Book Review: The Art of Comic Book Writing by Mark Kneece

The Art of Comic Book Writing by Mark Kneece
Publication Date: September 8th, 2015
Format: eARC from Netgalley

A practical guide for beginner and advanced comic book writers that outlines the steps needed to successfully craft a story for sequential art.
 
 With this latest book in the SCAD Creative Essentials series from the esteemed Savannah College of Art and Design, comics writer and instructor Mark Kneece gives aspiring comic book writers the essential tools they need to write scripts for sequential art with confidence and success. He provides a practical set of guidelines favored by many comic book publishers and uses a unique trial and error approach to show would-be scribes the potential pitfalls they might encounter when seeking a career in comics writing. Supported by examples of scripting from SCAD's students, faculty, and alumni,The Art of Comic Book Writing strips away the mysteries of this popular artform and provides real-world advice and easy-to-follow examples for those looking to write for the comics medium.

Of course, being an artist myself, I had to request this book up. I try not to request for books that are going to be visual heavy, due to the fact that I have a Kindle Paperwhite and that doesn't translate real well on it. I'm not quite sure that it translates well on a Kindle Fire, either, though but it's too late to find out. But... still!! I've always wanted to attend SCAD and, due to financial reasons, I doubt that it'll be a possibility now. I'm incredibly grateful that an instructor decided to share their own tips by writing their own book.

As I've already attended an art school, some of this was already familiar to me - but that doesn't mean it didn't help me at all. This book introduces the reader the best route to starting their own comic on top of pointing out one of the many things they should avoid entirely. Alongside that, there are a lot of visuals that are perfect for those who are visual learners or just for those who just like a push in the right direction.

This book, however, really primarily focuses on comic book writing (well, yeah, but... follow me here) and that's it. If you feel like your story skills are lacking or you don't think your art style is up to par - you'll need more than this book. Even so, this is primarily a guide book. Eventually you will find a method that fits your needs but, at least, you'll have a good idea on what publishers might expect from you.

I have to be honest - I still want a physical copy of this book so I can read this in its full glory without images breaking everytime I turn the page on my kindle. Mostly, though, it would just be useful for someone like me to keep on hand - and useful for those who just want to know what the true mystery is behind their favorite medium's creation.