URGENT!!!! Member's only for this Forum?

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 545 Location: NYC

I think I'm seeing a real problem FORM here. I see people posting...

"I'm a (place job title here), if your interested Email me."

This is NEVER going to work, IMHO.

I suggest we lock this forum and allow only members to have access to it.

This way we can share more of our ideas without giving away things to everyone... Including potential customers who can just read what's going to happen.

On the other side of this... WE all have to share more than the fact that we have an idea.

Even in the real print published comic book biz, you're looking at making about $1 per book if your lucky. (Based on the sale a $4 book.)

In this Venue, you'll be lucky to get $0.55 per book. (Based on a $2 Book, which is a pretty good since you're saving the $8000.00 outlay to actually get it printed. Don't quote me on that figure either... it's a guess.)

So you're asking for some one to work for a fraction of that $0.55. The point is... you won't be getting any volenteer's for the big pay off. :lol:

What's going to get people working on your book... is making THEM excited about the idea.

Who are the characters?
Who is your audience?
What's your story like?
What kind of style do you want it in?
What kind of genre is it?
What's the catch, how is it different from it's closest releated known story?
Where do you see it taking place?
Why are these event's happening?
How do you see it coming together?

Everything that makes good writing is also what makes some one want to work on that book. And it can help you because some times bouncing ideas off some one else help you focus toward where you want to go.

If we lock this forum to members only, at least we can share these ideas with people we know are interested in producing them, but we HAVE to share them to get them interested as well.

I'd like an imfomal vote this as the first line in any replies.

Yay, or Nay.

Then feel free to list any reasons why, or another feedback.

Thanks.

Smudger · Forum Newbie Joined: May 02, 2004 Posts: 7

Yay.

I would agree with pretty much most of that, but I thought the forums were already members only anyway.
But yes, it's time we started putting our ideas out there, because while we all seem to be interested, nothing actually seems to be happening.
I linked up with an artist (palmers) after reading his post which essentially said, he'd told us he was an artist, he'd told us he was available and he'd given us a link to his artwork, why did no one want to work with him? I followed the link, liked the artwork and wondered the same thing. I sent him a 22 page script and he liked it ... we're working.
So, you are absolutely correct Ratteler, it's time the writers started to put their plans into the arena. Not just ideas, they're ten a penny, so let's see full blown outlines and maybe even some dialogue. Show the artists out there that you have a product that's worth working on.
Same applies to the artists, it wouldn't hurt for some more art samples to be available, but not poster art, sequential art. Prove you're up to the task of turning those words into images. We need to start now people and for those of us who have already started, we really should be letting everyone else know that.
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Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 545 Location: NYC

Smudger · Forum Newbie Joined: May 02, 2004 Posts: 7

Can't argue with any of that.
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ArgoForg · Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 8:26 pm Post subject:

I'd agree, too, especially in that, if we're going to want to post that much information about a project, in order to get interest from prospective artists/writers, we could be releasing a lot of information to a general public who would ordinarily be buying it, too.

The question would be, how to 'restrict' that? If you just say 'members only', you run the risk of missing out on potential creators that aren't currently members, while if you don't, you run the risk of giving away trade secrets and plotlines to people who would be buying the books.
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Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 545 Location: NYC

Well I don't think well be keeping any one out per say.It's just a door so that some has to have shown some interest in making a book before they get to see everything.

Every board has their little secret forum. Moderators forum, Etc. This would be just like that. If you weren't a member, you wouldn't know it was there.

We'll post some controled teazers in the public forum to get people interested.

ArgoForg

That sounds like a good plan. I know I myself am a little wary of throwing out any major details on a story knowing that it's sort of out there in the open for anyone to pick up on.

Greek

Check your PMs guys.
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Even from souls corners most despairing,
Beauty none the less.
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palmers · Forum Member Joined: Jun 07, 2002 Posts: 379

I'm catching up on the forum.

I just thought it was worth mentioning that it was Smudger's professionalism - a complete 22-page script, not notes - as well as the quality of his writing which made me agree straight away to working with him.

jonthecelt · Forum Member Joined: May 14, 2004 Posts: 18

Understand what you're saying, palmers (and thanks for the pm's so far, by the way: hope that something fruitful will come out of it all), but I'm not sure that the only way to show professionalism is to have a script ready and waiting for the artist.

For myself, for example, I like to work in collaboration with the artist, adn build up a story idea between us. THEN I'll sit down and begin to hammer out a draft. Perahps it comes from my theatre training i'm going through at the moment (all collaboration and devising new pieces) but it's the way I like to work. That way it truly becomes a joint effort between the two, rather than one person following the other's instructions.

I'm not saying either is right or wrong: there are just different aways to measure professionalism, is all.

Besides, just cos I have a script ready to show you, doesn't mean it's any good...

Jon

palmers · Forum Member Joined: Jun 07, 2002 Posts: 379

Didn't say it was the only way, Jon, but it is a good way. I wouldn't expect you to believe I can make a good picture until I've made a picture.

Writing is the identifying mark of a writer. I don't see a script as a set of instructions; my experience of the TV industry has taught me that one of the giveaways of a beginning writer is excessive stage direction. A script reassures me that I'm not going to spend time designing characters and thinking about a project, only to find that my partner writes awful dialogue and won't discuss rewriting it.

You'll know from our PMs - including my latest - that I'm more flexible in terms of working methods than this post suggests; I was only saying that Gary's production of a script told me that he can write, that he can work, and that he understands the length and pace and structure of a comics script.

I've also learned, from a good few years of writing in several formats, that the script can try to drag you away from your outline. If you've written the script, you've found out the real story.

I really hope this doesn't make me sound aggressive. I've said in a PM that if you're not happy scripting, I can help if the idea is good. Gary took the shortcut by showing me a good idea and a good script, that's all.

Topan · Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject:

I agree with the need to protect "trade secrets". You never know who might be dropping in to see what's going on. But, has been pointed out, we need to release a little something in order to get people intrested.Rattler's idea of "controled Teasers" sounds like the best compromise. Maybe something like the movie studios do when they release a trailer before the movie's been rated. It has just enough information to catch someone's eye- sometimes it's only a poster with the title and release date.

palmers · Forum Member Joined: Jun 07, 2002 Posts: 379

Topan's right. There's enough spectacular artwork free online that a comic would have to impress me a lot before I'd buy it on the Internet. Both my present partners have suggested before I did that we should give away a sample: Nimesh a special short preview, Smudger the first issue of four.

Ratteler · Forum Member Joined: Jun 10, 2002 Posts: 545 Location: NYC

The rules of promoting your book don't change at all with this Venue.

You have to do your own promotion just like you would any other comic. The difference is that when your audience HEARS about the book, they can pop online and download it rather than try to remeber that they wanted to look for it at a comic book shop when they got around to traveling to one.