First issue

As a "non-professional", doing research work and getting inspired (actually, maybe professionals do it too, I'm not sure), is a huge part for my pre-writing process. The fact that I did this process (writing a book) start to finish only once before is another reason I still feel like I can't just start writing. I need to get some more information. Get warmed up.

My current research (which I gave myself 3 weeks to complete) is about first issues:

• What do I find to be a great first issue?

• Why? What elements make it one?

• What may be less great in a first issue that I should avoid?

I wish I could read all first issues out there to compile my research, but I don't really have the time (or money to buy them). So I resorted to comics I already read and loved.

During the read (which I guess made it a good thing I already read before) I've stopped and wrote myself notes during every scene, how many pages it lasts and what's going on in it. If I have some insights outside of what's happening I write it in the end.

It might not seem like that, but reading an issue with analyzing eyes is a much different experience than just reading it for fun (at least for me). There are so much stuff that pops up which I've never noticed before: from narrative boxes decisions that glue scenes together seamlessly to a good "info dump" that doesn't feel like one, to establishing characters and mysteries and teases of things to come.

Seeing how every series, or every writer, approaches it is fascinating.

And all of them needs to make a good first impression in about 22 pages.

For the time being, I'm not even considering how layout and drawings will follow the story (though obviously it's crucial to it too), but focus on the words and what they suppose to convey. I feel like after 14 first issues I analyzed I have a better grasp of what I need to achieve in my first issue. Now comes the hard part - implementation.

Not only do I need to come up with insightful conclusions, I also need to make sure I do not just rehash what I saw as good, but give it my own take. Otherwise it's not really a research and inspiration - it's something else entirely.