Who Doesn't Use Scripts?

[Vikiro_Hop]

RIght now I do a gag comic, but even on the story stuff I don't really script much. I dont know if i would ever fully script things out, maybe a quick summary for each page but even then I probably wouldn't follow that closely anyways. When I actually sit down to make something I usually end up with way more ideas and structure than I could ever get by trying to plan it out.

[allenthomas]

I'm amazed at people who don't use scripts at all, even for a gag-a-day. It think I would go mad after a while LOL. I don't understand how people with story driven comic can execute their comics without scripting or storyboarding. Amazing!

[carloswebcomic]

My first online comic which ran for 4 years (or so) was made with no scripts. I simply had an idea, drew it and only then worked out the dialogue. Used to get pretty decent traffic too! About 10,000-15,000 hits on update days.

I was wreck though, trying to figure out what to do for the next page and it nearly give me an ulcer. I had to give up for my own sanity.

These days I make sure I have lots of scripted pages before I put pencil to paper.

[kazukitakamura126]

I started own parody comic and I have to write don't what the characters are going to say. Otherwise I don't know where to take the story.

[kazukitakamura126]

Before 2011 I made stories without writing anything down. All I have to say is the story were messy and plot holes would form when you are not expecting them.

[AlkseeyaKC]

The only time I use Script is to send the text to someone to look over my spelling and grammar.

Other wise I sketch out thumbs to make the comic page.

[igneriss]

I don't really use a proper script, but I use thumbnails/storyboard with all the dialogues written down, so it's something in between ( :

[Pandastrophic]

@Tani2691 Have you tried making a storyboard? like making small thumbnails of the page with the dialog next to it. Scripting doesn't help me that much either but when I storyboard and write the dialog too it helps me organize the page as well as the comic better. It helps with paneling, speech bubbles, angles, organizing dialog etc and you wouldn't have to re-draw panels and erase as much because you already have a small visual reference of how the page is gonna look.

I tend to storyboard + write the dialog next to it for pages waaay ahead of where I actually am, it gives me a better perspective of how the story is gonna go and leaves me with some space for change if I needed it.

[L4213]

as a more visual person, i rarely use scripts in my comics mainly because i have an attention-span of a dog when it comes to reading @^@ to compensate though, i just use a variety of thumbnails with annotations to get my story, sequence, and structures out well and intended.

[eagle1]

Speaking as a reader, and not as a writer, my feelings are this: If I am reading your comic, and I start feeling like you are winging it, unless I am doing a review on it, I will stop reading.

Let me repeat that: If I feel like you are making it up as you go along, I will stop reading. The only exception is a story that I am reading just for the humour.

I am not alone in that, however most people don't have my background in writing and critique, so they will give reasons like 'too many plotholes' or 'the story wasn't going anywhere' or 'too many abandoned characters/plots' or a host of other reasons. It all boils down to the same thing, however, and that is that the story is not written completely, and the reader can tell.

As a writer, the best reason to do a script (and a complete set of thumbnails/storyboards is just another form of a script), is that you can see how the story looks from farther away than a single page. You can then do things like work on the plot, work on the character arcs, eliminate things that do not advance the story, make sure that the pacing is smooth and speeds up or slows down at the places you want it to, and most importantly, make sure that the story hangs together in plot, conflict and theme.
Now, the most important part. The first one is the rough draft. Not the final draft. The rough draft. The finest, most practiced writers in the world have rough drafts, so even if you are doing thumbnails or storyboards, it's a rough draft. Polish it up before you start drawing.

The readers will appreciate it.

Eagle
("Writing" can be done with just the storyboards/Thumbnails)

[Tanisha]

I do! But idk it's still not organize since I'm just sketching each page as I go and write down a little blurb of what the character will say. xD It helps a lot though since I'm always changing thing and I much rather this than scripting which I find very limiting in a way ; _ ;""

[TrustyShamrock]

i script junk out! i think its kinda fun. but mostly i just haaaaaate doing thumbnails and storyboards. its super unartsy of me to say that. and i draw everythin else for the comic. but storyboarding has always been a butt to me. it just urks me havin to redraw stuff. or drawin somethin in the first place without puttin all my work into it

[Silerna]

I don't make a script at all. Simply because I absolutely CAN'T write stories...
I let reality be my script and story, it's easier to let that write for me.

[VaoMamago]

The problem is that sometimes you don't use dialog between characters because you can just draw emotion on his face which would tell much more than speech. And you will never describe on paper the way your character would speak with help of only emotions. It's impossible.
And If you have a good memory anyway, you have no need in script, which can't describe what you want

[kotaotan]

I have a general outline of the series and what needs to happen in each issue, but I never work from a script. I fly by the seat of my pants usually.
Scares the hell out of my comic making friends.

[TAMAnnoying]

Sometimes it depends on the story for me. Some comics and stories i have scripts written out from beginning to end to keep myself focuses on the main idea of the story and/or the lesson thats suposed to be learned

some stories are just stories and i have a hard time going farther then one or two days of the story, so often times im just winging it when Im working with those stories.

I'll have anywhere from the entire story written and planed out to absolute zero planed ahead besides characters :v

[sleepingmarlons2]

uhmm me! i don't usually make scripts for my works.... i just draw what's on my mind, maybe it just depends on the style that you use to hahaha

[VaoMamago]

You talk like an expert, and for sure you are 100 percent right. I guess you have a lot of useful experience
Can I ask you to review my comic in future, If it is appropriate?

[eagle1]

@VaoMamago, I do a review column, and I am currently working on several so that I can add them to the buffer on my site.

Eagle
(Hope that helps)

[carloswebcomic]

It's almost impossible to do anything clever without a script to see forward in the timeline. I managed to get away with it as I did single page jokes with a loose theme behind it.