Writing the Graphic Novel

(EGL 314)

From Art Spiegelman’s Pulitzer-prize winning Maus to Alan Moore’s The Watchmen, graphic narratives have a unique capacity to tell complex stories through the simple combination of rich visuals and text. They have become synonymous with bold, innovative storytelling that goes far beyond superheroes, and they encompass memoir, historical fiction, journalism, and more.

To better understand this hybrid literary form, we will start by reading and discussing several important graphic novels including Safe Area Gorazde, Berlin: City of Stones, Tamara Drewe, and Soundtrack. Students will then learn the necessary writing and artistic skills to turn their story ideas into a realized graphic novel extract. Welcoming both newcomers and those with experience, the course will examine each step of the creative process: scripting and narrative arcs; thumbnailing; pencilling; inking; and scanning and production. Students will leave the course with at least an eight-page black-and-white sample of their graphic novel (or short story) in both hard copy and digital PDF format, complete with color cover.

Please note: To take full advantage of this course, students will need a computer with Adobe Photoshop (Elements is fine) and Adobe Indesign (version CS2 or later), as well as a 2GB thumb drive. Students can download a 30-day free trial of a stripped-down version of Photoshop Elements at: http://tryit.adobe.com/us/photoshopelements/. Students should also expect to spend around $50 on materials. A supply list will be provided on the first night of class.

Dan Archer, Lecturer in Continuing Studies

Dan Archer creates nonfictional journalistic comics and co-teaches a graphic novel course through Stanford’s Creative Writing Program. He received an MFA in cartooning from the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont. Archer’s work has been published by Bash magazine, The Other Side magazine, Memoir (and), Atlantic, Penguin Books, Random House, and in his self-published anthologies, Archcomix.