What is graphic novel?

Answer 1

A graphic novel is a novel, a work of usually adult fiction , written and drawn in comic book form. It was a fairly common practice for some newspapers to serialize popular if mild (not off-color) novels in this form. this was done with (Storm Warning) in the Daily News and some others. It has not been done with Anastasia to my knowledge. Unlke comic books with continuing characters, a graphic novel, like Clausewitz"s unified strategy, is(Complete in itself) therefore would not have letter columns or continuing characters, etc. The Daily News serialized a number of popular novels in this fashion in the sixties and seventies, alas, no more.

Answer 2

One of the main differences is that a graphic novel is usually a self-contained story, rather than an ongoing serial (as most comics are).

But the main reason people may use the term 'graphic novel' is to move away from the whole stigma of comics as juvenile and "kids' stuff." Notably, many graphic novels tend to handle more mature themes. Particularly famous case in point-- the critically acclaimed Watchmen, which many would argue is a graphic novel and NOT a comic (although strictly speaking, a graphic novel is a kind of comic).

Answer 3

they make graphic novels. like a regular book but with 90% pictures. a graphic novel does not simply describe the persons actions, they show you by drawn pictures. graphic Novels are much better than "books" if you like pictures better. they also capture much better emotions, scenery, pretty much everything. and theyre HILARIOUS when the author makes the characters overly dramatic! i read Vampire Knight and i was HOOKED, i had to force myself away. theyre great but, the autor makes basicly nothing! :(

Answer 4

very article on writing for a comic/graphic novel will tell you that it isn't like writing a short story or novel. And it's not. But please don't let that put you off if you've never strayed beyond paragraphs and page-breaks before. It's basically like a movie script in layout but more detailed, with the writer writing the words, actions, and yes even sound effects, that occur in each panel on the page. (Incidentally, there's no greater fun than writing your own sound-effects.) The (very cheesy) example on the right is what this will look like.

Nothing to be scared of there. Each panel (the box the art is drawn in) is numbered, with action describing what happens and dialogue for what is said by characters in that panel. For all the basics,ScriptFrenzy.org have a fantastic one-page guide to formatting a comic. Have a look and you'll see it's dead easy. After you've written your first few pages it'll be second nature.

Separate to the script you'll also need to write a synopsis which covers all the plot details, as well as short biographical descriptions for the main characters. This is more for you and your understanding of your story than anyone else. If you're used to writing novels this will already be familiar territory.

ReadingJust as as any writer reads a lot in order to better their style and broaden their knowledge, you're going to have to read a lot of comic books and graphic novels. Hooray! Even better, you have a lot to choose from. As I mentioned before it's not all just capes and tights, so don't just go for the Batman and Superman titles. If you want a varied list of recommendations then I'd say read 'All Star Superman', 'Watchmen', 'When the Wind Blows', 'The New Frontier' and 'Sandman'. All are different but all are classics. And don't just read, but study to get a feel for what a good comic should be. Read it once to absorb and enjoy the story, then go back and get forensic. As a writer you'll be deciding how many panels fit on one page and the way they'll fit, so see how others do it - there are a thousand different ways but not all of them work and some will suit what you're writing better than others. Then examine the words. Take note of how often dialogue or narration is used, how much of it is used, and how each speech bubble and box fits with the artwork. Pick it apart to see what you like and what you don't. Talk/Don't TalkNo matter how outlandish and fantastical your story, the dialogue and narration still has to be believable. The difference between dialogue and narration? Dialogue is what appears in speech bubbles, and narration is what occurs in separate boxes in or around the panels. Speech is what you'll be editing the most throughout your drafts, because if you get it wrong it'll take the whole book down with it, no matter how good the art. It's a fine balance: dialogue has to be engaging and has to move the plot along, but can't be so text-heavy that it causes the plot to drag under the weight of its own exposition or obstruct the artwork with enormous speech-bubbles. The general rule is that less is more. My advice: choose each word carefully.

Inevitably there'll be panels and pages where you won't need any dialogue at all. Some panels will be all action, or the artwork alone will do the talking. This is a graphic novel after all. For instance, you don't want a character saying "Great Caesar's ghost, I'm so sad!" if you have already described them as having a 'pained expression' or ' a sorrowful stare' and the artist has drawn them as sad. That would just be a waste of words and look clumsy. You also don't want them to say "Great Caesar's ghost, I'm so sad!" because no one ever says that and it's bad writing.

Answer 5

The term "graphic novel" could be used in an overarching sense that would include most comic books or to differentiate a shorter comic magazine from a longer graphic book.

Sometimes a "graphic novel" is intended to indicate a work that is of higher literary quality than a "comic book."

Answer 6

Graphic novels are not the same as regular novels, so there is not a word count associated with them. Write as few or as many words as you need to create a good story and send it to a publisher. They'll tell you if you need to add more words or cut some!

Answer 7

A graphic novel is a type of book that tells a story through a combination of text and artwork, often in a comic book style format. Graphic novels can cover a wide range of genres and themes, appealing to both adult and young readers. They are a popular form of storytelling that blends visual and written elements to create a unique reading experience.