Here's part 2 of my process for submitting a short story to Kids Comics Unite's upcoming anthology. (Click here for part 1.)
Thumbnails
Now that I had a “good enough” outline, I began thumbnailing - laying out pages, trying out panel sizes and pacing, placing characters and developing gestures/poses.
I initially planned on an 8-page story; this was less for storytelling reasons and more about adding world-building detail that I thought readers would need. My critique partners came back with great feedback - noticing, for example, how much space the Quha energy duels (on pages 1 and 4) took up. I’d thought they were cool but realized they overshadowed other, more important moments.
I looked hard at what deserved more emphasis and what I could streamline (or even cut). The result was a tighter, 6-page version:
Not only was the narrative flow smoother, I found I didn't miss what I'd edited out.
Scripting
The step was to finish (okay, write) the script and incorporate it into the thumbnails. This was the longest, most iterative step of the process, but probably the most worthwhile. I’d add dialogue, make revisions/cuts, add things back, constantly second-guess myself….
… but this process helped me strike the right balance in the dialogue - to keep the story moving, feel organic, and (above all!) be concise. The closer I got to that balance, the more I could feel the story locking into place.
Stay tuned for the final part - from pencils to ink to color!