Dec 2020
4 / 37
Dec 2020
Feb 9
Temteno
Dec '20

I've often read that people use such programs as Word and Google Docs to plot out their comics. I definitely think that they are useful, especially Google Docs where you can make folders and different doc files to things.

However, big chunks of text get often muddled in my eyes. It's hard to sort out everything no matter how much I try to use bold, italics, underline or different colors. To say, I like to have files with little amount of text and the ability to have them all sorted in neat order - exactly like how Scrivener does it.

Unfortunately Scrivener is only 30 days free, but I've found out a great alternative called Bibisco. Some of its features are behind paywalls, but the free features are more than enough for me. Having the ability to sort everything in "visual way" helps me so much! However, I'm interested to hear other people's solutions and if they use different ways, programs or even post-it notes to script.

What softwares do you use? Do you also have a problem with scripting? If so, do you have more "visual" ways to script?

  • created

    Dec '20

  • last reply

    Feb 9
  • 36

    replies

  • 2.6k

    views

  • 32

    users

  • 64

    likes

  • 2

    links

alextsarace
Dec '20

I store my script in Word, yeah, it's just what I have and I'm fully satisfied with it. But actual script writing process is happening in... my DMs xD
I just write myself there all ideas that randomly come to my head and do basic drafts and later when I have access to PC I just copy paste all drafts to Word doc and edit them. Sure thing, I can write it directly in Word, but I'm so fed up with this after years of writing. It gaves me phantom pains in my ass lmao. I'm done with writing in Word by now (rip all the texts i've lost due software failing and random blackouts).

DualDragonsMaster of Yeet
Dec '20

I just do it in google docs, advantage is that I can also access it from phone so I can work on it everywhere

FritzC
Dec '20

I work in procreate to draw my comic and usually when I have an idea for a sequence or something I just make a new canvas in my comic folder and handwrite my idea and it's just kinda in the middle of all my pages but that's probably the more chaotic version of scripting, otherwise I just keep it all in my head or in long WhatsApp texts to my friends, which I then star-Mark so I can find them later

AkaneHayashi
Dec '20

I use Scrivener for the same reason you mentioned. I prefer to have a different section for each chapter but I also want to access them all in the same place. Before that I used Evernote, which is kinda similar in terms that you can create several notes and keep them organized inside of a single notebook.

Lazu
Dec '20

I write scripts in Word, formatted in like, list form, which I think makes it pretty easy to read. It was somewhat of a trial and error process with my artist to figure out how to most easily write it though, and in the end it was the list way, and then one episode pr. document.

So like, the numbers corresponds to the panel number and such.

Idk, I think with enough space and formatting, word is great xD

And not having everything in the episodes themselves is good as well.
Other than that, I use excel for everything else (Descriptions, character descriptions, world building and such) than the story and the scripts.

That said, I've only ever written one script that actually is a webtoon, and some other scripts that haven't seen the light of day, so I might just have some hurdles with my current way of doing things, that has yet to come. Idk. So far this is fine:

image.png912x454 16.5 KB

(This is a screenshot from one of the poor scripts I haven't been able to do anything about, but basically, the number is the panel number, the a b c is dialogue, and if I had gotten to the SFX portion, they would have been in bullet point where they would fit)

Jenny-Toons
Dec '20

Microsoft Word.

I've tried other scripting sites before, but they seem to focus more on panel to panel basis, which just isn't for me.

I script in narrative form, and I like to keep my script flexible. That way, I can add and omit panels as I see fit when sketching. I also have a very particular way I label my scripts, and it hasn't failed me yet:

elyss
Dec '20

I set up a bullet list in word that auto formats my script and indents accordingly. It goes page #, panel #, description, dialogue, rinse repeat. I've also used the heading formatting to break up scenes and chapters. It took me about half an hour to set it up to ny wants but its been invaluable. :blush:

kaetana
Dec '20

I use Evernote to have sort of a little wiki of various plot information and notes that I can search through if I need to check something. I like that I can add images as well of whatever character or location the note is about to make it easier to sort through visually. I also have a separate notebook in it that I use for script writing. I like to look at the text in bite sized chunks as well, so I generally write each individual scene in a separate note so it doesn't get cluttered. Only once I finish writing all the scenes for a story arc do I put it all together into one document using LibreOffice Writer.

Temteno
Dec '20

It has been interesting to read how everyone scripts and uses things differently, thanks for answers! Since Evernote has been mentioned few times, I will definitely check it out as it sounds something I could use too.

Rocksteady_Comics
Dec '20

Admittedly I don’t do written scrips for my comic too often (I usually plan out pages with little doodles), but when I do I just use the notes app on my phone.

AmysGames
Dec '20

Most of my scripts I just write in TextEdit, which is basically the Mac version of WordPad. Too many bells and whistles in my scripting software just distracts me from the actual writing process, haha.

likhoradka
Dec '20

I just use Google Docs with next to no description. Definitely no special formatting. The most time I get to work on my script is at work, so I only have my phone.

Shanny8
Dec '20

I've been using Scrivener since 2015. Got it for a Nano Writmo one time payment of $40, and the updates have been FREE.

Before that, I was using Word to script my other comic, The Clique.

Siromany
Dec '20

It's a mix of pen and paper, Notepad on my PC, notes section of my phone, Discord, and Google Docs. It's a little haphazard because often times i will be thinking out dialogue and want to write down that moment. I'll often sit down and throw the scripts at my editor on Discord and work out how it'll be fixed or tweaked.

The best and often way I do scripting though? Verbally. Almost every big script I write I usually first make by speaking the lines. It's how I've been doing stories since I was a kid. It has always been the best way for me to block out and figure how things work.

malwdark
Dec '20

I use pen and and paper. Old school xD. It feels more natural and may be carried everywhere. Besides, I can doodle things along the text.

yoyoyoshiko
Dec '20

I used to use Celtex(is a mac based app, but has a web browser version that works on windows) back in the day when I was in school for animation. I mostly used the normal screenplay settings, but there were also very nice settings for comic scripts that work more like written storyboards.
But I'm one of those visual leaning people so I found that I was wasting a lot of time writing out stuff when i could have been drawing it. Now I have a detailed plot bullet-pointed out in google docs, but all my firm-scripting is done during my layouts process. Generally I skip the scripts stage and go from something like this:

Screenshot 2020-12-07 153900.png801x617 45.8 KB

to this:

Screenshot 2020-12-07 154245.png854x613 678 KB

to this:

Screenshot 2020-12-07 154445.png920x557 737 KB

This works well since it's just me working on ALL of it, a lot changes from step to step(i reworked the entire beginning of the chapter 2 script shown by the time I got to layouts) but it lets me balance the visual/written aspects of comics, which
improved my pacing and let character acting do some of the talking instead of just saying everything out in so many words.