Writing the Comic and Graphic Novel Forum How do you prefer to write you..

Since I began working with my current artist back in March, I've explored all manner of script formats. I've kicked around the idea of creating a very strict panel-by-panel detail, but feared that might put limitations on my artist's incredible creativity. I looked at scripts that were much more like reading a play or a movie, and liked what they had to offer, but still just wasn't 100% comfortable with what I was doing.

What I've settled on now, is a much looser scene interpretation that describes the basic setting elements and characters involved with their dialog (and if need be, underlying emotions), but again, I'm leaving the visual interpretation of these scenes up in the air, as I'm interested to see how his pen matches my vision.

So far, so good.

What do you do when crafting a comic tale?

So far, my friend and I collaborate on the script in the same way we write plays. Lots of brackets and detailing action and dialogue, with a few rough panels thrown in. We're still brand new at graphic novel writing--our first expo was back in April--but I'd like to think that we'd eventually get better at it. Recently I've begun to write my scripts in a less straightforward manner so that I don't bog things down with too many details and throw away lines.

I'm not claiming to be a pro at this, I've only just begun. But when I started my first script (I've got one and a half scripts, now!), I was very strict. I mean, I had it down not only to the number of panels, but also to size, placing, fonts, foreshortening, line thickness, whatever. I tried to translate everything about how I saw the panel in my head, and the result was a mess. After bouncing around a few forums, reading a few more comics, and realizing how hard it was to do all of that, I pulled it back some. Now, I describe, in general, what I think should be in panel. Who's in it, who's talking, and maybe a facial expression. What I'm resorting to more now is to just let the story describe what the panel should look like.