{"id":1900,"date":"2018-02-20T09:26:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-20T17:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/?p=1900"},"modified":"2023-12-21T09:31:44","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T17:31:44","slug":"devourer-of-words-053-building-a-wall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comic-con.org\/toucan\/devourer-of-words-053-building-a-wall\/","title":{"rendered":"Devourer of Words 053: Building a Wall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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MARC BERNARDIN’S DEVOURER OF WORDS<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Devourer of Words 053: Building a Wall
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Marc Bernardin<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Toucan<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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There comes a time in the life of every project when it\u2019s no longer is solely in  your hands. Unless you\u2019re a cartoonist making webcomics that you\u2019re hosting yourself\u2014and if that\u2019s the case, then, power to you\u2014you will have to invite other people into the tent to help you bring the story to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And there is something magical and wonderful about that, when every member of the team is on the same page, literally and figuratively. Everyone is bringing their strengths to the table, and helping to minimize other people\u2019s weaknesses. Collaboration and partnership can be a wonderful thing. I\u2019ve done most of my comics work with a writing partner and my entire television career has been spent in a writers room; a dozen people all telling the same story. Sometimes, compromise is the tool that will let you push forward into glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are also times when you invite others into the tent that you can sense something \u2026 dissipating from the work. Maybe it stopped feeling special. Perhaps you\u2019re a little less excited. Some of that comes with time spent, sure, but sometimes it\u2019s because something\u2019s rotten in Collaboration Denmark. It can happen with artists, colorists, editors, publishers or Hollywood\u2014anywhere and everywhere along the line is susceptible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are three things you can do to help prevent this kind of mission creep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Know the heart of your story.<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Decide, for yourself, what the immutable core of your story is. What is the thing that makes it special? What made you want to tell this story in the first place? Sometimes, that\u2019s a character, other times it\u2019s a theme, it can even be a scene or a sequence\u2014but what is the why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Build a wall around it.<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

You have to protect the thing that makes the story special above all else. You will have differences of agreement with your collaborators on elements of the work. That\u2019s natural: If you all saw the project the same exact way, they wouldn\u2019t be able to bring anything new to it. You\u2019re hoping they surprise you in some fashion \u2014 that\u2019s the joy of collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at the same time, you have to circle your wagons around the heart. If the reason why you\u2019re telling the story gets diluted, then you won\u2019t be able to write it as effectively because you won\u2019t believe in it as deeply. You should protect it above all else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Understand the power of \u201cno.\u201d<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the nuclear option, for sure, but if the idea started with you, and the people around you are insistent on changing it to the point where the heart of the story is gone, then say no and walk away. You have that power. If money has changed hands, if papers have been signed, you can still say no\u2014since I\u2019m sure you had a lawyer vet whatever papers you signed, that same lawyer can get you out of almost any contract, provided you return whatever compensation you received.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve had film and TV producers come to me, interested in optioning or buying outright a comic I\u2019ve written or co-written. I\u2019ve listened to their \u201ctake\u201d on the material. And I\u2019ve said no more often than I\u2019ve said yes, because they wanted to change the whole reason why people responded to the book in the first place. If I said yes, and took the money, then you forfeit the right to complain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No is hard, when there\u2019s rent to be paid and a family to be fed. But it\u2019s always there for you, if things in the collaboration shift from good to bad, or bad to worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go into every partnership or collaboration with the best of intentions, but with your eyes open \u2014 and the heart of the story close to your chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Devourer of Words by Marc Bernardin appears the third Tuesday of every month here on<\/em> Toucan!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Written by<\/p>\n\n\n

Marc Bernardin<\/div>\n\n\n

Published<\/p>\n\n\n