Anthology submission, part 1

From concept to outline.

In September I submitted a short story for an anthology to be published by Kids Comics Unite in spring 2025. Here's a peek at my process, part 1 - from concept to outline. (I'll cover the thumbnails, pencils, inks, and colors in my next posts.)

Submissions had to be original stories about a kid protagonist who goes on a physical journey and encounters a creature whether real, imaginary, or fantastical. I wanted to set my story in the world of Solaa's Order, my graphic novel project - a coming-of-age story about a girl who joins an order of science-fiction monks and learns to use a mystical life energy known as the Quha.

My first self-published issue of Solaa’s Order

The concept

I brainstormed ideas about Solaa’s journey and the creatures she'd encounter, such as: 

• Running an everyday errand and encountering the “alien” (non-human) residents on the planet. (The message: it's easier to connect with others than you might think.)

• Getting lost on a training hike but receiving help from a mysterious creature made of pure Quha. (The message: the Quha works in mysterious ways and even has a mind of its own.)

• Searching for an ancient, wise creature who is supposed to have the answers Solaa seeks. (The message: the most important lessons can be the ones you learned along the way.)

What I chose:

• Solaa visits the Order's mystical gardens, filled with shimmery creatures made of Quha. There, her mentor tells her how he learned to summon a powerful form of the Quha. (The message: our energy is strongest when we are caring for others, not trying to defeat them.)

The journey I was envisioning for Solaa and her mentor, Brother Paro

The outline

I spent a lot of time breaking down the concept into a page-by-page outline.

(Left) My first breakdown. (Right) A later version breaking down each page into panels.

I shared these breakdowns (and other versions) with my critique groups, who made me think about:

• Whether Brother Paro's flashback is redundant (since it parallels Solaa’s story)? Should it be cut?

• Or is the flashback the main story (and Solaa's part should be cut)?

• Are key moments getting the space they need? (Does the page need fewer panels? Does the story need more pages?)

I love getting feedback and finding ways to improve but I got a little caught up in a cycle of revisions and looking for feedback. A key piece of advice came from a critique partner who encouraged me to start thumbnailing - to see what it looks like visually and not to wait until I had the “perfect” outline. It was liberating (even if it was a bit of a "duh" moment!) to give myself a permission slip to move on. Which is another reason I appreciate being part of critique groups!