Is anyone serious about doing this?

[BoydDesign]

I get some responses off this sometimes, but for the most part, people don't have any idea what it takes to do this stuff.

First, if you're a writer, know how to spell and use grammar correctly. For God's sake, at least run spell check.

Secondly, describe the page in frames, like you would see it. The Marvel method of describing the plot and expecting the artist to make a page look good is vastly overrated.

Third, expect that a good penciller is going to need at least $50, and more like $100 per page for pencils, although I have been known to do pages AND inks for that.

Fourth, PLEASE realize that the artist you choose to work with is a CO-CREATOR of the project. You won't get original art for the price quoted. In fact, you shouldn't NEED original art to do the project at all. I NEVER give originals to a client on comic book pages, unless it has been pre-negotiated. Oh, and please be willing to CREDIT the artist.

Fifth, Set realistic deadlines. Don't expect an artist to drop everything they are doing and work on your comic book for thirty days or sixty days straight, UNLESS, of course, you are willing to pay the artist's bills for that length of time.

And so on, and so on, ad nauseum...

(And if you don't know what that means, it's likely you're NOT a writer.)

[Ruyei]

Well that's primarily for two reasons.

Number one, there is little to no education and mentorship programs. I know for me I often learned as I went along, being mentored by the very artists I worked with and being able to, by sheer number of the works I did, being able to experiment with styles and see what works and doesn't work. Now seven years later I get paid occasionally for my comic work (among other things). So yeah, a lot of these writers imply have no scripting education and are simply going in blind.

Number 2, in addition many writers who post on this site seem to be writing scripts for the first time. I can imagine a lot of writers who post on here have backgrounds in prose and movie scripts but have never worked with a comic artist and have never in general told storytelling in this particular medium. Concepts like artists being collaborators are not immediately obvious and must be learned through experience.

So in short, I doubt writers are in general rude! They are new and uneducated, which is a problem certainly and makes them hard to work with being as they are blunt instruments, but I don't consider it a sign that they are bad people, just that they are at the beginning of their journey as comic scripters. On the other things of things I can imagine many writers are unable to find a partner or worse, find a partner who tells them they are terrible and they rage-quit. Not that an experienced artist should have to deal with a very green writer if they don't want to, but I do think that writers get a bad wrap for being "unprofessional" when they really haven't had a chance to become professional in the first place.

Sincerely,
Robert Finch/Ruyei

P.S. As for practice what you preach, I actually have organized a scripting circle that does include many new writers. We don't have any room for new writers but I do think that more such circles should be formed so everyone can learn together.

[MarkusStan]

An interesting post. I'd like to answer you point by point:

Yes, I will agree that there are many beginning writers who need to learn grammar, punctuation and even HOW to tell an effective story.

Yes, I will agree that the old Marvel method doesn't sit well with me. From what I hear, many writers at Marvel do full script now (which is why I called it the OLD Marvel method).

You say that you've done work for $100 a page but a couple paragraphs down you ask for realistic deadlines and that, despite being paid your rate of $100 a page, you WON'T be working on the project for however many days it takes to get the project done. That's not really the attitude Marvel, DC and other pro companies want to see. If Marvel said to you, "We need you to draw a fill-in issue of Hulk for us but we need the entire book in 20 days." You'll say, "No, thanks, because your page rate won't pay my bills for those 20 days while I work."

Or is that part of your double standard. You'll do it for Marvel and DC but no one else, regardless of what they pay? I'm sorry. That doesn't fly. You're being paid to draw a book, something you supposedly love to do but you're only willing to give half an effort for anyone other than the pro companies.

New writers who want to write comics also need to know that the only people making money on these indy press books are the artists, even though the entire book wouldn't exist without the writers idea and story. So if you want to write comics, please keep that in mind.

Just about everything is digital these days so there is no need for any writers to need original art. Artists, if a writer you are working with asks for your original art. Be wary.
ALL comics have credit boxes for a reason. Anyone who knows anything about comics will always have credits. If you don't know much about comics, you may want to research for a few years before you dive right into writing and creating comics.

The Co-Creator credit is a sticky wicket. I come up with a story. All the characters. I come up with how they look (with words), what they wear, any scars they have, etc. I've CREATED this story from nothing. I am the Creator. While I credit the artist as 'Artist' or 'Artistically Created By', there is an agreement that if, by some miracle, it gets optioned by Hollywood, the artist would be entitled to an equal share as the artist.
Now, if the artist helps me with plot or comes up with some idea that I use or designs the characters for me, then I have no problem in giving said artist a Co-Creator credit.
Regardless of credit, though, the artist gets an equal share because this is comics and the artist and writer are a team.

Lastly, writers write. As long as a person (male or female) writes or attempts to write, they are a writer. There is no stipulation that they need to know what ad nauseum means. I can certainly understand your frustration in dealing with new or sub-par writers but the only other alternative is writing and drawing your own work...but that wouldn't really net you a page rate, would it.

[Eagle-NO-Earth]

Most people doing this are hobbyists. Or people attempting to break into the business one way or another. You are charging the lower end of what some of the companies pay, so that's pretty much saying that you have professional quality work. Maybe you should be aiming at the publishers instead of people trying to break in?

Oh, and anyone I am paying work-for-hire professional level rates to is not a co-creator, they are my art monkey. I tell them what to draw, and they draw it to my satisfaction.

Collaborator and co-creators are totally different working arrangements.

Eagle
(Just a thought)

[noonecomics]

I kind of agree on most things boyd said.
I have recieved a lot of scripts in many different formats, the reason as mentioned above is that most of the people here (including me) are hobbyst, amateur just getting into semi pro.
on the other hand is harder for writers because there isnt many bibliography the can go onto as much in the art part of comics.
so I just go with whatever they sent me and work it off a little, this is time consuming of course, some writers are nice and understanding some others dont, its like it is.