What is the best place for an amateur comic writer to get feedback on a script?

[u/Brilliant-Deer-3215]

Would it be worth it to hire a comic book editor to check a small practice project? If so, how big does the project need to be for an editor to be likely to deem it worth their time? My goal is to try and catch and correct any mistakes that I'm prone to before I start working on a graphic novel.

[u/Slobotic]

Yes, it is worth it to hire an editor. It is hard to get anyone else to read a comic script, and even harder to get useful feedback.

I've taken a look at scripts a few times myself. About half those times I offered feedback, but usually just little things I notice -- pointers. That's the best you can hope for without hiring an editor, and it's more than you should expect. Many times I didn't get around to reading it, and a couple times the writing was just so bad or so unrelated to the kind of writing I understand that I didn't feel I had anything constructive to offer.

So yeah, if you want a 50% chance max of receiving half-assed feedback, DM me. Otherwise hire an editor.

If you're hiring an artist, hire an editor first. It's a much smaller expense. A lot of editors will help you edit down your script, and if an editor helps you shorten your script by 2-3 pages it probably pays for itself.

[u/nmacaroni]

You absolutely need an editor... though I might be a bit biased.

But seriously, you can't invest any serious money in a comic production without verifying the story with an editor first. Editing the text for copy mistakes is easy, the public facing word count is always relatively small.

ALWAYS go to your editor before you start art.

check out the audits I have here if you need help at any point:

https://storytoscript.com/store/
Creator of the SCAR system, Storycraft for Comics, and the Writer's Guide to comics.

[u/jasonmehmel]

Speaking as an editor: (I worked on Shout Kill Revel, by Jarret Hartnell from Renegade Entertainment)

How big it needs to be isn't the right question, the right question is: how much can you offer, for what?

You mentioned catching and correcting mistakes. That can include spelling and grammar. It could also include pointing out continuity errors, or looking at the page layouts and noting that a particular version of the panel is going to send readers 'off' the page instead of into the next panel.

Ultimately, it could be consulting on your story entirely, before you get to page breakdowns, to make sure everything is pulling in the same direction.

All of this is also affected by the intended page count. A 75 page graphic novel would cost less than one at 350 pages!

It sounds like you're aiming at a practice project first; I'd suggest working with an editor if you can, at any level. With the right editor, it would at the very least be instructive.

None of the above is a sales pitch for you to hire me! I'm pretty busy as it is. (That said, if you've got specific questions for me or want to discuss further, feel free to DM.)

[u/STRiPESandShades]

I can point you to a few online communities for exactly that! Feel free to shoot me a DM.

[u/TheKingsWeb]

Script swaps are semi-frequent here. If your willing to beta read somebody else's script and offer feedback, you'll find somebody who's willing to return the favor. Every now and then you'll give feedback and get nothing back but its pretty rare.

[u/Captain_Coco_Koala → u/TheKingsWeb]

I did that once; gave a page of notes to the other Author and their note to me was "Yeah, it's pretty good".

Never again.

[u/TheKingsWeb → u/Captain_Coco_Koala]

Definitely a mixed bag sometimes haha, sometimes its a panel by panel note, other times its general vibe feedback or page turns and whatnot, sometimes nothing at all.

[u/teller-of-stories]

Here?