Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Brainstorming ideas
• Part 2 of 3: Making a design
• Part 3 of 3: Polishing the design

Creating a graphic novel can be a fun challenge because you write an original story and bring it to life with illustrations. A good graphic novel will move readers emotionally and visually, combining a great plot with intriguing visuals. Within this genre you can show the characters and setting of your story to the readers in graphic detail. With a little brainstorming, sketching and polishing, you can create a graphic novel in no time that is worth sharing with others.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Brainstorming ideas

1. Create an outline of the plot. A good graphic novel starts with a strong story that has a central plot. Outline the general events of the novel using a five-part plot diagram:
   • Exposition: This is the setup of the graphic novel, including the setting, the main character and the conflict. Your exhibit might look like this: A young alien living in a small town falls in love with a human girl.
   • An event that sets everything in motion: this is the event that changes the course of the main character's life. For example, the human girl breaks off her relationship with her boyfriend and is looking for a prom date.
   • The Rising Action: This is where you develop the characters and start exploring their relationships. For example, the alien is going to spend time with the girl after school to study for an important exam.
   • The climax: This is the culmination of the story, where the main character has to make an important choice or decision. For example, the alien decides to invite the girl to the prom during one of their study sessions. She says yes and the alien now has to figure out what to do while dancing.
   • The Falling Action: This is the point where the main character faces the consequences of decisions and is usually full of action and tension. For example, the alien and the girl go to the prom, but everyone present is hostile.The alien then faces an angry mob chasing him and the girl on the dance floor.
   • The denouement: This is the point where the reader finds out where the main character ends up and whether they succeed or achieve their goal or fail. For example, the girl stands up for the alien and they fly off together in a UFO.
2. Focus on an interesting main character or group of characters. Create a character that is unforgettable and unique. Give the main character specific personality traits and a unique perspective on the world. Avoid cliché characters or characters that the reader may already be familiar with.
   • For example, you can create a main character who is born with a superpower and struggles to keep it hidden from others around them. Or maybe your main character is a stranger trying to conquer a human's heart.
   • You can also target a group of characters to broaden the scope of the graphic novel, such as a family or group of friends.
3. Explore a setting. Choose a setting that gives the novel depth and makes it visually interesting. Choose a setting that is slightly surreal so that you can depict landscapes that are fun for the reader to look at. You can also choose an environment that you know well and make it a bit strange or out of the ordinary.
   • For example: The graphic novel can take place on a planet that resembles Earth, but is populated by aliens instead of humans. Or you can add surreal elements to your home and make them the setting for your novel.
4. Choose a specific drawing style. Make your graphic novel distinctive by choosing a drawing style you like and are good at. Maybe you like to draw manga or use American comics as a source of inspiration. Or maybe you are challenging yourself to try a new drawing style. Go for a drawing style that feels unique, but also matches your skills and vision as an artist.
   • Also choose a drawing style that is easy for you and not too time consuming. Once you start writing the novel, you can always go back and adjust the drawing style.
5. Storyboard the novel. Draw frames on blank paper. Then you take a scene from the novel and start sketching it, frame by frame. Write the text below the frames. Think about how you will portray the setting as well as the characters in the scene. Then you can start storyboarding different scenes to get a better sense of what the book will look like on the page.
   • You can give the frames the same size or experiment with frames in different sizes.
6. Read examples of graphic novels. Read good graphic novels to get a better feel for the genre. Read graphic novels that use different drawing styles so you can see what you want and what you respond to. Read for example:
   • Fun Home by Alison Bechdel.
   • The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui.
   • This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki.
   • Watchmen by Alan Moore.
   • Summer Babe by Adrian Tomine.

Part 2 of 3: Making a design

1. Introduce the characters and setting to the reader. The first few pages of your graphic novel should tell the reader who and what the novel is about. Start with a scene that introduces your main character into action within the setting. Or start with dialogue and images that tell the reader a bit more about the conflict between the main character and another character.
   • For example, you can open with a scene where the main character is getting ready to go to school. You can then show off their alien habits and introduce the school as the main setting for the novel.
2. Add the conflict between characters. A good story is about conflict and tension between characters. Don't be afraid to put your main character in a tricky or difficult situation. Give your protagonist a goal and place obstacles in his or her way so that it is difficult for him or her to reach his or her goal. You can also display conflicts between your main character and others around him / her.
   • For example: You can create a conflict between the main character and his boss. You can then have the main character collide with the boss, or even have the boss beaten by the hero with his super powers.
3. Keep the characters' appearances consistent throughout the story. When you start drawing the graphic novel, focus on several important features of the characters and always try to portray them in the same way. Maintain consistent characteristics for your characters in every frame so that the novel feels cohesive.
   • Using a pencil, draw the first frames for the novel so that you can adjust them as needed to keep them consistent.
   • For example: You can give your main character a recognizable haircut. You must then make sure that you always draw the hairstyle the same way, or as evenly as you can, when the character appears in the story.
4. Make the setting detailed and eye-catching. Draw your reader into the story through interesting details in the environment. Give your setting as much attention as your characters. Place objects in it that are specific to the setting you have chosen. This will help build the world of the story and keep your reader engaged.
   • For example, if the story is set in an alien high school, you may want to add details such as parking spaces for UFOs, "How to pretend to be human" textbooks, and clocks with different time zones across the universe.
5. Include dialogue that develops the characters and carries the story. The dialogue in your graphic novel should tell the reader more about the character speaking. It should also push the story forward at the plot level. Avoid generic dialogue, such as "Hello" or "How are you?" Instead, write dialogue specific to your characters.
   • For example: you can give your protagonist a catchphrase to say when he / she is startled or surprised, such as "Ieks!" Or "Holy alien!"
   • Some graphic novels have little to no dialogue. As the creator, you can decide whether you want to write dialogue for your characters or rather let the drawings do the talking.
6. Close with a denouement or realization. As in any good story, your graphic novel must end by resolving or dealing with the conflict. Your protagonist may finally get what he / she wants, but at a price. Or your protagonist may be aware of something about a different character and thus feel that something has been resolved. Try to finish the story for the reader to be satisfied with the ending.
   • You can optionally add illustrations that offer a solution to the conflict. Or you include a conversation between the main character and another character, to make them both dwell on their mistakes or resolve their misunderstandings.
7. Use a cliffhanger ending if your graphic novel is part of a series. If your graphic novel is part of a series of novels with the same characters or in the same setting, leave the reader in suspense. You can end with "To be continued ...". or an image that lets the reader know that more is to be expected from the characters and world you have created in the novel.

Part 3 of 3: Polishing the design

1. Have the graphic novel read by others. Ask friends, relatives and colleagues to read your draft. Ask them to give feedback on whether they found the book interesting and personal. Ask them if they found the visuals engaging and entertaining. Be open to constructive criticism from others as this will only make your graphic novel stronger.
2. Read the graphic novel out loud. Listen to what the dialogue sounds like when you read it out loud to make it sound natural rather than stilted or clumsy. Notice if your characters have a recognizable way of speaking. Check to see if the dialogue helps propel the action of the story forward.
   • Reading the novel aloud also helps check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
3. Check the storyline and plot development. Make sure the story of the novel progresses smoothly from scene to scene or part to part. Underline or highlight any sections that are clumsy or do not run smoothly.
   • You should also check that the plot develops clearly in the novel. It should follow the storyline, with a clear central conflict and a climax.
4. Revise the novel. Use the feedback you've received from others, as well as your own thoughts, and do a thorough revision of the novel. Be ruthless and get rid of any content that doesn't make sense or doesn't move the story. Try to make the novel better and more engaging for your reader.
5. Ink and color the novel. You can do this manually with ink and colored pens. Coloring can also be done by hand, with paint or markers. Once you ink and color the novel, make sure to erase pencil lines.
   • You can also use a computer program such as Krita, Gimp or Photoshop to speed up inking and coloring.