the craft: make me feel
Emotions may be a moving target, but I firmly believe that they’re aces for your stories. Here’s why.
So I’m sitting there one day, with Warren’s book in one hand and a highlighter in the other. Somewhere about two-thirds of the way into the book, I stumble on an interview with a guy named Mark Waid.
For whatever reason, KINGDOM COME hadn’t yet made it to my list of “the classics”, and I’d never heard of Waid. Witty, charming, and obviously whip-smart, Mark grabbed me right from the start. Then he said something that really made me sit up and take notice. Warren asked him what he was going to teach “[the] new generation of writers”; here’s his reply:
“That being honestly in touch with your emotions qualifies you for a shot at writing as many comics as you can, but reading eight thousand comic books doesn’t qualify you to write even one.”
Holy smokes, I thought. That’s it. That’s totally it. I pondered the last comic I read in light of this newsflash.
Yeah, this guy was definitely on to something. (Not to mention the obvious encouragement — you mean it’s okay that I haven’t read eight thousand comics? Hallelujah.)
I’m pretty fond of this one. If you like it, please be sure to spread the word.
Thanks!
