How to Write a Graphic Novel Script in 7 Steps

A graphic novel, as its name suggests, is a novel that tells a complete story via illustrations. A graphic novel will offer the type of resolution one expects from a novel, even if it is part of a series. The term “graphic novel” traces back to an essay from Richard Kyle in the comic book fanzine Capa-Alpha (although to this day, there is no one fixed definition of “graphic novel”).

The term might have become mainstream with the publication of Will Eisner's A Contract with God in 1978. Comic historians acknowledge that works we might today consider graphic novels existed long before such terminology existed. Works like 1919’s Passionate Journey by the Belgian Frans Masereel utilized woodcut tradition to tell full stories via imagery. Lynd Ward was similarly influential, printing wordless novels using woodcuts in the 1930s.

Graphic novels and comic books rely on illustrations and graphics as a critical part of the story structure and character development. The storyline structure is also similar, but the writing processes lead to different ends:

• Format: Comic book and graphic novel script formats can be similar. There is no standard format for graphic novels; writers can follow screenwriting, comic book formats, or a combination of both. Writers must use a form that works for all collaborators, including illustrators. Comic book writers and graphic novelists can create the templates and panel descriptions using the same software programs.
• Length: One might think of a comic book as more of a short story and a graphic novel as a full-length book, hence its terming as a novel. A graphic novel is longer and more substantive than a comic book, a serialized excerpt from a larger narrative.
• Narrative: Writing a graphic novel means creating a single narrative entity that stands alone as its own work of art. A graphic novel will typically have a longer page count and stand independently.
• Serials: Writing comics involves creating a smaller piece of a larger serialized entity. For example, in Stan Lee’s work with the Spider-Man Marvel Comics, an individual comic encapsulates one episode in Spider-Man’s series of adventures. Comic book artists, then, will create a smaller story—one that still has a clear three-act structure—but that may also have a cliffhanger to get readers to buy the next edition and unlock the fate of the comic’s superheroes. Today, this similar structure is present in webcomics—indie and online versions of comic book writers’ work.

Graphic novels share all the critical characteristics of traditional novels, including a clear beginning, middle, and end, a central narrative (or A-story) supplemented by optional B-stories, and character development. Graphic novels also feature thematic messaging and precise, carefully considered dialogue and narration.

The apparent distinction between graphic novels and text-based novels is that graphic novels permit their images to do the vast majority of the storytelling, with dialogue bubbles and narration boxes to help elaborate the story.

Follow these steps to put your ideas on the page:

1. 1. Read other graphic novels. Before you create your script, read other beloved graphic novels and note what you enjoy about them from a writing point of view. It may be how many words are in each panel, the style of dialogue, or the tone of the writing.
2. 2. Storyboard your graphic novel first. Have a sense of the overarching story and sketch it out before you even start a sample script. This phase may include sketching characters and jotting plot points. You can also begin creating thumbnails of visuals for crucial scenes.
3. 3. Write a synopsis. Summarizing your work can help you ensure each scene contributes to the whole. Create a paragraph-long summary that illustrates a clear beginning, middle, and end.
4. 4. Test out a scene. Write a scene in your script, which may be a conversation between two characters, a protagonist’s inner thoughts, or an action sequence. Consider the relationship between text and image for the scene. After writing the scene, explore how it might look on the page and in panels.
5. 5. Let your script inform graphics. Continue fleshing out your script, refining it until you are ready to create some test panels and add the corresponding text to it. This process will help you determine how well the visuals and copy sync up.
6. 6. Add in the extras. Sound effects (onomatopoeias such as “bam” or “whoosh” or ”splat”) and transitionary phrases (such as “the next morning”) will add texture and clarity to your script and storytelling.
7. 7. Read your script in full. After writing, reread to ensure the conflict is clear, and the story leads to a resolution. When ready, you can add the text to your panels to marry illustrations and words to create a complete graphic novel.

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