So I posted on twitter the other day about having completed my outline and beat sheet for the latest Temple story, and had a few questions pop up about what a beat sheet was and how to use it. A perfectly rational question, since I hadn't used a beat sheet before last year, and really didn't even know what it was called until early this year. I figured that this could be a good opportunity to talk a little about my writing process. It'll be surface level at this point, and if people find it helpful / useful I may turn it into a series of posts.

Please note that this is just the process that I use and have found that it works well for me. It's not reflective of what the pros do (no two writers follow the same process), although I've found that many of my professional writing friends sometimes use similar tools. This isn't gospel - I just hope that it helps some people out.

STEP 1:
Come up with an idea or story. I'm sure I don't have to tell you writers how to do this. ;)

I'll come up with themes, characters and motivations. Basically, everything in the "pitch package." I can go on for days on just this step alone, so perhaps in a later post....

STEP 2:
Typically after I have an idea for a story in my head or some scenes that I want to use, I create a "beat sheet" of the events of the story. I use it to help edit the order of events in my story, to help create the 3-act structure, etc. This is usually a very short document that consists of notes of events, maybe locations or some brief dialogue that I think is relevant. I've read a few online resources that have more detailed beat sheets, but they all seem to agree that it is a very short snap-shot of the events in a story. It helps me maintain the beats in the story, since I tend to write very rhythmically.

However, the "beat" in "beat sheet" refers to the beats within your acts. I'm sure I don't have to go into three-act structure here (every story has three acts: beginning, middle, and end), so I won't go into it. But the purpose of the beat sheet is just to get a snap-shot of your story, see where and how it flows, where it's weak, and adjust accordingly. Unlike a script, this is a document for me, the writer. I can write it any way that I chose, and sometimes it'll vary from story to story. It's just a great quick reference for me to use - and it can be very fluid and evolve as I continue my writing process.

Here's an example of a working beat sheet from the upcoming Temple prequel, Assassin.



STEP 3:
After the story is prepped in a beat sheet, I write down my cast of characters and make a few notes about their motivations in this story. What do they want? What are their goals and objectives? What drives them to push the narrative forward? Sometimes this step precedes the beat sheet, if I don't know my characters very well or are introducing new characters into a story. But when it follows, I'll typically go back to the beat sheet and make some tweaks and changes based on those motivations. This can go back and forth a few times until I feel very confident about the story.

Here's an example of an outline for a short story that will be appearing soon in an anthology:


STEP 4:
At this point I take my beat sheet and make an outline, typically a page-by-page breakout of the events to overlay the story. The outline helps me further figure out pacing and how fast my story is going to evolve, and it can also help me figure out how many panels I'm going to be using per page, where some of the more dramatic moments are in the story, etc. This document tends to be a little longer and more detailed for me - an evolution from the beat sheet, if you will.

Sometimes I skip this step entirely, if I want a story to evolve more organically. But for a lot of the more complex plots that I've been using lately (like weaving together all of the events of Temple), I like to use this method.

STEP 5:
With the beat sheet and outline in hand, I'm able to start my script. Again, sometimes things change and evolve along the way and changes are made, but for the most part by the time I make it to the scripting stage I'm pretty comfortable with my characters, story, pacing, and plot elements.

I won't go into details about how to write a script here, but if you'd be interested to learn more feel free to drop me a line and let me know. Maybe I'll turn this into a series of blog entries.

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Here's where a slightly buzzing Trevor starts to give life advice, only because his life is somewhat less strange than this crazy cat loving lady.

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The first self-published book for @$$hole! is coming out at the end of September, premiering at Reactor (September 18-20) in Rosemont, Il. It collects the 41 page black and white story of Laura's 21st Birthday. The book is going to be 52 pages and has an original cover, some new artwork, guest strips, an afterword by the creator (that's me), and a forward by Josh Elder (Josh from TokyoPOP).

"Why premiere your book at Reactor, and not something larger like Windy-City?" you ask. Well, through my many con appearances I've met several of the people who put Reactor together, and they have offered me the opportunity to speak at their convention. In fact, they've given me several panels to speak during throughout the weekend. Here's my panel schedule, for all those interested:

FRIDAY:
8 pm - MAIL ORDER NINJA (A reading with Russell Lissau and Josh Elder)

SATURDAY:
1 pm - A special all-guest artist panel
4 pm - Writing for comics (Collaboration with Steve Horton)
5 pm - Sci-fi fantasy: the art of crafting your world

SUNDAY:
11:00 am - @$$hole! webcomic panel

On top of that and all the tasks associated with printing the book, I've also gotten a table at Mid-Ohio Comic Con (October 3-4 in Columbus, OH) with Rival Angels creator Alan Evans. We'll be hanging out with The Dreamer creator Lora Innes, and several other comic creators. Not sure on any speaking schedule while there, but I'm working on it. More to follow.

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The DD Awards are coming out this week (started yesterday, in fact), and this comic was graciously nominated for Best Photo Comic, and Best Socio-Political Comic. Unfortunately, the comic did not bring home the bacon, but just being nominated is reward enough. Especially for 2 years in a row for Best Photo Comic!

Also, be on the lookout for my contribution to the awards presentations: an epic 3 pager (combined into a single page) that falls into the current storyline, and also teases about possible things to come! It's for the Best Romance Comic category, and should be a hoot!

Also, if you live in the Chicago area, I'll be attending Reactor Con the weekend of September 18. I have 5 panels at the convention, and I'll be talking about various topics including writing comics, the artistic approach, crafting a fantasy world, and even a panel about this very comic here: @$$hole! I'll be premiering the first book there, which collects the Laura's 21st Birthday storyline - with new original artwork, an afterword by the creator, a brand-spanking new cover, and a forward by Josh from TokyoPOP, Josh Elder! 50+ pages for just $6.

Alan Evans and I will also be attending Mid-Ohio Comic Con in October, and will be hanging out with the very talented Lora Innes (The Dreamer), as well as several other awesome people both from DD and abroad!

More cool announcements as the week progresses, and as always there are reviews and comics on the main website.

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Sorry it's a little behind schedule. Everything was done, but I was so caught up in other things last night that I forgot to post it. Alan Evans and I are attending Mid-Ohio con now in early October in Columbus, and last night was a scramble to organize everything and for me to figure out if I can order additional copies of the book before then.

So life's a bit of a scramble at the moment.

If you missed my blog posting for Wizard World Chicago, be sure to check it out on my homepage.

Well, back to writing scripts!

Also, don't forget to visit Erica's website, since she took these awesome photos!

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The waiter is played by Erica's real-life boyfriend, Mike Ambs. Mike has worked in video editing for various websites, and recently moved to the Ann Arbor area...of course, after I left the state. :P

He's an awesome guy and was tons of fun to work with. Very open to my direction and ideas, and even had a slew of his own to contribute. Very creative individual, and I encourage you all to follow him on twitter. He also has a flikr account, but I can't think of the url off the top of my head.

Well, I'm at Wizard World Chicago already. So if you're there (or in the area), be sure to stop by. I'm not exhibiting this year, but I'll be shaking hands and kissing babies on the floor all day, doing a few panels at night, and will certainly be in the Hyatt bar after hours for a drink. Stop by, say hello to the bald man with bad posture (me).

Also, if you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out Erica Hampton's website, as she's the awesome person both taking the pictures and playing the Crazy Cat Loving Lady (who will have a name soon).

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For those of your who voted for @$$hole! in the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards, I thank you. It was a pleasant surprise to be nominated last year, so here's hoping that the 2009 nominations are announced soon. And once that happens, the dreadful waiting period to find out if you've won anything. Oh, the anticipation gets me every time!




Wizard World Chicago is this weekend, and I've been busting ass to get content finished up in time. Get that ol' buffer back. Thankfully, this story has just been flowing out of me, and there will be a lot of fun coming up in future pages.

It's also running a bit longer than I originally anticipated, and I have a fear whenever that happens that people will burn out on reading it. "Get in, say it, and get out," tends to be my storytelling method, but with a comic like this I tend to like to linger a bit. It's fun.

Friday is the waiter's appearance.

Also, if you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out Erica Hampton's website, as she's the awesome person both taking the pictures and playing the Crazy Cat Loving Lady (who will have a name soon).

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In case it wasn't obvious enough in the previous page, Selphi has passed on from her wound. Here we see Xen ("That's not my name"), the arm's dealer from earlier in the story. Looks like he somehow escaped Malukai's attack, but it doesn't sound like his business fared as well.

I think it's funny that he always "knows a guy." Who are these "guys" that he keeps referring to? Well, perhaps some day we'll find out. No matter what, he's a fun character to write.

Sophia sounds like she has a plan forming. I wonder what I could be....?

This week I'll be attending Wizard World Chicago. I don't have a booth this year, but I'll be wondering around and shaking hands. And no doubt will be in the Hyatt bar at night, so if you stop by for a drink look for a tall bald guy with poor posture who's laughing his ass off...or lecturing on some such nonsense. ;)

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The voting for the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards ended on July 31, so thank you to everyone who voted for Temple. Nominations should be announced soon, and then comes the stressful part...waiting to find out if Temple won anything. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

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Wasn't able to post last week Friday (when the comic went live) because I was sick with food poisoning. It was not fun. I couldn't even stand up at noon. Didn't go into work. Didn't do much of anything. Unfortunately, that was also the last day to vote for nominations in the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards, so here's hoping you voted for your favorites!

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Teased you with that little bit of back story there. Obviously, her kitty is no longer with her (since she misses him), but we'll get into that later.

For a story that I didn't plot or script out in advance, I'm having a lot of fun with this story. Which is important, I think, to break from tradition sometimes. It's good for preventing burnout, I think.

Plus, I have SO MANY PICTURES to go through for this story, the possibilities are endless. I hope you're enjoying it so far, and there're even more fun surprises down the road.

Also, if you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out Erica Hampton's website, as she's the awesome person both taking the pictures and playing the Crazy Cat Loving Lady (who will have a name soon).

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"The Cat's Corn Hole" just sounded like such a fun name for a place. On the one hand, it sounds like a dive place, like a hole in the wall. On the other hand, it sounds like a kitty's bum....

I'm starting to gear up for Wizard World Chicago next week. Been working on some special things, and also making sure that I have enough content to post while I'm away (and not make myself rush at the last minute to get it done either before or after the con). My plan is also to get the book off to the printer's this weekend. While it won't be available at Wizard World Chicago (which wasn't a goal anyway, since I'm not exhibiting), it'll be a good feeling to have it done and out.

Then when I get the proofs, I get to figure out how it'll look. It'll be a great test for future collections, to make sure that they are absolutely perfect.

The book will be available at Reactor in September, where I'll probably be speaking about comics in some panels. Programming hasn't been announced just yet for that con, but I've been talking to some people and it's rather promising.

Also, if you haven't done so yet, be sure to check out Erica Hampton's website, as she's the awesome person both taking the pictures and playing the Crazy Cat Loving Lady (who will have a name soon).

Now go vote for @$$hole!, if you haven't already! :P

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The 2009 Drunk Duck Awards
The DD Awards are upon us once again, and the categories are up. Last year, without trying, you the reader graciously nominated @$$hole! for "Best Photo Comic" and "Best Experimental Comic" - an honor which I'm told that if popular demand had determined the winner, @$$hole! would hold both titles.

This year, I'm asking for some nominations - so please be sure to vote for @$$hole!:

Best Antagonist: Susie
Best Dialogue
Best Humor Comic
Most Deliciously Offensive
Best Overall Strip Comic
Best Photo Comic
Best Slice of Life/Autobiographical Comic

If you think that @$$hole! deserves any of these awards, then I implore you to vote for @$$hole! in the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards. Voting goes until July 31 (Friday)!

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The very emotional final scene in this sequence, and even when I was doing touch-ups on Olivia's artwork and lettering it I was crying.

Do yourself a favor, go back and re-read the sequence from the moment that Selphi gets stabbed and tell me if it flows well. Again, this is where I thought the series really found its voice.

And it's certainly when the story changed.

And Selphi's last words, "Why do they hate us?" is the question that I constantly ask whenever I hear about religious wars or tribal conflicts going on in the world. Sure, we all have different ideas and beliefs, but why do we have to kill for them? Why do we have to make it personal? Why do we have to hate each other?

I'm sure it's asking a lot to say, "Can't we all just get along?" but is it too much to ask, "Can't there be another way other than killing?" Forgiveness has to start somewhere.

But I digress. This story is hardly ever going to turn any heads or open any eyes to the error or futility of old ways and bad blood. But if it could generate a little tolerance in the world - if even one person read this and decided to use their words instead of their fists - then it would have exceeded my wildest expectations.

We can only hope.

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The 2009 Drunk Duck Awards
The DD Awards are upon us once again, and the categories are up. Last year, without trying, you the reader graciously nominated The Temple of a Thousand Tears as the Most Profound Comic - an honor which I'm told that if popular demand had determined the winner, Temple would hold that title.

This year, I'm asking for some nominations - so please be sure to vote for Temple:

Best Action Scenes
Best Adventure Comic
Best Dialogue
Best Fantasy Comic
Best Overall Story Comic
Best Philosophical / Spiritual Comic
Best Protagonist: Sophia
Best Sci-Fi Comic
Best Dramatic Comic
Best Overall Writing

If you think that Temple deserves any of these awards, then I implore you to vote for The Temple of a Thousand Tears in the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards. Voting goes until July 31.

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The 2009 Drunk Duck Awards
The DD Awards are upon us once again, and the categories are up. Last year, without trying, you the reader graciously nominated @$$hole! for "Best Photo Comic" and "Best Experimental Comic" - an honor which I'm told that if popular demand had determined the winner, @$$hole! would hold both titles.

This year, I'm asking for some nominations - so please be sure to vote for @$$hole!:

Best Antagonist: Susie
Best Dialogue
Best Humor Comic
Most Deliciously Offensive
Best Overall Strip Comic
Best Photo Comic
Best Slice of Life/Autobiographical Comic

If you think that @$$hole! deserves any of these awards, then I implore you to vote for @$$hole! in the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards. Voting starts today (July 24)!

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Not only was the photo session a blast to do, but this comic is turning into a lot of fun to assemble. Part of the fun is trying to choose pictures that I think fit the scene or situation the best - and then adding dialogue to it. But when I said that I had a lot of pictures to go through, I wasn't even kidding. Do you know how large 800+ hi-res photos are? Or how long it takes to even preview them in your viewer? Let me give you a hint: they have to load! :P

Once again, the very talented Erica Hampton reprises her role as the Crazy Cat Loving Lady and this promises to be the worst blind date ever (but hopefully the most entertaining). And we haven't even made it to the place yet. That will be next week.

As for how the book's coming along, pre-pressing is all done and I've been making the final adjustments to the supplemental material. Sketches and some scripts, mostly, but also an afterword by myself and a forward by...someone more famous than me! Should be a fun book, but more about that as it gets shipped off to the printer within the next week or so.

Other than that, my announcements are about conventions. San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) is going on right now, and unfortunately I was not able to attend this year. Perhaps next year. However, I will be attending Wizard World Chicago in August (how is still up for debate, but I'm working on a few angles for a hopeful surprise - wish me luck), and will be a guest at Reactor in September. I submitted a few panel ideas, and they're finalizing the programming guide as we speak.

Well, enough out of me - go vote for nominees in the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards (and don't forget my other comic, The Temple of a Thousand Tears, is also eligible for nominations). Other than that, have a great weekend!

Labels: blind date, comics, dating, online dating, web comics, writing

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The 2009 Drunk Duck Awards
The DD Awards are upon us once again, and the categories are up. Last year, without trying, you the reader graciously nominated @$$hole! for "Best Photo Comic" and "Best Experimental Comic" - an honor which I'm told that if popular demand had determined the winner, @$$hole! would hold both titles.

This year, I'm asking for some nominations - so please be sure to vote for @$$hole!:

Best Antagonist: Susie
Best Dialogue
Best Humor Comic
Most Deliciously Offensive
Best Overall Strip Comic
Best Photo Comic
Best Slice of Life/Autobiographical Comic

If you think that @$$hole! deserves any of these awards, then I implore you to vote for @$$hole! in the 2009 Drunk Duck Awards (when voting starts, that is).

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Here's the first of the Blind Date story arc, and who's this: it's the Crazy Cat Loving Lady from the Vet Visit story arc! Played by none other than the lovely and talented Erica Hampton.

If you recall from the Vet Visit blogs, Erica is a professional photographer (recently specializing in weddings) who is incredibly talented and easy to work with, and gracious enough to allow me to borrow her time and equipment to make another crazy story involving her bizarre character. Unlike the Vet Visit story, however, this story isn't entirely scripted. Sure, there were some beats that I knew we had to hit, but I only really had a general idea of what would happen while we were shooting this. The benefit is that the photoshoot only took 3-4 hours this time (as opposed to the Vet Visit, which took over 6 hours). Also unfortunately (more so for me than you), is that I have over 800+ photos to shift through and organize to direct this piece. And I'm not entirely sure yet just how long it's going to be - but I have a goal in mind.

Suffice it to say, what you're about to read is going to be a fun train wreck - a roller coaster of gags and goofy stuff, and maybe even a little back story. I'm going to work for those nominations, let me tell you!

So enjoy, and I'll see you Friday with the next update!

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