Where is the Rat-Catcher’s Son?
Written on February 1, 2010 at 7:32 am, by admin
“The Rat-Catcher’s Son” is in the Journal section of this site (it’s too big for the home page). To read it click here, or on the image below.
The Rat-Catcher’s Son
Written on February 1, 2010 at 6:43 am, by admin
Click here to return to the Home Page of this site, where new panels of Seven Extraordinary Things are posted daily. New readers to my online graphic novel can begin here.
Do Not Create Characters That Are Interesting
Written on January 29, 2010 at 12:32 pm, by admin
This sounds like heresy. Why wouldn’t you want to create characters that are interesting? Isn’t that the point?
When I began writing my process was simple. I put a sheet of paper into a typewriter (yes, a typewriter) and commenced writing. I created an adventure where people said things, did things, and stuff happened to them. When I finished that first story I gave it to a friend. “Hmmmm,” he said. “Needs better characters.”
I hunted down books on writing. One of them was the excellent Art of Dramatic Writing, by Lajos Egri. I read it cover to cover. I dutifully created back stories for the players in my drama, filling their lives with complications and tragedies. I defined their desires, their fears and their fatal flaws. With all of this in mind, I returned to my typewriter. It came as a bitter disappointment to find none of it made my story better. None of it even made my characters more interesting. Where did I go wrong? Had Lajos Egri lied to me? Was there some concept I missed?
Yes. A ridiculously simple concept. To explain what it is I’ve drawn a short visual narrative called “The Rat-Catcher’s Son”, which I will be posting Monday, February 1st, sometime in the morning (PST).
Tom
Written on December 28, 2009 at 8:32 am, by admin
This week I am previewing material to be posted in the New Year.
“The Ratcatcher’s Son” is an illustrated example of character development. This short story (with a moral) is part of the Visual Narration series.
