6 Week Live Online Course | Instructor: Paul Allor

Introduction to Writing Comics

$595.00

If you’ve ever dreamt of writing your own comic or wanted to improve your existing skills – this is the course for you.

Learn from renowned comics writer Paul Allor, who has worked for Marvel, IDW and BOOM!, Aftershock and Vault Comics, on both licensed and creator-owned work!

In this class you will conceive, outline and write a complete 5-page comic book script!

In this six-week intensive class for writers, you’ll learn all the necessary tools for telling great stories. You’ll also learn about the industry as a whole, tips for breaking in, how to format a script and the pros and cons of self-publishing! For over a decade our Intro to Writing course has been proven effective for hundreds of students –  including multiple Marvel and DC Comics writers, top Image Comics creators, and working editorial staff in nearly every major comics publisher.

  • You will work with professional comic book writer and editor Paul Allor.
  • You will write a complete 5-page comic script under Paul’s expert guidance.
  • You’ll get Paul’s wealth of experience and training.
  • Meets once a week on Wednesdays between 9:00 and 11:00 PM ET, for six weeks.
  • You also get exclusive access to a dedicated class member-only online forum.
  • You’ll have access to recordings of each class in the series for the duration of the class and a few weeks after its conclusion—so you never have to miss a class!
  • You only need to bring your brain—the rest is provided.

Paul Allor is a critically-acclaimed writer, editor and letterer who began as a Comics Experience student and workshop member, eight years ago. Since then, they have written for Marvel Comics, AfterShock Comics, IDW Publishing, BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, Vault Comics and others.

Paul’s comics writing is known for balancing intensely character-driven stories with bombastic ideas and dynamic plotting. Their creator-owned books include Hollow Heart, from Vault Comics; Monstro Mechanica, from AfterShock Comics; Tet, from IDW Publishing and Comics Experience; Past the Last Mountain, from Gov’t Comics and Comics Experience; Strange Nation, from Monkeybrain Comics; and the self-published comics Orc Girl and Clockwork, the latter of which included Paul’s five-page story from their Comics Experience Introduction to Writing class!

On the work-for-hire side, Paul is perhaps best known for their extensive work in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise for IDW Publishing, as well as the critically acclaimed 2019 relaunch of GI Joe.

Other properties Paul has worked on include Captain America, Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy and other Marvel characters; Star Trek; Mighty Morphin Power Rangers; King Kong; Godzilla; Clue; Samurai Jack; My Little Pony and others.

 Since 2017, they have served in various capacities with Comics Experience. Paul is currently the Editorial Director of CEX Publishing, and teaches a number of introductory and advanced writing classes. You can follow them on Twitter at @PaulAllor.

The course meets online, once a week for two hours, over a period of six weeks. This intensive course focuses on crafting a relatable and concise story over five pages. The challenge of the five-page limit is part of what makes the course so effective.

During the course, you’ll take your story from its most basic elements and build them up into a fully realized story, ready to hand to an artist or publisher.

What’s the focus of the course?

The classes themselves focus on as much information about storytelling and comic books as Paul can pack into six weeks. He starts with teaching how to distill a story down to its most basic elements, trimming away the fat, and then building it back up from there with a clear, unifying vision from the author.

From there, expanding out on characters and world-building, Paul shows you how to build those elements into a comic book script. In your story’s infancy, it could develop into any medium, but we’re talking about comics and that’s exactly what Paul does. He helps you develop your story into something that will work as a dramatic (or hilarious or tragic) comic book. He teaches how to communicate with your artist as well as your reader. He covers how to write action, how to write dialogue and how to keep your story fresh.

As you workshop your story, you’ll learn a step-by-step methodology from Paul that is completely repeatable, so you don’t have to take the course again (though you’re welcome to!).

By the course’s end, you’ll have a five-page comic book script and you’ll know what to do with it!

What else do I learn?

This course also covers many important industry topics for writers, like how to go about finding an artist for your story, how to become excellent at networking, how to get your foot in the door, what it takes to self-publish, and more.

There is no better way to learn comic writing or how to make comics than Comics Experience’s Introduction to Comic Book Writing.

What else will we be doing?

In addition to talking with Paul during the class sessions (and they are recorded if you have to miss one or more) you’ll also have exclusive access to a dedicated class member-only online forum where your class can meet online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the duration of the course.

And the forum is where you’ll be able to post your work for your classmates to review, comment on, and make suggestions. And likewise, you’ll be asked to comment on your fellow students’ stories as well. The single best way to improve your own writing skills is to read and critique others and here you’ll be able to do that and have conversations with each other about them. You’ll problem-solve together and find new ways to write and work around plot holes and other story challenges.

What do I do after the class?

Once the course is over, you’ll have been taught how to approach comic book stories–not just a set of steps for one specific story. It’s important that the writer be able to repeat the process once out of the classroom!

You’ll be able to confidently approach a story idea, knowing you can flesh it out from the smallest seed into a working script.

Many classmates decide to produce an anthology upon completion, but this is entirely optional.

Do I need to know a whole lot about comics?

Absolutely not. All Introduction courses are designed for total beginners and those seeking to improve their craft. The class has a quick pace, so if you’re very new, be prepared to work, but one thing we pride ourselves on at Comics Experience is our ability to teach to an individual’s skill level.

These courses aren’t about the instructor, and that’s why we keep them small. We have an excellent track record with our students, and it’s our top aim to keep it that way. So, new to comics? Come on in, we’d love to show you around! Old pro? Let’s sharpen those skills and learn a few new tricks! Everyone’s welcome, and the group learning will help everyone improve!

Do I need to be a computer wiz for the class?

Nope. Not one bit. You need to have high-speed Internet access to watch the class live. We recommend that you have headphones with a microphone to plug into your computer, but that’s by no means necessary. Ultimately, you don’t have to speak if you don’t want to, though we like hearing your voice!

Once you’re in your first class, we’re sure you’ll get comfortable very quickly.

What computer programs do I need for this course?

None! Just the Internet access and you’re good to go! Of course, a word processing program like MS Word would probably be helpful…

When does the class meet and for how long?

The Introduction to Writing class meets once a week for six weeks. It meets between 9:00 PM ET and 11:00 PM ET. The course is held live.

What if I miss a class?

All of our classes are recorded and available to view via streaming link for the duration of the course. And on top of that, you’ll have exclusive access to the Comics Experience forum set up just for the class. You’ll be able to interact with the rest of your class all week long at any time!

If I don’t live in the United States, can I still take the course?

You bet. We’ve had students jump in from Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. Not Antarctica yet, but give us time! Some of these students have not been able to attend live, but they’ve viewed the recordings and interacted with their classmates online!

Learning about comic storytelling is great, but do we get any practical industry advice?

You’ll get a LOT of practical industry advice. Networking is one of our main topics in all of our introductory courses. It’s, simply put, essential for anyone who wants a career in comics. We discuss relationship-building and ways to get your foot in the door and where to go to meet the right people and so on.

If I don’t want a career in comics, and just like making comics or even just want to learn more about the art form I love, is this class right for me?

Sure it is! How better to expand your knowledge and understanding of comics than by engaging with creators? And that’s what most of our students are—they’re creators. It’s a great place to learn just for fun if you wish, too. We’d love to have you!

How do I sign up?

Simply add the course to your shopping cart and check out. We will send you a confirmation email typically within 48 hours! If you’ve got any questions or haven’t heard from us within 48 hours, you can contact us at info@ComicsExperience.com to follow up. Our email confirmation contains information and instructions, giving you everything you need to get started with the course.

Whether you want to write comics for fun or become a pro, your comics career starts here. Go ahead and reserve your spot today! Space is limited.

To participate in our live online sessions you will need:

What if I need to cancel my enrollment?

Unfortunately, Comics Experience cannot provide a full refund for course enrollment once the course is purchased.

  • From the time of purchase until twenty-one (21) days before the class start date, 50% of the course fee can be refunded.
  • Between twenty (20) and seven (7) days prior to the class start date, 25% of the course fee can be refunded.
  • Six (6) days or fewer before the course start date, no refund will be issued.
  • We appreciate your understanding and compliance to help us keep costs down and to continue offering high quality courses.