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Writing Comic Reviews 101
If you are going to write, please have a basic knowledge of how to do so. Know the basics of how paragraphs and punctuation work. Use a spell-check program! Know the difference between “to” and “too,” and when to use “your” and “you're.” Nothing will derail a reader's opinion of a review and reviewer faster than poor writing. No one is a born a perfect writer or uses perfect grammar 100% of the time, but please try to make an effort. Regular writing makes all writers better at their craft. Probably the biggest mistake that new reviewers commit is simply retelling the entire plot of a comic with every last detail included. Not only is this not a critique or review of the comic in question, it spoils the story for people that haven't had a chance to read that comic. Sure, as a reviewer you are almost required to summarize a comic's plot in order to critique it, but there is a fine line between summary and spoilers. DO NOT give away surprise plot points in your review. If you must mention these twists, you can make use of rhetorical questions in the body of your review to avoid giving the story elements away. “Trapped under the rubble, could this be the end for Batman?” Works much better than: “Trapped under the rubble, thankfully Batman's suit protected him enough to make his way out to collar the Joker in the end!” Adding excerpts of art into your reviews is a wonderful way to showcase the comics that you review. Comics are a very visual medium, and sometimes a picture really can be worth a thousand words. If you do choose to spice up your reviews with art and panels from the comic, care must be exercised to not spoil key plot points with the images that you add to your reviews. Spoil a story and your readers, not to mention the comic's writer, artist, and publisher will all be quite unhappy with you. As a person who cares enough about comics to write a review, the last thing you want is angry creators and publishers. This doesn't mean that you should say you like comics that you honestly do not, or only write positive reviews. As a reviewer, your greatest stock is honesty. When you do have criticisms, be specific and concise when articulating them. Be open to different art and storytelling styles. Just because the art or story is different from what you usually enjoy, does not mean that it is poorly done or deserves to be savaged in a review. Many reviewers seem to lack the tools to properly discuss or critique art. Many reviews make no mention of the art whatsoever! As a writer of comic reviews it is your duty to educate and arm yourself with – at the very least, a rudimentary knowledge of art terminology and techniques; and specifically the illustration and sequential art methods used in comics and graphic novels. Read books on art or take some art classes, and in no time you will have the tools to properly critique art in a more informed and concise manner. The more you learn about comics and the more that you write about them, the more polished your comic reviews will become. Read as many comics as you can get your hands on. Check out other people's reviews to get an outside perspective for what works and what does not in a review. You may not always be able to see these elements in your own writing. Most of all, have some pride and work to hone your craft as a reviewer. Work hard and before long you will have an audience of readers that care about your reviews and insights into the world of comics. Happy comic reviewing! Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com The author is a seasoned writer of comic book reviews, writing for one of the top comic book websites. The author's reviews include well-read articles about Superman, Batman and many more famous comic book characters. |
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