Sunday Spotlight - Words for Pictures

This week a fantastic book is being released – it's not quite a graphic novel (well, not at all, actually) but it's written by a verifiable icon of the comics industry. This week sees the release of Words for Pictures by Brian Michael Bendis, the author of Powers, Ultimate Spider-man, Alias and many other outstanding titles. While Bendis is normally a writer for Marvel, and we normally focus on DC titles, Words for Pictures will be distributed to bookshops (and you folks at home) thanks to Random House.



Words for Pictures is a guide on how to write graphic novels and comics, written by one of the best in the industry. It also includes advice from artists, writers and editors on how to get started and make your stories and pitches stand out from all the others. It features interviews and chapters written by well-known names such as Matt Fraction (Hawkeye, Sex Criminals) and Ed Brubaker (Gotham Central, Catwoman, Captain America) as well as art from talent like Sara Pichelli, Alex Maleev, Jill Thompson, Klaus Janson and Michael Avon Oeming. Put together, it gives the reader an insight into how the world of comics operates and offers advice on how to hone your own craft to gain admittance to that world. There's a whole section on what type of script to use (full script or Marvel style?) as well as FAQs and writing exercises. As a resource for writers, it is invaluable.

Full disclosure – Brian Michael Bendis is a hero of mine (check out his Tumblr!). Bendis is a driving force behind this book, even with the huge number of contributors. This actually ties in with the most important message he has throughout the book – learn to collaborate. Comics and graphic novels are a team effort from both writer and artist. This aspect is touched on repeatedly, not just by Bendis's advice, but from stories from the other writers, the artists and editors. Similarly, there is a message of learning to take advice. There's the suggestion to always be learning your craft, and to learn from every experience, both good and bad. There's not a great deal of sugar-coating in the advice; all the contributors are aware that they have been incredibly fortunate, but they're also aware that they have worked extremely hard to get where they are. While there is advice on the style and craft of writing and art, one of the best pieces of advice is to keep trying and keep creating. It's a book comparable to Stephen King's On Writing and should be vital to anyone – writer or artist – who has considered getting published in the comics industry.

Words for Pictures – 9780770434359 – Brian Michael Bendis - $49.99 – 224 pages