1. A Writer's Guide to Drawing The Comic, How She Is Made

2. Start With a Story Summary of the events of your comic. Don't edit while you write! Include emotions, action, even dialogue. Just get it out!

3. What Happened on Jill's 16th Birthday Jill was sleeping soundly in her messy room, blissfully unaware it was her 16th birthday, until her dad, Joe, came into her room to wake her up. At first, she was too groggy to be excited, but then Joe mentioned birthday presents, and she was wide awake. She got up and got dressed and went to the breakfast table. Joe was embarrassed that he couldn't buy his daughter everything she wants, but Jill excitedly opened two presents. Then Joe offered Jill some birthday cake while hinting at a third present. Jill was excited because she thought the third present would be a uniclops, a pet that she wanted really badly. Instead, it's an ugly, scaly demon. Jill is not excited about the present, and she feels guilty for that. Joe feels bad that he couldn't buy his daughter what she really wanted, and that makes him angry. Now Jill feels bad that she made her dad feel bad, so she gets mad, too, and she storms out, leaving Joe alone with the birthday cake.

4. Find the Pictures Changes in location Changes in action Changes in emotion

5. Jill's Birthday 1. Jill was sleeping soundly in her messy room, 2. Her dad, Joe, came into her room and woke her up. 3. She was too groggy to be excited. 4. Joe mentioned birthday presents, and she was wide awake. 5. Jill pleaded with Joe to make with the presents. 6. Jill got dressed and went to the breakfast table. 7. Jill excitedly opened two presents. 8. Then Joe offered Jill some birthday cake while hinting at a third present. 9. Jill was excited because she thought the third present would be a uniclops. 10. Instead, it's an ugly, scaly demon. 11. Jill was not excited about the present 12. Joe feels bad that he couldn't buy his daughter what she really wanted, and that makes him angry. 13. Now Jill gets mad, too, 14. and she storms out, 15. leaving Joe alone with the birthday cake.

6. Panels How much dialogue in this panel? How much visual information is in the panel? What tone does this scene have?

7. Panel Layouts 2x2 Grid - four large panels 2x3 Grid - six smaller panels 3x3 Grid - nine smaller panels (Persepolis p. 107) Combine panels from a grid to change it up. (p. 41)