Different Setups for Stories

So, as a writer of many disciplines I often do quite a bit of research on many subjects. I find it quite necessary to know the many ways to concoct a story structure depending on which type of story you are working with. Whether it be, sequential art stories, prose, verse, screenplays, or stage plays. So here is a look at the different setups for stories in sequential art:

DIFFERENT SETUPS FOR STORIES

MINISERIES- A story or comic with a predetermined number of issues. Has two specific rules to adhere to.
                1. Have enough story for the allotted amount of pages allowed each issue. Have time for rewriting.
               2. Must be a change, development, or reverse in every issue until a climax is reached, then dénouement. Keep the story moving!

GRAPHIC NOVEL- A story in which many things happen, and many characters exist. Must keep moving up and up constantly. The reader must be constantly fed new information to help further understand the world in which the graphic novel lives.

MAXISERIES- Should have a unifying theme and continuity of plot. Must reach a conclusion that answers all plot and character questions, ties all elements together despite diversity. Doesn't have to be tightly plotted as a novel, stories can be diverse and unconnected but must tie in at conclusion. Usually twelve issues long.

ONGOING STORIES- The sort of traditional tips of comics. Deal with problems of continuity and continued stories. Three ways to write continuous stories in an ongoing title.
               1. Story Arcs- The twin of miniseries so to speak. Arc is a part of continuum though. Must have enough plot for allotted number of pages. Reintroduce characters and locales. Have fully outlined plots.
               2. The Levitz Paradigm- A grid like format that helps track main plots and sub plots in a single ongoing title or many titles. See p.101 of The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics by Dennis O'Neil.
              3. Chart Form- A form in which many titles with the same character involved; helps track the plots and sub plots dealt with in each separate title to tie in with the one main plot.

MEGASERIES- A long continuity which stars a single set of characters and appears in several titles. Falls back on the old three-act-structure. Outline for story should be at least twelve pages long. In addition to the main plot there are usually a dozen other subplots. Should have narrative explaining the story in each issue. Every scene should point to a climax and no page wasted. Story must justify the space allotted to it.

Story Structure Notes cont'd

Event- 1. Events are change taking place, are always meaningful and never trivial.
            2. Creates meaningful change in life situation of a character that is expressed and experienced in terms of a VALUE <-- of="" p="" soul="" storytelling.="" the="">            3. Story VALUES are the universal qualities of human experience that may shift from positive to negative, or vice versa, from one moment to the next.
            4.Events are achieved through CONFLICTS. Change is motivated though CONFLICT.

Scene- 1. An action through conflict in more or less continuous time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character's life on at least one value with a degree of perceptible significance. Ideally, every scene is a STORY EVENT.
           2. If a scene isn't meaningful, cut it.

Beat- 1. An exchange of behavior in action/reaction. Beat by beat these changing behaviors shape the turning of a scene.
          2. Beats are meaningful behavior changes.

More notes to come! Any questions or suggestion shoot me an email!

Story Structure

So in my desire to become a better writer and artist I am always searching for the best reference material and books out there. Some great books that have helped me are: The DC Comics Guide to Writing, Story, Writers on Comics Scriptwriting, How to Write what you Want and Sell what you Write. All of these books are invaluable to me in my writing, along with the classics and books from my favorite writers. In the spirit of free learning I figured I would share some notes here on the blog that I've made based off of my research in these books. Here is just a bit now, what I hope to do is keep sharing my notes on writing to not only reinforce them in my head but to hopefully help any would-be-writers out there like myself. Even tho I've self-published I am still looking for that mighty feeling one gets from being a writer working for a nice publishing house, here's to hoping and please enjoy the beginning of these notes! Thank you!

PART ONE: STORY STRUCTURE

The Elements of a story- a beautifully told story is a symphonic unity in which structure, setting, character, genre and idea meld seamlessly.

Terminology of a story design- 1. Tell a whole story
                                                   2. Only select a few moments
                                                   3. Tell present story while life story is also told

Structure- 1. A selection of events from the character's life stories that is composed into a strategic sequence to arise specific emotions to express a specific view of life.
                 2. Compose events to flow one after the other.

Setting up a schedule for the old blog here

Had a thought recently to start organizing what it is I talk about on this blog so as to better take care of it and use it to its fullest. I'm constantly shifting focus between my many many passions and at times on a blog like this it can get confusing for audience members as well as the blogger himself. So as to better serve all of my passions I've decided to break up the days into what it is I will post about. What I came up with is this:

Sunday-Art
Monday-Art
Tuesday-Writing
Wednesday- Acting
Thursday-Art
Friday-Writing
Saturday-Acting

I believe that this schedule will not only bring a needed focus to the blog but also organize my time better as well. I've always been a person who needed structure in my life otherwise I seem to flounder about and do things to sporadically. Its important as an artist to be creatively spontaneous but that doesn't mean to only do things at the spur of the moment. You can harness that surprising creative burst energy into a managed slot of time where you focus your mind. At least that's what I think. We'll see. So tonight expect a blog geared toward writing.

New Short Stories

The short stories section of my blog is going to be expanding with more stories. All different kinds, horror, comedy and action, slice of life, good stuff. Feel free to check it out anytime you please, I'm going to try n have something in there for all audiences. Thus allows me to get better practice at all different types of narrative and situations. 

Also my essay section will be gaining some momentum soon as well so look for that. 

Any questions, or concerns feel free to go to my contact section. 

Spot Illustration

Here is a spot illustration for my upcoming graphic novel. In a later post I shall describe the process I took in creating this and most of my pieces along with pictures. 

Poetic MLA format

Quick reference for anyone needing to understand how to do an in text citation for a poem within an essay that requires MLA format:

"I'm a poem/seriously I am/I'm really not tho" (BURKE 1-3). 

It has to be in quotations introduced with a comma. The slashes let you know when there is a line break. The authors last name and the line numbers go in parentheses. Boom.  

2014

So the old year is out and the new year is in. 2014 has arrived, have you accomplished your goals of the past year? Yeah, me either. Want some helpful tips I learned myself? Even if you don't I'm still going to write it. Cool?

MIKE D. BURKE'S TIPS FOR ACHIEVING GOALS THIS YEAR:

1. MAKE THEM SMALLER- Break your goals down into manageable chunks.
2. MAKE THEM PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE-It'll be really annoying but tell someone you know all your goals, tell everyone. Use Facebook, twitter, schemer, google+, your mothers social group.
3. WRITE THEM DOWN- Keep track of them yourself as well. Keep a journal, a blog, write them down and post them on your fridge. Write them down.
4. HAVE A WAY TO CHECK THEM OFF

Now taking my own advice, here are my goals for 2014:

1. START MY CAREER
2. MARCH-OCT GO ON 1 TRIP A MONTH
3. PAY OFF A BILL OR TWO
4. GET FITTER
5. FINISH PROJECTS
6. SAVE $10 A MONTH
7. SET AN EASY TO FOLLOW BUDGET
8. BE A BETTER HUSBAND, FRIEND AND PERSON
9. BECOME MORE ORGANIZED
10. COMPLETE COMIC BOOK
11. READ ALL THE BOOKS I OWN
12. PICK UP MORE FREELANCE WORK
13. BLOG AND ADVERTISE MORE
14. BE MORE RESPONSIBLE
15. BE MORE OPEN
16. BE MORE CHARITABLE
17. JOURNAL MORE, CREATE MORE MEMORIES
18. GET GOALS DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED

A lot to work on, I know. Good luck to all of us!! 2014!!!!

Work History

17 jobs in 9 years...

Am I rich yet? No. Will I eventually succeed at my career goals and stop wandering from job to job like a vagabond? No clue. I'm only 24 and here's what I've learned about myself so far.

I usually need two or more jobs to support myself at a time. 

I never manage my money properly. 

Often I quit one of my jobs prematurely.

Having two jobs keeps me busy which is good but also exhausts my mental faculties and in some cases my physical. 

17 jobs in 9 years and I'm only making $3.00's more than when I started out. 

I'm not much closer to my career than when I started out, although via experience I've gained extensively more knowledge that I desperately needed. I still have time though, that's the beauty of youth. 

My networks and outreach need a lot of work. Meh.