Self Publish Your Own Comic Book

Self-publishing offers authors a lot of control over their ideas. Traditional publishing has benefits, but often, once the manuscript leaves an author's desk, it is out of their control. Editors, layout specialists, and publishing house employees all play a part in shaping the end product with traditional publishing.

When you publish your  comic book with Comix Well Spring, all the creative power remains with you. You provide the specifications for layout, paper type, and binding variety. The end product will look very much as you imagined it at the beginning of your publishing journey because you've had a hand in the process every step of the way.

If you're investigating different ways to get your comic book printed, you need to understand the choices available for layout, color, and inking options, bindings, and more. At Comix Well Spring, we walk you through the process so you can maintain a firm grip on your original product.

Inspiration

Arguably one of the hardest steps in the process is coming up with an idea for your  comic book or graphic novel. Writers find imaginative fodder in a variety of places, but if you have a good idea, don't let it go to waste. Get it down in a rough draft form and sketch it out on paper or in a compatible computer program as much as you can.

Some writers rely on outlines, storyboards, or mind maps. Whatever helps you get the  brilliant characters and plot arcs onto the paper (or computer screen) is the most critical part.

Script and Layout To Publish your Own Comic Book

Once you've come up with an idea and roughly sketched out the arc of story action, it's time to write the  comic book script. Some comic book authors make the mistake of drawing the story out first, and this may be a misstep.

Writing a script may seem obsolete if your end product is supposed to be a  full-color comic book, but writing it out holds some other rewards. When you entirely write out your script, you understand your characters and plot points more fully.

Some aspects of your story that you should decide on while writing out the script include:

Genre

This helps you identify who you're writing for – teenagers? Adults? Kids under 12? Deciding on your genre also sets the tone and defines the content.

Conflict

Tension and conflict propel fiction forward. Without it, stories go flop. What does your protagonist want? What is standing in the way of that goal?

Plot Arc 

Writing out your script also gives you a more objective view of your story arc. You can see the beginning, middle, and end. This is very helpful when you start to draw because you can use elements of the story that may only appear at the end as foreshadowing.

Once you've got your script down, it's time to map out your panels. You may not create the most enviable drawings at this point in the process, but don't worry about it now. This crucial part of the printing process helps you see how your comic will look and not just how it reads.

Formatting

Once the original record of what you'd like is saved on file, choose from the different formatting options offered by Comix Well Spring. Here are some of the areas you’ll decide when designing your comic book.

Page size

The size of your pages depends on economic factors and personal preferences. If you choose to go with a non-standard page size, it may be costlier, but it will also make your graphic novel stand out. Comic books are generally 5.5" x 8.5" or 5.5" x 11.5" with no de-facto standard.

Binding option

To find that perfect binding for your comic, take a look at some of the other comics on the market and pick the one you prefer. As a general rule, comic books use saddle stitching, and graphic novels usually have perfect bound bindings.

Paper

You can choose high quality, glossy paper stocks for your comic book cover and back. You can also choose cheaper, uncoated paper for the inside of the comic. The combinations are endless, but consider how durable the paper is and how heavy that paper stock can make the entire bound comic book.

Comic Book Printing Services

In the world of self-publishing comics and e-publishing, there are many avenues to get from a brilliant idea to a finished comic book. A publishing company like Comix Well Spring has years of experience with printing projects. With high-quality customer service, Comix Well Spring has the experience and knowledge to help you achieve your publishing dreams.

Final Thoughts

There's nothing quite as satisfying for a writer and artist than to hold your comic book-sized creative legacy in your hands. Let Comix Well Spring guide you through the multi-step process of comic book publishing. From idea to comic book layout to page counts, Comix Well Spring is there for your creative comic book every step of the way.