Curious how to self publish comics this year? Here is how you can do it!
Comic books are graphic novels and stories where the writer depicts his story and dialogues through images. However, these pictures are not like standard illustrations. Even though they don’t move, they are not entirely static. They depict the characters and their movements in a continuity.
Comics still hold a significant position in the literary world despite the advent of entertainment mediums like video games, Movies, and OTT platforms. People who have been habitual readers since the comic era contribute a big chunk to its market revenue. It was not long before the revenue of the comic industry was $865 million back in 2018. In this year and time, you can also be part of this lucrative industry if you have a brilliant idea for a compelling comic book for comic fans. The article guides you to create and self-publish comics in three phases: ideation, creation, and publication.
Ideation (How to get an idea for your comic)
In this phase, a comic creator accumulates his ideas to sketch the concept of a comic. Here is the step-by-step process of this phase.
- Inspiration is something that drives a writer to create. There are lots of things, such as personal experiences, literature, or an influential life event, that can inspire you to create. A comic can have any genre or a combination of genres, for instance, humor, action, or drama. A writer sets the tone according to his inspiration.
- Next, you transform your idea into a story, aligning it with its genre. Regardless of one book or a series, it is essential to have the plot, characters, and theme mapped out in your mind before you go further in the process of self publishing your comic.
- Once you have your idea, plot, characters, and genre set in your mind, it is time to pour them on the paper in the form of a strong script. This script will also serve as a blueprint for your comic’s visual.
- Comics are a combination of sketch and visuals. When you have written the script of your story, the next step is to sketch the visuals. In professional terminology, you need to storyboard your comic with composition, angles, and pacing. You can either do it in a traditional pen-and-paper way or use apps like Adobe Photoshop. Hire professional illustrators if you are not good at sketching.
Creation (How to create comics)
Once a raw draft is ready, it is time to fine-tune and transform it into a professional comic ready for self publishing. Here is how to create comics with convenience:
- A comic is a combination of interactive script and visual panels. You refine, align, and add colors to your sketches coherently to bring your scenes and characters to life. Pay attention to character expressions, backgrounds, and the composition of each panel.
- The second step of creating your comic is incorporating lettering for captions, dialogue, and sound effects according to the script. Remember that spacing, flow, font style, and color all play significant roles in making your narrative appealing
- After your panels are ready with graphics and script, you set the layout and flow of each panel to enhance the impact of your narrative. The layout should naturally drive the reader’s eye from one event to another. Your panel layout can highlight crucial moments and build tension where required.
- Once your manuscript is ready, review and edit it with keen eyes. Remove redundancies, inconsistencies, spelling or grammatical errors, and areas that require improvement.
Note that as an owner, the idea should be yours. However, you can acquire assistance to polish your idea. But when it comes to the phase of creating your comic, the best choice is to hire professionals for your illustration, script, and editing. The industry experts, such as professional illustrators, scriptwriters, and editors know the right tools, trends, and complexities of a comic book to simplify the transformation of your idea into an impeccable manuscript.
Publication (How to self publish comics on renowned platforms)
Self-publishing offers comic creators a unique opportunity to maintain creative autonomy and retain ownership of their work. It opens up diverse channels for sharing your comics with a global audience. Consider digital self-publishing platforms like Amazon, KDP, Barnes & Noble, Book Baby, ComiXology, and Gumroad to release your comics.
- Thoroughly review and adhere to the submission guidelines provided by these platforms, which are typically available on their respective websites.
- As part of your self-publishing journey, craft a meticulously prepared submission package that encompasses your comic script, sample artwork, and a catchy description of your work.
Final suggestions
In conclusion, while starting your exciting journey of creating and self-publishing comics, it’s essential to remember that the technical aspects of the process can be both daunting and time-consuming. To ensure your comic reaches its full potential and stands out in a competitive market, the best option is to enlist the services of professionals in the publishing industry.
Professional illustrators, scriptwriters, and editors possess the expertise and tools needed to bring your vision to life while adhering to industry standards. They can help you navigate the complexities of comic creation and self publishing, ensuring that your work is not only visually captivating but also technically flawless.
By entrusting these experts with the technical details, you free yourself to focus on what truly matters: enhancing your creative ideas and storytelling.
So, don’t hesitate to seek out these professionals as allies on your self-publishing journey, as they can help you turn your brilliant comic concept into a masterpiece that resonates with readers worldwide.
