(Find more Killer Writers conversations here.)

In this conversation, I chatted with Paul about the two questions writers ask most: How do you write a graphic novel, and how do you get it published?

“Paul, let’s start with the basics. A lot of people look at a graphic novel and think, ‘Isn’t this just a screenplay with pictures?’ But it’s not, is it?”

“No, it’s not. It may look like a storyboard at a glance, but a graphic novel is its own language. One of the biggest misconceptions is that it’s just a comic book with delusions of grandeur, or that it’s a screenplay in panels. The truth is, comics have their own grammar. It’s a medium, not a genre. That means it can contain fiction, nonfiction, memoir, fantasy, journalism, anything.”

“You’ve said that historically, many of the most compelling comics have come from creators who both write and draw their own work.”

“Exactly. There’s a long and rich tradition of cartoonists being auteurs: handling the script, the drawing, the pacing, the tone. Think of Garry Trudeau, Charles Schulz, or Art Spiegelman. When you do it all yourself, the work has a singular voice. But there’s also a long-standing industry model, especially with superhero comics, where the labor is divided: writer, penciler, inker, colorist, letterer. In that assembly-line model, everyone has a lane. So, if you’re a writer who doesn’t draw, you’re not disqualified, but you do need to understand how the parts work together.”

“Let’s talk mechanics. If I’m writing a script for a graphic novel, what should it actually look like?”

“I recommend that every page of your script corresponds to a finished page in the book. Page one of your script should contain the beats for page one of the final artwork. That helps everyone stay on the same page literally. You also need visual acuity. You’re not just writing dialogue. You’re directing. You should know what the characters look like, how they dress, what era they’re in. You have to describe each panel’s setting and action in vivid detail, even if you’re not the one drawing it. For example: ‘Panel 1: The General enters the saloon, pushing through swinging batwing doors, ten-gallon hat crooked, dust clinging to his coat. His boots echo on the wooden floor.’ That tells the artist what to draw and gives the mood. If you don’t include that, you’ll end up with a generic guy in a blazer walking into a sports bar.”

Check out Paul Karasik’s Paul Auster’s The New York Trilogy here:

Bookshop | Amazon

(WD uses affiliate links)

“That’s the opposite of screenwriting, where we’re trained not to direct on the page.”

“Exactly. In screenwriting, you’re not supposed to step on the director’s toes. In comics, you’re the director, unless you’re collaborating. Then you’re co-directing. Either way, your job is to get what’s in your head across clearly. Even if you don’t draw, you need to think like a visual storyteller.”

“So, let’s say I’ve written a script. I don’t draw. How do I find an illustrator?”

“First, you need to read. Lots. We’re living through a golden age of graphic novels. You can walk into any bookstore or library and see dozens of styles. Study the work that resembles your tone or subject matter. Is it cartoonish? Realistic? Fantasy-based? Memoir? Figure out the look you’re after, then find artists working in that lane. Then, go deeper. Who published that book? Who was the editor? Publishers are risk-averse by nature. They like what’s already worked. So, if you approach an editor who published a successful memoir-in-comics and your project is similar in tone or format, you have a stronger shot.”

“Should writers approach artists directly, or go through agents or publishers?”

“There are a few routes. You could try to partner with an artist up front. Many graphic novels are pitched that way, as a team. Or you could query a publisher with a script and a visual style reference and let them help pair you with an illustrator. Either way, you need to know what kind of book you’re making.”

“What should a writer include in a submission packet for an agent or editor?”

“Keep it simple and professional. Cover letter, synopsis, and sample pages. If you’re the artist too, send the first finished chapter and a clear outline of the rest of the book. If you’re just the writer, send a few sample script pages that demonstrate you understand the format, and include links or images of the kind of art you envision. You’re not locking yourself in, but you’re showing you’ve thought it through. Don’t overdo it. Agents and editors can usually tell within a few pages whether a project is viable. Sending them a 100-page proposal won’t help; it might hurt. Be clear, be professional, and don’t misspell anything. Seriously.”

“Is it better to query editors directly or to get an agent first?”

“Get an agent. A good agent is worth every penny. They already know who’s buying what. They can get your work to the right person faster than you can, and they’ll protect your rights. If your book gets foreign interest, film rights, or reprint deals, they’ll handle that too. You don’t want to spend your creative energy chasing contracts and payments. That’s their job.”

Click to continue.

“Any tips on how to find a literary agent who represents graphic novels?”

“Look at the acknowledgments section of graphic novels you admire. Authors often thank their agents. Or check Publishers Marketplace and see who’s repping whom. There are agents who specialize in graphic novels now, especially with the genre’s growth into schools, libraries, and mainstream bookstores.”

“When a writer and an artist collaborate, how is ownership usually split?”

“It varies, but in many cases, it’s a 50-50 partnership. That’s something to discuss up front, ideally with a contract. You’re co-creators. If one person walks, the book doesn’t get made. So respect and clarity matter.”

“And if a writer doesn’t have an artist in mind, should they still include visual references in their pitch?”

“Yes. You want to show the agent or editor that you understand how this story should feel. Include a scan or two from books that capture the tone or look you’re after. ‘This is the vibe I see for the visuals’ is often enough.”

“You’ve mentioned that your own books tend to find you.”

“That’s true. I don’t sit around trying to guess what the market wants. I do projects I’m compelled to do. Some are deeply personal, like The Ride Together, about growing up with my autistic brother. Others are conceptual, like How to Read Nancy, which is kind of a textbook in disguise. I follow the project, not the paycheck. It’s not a great business strategy. But I’ve never published a book I didn’t believe in.”

“Sounds like the auteur approach.”

“That’s one way to put it. Sometimes people get confused when I talk about my work, because it’s all over the map. But then I say, ‘I’ve been in The New Yorker,’ and suddenly it’s, ‘Oh! You must be legit.’ That name opens a lot of doors, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy.”

“Any final advice for someone who wants to enter the world of graphic novels?”

“Yeah. Don’t do it unless you can’t not do it. This isn’t a get-rich field. It’s hard. You will face constant rejection. Every week, I send 10 to 12 cartoon submissions to The New Yorker. If I’m lucky, I’ll sell three or four a year. That’s it. Why do I keep sending them? Because I have to. It’s a compulsion. It’s who I am. So, if you’re doing this because you think it’s trendy or easy, don’t. But if you’re doing it because you have a story you have to tell, and this is the only way you can tell it, welcome to the club. We’re all figuring it out together.”

____________________________

Two-time Eisner Award winner, Paul Karasik, began his career as the Associate Editor of Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly’s RAW magazine. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker. https://www.paulkarasikcomics.com/

The post A Conversation With Paul Karasik on The Graphic Truth: Writing, Pitching, and Publishing Graphic Novels (Killer Writers) appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Publishers Weekly named Mike a “Fall 2014 Flying Start.” In the same year he won the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Founder’s Award. Mike’s debut young adult graphic novel, Flamer, was awarded the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Young Adult and the 2021 Massachusetts Book Award for Middle Grade/Young Adult. Follow him on Instagram.

In this interview, Mike discusses how the friends he made in the early 2000s helped inspire his new graphic novel, Gaysians, his hope for readers, and more.

Name: Mike Curato
Literary agent: Brenda Bowen
Book title: Gaysians
Publisher: Algonquin
Release date: June 3, 2025
Genre/category: Adult fiction/graphic novel
Previous titles: Flamer, the Little Elliot picture book series; Where is Bina Bear?
Elevator pitch: Gaysians features four gay Asian friends who navigate love, identity, and friendship in Seattle during the early aughts. It is a fierce, funny, and tender story of queer resilience and self-discovery.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

I like to write what I want to read, and there is a lack of queer Asian centered stories in Western culture. Gaysians is inspired by a group of friends I made when I first came out and moved to Seattle in the early 2000s. Most of them happened to be gay and Asian, and I’d never felt so seen and understood in a three-dimensional way before. This book is an homage to them and the concept of chosen family.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I conceived of the idea for Gaysians in 2020. I am a big fan of The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan, and I used that as a jumping off point. Originally it was an ensemble cast of six characters whose lives were all woven together, but the first draft was too long. So, I edited down two of the main characters to supporting roles and took parts of their plotlines and distributed them to some of the main characters. I think the final story really benefited from shrinking the main cast, but I sometimes fantasize about a spin off for the two who were downgraded. That said, the original goal for the book, a story centering the queer Asian American experience, remained intact.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I’ve been working in children’s publishing since 2012. This is my adult debut, and in a lot of ways, it felt like starting from scratch. It didn’t matter that I’ve built up a strong network and a reputation as a hard worker over the last decade, I am still a bit of an unknown in the adult world. There were many editors we pitched who passed on the book. This isn’t something new or surprising to me, but it’s been a long time since my trusted agent has had to pitch my manuscripts to other editors, as I’ve worked with the same children’s editor for many years. It was a good reminder about how hard it is to get a book published, even when you know it’s good. As with dating, it’s all about finding the right match. I’m so grateful Algonquin and I found each other. [insert heart emoji]

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I think I learned a lot during the writing process, especially from interviewing so many other queer Asian people. While I myself am gay and Asian, I am also writing about a lot of other identities that are not my own. People shared personal stories about their experiences being Asian American, as well as being a part of a specific ethnic community. There is a trans character, which is also outside of my experience. Listening to all of these different perspectives not only shaped the storytelling, but enhanced my original vision. There were some really beautiful surprises, cultural customs I learned about, which proved to be handy tools and emotional touchstones in the book. I could also start to see some similarities and patterns in people’s experiences, but I also saw a beautiful array of differences. While the book tries to capture a common experience, it is also trying to show that we are not a monolith.

Most of the other surprises occurred while creating the art. Surprise! Adobe Fresco does not let you import multiple files at once, so I had to upload hundreds of sketches one at a time. Surprise! Sometimes that program crashes out of nowhere and I would occasionally lose several hours of work! Surprise! My original plan to print everything in two Pantone colors was not going to work with the technique I was using. And of course, surprise/no surprise, the artwork took. For. Ever. I always try to pad my time when illustrating, but this book was a beast I had not done battle with before. It’s very long (375 pages) and very detailed. I also wanted the characters to look more realistic than cartoony, because it was important for me that the characters really look to be of Asian descent. It took a very long time to find models.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I primarily wrote this book for queer Asian people. I wanted to make something for us. I wanted us to be seen and celebrated. I did not grow up seeing anyone like me centered in a story. People like me were either relegated to the sidelines or not mentioned at all. To see yourself represented can make such a huge impact on your self-confidence. There’s more than enough room in this world for us all to be ourselves. I also wrote this for everyone else, so they could get to know us better, so they could witness our struggles, our strengths, and our humanity. I have found that even though I have written some stories that could be considered niche, there are deep universal themes at play. When someone reads about a character with a completely different background, but eventually finds common ground with them, that’s a pivotal moment. It stitches our existences a little closer together, and that breeds empathy, something the world can never have too much of. We’re all just people. We all want to be seen; we all want to be understood.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Something I always say to aspiring writers is to write honestly and vulnerably. If you are not moved by your own work, your reader won’t be either.

The post Mike Curato: Write Honestly and Vulnerably appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Joan discusses the everlasting humor at the heart of her new graphic novel, Fart Boy And Reeky Dog, her advice for other writers, and more.

Name: Joan Holub
Literary agent: Eden Street Literary
Book title: Fart Boy And Reeky Dog
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release date: April 8, 2025
Genre/category: Graphic Novel
Illustrator: Rafael Rosado
Previous titles: Joan Holub has written 200+ books for kids ages two to 13, including: picture books: I Am The Shark, Bears Are Best, Zero The Hero, Little Red Writing; middle-grade series: Goddess Girls (31 books); chapter book series: Heroes In Training (18 books); board book series: This Little Artist, This Little Trailblazer (10 books); biographies: Who Was Babe Ruth? (10 books); and more!
Elevator pitch: Get ready for a new kind superhero—a smelly one! A 10-year-old boy with the power of super stinktastic farts, and his new Reeky dog sidekick, team up to defeat an evil alien scientist who’s trying to take over the world! From Joan Holub, New York Times bestselling author of Mighty Dads.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

I wanted to write a graphic novel (my first) and was trying to think of a good topic when my brother suggested: “Write a book about farts. I’d read it!” Hmm. I did a lot of babysitting in my tween years, and recalled that my girl and boy charges thought farts were hilarious. In fact, many were seasoned, proud fartmakers. They’d fart bubbles in the bathtub or in their blow-up pools. They’d giggle wildly when friends or pets farted. And I won’t name names, but I know plenty of grown-ups who still think farts are funny! I decided maybe my brother was onto something, so I began exploring the idea.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Fart Boy and Reeky Dog is one of those book ideas that flowed from brain-to-page without me having to overthink its trajectory. I came up with the bones of the storyline quickly and finalized a first draft in about four months. The Liz character is loosely based on me. We both like science and had a mild boy crush in elementary school. Carl is Fart Boy’s goofy sidekick. Professor Groovypants (aka Gravypants or Perfume Lady) is the oddball evil villain. Bully is, well, a bully. Reeky Dog is smart. Fart Boy was created in the Professor’s underground lab (beans were involved) and is the star of the book. He can be clueless, but his heart’s in the right place. And, c’mon, he’s trying to save the world!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

The first manuscript I gave my editor was 100 pages long, and full of both words and drawings. Yes, you heard right. I drew rough sketches for my entire book. No, I didn’t plan to illustrate it, so you might think these sketches were a waste of time. But combining the art and text was a big help in making my manuscript understandable to me and to others right away. Still, after my editor reviewed that first draft, she returned it to me with many queries. When…? Why…? How…? By the time I’d addressed all of her questions…surprise! Fart Boy and Reeky Dog had expanded to 150 pages—about the right length for the book’s intended age group.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

One thing I learned is that graphic novel artists are in high demand. We were super lucky that Rafael Rosado agreed to come on board as illustrator of the Fart Boy and Reeky Dog book (2025) and a second Fart Boy book (to pub in 2026 as part of a two-book deal).

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I hope this quirky, action-packed, awesomely illustrated graphic novel will appeal to both avid and reluctant readers. And that kids will rush to tell their friends, “You should read Joan Holub’s book. It’s sooo funny!” I hope this is a story kids will want to read more than once and that they’ll long for the sequel and for the two books to become movies! I hope they cheer our fresh, believable characters along on their mission to save the world. And that they’ll enjoy the moments of hilarity, trouble, and friendship, as the characters work together to defeat evil!

If you could share one piece of advice with other children’s book writers, what would it be?

Be versatile. If your picture book manuscript isn’t working well, maybe put it aside and try starting a middle-grade novel and a board book. If you have several manuscripts in the works and one of them stumps you, you’ll still have those two other story ideas to explore. Your writing and creativity is less likely to grind to a halt. As the saying goes, love what you do and do what you love. I wish you the very best in your writing endeavors!

The post Joan Holub: Be Versatile appeared first on Writer's Digest.

Name: Lucas Turnbloom
Literary agent: Judy Hansen
Book title: Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release date: March 11, 2025
Genre/category: Children’s Graphic Novels
Previous titles: Steve L. McEvil; Steve L. McEvil and the Second Wind; Dream Jumper: Nightmare Escape; Dream Jumper: Curse of the Harvester
Elevator pitch: When a 12-year-old supervillain wannabe and his friends get lost somewhere in the galaxy, it’s up to his genius sister and the family cat to bring them home and prevent the destruction of Earth. That is, if she feels like it.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

I have been drawing cartoons my whole life. Whether it be stories about flatulent robots and sassy cats, to unflattering caricatures of my supervisors at the day job, it comes naturally to me. So, when Crown said they would PAY me to write and draw the Steve L. McEvil trilogy—a series about a family of inept supervillains, a housekeeping robot, and a cat with a serious attitude—I couldn’t pass that up. The only catch was I couldn’t draw caricatures of my production team. I reluctantly agreed.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister is the third book of the McEvil trilogy. So, by the time we got to this book, my team and I had a good grasp of the characters, and the story just flowed. I should note it was helpful that I knew exactly where I wanted to go with each book, how Steve would pass the supervillain torch to his sister, Eve, and most especially the big reveal at the end. All-in-all, each book in the McEvil trilogy took around a year from idea to publication. Let me add that deadlines really have a way of keeping you focused. Are you a lollygagger? This probably isn’t the profession for you.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I worked as a graphic artist for more than 20 years before I began working as a professional writer. So, I know a thing or two about working with inept editors and production crews. This was absolutely not the case with the McEvil team. Everyone knew their job, and how to make the best books possible. I couldn’t have asked for a more professional art and editorial team, and I am eternally grateful. We made some amazing books!

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I have found that if you love telling stories, the characters become real to you. The McEvils became very real to me, like family. So, when I finished the last page of Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister, I wept uncontrollably. I didn’t realize until many months later that I was in a kind of mourning and wasn’t ready to say goodbye. That really took me by surprise.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

Laughter. Copious amounts of laughter. I want Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister to be something kids read repeatedly, discovering something new and hilarious each time they do. But most especially, I hope these characters will find a special places in their hearts, allowing the McEvils to live on forever.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

You know that story idea you’re thinking about right now? Do it. Stop thinking about it and just do it. If your brain is saying, “I’m not in the right headspace now,” or “Maybe I’ll start tomorrow,” those are amateur thoughts, and doesn’t gel when you’re facing deadlines. There is NEVER going to be a better time to write than now, so do it. If you commit to just 30 minutes of writing a day, you would be AMAZED by what you produce by the end of the month. And if you’re worried that your idea has been done before, stop worrying! It totally has, no question. However, it’s not IF an idea has already been done, it’s what YOU do with the idea that makes all the difference. So, you know that sign you’ve been waiting for? This is it. Get started.

The post Lucas Turnbloom: I Knew Exactly Where I Wanted To Go With Each Book appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Brian discusses the process of writing his new graphic novels for middle grade readers, Sophie: Jurassic Bark and Sophie: Frankenstein’s Hound, his advice for other writers, and more.

Name: Brian Anderson
Book titles: Sophie: Jurassic Bark and Sophie: Frankenstein’s Hound
Publisher: Marble Press
Release date: October 15, 2024
Genre/category: Middle Grade Graphic Novels
Previous titles: The Conjurers series
Elevator pitch: Sophie: Jurassic Bark and Sophie: Frankenstein’s Hound are the first two books in a new graphic novel series for middle grade readers, full of mini adventures, pop culture spoofs, sharp jokes, adorable illustrations, and a sneaky dose of heart.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

My dog, Sophie, was the original inspiration for the comic strip. I always wanted to give her a bigger playground, and graphic novels were the perfect way to expand her adventures. When things ended with the syndicate, I had to choose between fighting or giving up. I didn’t like either option, so I decided to create my own path and bring Sophie to life in graphic novels and animation.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

It wasn’t a long process. I mapped out the “Sophie” series about two years ago. It was scary to step off that cliff, but I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

The biggest challenge was transitioning from the daily, four-panel format of the comic strip to the longer story structure of graphic novels. Sophie has a specific arc in each book, and it was like fitting a jigsaw puzzle together to figure out where her imaginative adventures fit into the story.

One advantage of graphic novels over daily strips is that you can write the entire story first and revise it until it’s exactly how you want it.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

The biggest surprise was having a publisher that was 100 percent behind the books. And the incredible team at Marble Press was a huge help every step of the way.

It took me a while to learn to rely on the team at Marble Press, since I’d been doing everything on my own for almost 20 years. They reminded me that I could always reach out for help. I couldn’t have done it without them.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

Absolutely! Even after all these years of drawing the comic, I was blown away by how much more there was to these characters on both an imaginative and emotional level. When I was writing the comic strip, I sometimes felt like I was running out of ideas. But with the expanded canvas of graphic novels, I realized I had only scratched the surface.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

My biggest hope is that readers, young and old, fall in love with Sophie the way they did with the comic strip. I know young readers will identify with Sophie as they are both on the same journey (minus the tail and the drooling issues).

I’ve always been proud of the fact that the comic strip was loved by kids and their parents. These are books that have laughs for all ages. So, my biggest hope is that families enjoy reading them together.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

That’s a tough one because I’m always learning new things. But one thing that’s always helped me, even when I’m feeling stuck, is to carry a notebook everywhere. The brain is always working on the story in the background, even if you’re not aware it’s relentlessly trying to fix that plot hole in the second act. The solution might pop into your head at a random time, and you have to be ready to catch it.

And here’s a piece of advice I learned from creating the “Sophie” series: If you’re not heading in the right direction, don’t be afraid to change course. Take a moment to plan your new path and start building your own track. It might be scary at first, but you’ll eventually have your own railroad steaming towards your goal. That’s why I’m answering these questions about the “Sophie” books today.

The post Brian Anderson: Carry a Notebook Everywhere appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(5 Tips on Writing From Your Own Family History.)

I’m sure that to those customers, she was unremarkable and maybe even invisible. But as her daughter, I knew what she had gone through to get there—the extraordinary circumstances that had brought her to this ordinary life—and it bothered me that nobody else could appreciate her strength and bravery.

You see, my mother came of age during the Cultural Revolution in China, which had started in the 1960s and created chaos across that country. A city kid with a high-school education, she was sent to a commune in the countryside for “re-education” by peasant farmers, forced to labor in rice paddies and sugarcane fields. In 1971, she decided to escape, by making her way to the coast through dense mountain forests, then attempting to swim five miles across Mirs Bay to Hong Kong with only a basketball to stay afloat.

It pained me to think that her story might go unknown, that strangers would only ever see her as a minimum-wage worker with broken English, and that entire lives could be so easily overlooked. It’s why I became a writer: to tell the stories of ordinary people like my mother. They existed. They struggled. They found in themselves a courage that could not be extinguished. And they survived.

Every family’s story is worth telling, whether it’s epic, like my mom’s, or not. And if, like me, you believe that the purpose of great literature is to reveal what it feels like to be a person in the world—how wonderful, bewildering, and devastating life can be—then your family history, however boring it might seem, likely contains the seeds of a story that will be meaningful to others.

Do it for those who came before

I originally wrote and drew my graphic memoir All Our Ordinary Stories to honor my parents by detailing their daring escapes from communes, but it also forced me to dig more deeply into my grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ stories. Everything that happened to my family was shaped by historical forces, both in China and in Canada, and it soon became apparent that to tell the full story of my parents’ journeys, I would need to learn about everyone who came before them as well.

This led to a deep dive into the life of my father’s maternal grandfather, who arrived in Canada in 1912 as a teenager and forever changed the trajectory of my family. I learned about the racism he faced in this country, how the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1923 made it impossible to bring his wife and children here, but also about his resilience and resourcefulness.

While trying to locate my great-grandfather’s documents in our national archives, I hit a dead end. Digital records of Chinese Canadian documents were difficult to sift through and also incomplete, so I gave up. Later, I published a short memoir piece online about my disappointing search. One genealogist responded to my story and said she was sure I would find my great-grandfather’s records one day. “The ancestors want to be found,” she wrote.

The ancestors want to be found. And I believe they want their stories told, especially if they were historically silenced.

I did eventually find the records I was looking for—months after my book had already gone to press—and now I have four documents featuring photographs of my great-grandfather. My eyes look like his eyes. And although they’re just grainy scans, I make a promise to his face: “I will tell your story, ah gong. You will not be forgotten.”

Do it for future generations

If you have children and they are anything like mine, they will show zero interest in hearing about your family history, even if you’ve been working on a book about it for years. Even if you’ve presented it in a graphic novel format, their favorite medium. But I have faith that one day, when my kids are older, they will begin to think about their identities beyond the present and get curious about where they came from. They will want to place their own lives into context, to learn about their people, and when that happens, the family stories I have written will be ready for them.

Even if you don’t have biological children, your family stories arise from a community, and that community may be served by your work. Those who have lived through similar experiences or had similar family dynamics will see themselves in the specifics of your story, and those who haven’t will get a glimpse into what family means from a different perspective.

Also, let’s not forget your artistic descendants. I could not have imagined there being space in the world for a book like mine if Maxine Hong Kingston hadn’t written her seminal Asian American memoir, The Woman Warrior, in 1976, the year I was born. A well-written family story can speak across decades, across centuries, even, and inspire generations of writers to come.

Do it for yourself

Writing your family story helps you ground your identity in history, connecting your individual life to something bigger: a lineage. And writing about those who paved the way for your existence can give you a greater sense of continuity, purpose, and belonging.

It can also be a healing experience. My relationship with my parents has always been fraught, but writing their stories helped me see them more fully—their desires, their sorrows, and their limitations. The time I put into interviewing them and attempting to bring their stories to life gave me insight into how hard their lives have been. It helped me understand the roots of our disconnection and softened my heart toward them.

The author Steve Almond once wrote, “Writing is an attention racket. But it’s also a forgiveness racket […] Remember that your goal is to forgive everyone involved, yourself foremost.” Memoir is never about punishing those who’ve wronged you. That typically results in a flat and lifeless draft. But if you’re writing from a place of curiosity and openness, you will find a truer story and, I think, a better perspective on your life in general.

Writing my family story hasn’t solved my family issues, but it has given me a wider view into my parents and myself and helped me appreciate the fullness of my inheritance, as well as my own capacity to learn and grow and change.

I began my book years ago with the intention of sharing my mother’s story. But I soon realized that I was actually telling the story of myself to myself—and, in a way, writing myself into being. Partway through the writing process, it no longer mattered whether strangers would ever read it. It was enough to do it just for me.

Check out Teresa Wong’s All Our Ordinary Stories here:

Bookshop | Amazon

(WD uses affiliate links)

The post Why Write Your Family’s Story appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Deborah discusses how reading screenplays helped her navigate writing her graphic novel, An Outbreak of Witchcraft, her advice for other writers, and more!

Name: Deborah Noyes
Literary agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management
Book title: An Outbreak of Witchcraft: A Graphic Novel of the Salem Witch Trials
Publisher: Little Brown Ink
Release date: June 4, 2024
Genre/category: Teen graphic novel
Previous titles: Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original “Girl” Reporter, Nellie Bly; The Magician and the Spirits: Harry Houdini and the Curious Pastime of Communicating with the Dead.
Elevator pitch: Drawn from primary sources, a narrative nonfiction graphic novel visually imagines the haunting details of the Salem witch trials.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

The “unsolved mystery” aspect of the witch trials. My best friend, a documentary filmmaker, was working on a streaming series about Salem around the same time, and we compared notes often. She pointed me to the incredible Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive and Transcription Project at the University of Virginia—a database of trial transcripts and other primary source materials, and I was struck by the immediacy of the voices of the people who lived this American tragedy. I wanted to shape and distill the transcripts into a cohesive narrative that would make the trials vivid, real, and accessible for younger readers. At heart, it’s a courtroom drama; but a lot took place off-stage, “between the lines,” which left room for me to focus on characterization.

I also really wanted to write a graphic novel—this is my first—and the visual possibilities seemed limitless. I was truly lucky to be paired with an artist who understood both the drama and the nuance.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Complicated question because the book started with one publisher and ended with another, but the idea of creating a visual narrative persisted, along with my commitment to stick close to the trial transcripts while building a cohesive storyline. My earliest project files reach back to early 2018, so that gives you an idea. The book releases June 2024. It’s been a journey!

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I had written picture book texts and edited graphic novels for years, so I thought I knew how to do it—use words as architecture, not ends in themselves. But I had a lot to learn, mostly about what and exactly how much to leave out. For the writer, graphic novels are a study in withholding. It’s a visual medium, and panels (like picture book thumbnails) are stern teachers. I learned to love the challenge of distilling, choosing only the most important words.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

As a fledgling graphic novelist, I found reading screenplays a huge help. They turned out to be the model I needed for seeing story as a camera (or an artist) might, blocking out action, and hearing dialog as real speech and not a sneaky vehicle for exposition.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

Since so much of the book is drawn straight from trial transcripts, I wanted readers to feel the power of many voices converging—and still leave room for the reader to interpret what those voices were reporting.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

If you write long-form, never choose a subject or premise that you aren’t insanely curious about. That curiosity will stay you through what can be a long, long process from conception to publication. For the same reason, avoid trends. By the time your book comes out, that ship will have sailed …

The post Deborah Noyes: On the Power of Many Voices Converging appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this interview, Alina discusses the benefit of honest reactions from readers during the writing process of her new early reader graphic novel, The Great Puptective, her advice for writers, and more!

Name: Alina Tysoe
Literary agent: Maile Beal (Arc Literary)
Book title: The Great Puptective
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release date: March 19, 2024
Genre/category: Humorous adventure/Early Reader Graphic Novel
Elevator pitch: Poppy, a precocious puppy with a penchant for solving mysteries is newly adopted into a family, causing havoc for the set-in-his-ways house cat Truffles.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

I wrote down the word “puptective” during a brainstorming session one day and a character of a silly puppy detective immediately appeared in my mind. At first, I was considering a cat villain for the story, but I really love unlikely friendships, so this evolved into an intense but earnest puppy befriending a grouchy housecat despite the latter doing everything to prevent it. This particular dynamic was also inspired by my own childhood cat and dog becoming best friends after initially not getting along.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

I wrote down the initial idea for the graphic novel and drew the first sketches of the characters in January 2020, but it sat in the ideas drawer until mid-2022 when I felt it was finally time to try and pitch it. So, it’s been four years since the first idea (how time flies!) and two years from starting to work on it with the wonderful folks at Simon & Schuster. In terms of changes during the process—I feel like the idea and the characters naturally developed and grew which led to adjustments to make the story better, but there wasn’t anything too big and drastic.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

This is my first time planning out a book in a series, and it’s been very interesting to work on the first one while keeping the next ones in mind. I found that as the characters developed throughout the first book, the way they act in the next books in the series changes slightly to what I originally envisioned. I think the way stories and characters organically develop that way is very interesting.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

Part of the process of making this book was getting the kids in my family to read the early draft. What’s great about that is that you can trust a kid’s honest reaction, but it can also be nerve-wrecking because they don’t hold back. I think I’ve learnt a lot about what makes a comic book an enjoyable and fun read based on their reactions, and it was incredibly rewarding to see them laugh and point at the little details in the illustrations. While I knew this would be helpful, I was surprised by just how helpful their feedback was for my writing.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I wanted to write a humorous comic book that encourages kindness and curiosity, dealing with different personalities and being open to new ideas. I also wanted to have a main girl character who is silly and intense in a way that I would have related to as a kid and I know a lot of kids in my life would as well. I also just want to make readers laugh with my drawings!

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Your creativity doesn’t have to follow anyone’s exact step-by-step process! Some people write detailed outlines before writing, others write straight ahead. I found out after a lot of trial and error that I have to draw my first draft of a graphic novel in really rough sketches rather than writing it in words as a script because that’s just how my brain works—I am apparently very visual. If it works and you get a story out of it – it works!

The post Alina Tysoe: On Writing About Unlikely Friendships appeared first on Writer's Digest.

In this post, Gary discusses the process of writing his new middle-grade graphic novel, K Is in Trouble, his hope for readers, and more!

Name: Gary Clement
Literary agent: Hansen Literary Agency
Book title: K Is in Trouble
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink (the graphic novel imprint of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Release date: January 16, 2024
Genre/category: Middle-grade graphic novel
Previous titles: My Winter City; Swimming, Swimming; The Great Poochini
Elevator pitch: If Franz Kafka had grown up in 1960s Toronto and attended Associated Hebrew Day School, he would be me or … if I’d grown up in 1890s Prague and attended Deutsche Knabenschule Boy’s Elementary School, I would be him.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

I have long admired the work of Czech German writer Franz Kafka. My initial intention was to write/draw a nonfiction graphic novel about the events of his childhood that formed the tormented, hilariously absurd, idiosyncratic worldview of his adult writings.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication?

The short answer is approximately four years from the writing of the first story during a brief residency at The Center for Cartoon Studies till now. But I was recently going through some old sketchbooks and found notes and sketches for K dating back to at least 10 years ago!

And did the idea change during the process?

I had intended to write/draw a nonfiction graphic novel about Franz Kafka’s childhood. Instead, I ended up with a stew made of ingredients from Kafka’s childhood, my own childhood, bits and pieces from Kafka’s fictional universe, and stories of my own invention.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

I think my greatest surprise was when my agent asked me who my intended audience was. What she actually asked me was, “What shelf does it go on?” I answered, somewhat unconvincingly, “Adult Fiction.” She immediately set me straight and told me, very firmly, that it was for middle-grade readers. I absolutely agree with her.

But adults can read it, too.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

There are always surprises in the evolution of any creative process I have ever undertaken! Stories and drawings always evolve from the earliest versions to the final draft and when I think of it, that is really no surprise at all. Things that I thought were indispensable were cut to improve narrative flow and new plot elements were added to enhance it.

And I ended with an entirely different book than I had originally intended.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

First: I hope that anyone who has ever felt maliciously tormented, unjustly persecuted, or unfairly treated by teachers, peers, or parents will discover that they are not alone.

Second: I have forever been inspired by artists such as William Steig, Maira Kalman, and Edward Gorey, who merged their wonderful pictures with equally wonderful language. I hope my words and pictures resonate with middle-grade (and adult!) readers.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Hold on to ALL your notes!

The post Gary Clement: Adults Can Read Middle-Grade Too appeared first on Writer's Digest.

(Stan Lee’s 1947 Guide to Writing and Selling Comics.)

Folks at Random House Children’s Books saw my name and decided to have a closer look at my sole claim to fame: the Akiko series, a monthly small-press comic book about a little girl who has adventures on another planet. Before long, Random House offered me a book deal, inviting me to transform my comic into a series of prose fiction novels. Eventually, I wrote and illustrated 12 such novels.

This puts me into a somewhat exclusive group: people who have written both comics and prose fiction, and can thus compare the two from the inside out. They, of course, have a fair amount in common, but what I’d like to focus on today is the differences. From the point of view of the person creating them, how exactly are graphic novels different from prose novels?

Well, it won’t come as much of a surprise to hear that graphic novels are a visual medium and as such lend themselves to stories in which visuals play an important role. They are like movies in this way. Yes, it is possible to make a super-talky movie like My Dinner with Andre, but most movies are naturally filled with treats for the eyes. When I first got my start in comics, the visuals often drove the storytelling quite literally. I’d think, “Wouldn’t it be cool to draw a castle that had come to life?” And I would proceed to concoct a sequence that allowed me to do just that.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that’s a good way to write a story—for comics, movies, or anything else. But when you’re sitting down to create a graphic novel, you should certainly check to make sure you’re working with raw material that will produce memorable visuals of some kind. A graphic novel in which we see two guys engage in dialogue, in a single location, from first page to last, is not likely to be a lot of fun for the reader.

Indeed, comics can sometimes shift into purely visual storytelling: wordless sequences in which everything is conveyed by the artwork and by the artwork alone. My latest graphic novel, Lost in Taiwan, has a great many such sequences. At one point, we see the protagonist, Paul, get out of bed, let himself out of the apartment, buy a can of coffee from a vending machine, and venture out among the predawn rice paddies until he encounters something that seems fated in an almost mystical way. This takes place over the span of 12 pages, and there’s not a single word of dialogue on any of them.

If I handed my editor the manuscript for a prose novel that went 12 pages without any dialogue, I think it’s safe to say she’d be sending me back to the writing desk! But with comics, you could hypothetically have an entire book with no dialogue in it at all. Gon, a manga series by Masashi Tanaka, does just that and is considered a classic.

But I doubt I’ll ever try such a feat. Not because I couldn’t succeed at it, but more because my favorite part of creating comics is the constant give-and-take between words and pictures. This is the area where we can stop with the movie comparisons and say, without exaggeration, that comics offer something truly unique among all storytelling methods. 

The only one that comes close is the traditional bedtime picture book, in which the reader enjoys the pleasure of taking in information by both words and pictures, page after page after page. But comic books take this to a whole new level. On a single comic book page, the reader could be—and routinely is—invited to leap between reading words and interpreting artwork a dozen times or more.

And though this may sound arduous, it is in fact highly stimulating for the brain. When you are reading a graphic novel created by a real master, the interplay between words and pictures is genuinely thrilling and gives your brain an invigorating workout that no other medium can match.

I especially love creating dialogue scenes in comics, as this is where the move from words to pictures is at its most rapid fire. A three-panel sequence could go like this:

1. A man asks a question. You read the speech bubble but also glance at the facial expression to interpret his mood. He appears confident. Maybe a little mischievous.
2. In the next panel you see the other character—a woman—react. There is no speech bubble, forcing you to study her facial expression: She seems startled by the question.
3. In the next panel, you see that same character, but with her facial expression having changed to anger. She lays the man low with a devastating comeback.

In just three panels, your brain has leapt between words and pictures several times. If a silent film asked you to keep jumping back and forth between reading words and watching actors gesture at each other, it would soon become irritating. In comics, the comparable experience is delightful and so natural as to become almost unnoticeable. It’s like the pages are teaching your brain to dance, and before you know it, your brain is jitterbugging and moving around like Fred Astaire.

Check out Mark Crilley’s Lost in Taiwan here:

Bookshop | Amazon

(WD uses affiliate links.)

Will I ever again write a prose fiction novel? It could happen. But comics are where I’m at my best, I think: where I can make the fullest use of my talents. They require so many different skills that it’s no wonder they’re often the product of a team of different people: a writer, a penciller, an inker, a letterer, a colorist, etc. If you choose to do all this by yourself, as I have always done, creating a 300-page graphic novel is so time-consuming as to require years (and arguably a certain level of madness!).

But I wouldn’t trade my job for the world. No, I am not now—nor was I ever—one of the 100 most creative people in entertainment. But when I’m making comics, I enjoy it so much I just might be one of the 100 happiest.

The post Prose Fiction vs. Graphic Novels: Thoughts From a Guy Who’s Done Both appeared first on Writer's Digest.