Several blogs offer tips to help beginning writers develop their skills. Here are a few that caught our attention:

John Ostrander’s theory: “It’s what I call the ‘iceberg theory.’ The bulk of an iceberg is underwater. That bulk is necessary for the part of the iceberg that shows. In the same way, you need to know a lot about the characters, the setting, the story but only a certain percentage of it needs to show. So you select which details help make the story real and convincing to the reader. Those are the telling details” (“Details, Details, Details,” www.comicmix.com, July 15, 2012).

While Emily S. Whitten didn’t set out to give writing tips in her post, she still offers good advice: “Civil War is one of my favorite comic book crossovers for several reasons. One is that this is a crossover in which every character has a legitimate reason to be involved” (“Marvel Civil War – Prose vs. Graphic Novel,” www.comicmix.com, July 17, 2012).

Because writing a comic also involves drawing, Daniel Champion gives the following tips: 1) Have an eye to finding the weaknesses in others’ writing and try to understand why it doesn’t work. 2) Understand how two or three panels “talk to each other” (“Drawing for Comics,” www.comicbookdaily.com, July 10, 2012).

Terrassa Iezzi suggests forgetting about the average reader, which will only lead to a pre-digested product (“Why You Love ‘The Wire,’ Explained in Fascinating Detail,” www.fastcompany.com,). We might add that each author should be his or her own primary reader. You should ask yourself what you like to read. If you can’t find your own work interesting, it will be difficult to get other’s attention.

And lastly, in another column, Daniel Champion gives these additional tips: 1) Write the end in minute detail before starting to write your story. 2) Be unpredictable. And, especially, 3) Watch Lost and understand it! (“Writing for Comics”—“Across the Pond” www.comicbookdaily.com, July 18, 2012).