Scrollable novel with different colored text?

K-Rexo_Deactivated 2020-09-09 20:39:15 UTC #1

As per the thread title, I want to post something on Tapas that I will experiment on - Using the "comic" format to make a scrollable novel with different colored text and pictures on the side, top or bottom of each page.

Take the Geronimo Stilton books for example. They have different text which flows to the mood the titular character and others would say about their adventures. Page demonstrations are below.

Of course, I'm not going to tell you all the synopsis of my novel yet as the novel in full is supposed to be a "surprise" to critique when I post here and I won't use the different colored text to the extreme like I did with my comic, but what is your take on this? Too risky? Or is it brave of me to do this? This is a first for me.

joannekwan 2020-09-09 20:44:10 UTC #2

My graphic designer brain is seizing right now
LOL

But from a professional standpoint, unless your story is aimed at very small children, I don't think anyone over 16 would appreciate such a large spectrum of font styles and yo-yoing between them all in a single work. Especially if it's a full-length novel, all the different texts will become a chore to read.

IntoTheTempest 2020-09-09 20:47:57 UTC #3

I was just about to say this. I could definitely see it working for children's fiction, especially with all the colours and illustrations sprinkled in, but not anything above that.

K-Rexo_Deactivated 2020-09-09 20:52:02 UTC #4

Joanne, IntoTheTempest, both of you are right. But to be honest, I was planning to use the colored text in the right moments possible and not overuse it. It'd be pretty annoying to choose which word to put emphasis on using this technique.
Speaking of which, some of the words in the examples seem to be unnecessarily emphasized for show. I'll definitely find a way to make this work somehow without it being distracting.

joannekwan 2020-09-09 20:55:02 UTC #5

Hm, is there any particular reason to want color when bold or italics can't suffice?
I imagine it could be a hurdle for some people with certain color-blindnesses as well.

K-Rexo_Deactivated 2020-09-09 20:57:41 UTC #6

I just didn't want people to feel bored reading my novel, reading only words and not having pictures. Pictures could do well instead of colored text, right? I don't need it too much.

I'm not a novelist myself, I'm more of a comic person, leaning more towards "TV cartoon" person.

joannekwan 2020-09-09 21:01:49 UTC #7

Oh yeah, you could integrate pictures for sure! Light novels are very popular, blending text with illustrations.

And so long as your writing is decent, I don't think people will be bored. If people got bored just reading text, novels would have been relics of history haha.

K-Rexo_Deactivated 2020-09-09 21:04:53 UTC #8

Well, thanks anyways! It's a good thing I asked people here + another community about this. I didn't want people to throw paper balls at me because I used this format.