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HA! #12 - Pages & Panels with Karl Slominski

Writing a comic script is a daunting task for any new comic creator. Not only do you have the task of creating a brand new world, the characters, and everything else that goes along with it, but you've somehow got to figure out a way to make your story coherent in a comic script. One step that many new writers skip is keeping the artist in mind when writing said script. That's why I sat down with Karl Slominski, (ASHES, TAD CALDWELL AND THE MONSTER KID, and others) to talk about his insights on breaking down a script from an artist's point of view.

HEATHER ANTOS: So the reason I wanted to have a chat with you is 1) You're a fantastic artist who's work I simply cannot get enough of - and - 2) One of the biggest issues I've encountered with in working with less experienced comic writers is an issue writing a script to be drawn by someone else.

KARL SLOMINSKI: First thing's first (I'm the realist) - let's put a moratorium on flattery - otherwise we'll spend the majority telling each other how great we are until we're both so full of hot air and fresh ego we float off into the ether and fizzle out.

HA: That wouldn't be so bad! [Laughs] But, to business! I myself look at scripts from an editor's point of view, so certain aspects of the 'writing for the artist' stick out to me - but I wanted to ask you what are some things that stick out to you as an artist when pitched a script by a writer?

KS: When it comes to first-time writers (or 'inexperienced' writers, for lack of a better term) I feel that the trouble comes from an inherent abundance of assumption - "I wrote THIS, how come you didn't draw it like THAT?" Because they assumed that they wrote it in a way that was universally understood - which they failed to do.

The other camp of novice writer mindset is the exact opposite, or, the "Alan Moore School Of Describe The Pencil Shavings In The Trash Can In The Next Room" script - where the author provides SO MUCH information, the artist has zero clue what the important things to draw actually are.

In short: the problem is either an abundance of details or a complete lack of details.

HA: I agree, this is something that I see a lot of, too. Either the writer knows their work so well in their head that they are unable to realize no one else does, or they want to force every bit of information on the artist and reader because everything matters that much.

Sometimes I think that writers forget that artists are a part of the creation process, too. Every artist, I believe, should have at least some wiggle room for their voice and interpretation on the script. They weren't put on the earth to be mind readers, after all.

KS: I've read a few scripts that were so overwrought with specific imagery and Google image references that I pity the artist that gets roped into the comic. I'd argue that most fresh-writers don't always seek an artist with a distinct style for their project, they just want an artist that CAN draw their project and let it be damned if they actually fit the idea. Synchronicity goes a long way with a writer and an artist, as do leaps of faith.

HA: On that note, though...You've gotten a script, what's your next step? How do you go about breaking it down?

KS: Traditionally once I get a script I read it a dozen or so times before I pick it apart with a fine-toothed comb; seeking the key moments of the scene and how it affects the overall story arc. That's BEYOND IMPORTANT.

Rule #1: How does THIS relate to the story as a whole?

If you can lay out a page, congrats, you're awesome. But if you're thinking of just laying out cool page after cool pages, you're really doing the story a disservice by not thinking about that single page in the context of the overall story - the sum of its parts equal the whole, not the opposite.

After you get over that (i.e. The Art School Braggart Step) you lay it out on a page or thumbnail accordingly.

HA: How crucial would you say the thumbnailing process is? I know there are some pencillers who will dive right into pencilling the page.

KS: I'm not a good example in this regard, my comics 'magik' is far more intuitive than it is by-the-book. Generally, I read the script page and treat it like a song - where's the chorus or refrain? Find that iota of relevance and emphasize it to contribute to the whole. There's a relationship between each page in a 32 page comic that foes FAR BEYOND the basic "A goes to B, goes to C" mentality. You're visualizing the underlying themes and imagery to the book.*

*NOTE: NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND SHOULD CARE THIS MUCH ABOUT COMICS LIKE I DO

Depending on the project, I'll usually just dive in. If the script is CLEAR enough, you can just draw what you're asked to draw (and make it cinematic and eye-popping).

HA: Another thing I discuss heavily with new writers is panel counts per page as well as number of characters per panel. I find it's really easy to overcrowd a page!

KS: Heh. Yeah. This is a MASSIVE oversight generally Sometimes writers have this brilliant way of assuming that you can fit 9 panels on a page magically without a second thought.

HA: Not to mention the people, items, backgrounds....AND word balloons!

KS: Precisely. Having a concept of pacing is essential in execution. Writing for comics isn't just compartmentalizing ideas into a visual medium, but also establishing a wavelength at which those ideas can be succinctly communicated. Here's great example - 

We all know the opening of STAR WARS, right? The rebel blockade runner?

HA: Absolutely!

KS: That script is practically universal. Here's how 3 different artists represent the same script through different pacing and approaches:

This is comparing the original adaptation with the Dark Horse adaptation with the Manga adaptation - relatively same script, but COMPLETELY different execution and pacing!

HA: It's almost like 3 different scenes in a way!

KS: EXACTLY! This is where the argument can be made that an illustrator carries a lot more brevity than expected. Assuming this is all based on the same source material, these 3 distinct artists executed the SAME scene in their own voice. Which begs to question, which one elevates the written material to a visceral representation of its source material?

HA: Who's to say they don't all succeed?

KS: And they DO!

We've all seen STAR WARS, we all got sucked in with this initial scene. Who's to say that one execution outweighs the others? That's when personal preference comes into play.

When a writer finishes a script, it's important to find an artist that closely can represent THEIR ideas using that artist's voice.

HA:  I 100% agree. The script may set one tone, but your penciller, inker, colorist....their particular styles can affect that tone. Comics are a collaboration of voices, after all.

KS: Personally, when I begin a collaboration with a writer, I like to get a feel for the person that did the writing. It's important to know where they come from, regarding influences, movies they've been watching, music they listen to when writing, etc. It's important to get inside the mind of the guy or gal you're working with. You'll be stuck with them for a while!

HA: Indeed. But I want to get back to a point that was mentioned earlier...Sometimes we encounter writers that have a tendency to, shall we say, overwrite the detail in their pages. Other times we can get very minimal direction. Just recently I was reading a script, and I'll be vague, but essentially it read "Page 12, Our protagonist & antagonist fight - have fun with it." How do you approach a situation like this? Do you find it terrifying? Liberating?

KS: Depending on the writer, usually liberating. Actually, I always find it liberating.It's either a tremendous leap of faith or an inability to write action. Which is totally fine by me - action scenes ARE confounded pillars of comic bookery that provide a myriad of challenges to describe - let alone illustrate. 

If you just say: "PAGE 27: THE TWO DUDES FIGHT." I say, have at it! Provided you tell me specifically how they get injured or the damage they incur along the way, those two idiots are fighting like it's going out of style!

HA: Fighting like it's 1999!

Well, I don't want to take up too much more of your time, this has been an excellent insight on what an illustrator takes out of a script. To wrap up, what are some words of advice yo have for new comic writers, or even new comic artists?

KS:  I'd say the best advice I can give is- to take advice with a grain of salt and a shot of whiskey. Know that with comics, there's literally ZERO universal guidelines to making great comics. Which is kind of beautiful- comics are still the wild west; it's an art form that makes and break its own rules regularly.

If you draw comics, draw the hell out of them. If you write comics, be poignant, be relevant, and have FUN!

Actually, anyone in comics should just HAVE FUN! I don't care how insightful or elegant your book is, have fun with it! Maybe that's the key...

What a great interview! Not only did we get some great insight, but we also unlocked the mystery to making comics! Want to know more about Karl and his work? Click on of the links below!

-HA!

Follow Karl on Twitter or Check out Karl's Website!

[haedits]

HA! # 11 - The Design of a Comic Cover

Getting to design a comic book cover is the sort of ultimately maddening power that probably shouldn't be entrusted to vain mortals. It’s a little like getting to choose your own face. What kind of face would best express your inner self? Or more importantly, what kind of face will make other people like or respect or want to sleep with you? Do these two hypothetical faces bear any resemblance to each other? Can you imagine a face that would combine their best features?

Finding a balance between your personal vision and something people might possibly want to buy is extremely crucial when designing a comic cover. This is why today I'm going to breakdown and discuss the different components to any comic book cover.

COLOR

Monochromatic tones, contrasting colors, or the use of just one bold color along with some black or white make up some of the most absolute standout covers. Even when they come in totally different styles, color alone helps distinguish the best of the best. Not to mention the negative space created by a whole lot of white, when handled well, makes an absolutely striking cover. Sometimes less really is more.

COMPOSITION

Interesting positive and negative space is a must, and either absolutely perfect execution for a complex cover, or the restraint to go simple are some favorite extremes. This can be found by using interesting angles, off-center compositions, and the illusion of movement.  A trick that's been having an influence in comic covers today is the heavy influence of strong graphic design elements. J.H. Williams III is easily one of the standouts here, but we've also seen a lot of stunning examples in very cool offerings from John Cassaday, James Jean, David Aja, and many others. Some great cover artists go so far as to literally working the text and title of the piece into the illustration.

CONTENT

This one is probably the trickiest and perhaps the most “salt to taste” – we’re all turned on or off by different things. However, no matter the "taste" of your cover, certain elements need to be there. Whether your story is about a homeless man fighting a dragon while riding a unicorn, or about a collection of penguins taking over the world through their cuteness and fluffiness, your cover needs to sell that - the story. Some element from your main story should be on your cover, whether it's a main character, special item, location, or theme, this is what's going to sell your book! 

CREATIVITY 

It's extremely difficult when working with a new property, and sometimes even more so when dealing with properties that have been around for 75 years, to find a new way to express something - to sell a concept -  in such a small space. And yet artists are able to create covers every week that blow us away with their ability to take what we all know so well and turn it on its ear. Simply visual, simply emotional, and frequently both, these covers really go the extra mile in making their viewers think or smile, or be horrified. 

Still a bit unsure of where to start in your comic cover design? Go to your local comic shop and survey the covers of other books in your genre. Find out which ones you like and why. 

What are some of your favorite comic covers from over the last few years? Do you see the comics we have today as innovative and breaking boundaries, or do you feel the classics were best?

-HA!

[haedits]

HA! #9 - Kickstarting Your Comic

As any comic creator knows, making comics isn't cheap. You've got to pay your creators (penciller, inker, colorist, letterer, writer, and editor) their individual page rates. And even if you're able to find creators willing to work for free or for exchange of services, you've still got to take into account funds for printing, shipping, marketing, etc. It's enough to drive anyone's wallet to the brink! And that's where Kickstarter comes in.

Kickstarters are a very great way for comic creators to build funds to help produce their work. The problem is, you can't just launch a Kickstarter and forget about it. After successfully running a few of my own crowd funding campaigns, I've decided to write about what I believe to be some of the key elements of excellent Kickstarters.

1) Before you settle on your goal amount, make sure you know for a fact the actual total producing, publishing, and shipping all your items will cost you. Don't just guess. Find a similar size book, make sample packages, take them to the post office, and know for certain the cost. Take into account international shipping charges, too. Shipping can cost as much, if not more, than your printing invoice.2) Make your video & page description count! Take a look at Kickstarters that were successful, emulate them. Look at Kickstarters that weren't, analyze what went wrong. How did they film? What did they film? How was their page worded? What incentives were available?3) Having a strong social media following is going to be your biggest asset. The wider your circle, the more people who are going to see your work, the more chances you're going to have people who want to support you. If you're asking for $10,000 and only have 10 followers, chances are you're not going to get each person to pledge $1000 each.4) Don't be afraid to reach out to the media! The week before my campaigns launched I sent out about 100 personal messages and press releases to comic journalists, websites, and podcasts around the world, as well as local media. You never know who might be interested in what you're doing. Then, the day of the launch, resend your messages. Let them know you're live!5) Have a sample of the finished product available so future pledges know what they're getting into! So many projects don't get funded because the people running them don't want to produce until they get the money....and then they never get produced! Guarantee your pledges & fans a finished product by showing them a finished product.6) Don't be afraid to ask a Kickstarter Expert to look your project over before you launch. You'll have an option for your project to be reviewed by the Experts at Kickstarter. Do it. 7) Get ready for some shameless self-promotion! Once your project has launched you're going to be that person on social media. And that's okay. Post, post, post! Don't be afraid to write personal emails or direct messages. If you personally ask someone to pledge, they are more likely to do it rather than if you just post on your wall or newsfeed. Also, statistically they say it takes a person to see a post SEVEN TIMES before they will even THINK about pledging. I could go on and on about running a Kickstarter campaign, but instead, I'll let you ask the questions, now! What sorts of things would YOU like to know about running a Kickstarter?

-HA!

[haedits]

HA! #8 - Separating Your Inner Creator From Your Inner Critic

Recently an artist friend of mine approached me with an interesting question. They had found themselves, in the middle of working on a portfolio piece, pondering if they should add more pink or red to it, since they'd heard images with warm colors are retweeted more frequently than images with cool tones. 

Yes, in the midst of deep creative work, they had begun obsessing over Twitter.

And that’s not the only niggling concern they had. People seemed to like their pin ups and covers, however they much preferred working on interiors. Should they switch focuses? And, "so-and-so other artist tends to do _____ and he is just unbelievably popular. Maybe I should just borrow a little of his style…?" 

These thoughts were distracting, but it wasn't until later in our conversation that we realized the problem. My friend asked if that type of thinking didn't dilute their presence and unique aesthetic in their portfolio; "Aren't the pieces less me in some way, then?"

And they were absolutely right.

Unfortunately, this type of thinking seems to plague writers and artists alike in any creative community - especially in the thriving world of social media. 

Instead of exploring and developing unique artistic styles, young creators too often are dumbing it down with current trends, anecdotal feedback on social media platforms, and a lack of confidence in their own process and skills.

As creators, in order to progress in our respective fields we are always doing the "showing-our-work thing," and even more so the "will-you-buy-my-lovely-product-or-services thing," but early on it's important to realize that, "If I am going to make this career work, I have to somehow separate my artistic explorations from the rest of my job."

As I’m sure many of you know, that is definitely easier said than done.

I cannot emphasize enough the need to consciously separate a creative entrepreneur’s different roles and form a specific “persona” and schedule for each of them.

Just think about it -  Why on earth would you simultaneously try to create and critique your work? How is it possible to curate your shop and services until you develop a sizable body of work? And how can you decide where and how to advertise before you know what your own audience, skills, and strengths are?

As an exercise for myself early on in my career, I wrote out descriptions and purposes for each of my personas/roles that I take on everyday in my work. Although this process was specific for me as a writer and editor, I think it could easily be adapted for any other creative profession: illustrators, designers, letterers, musicians, photographers, the list goes on.

And so, my semi-embarrassing creative entrepreneur personas:

The Wild and Free Creative: This is my obnoxious writer self. She scribbles, she doodles, she finds metaphors in the nuances of everyday life, and she locks herself in her studio for hours only to emerge for the most dire of necessities. She doesn't talk to anyone ever. Seriously, never ever.

          - Goal: I want to be free explore even my most ridiculous ideas in a safe space, without fear of criticism from myself or anyone else.

The Severe and Intimidating Editorial Critic: This is my terrifying professor persona (we've all had a teacher that fits this stereotype, right?). She wears her hair tightly back and takes her time examining each and every mark on the page. She purses her lips a lot and never compromises her opinions. A red pen is her weapon of choice. She is intense. People want to put thumbtacks on her chair. Some succeed.

          - Goal: I want to be incredibly proud of any work that I put out into the world, and I’m not willing to sacrifice quality for either my artistic ego or my marketing excitement.

The Exuberant and Risk-Taking Marketer: This is my let’s-make-something-happen persona. She’s the biggest fan of my work and isn't afraid to tell anyone and everyone all about it. She's a go-getter. She loves to put my work out into the world and actually enjoys networking.

          - Goal: When I’m promoting my work, I don’t want to still feel vulnerable about rejection or judgmental. I want to be 100% confident that my work is outstanding and deserves recognition.

But let’s be real: it is so easy for us to write down these “personas” and call it day. The hard work is actually making it happen.

And so, a little tip for those creative entrepreneurs who, like me, struggle with balancing all the different hats they must wear: take a few minutes to think about the roles you must play in your work, and how you can create an optimal environment for each of them. Understand you don't have to be the only one devoted to your work, either. Invest in a peer reviewer and editor who have your best work as their number one interest. 

And an exercise for those of you who want to get started right away: try setting aside time each day or week for some creative exploration that you are not allowed to show to anyone else. Seriously. It’s so easy in these social media times to feel like everything needs to be shared. It doesn't, I swear! It may actually feel really freeing to try something for the sake of trying it. And messing up. And trying it again.

And maybe, just maybe, you’ll create something that you want to pull out, look at from all angles, and freely hand over to your inner critic.

-HA!

[haedits]

HA! #7 - Jordan White & Editing Marvel Comics

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to speak with Jordan White - and though he sometimes serenades panel attendees by playing the X-Men Theme on a ukulele, he can most often be found editing comic books such as the Deadpool or Star Wars series for Marvel. We had quite the interesting conversation about what it is to be a comic book editor  for one of the Big 2, as well as the editing process! You can find the original interview on Geek Legacy here.

HEATHER ANTOS: Throughout your time at Marvel you've held a number of different editorial positions. You've been an assistant editor for Uncanny X-Men, you’re the editor for the Deadpool and all the Deadpool miniseries, editor for Thunderbolts…How do all of these different jobs vary from Assistant Editor to Editor to Senior Editor?

JORDAN WHITE: Well that’s a very good question! Basically when you start out as an assistant editor you’re teamed up with an editor on every book. So, the editor of the book is the one who is most responsible for it, the one who makes all the final decisions, but as the assistant you do everything you can to assist. It’s really a variety of things! Because they’re new and don’t know a lot about the process, the assistant editor is going to be focused on just the physical things that need to be done; moving files around. Files will come in from the penciller, they have to make sure they get to the inker, things will come in from the inker and they make sure they get to the colorist and letterer, and things like that. When the lettering comes in they make sure it gets through proofreading and through everyone who needs to read it. Those are the simplest parts of being an editor. Things that don’t really need to be thought about but need to be kept track of – and there’s a lot to be tracked! But the more experience they get, and even earlier on they’ll start to get more familiar with the material and might start giving notes on content.

I was hired at Marvel by Mark Paniccia and the first books that I worked on were mostly the young readers’ line (which doesn't exist in the same form anymore) Marvel Adventures. Mark was a really great person to learn how to be an assistant editor, how to be a Marvel editor from. So very early on I was already reading scripts, giving notes on scripts, and discussing story points with him and things like that.  That’s the most important part of being editor; being able to perform the non-scientific voodoo that makes a comic. It’s a weird thing to say, I know!

Tom Brevoort likes to say it’s much more alchemy than science.  When casting a comic book it’s pairing ‘this writer’ plus ‘this artist’ plus the inker and colorist. You know, maybe you've seen something they've done before but whatever they do now is not going to be the same. You kind of just have to think “If I throw all those ingredients in a pot I have a vision for what that’s going to be!” And then to think about how you can make the book the best version of what it can be – that’s the most important part about being an editor, but that’s something you have to learn!

So to get back to your actual question – The progress at Marvel is you start out as an Assistant Editor, you’re working with an editor collaboratively to get everything done for the book. The longer you’re there the more responsibilities you get. Then you start to get your own books to edit while assisting others; for example when I was assisting Nick Lowe on all the X-Men books I was also editing Deadpool. At this point I’m no longer assisting on anything and I actually have assistant editors working on books with me. The next step up, Senior Editor, is to oversee other editors; All the books that I edit go through Mike Marts in the X-Men office. He doesn't look at them to the degree that I do as editor, chances are he’ll only need to look through them once to double check content. If there was anything really awful in the book he’s the one who would say, “I think there’s something things that could perhaps be done better,” followed by suggestions.  And then above that is the Executive Editor and then the Editor-in-Chief, but those are really a whole separate ball game!

HA: Having then worked on a multitude of titles throughout your career, do you prefer having a larger number of titles at a time?

JW: Well, that’s a really tough decision! Right now I’ve just transitioned to this place where I’m editing and having assistants. In addition to having to let go of things, it’s taking some getting used to, because in some ways it feels like I have less work than I’ve ever had. The period before this was the busiest I ever was – I was assisting on all of Nick’s books, I was editing my books, and then from a certain point of view I was assisting on my own books. And now I’ve gone from “three jobs” to “one job.” So on some level I feel like I have so much free time.

Having to move non-stop and go crazy has its own pluses. It’s kind of awesome and exciting in a way. One of the other reasons I feel like I have less work than I did is because: One, I do! And two, I just finished a project called Deadpool: The Gauntlet. It was the Infinite comic that we did and it came out weekly.  Infinite Comics are different than print comics in many ways. Simply because they are a different process they are more work. Not only was the process of putting the comic together different, but it was weekly as well. It was non-stop! We got to a certain point where the deadlines became ‘Everything is late, always!’ At the same time we were finishing Deadpool: The Gauntletwe were working on Deadpool #27 which was something like 13 different artists, 80 pages. Those two projects both took so much time! And now that they’re both over I feel strange.

That being said, there is definitely a benefit to having fewer projects because then you can focus on them more. You can devote much more time to saying, “I’m going to make sure it’s as good as humanly possible!” When other times you have to make choices. I guess naturally speaking I want more books.

HA: You had mentioned previously what the most important part about being an editor was. What’s the hardest part?

JW: The hardest part is when things…when things don’t go the way you want them to. To go back to the ‘alchemy,’ you know, when that doesn't go off the way you had envisioned it can be really tough. It can be tough to say, “This is not what I thought it was going to be. I was imagining ‘A’ and I ended up with ‘B’.” You then have to decide what’s best for the project. Is it best to take that ‘B’ and smash it until it becomes an ‘A’? Or is there a way to change gears and aim for a different goal and make that work as best we can?

It’s difficult because sometimes what happens the elements come together differently than you anticipated. You don’t want to tell your artist or write they didn't do a good job – most of the time they do, they’re doing their best and trying to make a good comic same as you! I then have to give notes and try to decide what notes are the most important. Do I go back to the artist and ask them to redraw a page because they don’t understand what’s going on? But then I have to weigh that against when the book has to come out. Or, do I go to the writer and ask them to rewrite the scene to match the art? The editor has to weigh all these options against each other and the deadlines for the book itself.

HA: There is a ton of resource material out in the world for comic creators who want to become writers or artists, but there’s a lack of information for those of us who dream of being comic book editors. Do you have any advice?

JW: Well a lot of people who I’ve seen talk about wanting to become editors most of them actually really want to be writers. I can understand why people think that way, it’s definitely happened. And, of course, in the early days of Marvel everyone did everything! Nowadays it’s a little different. But, every once in a while I do meet someone who legitimately wants to be an editor and that’s terrific! It is a very small group of people. Marvel puts out, I don’t know, seventy-something books a month and there are less than twenty people in Marvel editorial.

If I were to look at my own experience, before I got a job at Marvel I ran a radio show at my college. It was a free-format station – you could do whatever kind of show you wanted. Most people would do a regular music station. I wanted to make stories so I did a “radio series.” I created a bunch of radio serials for that show. It was a ton of work. I could not physically write them all. I brought in other people to help write; obviously I needed a billion people to act in them. I edited the scripts as well as edited the audio….there was a ton of work involved. But, it was very similar to being an editor at Marvel in that it was about working with people, getting a large group of people to collaborate on a certain project, rallying everybody to get it done by a deadline, working with other writers…I think that doing all of that – and the necessity of doing it on that schedule – gave me a good basis of skills to be a Marvel editor.

Most people don’t know what an editor does unless they are really interested in it. In Comics we call it an Editor, but I would say it’s much closer to a Producer; in addition to working on the content of the project you’re making sure it actually comes out. I guess the only way to get experience is to edit your own comics, produce your own projects, things like that! Those are the things I would pursue.

HA: Any last comments on editing and your experiences?

JW: I really love it! I really think it’s great! Being able to collaborate with people like that? It’s great getting to work with such great talented people and to be able to find people out there doing great work and then to bring them in to Marvel is also really terrific! That is a really great feeling, you know, to help people make great work!

What questions do YOU have regarding the process of Comic Editing? Let me know!

-HA!

[haedits]

HA! #6 - Everything You Need to Know About Editors - Part 5

When it comes to comics, there are a ton of misconceptions out there about what freelance editors do, and there really aren’t many resources to help you figure out what to look for in an editor. So, that’s why I’m going to give you the 411 on everything you need to know about working with a freelance editor.

Well, we’ve made it - the last part of my “Everything You Need to Know About Editors” series. We’ve previously discussed the basics of editing story and art, as well as some rules for working with your editor, and some of the things that your editor can and can’t do. Today, I’m writing about qualities you should look for, and things to keep in mind when looking for an editor.

Most articles about finding a freelance editor will tell you the same things. Make sure the editor is knowledgeable about your genre and has the experience and qualifications to do the job. Ask for references and an introductory consult or review of your work. All great advice. 

As too many creators will agree, though, just because someone can do a great job editing doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a great editor. A quality editor not only has the skills to pay the bills but also realizes that a creator is a person, not just a PDF. Most creators are looking to establish an ongoing partnership with an editor, and that means customer service matters when it comes to editing. Here are some of the qualities that mark a good freelance editor as someone you actually want to work with. 

COMMUNICATION

Editors are notorious for notes like, “Show, don’t tell,” or “This isn’t working,” with no additional information. That kind of response can be exasperating or even disheartening for a creator. The freelance editor you want to work with gives detailed, actionable feedback and encourages their clients to come to them with questions and concerns. Need suggestions about how to apply the ubiquitous “show, don’t tell” to a particular scene? Or even ideas on what would “work?” That’s what your editor is there for.

BIG PICTURE THINKING

Editing is a bit like a puzzle. It takes being able to take the broad view, break it down into small parts, and put it back together to enhance and strengthen the story. This applies to both scripting and art. Each is only half of the story in comics. It’s up to your editor to ensure that each and every puzzle piece is able to fit together seamlessly. 

FLEXIBILITY

In the same vein, your friendly neighborhood editor should be flexible. It’s important for a freelance editor to feel that her recommendations are not hard and fast rules. Instead they should be seen as a springboard for the creator’s, well, creativity. More times than I can count, I’ve offered a suggestion to a creator who used it to create something completely different, but so much more beautiful than what I had imagined. That happens because I foster an environment of collaboration and push my creators to think outside the box. 

OBJECTIVITY

I’ve met too many creators who don’t want to work with freelance editors because of an experience with one who wanted to change the script or final art to the way they would have done it themselves. No wonder those creators feel turned off to freelance editors! The only motivation your editor should have is to help you create the best version of your work possible, according to your version. Period.

What qualities do YOU look for in a freelance editor? Let me know!

-HA!