Importance of Preparation.

There's nothing important than being prepared for what's ahead. Job interview. A first date. You name it, preparation is key. I thought about all this when I decided to pitch my graphic novel later this year.

(You heard right. I'm pitching my very first graphic novel in two months.)

Back on preparation, you have to be ready for the moment you've been looking forward to for a long time. Plus, you got to have the following requirements: Research. Support system. Patience. Professionalism.

I bring these factors to center stage because they play their own role in preparing for pitching your story to an agent or comic book publisher.

Research-This is very vital in getting published here, cats. You have to do your homework on your target publisher or an agent you've heard about. Ask yourself questions like what genres are they looking for or is the agent good or bad. Take a moment think about it while you dig for information on those working in the field.

Support system-We all need a group of people to help with a project. Beta-readers, writing groups (in person or online), a trusted friend. It makes all the difference on which route you take. I've come across good people in my writing groups who gave out their two cents worth on my projects.

Patience-The key factor is patience. Why? It's a long process. Drafts, revisions, and rewrites. It takes a long time to get it all down. For the past few years I learned that being patient is all part of the process. On the draft aspect of writing, it's taught me that no project is perfect from the beginning. It's the first step to making the book the way I want it to be through revisions and rewrites.

Professionalism-Like any business you're getting into you have to brush up on professional etiquette; you're dealing with professionals. Reading various sources on how to navigate the comics industry, I had to be honest with myself about my own professionalism and see about how I can improve them.  

With these factors you're all set to make your publishing debut. It's important to have these because publishing professionals will know you came ready to work with them and they'll be ready to work with you. I know I'll be ready to be a professional comics writer when I pitch my graphic novel or comic series.

Be Honest, be truthful, and be yourself.

When I was writing a blog during #FebWritingChallenge on Twitter I showed my writing group the second and third drafts, and they said "Looks good. But what are your thoughts on your topic" to "Are you writing for a grade?" I wondered what was I doing wrong with my article because 1) I was getting my thoughts out; and 2) It wasn't college related. Then it all hit me that I was coming at my blog like an academic rather than from my own angle.

Sharing the realization with my peers, one of them said:

Be honest, be truthful, and be yourself.

Thinking about it now, it's the best advice I'd ever gotten. Why? Because what you create in a song, painting, or a book comes from your own honesty. And that's what people want.

The characters in my stories have jobs like a barista, mechanic, or an accountant. However, I don't have any experience with their job descriptions. What I do know is how working a "normal" job can be stressful. You like it. You love it. You hate it. You don't wanna do it but you have to. The emotions of working is all there.

When you're writing with the earnest honesty you're coming in clear to readers, regardless of what kind of world you create from your own sweat and tears. They will identify with the "real" elements of your creation. Ice Cube once said this,

Our art is a reflection of our reality.

Bottom line: Write with honesty and truth. And above all, be yourself.

Interesting Characters, Part 3: Sister Grimm

We now return to the third edition of my Interesting Characters series. And today's interesting character is Nico Minoru AKA Sister Grimm from Marvel's Runaways. She first appeared in Runaways #1, created by Brian K. Vaughn and Adrian Alphona in 2003.

Like all members of the team, she's the daughter of super powered criminals called "the Pride"; in the case of Nico, her parents are dark wizards. Finding out their parent's secret, she ran away with her fellow teens but discovered her parent's aptitude for dark magic. Whenever Nico bleeds, she summons a powerful staff from her chest allowing her to bend magic. Seeing the damage the Pride has done to Los Angeles, the kids set out to use all their special talents to make up for the sins of their parent's crimes.

The first time I read Runaways I was, rather, curious about the idea of this group of young cats and how they play in the Marvel Universe. After Vol. 1 of the complete series, it had me wanting to see more of them. In particular to Nico, she's unlike any character in comics I read in years. A Japanese American heroine wearing Gothic attire, wielding dark magic was not the one thing that made her cool in my book, but how she's very human. Being a very emotional person who seeks comfort in people after times of stress or highly emotional periods. However, regardless of this weakness, she's very open when trying to express her feelings and has been able to connect with her team mates on an emotional level.

And that's what makes Sister Grimm an entirely interesting character to me.     

What's his name again?

What's in a name? that we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet

Sound familiar?

William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet

Today I share a daunting experience in writing that, like most of my peers, have endured during the process. Character names. When I started writing my graphic novel, I didn't have a clue as to how to pitch my project to a comics publisher and which writing group can look at my work. Hell, I didn't know where I get my character names from.

I stumbled upon up to several naming websites and found behindthename.com which has information on every name across the planet. What blew my mind was how my protagonist, Rhea Ortiz, has a unique meaning behind her name. According to the website Rhea's a latinized form of Greek. In Greek mythology she was a titan, the wife of Cronus, and the mother of Zeus, Hera, Hades, Demeter and Hestia. Also, in Roman mythology Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome.

And with that I chose Behind the Name as my source for naming characters.

Where do you go for naming your "children"?

Interesting Characters, Part 2-Talon

And we're back with another edition of my Interesting Characters series. Today I discuss another character I came across in recent years...Calvin Rose-Talon.

Calvin Rose made his comics debut in Talon #0, created by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV and Guillem March in 2012. Not possessing any superhuman powers (accelerated healing at the time of his resurrection in Talon #8), Rose is a gifted escapologist trained as an assassin by the Court of Owls. Like all Talons before him, Calvin was recruited from Haly's Circus as a child. 

Rose was eight years old when his father locked him in a dog kennel on a stormy night, literally throwing away the key. He kept hitting the chain at the gate for three night with no progress. On the third night he found the chain's weak spot and hit it with all his strength and ran as far away from the house. He soon discovered an old man who performed at Haly's Circus, who took him in and trained him in escapology until his death. At thirteen, Calvin was set to become a star at the Gotham Spectacular. However, Mr. Haly took him to a private performance for the secret cabal the Court of Owls. After performing his usual act, the Owls had found their new Talon.

Years after training to become a new Talon, Rose was sent on a mission for the Court to kill his target but he saw that it was an innocent family which opened his eyes to the truth. After his disobedience he fled the Court who want him back...dead or alive.

What makes Calvin Rose an interesting character is that he's relatable in a fashion. A loner by nature but he's willing to do good after the what he's been through with his former masters. Being an escapist has come in handy in the most dangerous situations for him when he's facing the Court of Owls. For me on another level is how he's able to think ahead and improvise on the situation. That's what makes him a likable character.

Interesting Characters Part 1-Gorilla Grodd

Today I will be blogging a series of posts on characters I've come across who are interesting in my opinion. And I start with The Flash villain, Gorilla Grodd.

Grodd made his comics debut in The Flash #106, created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino in 1959. For those not familiar with the character's powers, he possesses abnormal intellect, super strength and telekinetic powers such as mind control telepathy. Grodd was a normal ape until an alien being crashed landed in his home in Africa. Later, he and the rest of his troupe were imbued with great intelligence and psionic abilities, created an advanced civilization called Gorilla City. When a group of explorers discovered their existence, Grodd took control of one them and killed their leader. Then replaced him with plans to conquer the entire world. That put him on a collision course with Barry Allen-The Flash.

What makes Grodd interesting? In an interesting and terrifying way, he can be classy and menacing. With his intellect he can make his own inventions and combat that of his foe, The Flash. In a more scary fashion, his telepathic powers make him dangerous when he's transferring in his consciousness into his victims.

And that's what makes Grodd an interesting character to me.

Casting Call-If my books became Movies.

Like all writers, I've pictured which actors/actresses would play the part of the characters in our stories. I often look at who would be who in my stories but it's the main characters that come to mind. With that being said, here's my idea for who I'd picture as my heroes/heroines.

Lindsey Morgan-I love her work on The CW show The 100. Her character Raven has that toughness and vulnerability which she wears so well. It's something I see in my "first" protagonist, werewolf Rhea Ortiz.
















Ryan Reynolds-In my humble opinion, he can be serious and funny when he pulls it out. His role on Blade: Trinity was a slight influence on my male protagonist. I think Reynolds can do the cop role when it calls for it.

Ciara Renee-For the role of college coed/superheroine, I think of Ciara Renee. Her portrayal of Hawkgirl in The Flash, Arrow, and DC's Legends of Tomorrow is good. The whole "coming-into-your-own" character is the central concept for my superhero comic I have in mind for everyone including young girls and Renee pulls it off.

And that's my dream casting for my characters coming to life on TV or movies.