American door isn't easy. Pick up submission guidelines on the internet, work out a proposal and send it to the editors (their names are on the various titles). But don't be surprised if you don't get a response, even after you've sent a follow-up letter or email. Editors are busy people, and their main concern is getting their title ready for the next print run. Persevere though, and you never know. Meeting editors at conventions helps, and follow up this first contact as soon as possible. It's a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind'. And try to build a portfolio to show editors, even if it's unpublished material. Of course, it's easier for an artist to show off their skills - an editor can quickly decide if artwork is up to scratch, reading scripts and synopses takes much longer. That's why it's good to have a script of yours drawn up.

There's also the British market. Pick up a bundle of titles from your local newsagent, supermarket or comic shop and try your hand at a few proposals. Then send them off and hope for the best - remembering that your precious work might never even be read.

Europe has a thriving industry, with comics deservedly accepted as art \ literature. If that route appeals, try and attend a European con, or speak to European publishers at UK cons. Europe isn't fixated with American super-hero material, so if you want to work in a particular genre (say westerns or fantasy), this may well be the most rewarding route.

Be prepared for a lot of hard work, and if you can't take rejection, forget it. An alternative source of income is vital when you are trying to break in. Personally, I worked in the building trade - physically demanding, but at least I wasn't mentally exhausted by the end of the week.

There are plenty of sample scripts available on the internet or in books. There is no right or wrong method, but it's good to compare the various styles and choose one that works for you. For example, the ‘Marvel' method has a writer roughly laying out the story in a page-by page format; the artist will draw it then it's back to the writer for dialogue and captions. In contrast, more traditional scripts are close to a movie's ‘shooting script', with each panel described to the artist, with the relevant dialogue added below.

It's all about hard work though. A good idea is just a starting point, you then need to craft it into a story. Personally, when I'm working on a project, I write notes in a jotter (lots of them), then transfer what works onto the laptop. Sitting down and trying to come up with an idea often leads to frustration, so I tend to think about story ideas when I'm walking the dog or watching TV. The more you write, the easier it becomes - but don't force it. If a story isn't working, leave it alone for a while. It's amazing what the subconscious comes up with!

The CCG (Comics Creators Guild) is an organisation dedicated to helping people in the industry, especially those trying to break in. Their contact address is: 22 St James Mansions, West End Lane, West Hampstead, London NW6 2AA (www.comicscreators.org). I find that Comics International is a very useful trade paper, and it's available at all good comic shops. Also, the Digital Webbing site (www.digitalwebbing.com) has several valuable sections, including submissions guidelines for the major publishers, talent searches and classified ads (e.g. writers wanted).

So good luck, and maybe I'll run into you at that convention late night bar!