You can write a webcomic script in one month
All it takes is an idea that excites you and a few tips I learned while I was writing my webcomic script for webtoon.
Writing a script for a webcomic may seem like a huge undertaking given how many hours it takes to complete a draft.
With holidays, family, work, and everything else in life that gets between you and your story, you may struggle with it for almost two years. That’s how long it took me to write my first webcomic script 6 years ago. I had no idea what I was doing and in the end… I left that project unfinished. :C
Years later, I finished a draft of the second webcomic script series in 31 days. I’ve been on a seven-day break for a company (you gotta do what you gotta do and family always comes first) and plan to finish the last few chapters this week.
The first draft of my new webtoon will probably be around 60,000 words.
Before you write, come up with an idea that you love for your Webcomic script.
You need a spark. Something to start the carburetor to take you on a wild ride through writing an entire webcomic script. Even if you’re a pantser, you should have a vague idea of the basis of the story (how it starts and ends for example). That becomes the foundation, the road on which to drive your story and this will give you the battery to write every day.
It’s hard to get into the flow when your head is whiplashed from accelerating then slamming on the brakes because you don’t know where to go.
Have you ever driven with someone who drives like that? Ow. You don’t have a map and your compass is so messed up, it reads north in every direction. Unless you’re an outliner who sticks to every detail with magnetic precision, you will run into a momentary dead end. This can be frustrating and can cause the famous “writer’s block”, you have to be careful with it because a writer’s block can make you leave your webcomic script.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but your super amazing idea should pop into your head at odd times and bug you while you’re driving to the grocery store. It should nag you to write its story when you’re in the shower or even better, it should take away your sleep because all you wanna do is go to your desk and start writing your next plot point.
The idea will worm its way into your workout. Don’t ignore its persistence or overzealous alliteration.
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IT IS THE ONE!
Inspiration can come from anywhere.
The idea for my webcomic came to me when I was eating breakfast (cereal as a good kiddo Lmao) while Walt Disney animated film Mulan as on the TV, I was watching the song scene “be a man” (sorry I don’t remember the song’s name correctly xD), and then I just was asking to my self what if… and…
OoooOOOooOooo! At that moment I just wanted to leave my cereal run into my laptop and start writing. Yep. I just felt that’s the one, that the story Idea that I want to make into a webcomic. The fun part is writing what happens to set up that scene that got you excited and then what happens next.
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Get a webcomic script idea? Write it down fast.
I wrote the main plot of my webcomic thirty minutes later from my breakfast on that Sunday. I typed it in Notes on my laptop then emailed it to myself. I do that a lot to keep the idea in my mind.
I had no idea if I could pull it off. I had a few, “This is so stupid!” moments when I forced an idea. As soon as I let it go and let it flow, the story eased into the fantastical elements at the appropriate times.
So how did I do it?
The 20-minute rule for writers.
Many times, I wasn’t in the mood to sit down and write. The Romance genre intimidated me. I used Pomodoro’s technique, but cut it down from the twenty-five-minute rule to twenty. I told myself, “Come on! You can write for twenty minutes!” Every single time, I wrote for at least an hour. Once you have momentum, you can take your foot off the gas pedal and coast.
Find a place to write your webcomic script.
My kitchen counter is my old reliable. I would do the majority of my writing while sipping coffee every morning. Then, I would walk upstairs to my office. Peace. Yay!
It worked so well, I wrote 50,000 words tucked under the covers with the drapes drawn. I have to admit to feeling guilty about it, but I was hitting 2000 – 3000 words a day, consistently and it worked. Why fight it? And it was so comfortable.
I’ve written chapters in coffee shops. I find it funny how they can be so noisy and I’m borderline ADD, but I can tune it out. The key is that no one is going to pester you like my Bichon, hopefully.
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Lots of warm drinks as a good writer xD
Most writers speak of snacking and carbo-loading while writing. My motor runs on tea so I keep a mug filled at all times. Keeps me hydrated. When I run out, I rev up my engine by taking a break to fill my mug again. (Even I’m getting tired of the metaphor, but it’s so hard to stop.)
Taking breaks from writing.
This is the BIGGEST change I made. Instead of pounding the keys for hours on end, I forced myself to take breaks. I’d eat a meal, watch a half-hour of a movie and work on a puzzle, run errands, read, take a walk, anything to get my mind off my writing.
Taking a rest from writing is very important, It helps you to refresh your mind and renovates your brain to get clear ideas. I came with my best plot points while I was doing something else than writing, so believe it or not, even if you’re taking a rest your brain still works on your webcomic script unconsciously. So don’t be afraid to take a rest.
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Writing trick alert!
Here’s a trick for you. Quit writing before you hit a writing block. Sometimes I start a new chapter and stop towards the end of a scene while the ideas are percolating. Why?
Because when you sit down again, you will be able to continue your flow. It’s a heck of a lot easier than waiting to take a break when your ideas in your brain are exhausted. (See what I did there? I held back. (I could have said out of gas.) You might write into a dead end or a twelve car pile up. It might be hard to start again with the walls closed around your characters, while they bump into each other like robots and have inane conversations.
Writing words just to maintain a word count total is never the way to write the first draft. Stop. Breathe. Stretch. Go outside. Make sure you’re wearing pants, of course, then hit the keys again.
Finding time to write
I had always wondered how people with a full-time job ever published a webtoon monthly. I’m an artist and have tons of time. But in the last couple of weeks (especially on the weekends), I didn’t have time to write until late in the day. I had never written chapters of my webcomic after dinner. But at 8:00 or 9:00 PM, I’d tuck myself into bed. Instead of reading a book, I’d write my webcomic script. Then I’d read for a half-hour before turning out the light.
Funny thing. I slept well with lots of thoughts of my new characters dancing in my head.
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Get excited about your webcomic script!
As my webtoon progresses, the characters continue to flesh out. Their world is transforming from black and white letters to living colors as the plot twists and turns. I’m hooked. I’m excited. I want to know what happens to everyone.
Only knowing the basic plot points gives me the freedom to let my imagination take hairpin turns on two wheels while sticking with the general direction of the story. I never know how a scene is going to play out until I write it.
It can be very exciting with the windows down and the wind whipping at my face. (Please make it stop!).
I’m in the middle of the heart-pounding climax. I have a general idea. BUT do more people die? Do these challenges change my protagonist in some way? What decisions will she make? Will mistakes be made? What kind of diabolical evil will she face next? There’s so much more I can toss into the plot to mess with the characters. It feels magical. I feel like some kind of god. Lol!
I get the same edge of my seat feeling while I’m reading a good book. I’m not saying this first draft is good, it’s not even meh. It’s terrible. It will go through lots of revisions like everything else I write. But it’s fun. I enjoy the thrill of writing.
After spending so much time in revisions even before I start drawing my webtoon, it felt good to set everything aside to focus on a creative project every day. I keep thinking if I can write a draft in less than three weeks, how many can I crank out in a year?
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The benefit of writing every day:
I wrote my last 800 words to win the webtoon annual contest. I thought it would feel very satisfying to hit 50,000 words but it felt strange and unsettling to stop. When I returned home, I opened my laptop and wrote a little more before going to sleep every night. Writing every day has become a habit for me. I want to finish my next story. I need to finish it. I WILL finish it. Even if this one doesn’t become a webtoon I would like to keep making stories.
If I quit writing for a long time before a first draft is complete, I lose the flow. All those creative juices dry up. I have to reread the whole draft to refresh my memory. Sometimes the energy and excitement are hard to recapture. There’s no way I’ll ever let that happen again.
Now that writing so many words a day is a habit. I’ll let my imagination take me in another direction. Compasses and road maps are great, but the real excitement happens when I discover a new road; one with lots of twists and turns. Who knew writing a webcomic script would be so much fun?
Are you an artist? Do you have any tips to share? Please share it with me! I would love to hear your opinion about this topic.
EXTRA TIP:
I know Sometimes is more intimidating to write a comic than draw it, but believe me, once you get the habit of writing, you will have so much fun creating your own stories, even more than making the art!
Would be better if you have your entire webcomic script before starting to draw? the only way that will keep you engaged with your webcomic is becoming your webcomic No.1 fan, and the only way to achieve this is knowing your characters and your plot as your own hand.
keep fighting for your dream job my fella aspiring webtoon artist! I know you will make it! I believe that you have the talent to achieve your goal
See you! 😀
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