Establishing Stories

[monotone_ink]

Do you make them up as you go, or are you the type to meticulously plan every detail until the very end?

[FlutterbyBubbles]

So for my first comic, I tried to make it up as I went, but it didn't work out, so for the one I'm working on at the moment, I'm planning it a bit, not down to the text, but for plot points and chapter layouts and stuff, I think it will help me actually finish it!

[joe_galindez]

Depends on the story, but I always make sure to at least have an ending in mind.

[emkay]

My diary comic doesn't have any structure or plan to it, but the actual webcomic I'm working on is going to be meticulously planned from start to finish. Plot outline, chapter outline, maps, character sheets, and a script with panel descriptions -- otherwise I feel like my story will be too shaky and I'll be tempted to keep changing it. Plus, since I plan on it being a series, the first issue basically establishes my fantasy universe and I want that to be solid.

[XzynderVexymous]

My comic is planned. I’ve been writing it for months. Whenever I do a page, I just look back at my typed out story. Ironically though, my novel isn’t too thought out.

[KennDemon]

I usually plan out key plot points and what order they will happen in, just to be sure that the story is actually going somewhere. After that, though, I like to let things flow organically as I'm writing. What's important though is that nothing is set in stone, and I may re-order plot events once I've started if I think everything will flow better that way.

[akemikae]

My current story is purposely in a set up that I can make it up as I go, to a point. I have very specific key scenes and scenarios that I have to hit, but I already understand the order they need to be in. So everything else can be put in between. I have a small layout of the order that important stuff needs to happen, then I brain storm and come up with the events that lead up to it.

My comic is very character development heavy, so as long as the characters are developing at a stable pace, and reach a certain style of emotional state (it's a romance, so you get the idea), then I have done it right. Mostly.

I do write out scripts for dialogue, settings, all that as I come to the next chapter. But I write chapter to chapter, rather than having a giant story already sprawled out. I'd feel too confined if I worked that way, and I'm still learning, so this way allows me to improve. I think.

[joe_galindez]

Sounds good. I'm looking forward to it.

[Heliox14]

Make 'em or break 'em.

[Testaccount]

I try to plan out my stories a little. I like to at least know the beginning, some of the middle, and the end in mind. However, I've noticed over time my characters go off and do their own things. As I learn more about their personalities, I try to tame their actions.

[dawgofdawgness]

During my neverending planning stage, I planned out every detail of my story, every turn of events, etc.
But now I kind of just improvise after each scene, changing up the plot a little bit. The main key events are still the same, but some of the smaller events have been tweaked.

[Croik]

I don't start writing a story unless I have a very clear idea of how it ends, and usually I have a decent sense of what events need to happen along the way to make that ending happen. But I try to write down as little as possible before hand, other than sometimes a timeline of things that happened before the story started (just to keep dates straight). The more I write down ahead of time, the less inspired I am to actually do it!

[kip]

I plan out the plot pretty throughly cia bullet points (roughly 1 per page), then add details and dialogue as I go.

[Aspie_Gamer]

I'd say its half and half for Life of an Aspie

I have an idea of where the comic is going in the future and I have a basic plot outline of the next chapter or two, but some of LoaA's story has been made up on the fly since not a whole lot is ever set in stone.

[IdiotWithPencil]

ok first get a beginning and an ending, write them in stone and the rest wing it, that way you start strong and end strong and you have a goal to build towards if you don't have a goal you end up like bleach a fire works as bright and flashy but dies quickly in the end

or at least that's my philosophy

[joe_galindez]

I didn't make it past the Soul Society arc.

[IdiotWithPencil]

that's the one with the creepy crazy illusionist guy Ainz was it? the ending was good in that one but after that the series went down hill faster then the approval rating for the Emoji movie

[joe_galindez]

I'm fuzzy, but it was when they were in this big shinigami city and what used to be urban fantasy devolved into a tournament arc.

[joannekwan]

For all my stories, a conceptualized ending is necessary before I draw anything. I need to know what I'm working towards.
For ones with a hard plot, I like to have about 75% of it scripted and ready before drawing. I do rely on established dialogue before I plan out a page, but that doesn't mean I won't edit it last minute.
For slice of lifes with a loose plot, I might have 40–50% scripted with much of that in the beginning of the story so I have something to draw. Then while I'm drawing and publishing the early scenes, I have time to fill in the gaps of the latter half of the story.

[DiegoPalacios]

For my actual comic, i have most of the story planned from beginning to end. But because is a comedy, i search for opportunities to make a good joke and think in which part of the story fits better. I do a script before making a page to avoid using the eraser as much as possible. Sometimes i get better ideas and i adjust the script before making it a page. That way i know where the story is going and i also have some flexibility to make changes.