Marie drew for the now classic comic book, Not Brand Echh, which was a parody of Marvel superheroes as well as those by other companies. Brand Echh was published from 1967 to 1969 and was ground-breaking in many ways. In those days (as now) humor in comic books was a rare occurrence. (Ironic, since the word comic means humor.) Here was a whole comic book dedicated to making fun of superhero comics. It’s hard to imagine, in a world before the internet and thousands of cable TV channels, how much of an impact this had. Marie’s drawings were beautiful and funny. She had the ability to capture the expressions of characters including those of her co-workers, fellow artists and writers who made appearances in Not Brand Echh, breaking the fourth wall at a time when you could almost hear the pieces shattering.

When Marie was at the height of her career there were almost no women in comics. (Ramona Fradon is another artist who comes to mind, working for Marvel’s rival, DC.) Marie’s drawings were whimsical, good-humored, poking fun at a genre she clearly enjoyed, and a business she obviously loved. Without doubt, her gender contributed to her lack of recognition. But, to anyone who saw her work, her style was beautiful and unmistakable.

She entered the comic book business through her brother John Severin, another immensely talented artist, known for his swash-buckling adventure and war comics. He hired Marie to do coloring on a romance comic published by EC comics in 1949. From there she went on to color the whole EC line including their very gruesome horror comics. She then moved to Marvel comics where she continued as a colorist, also doing production work, and then eventually, inking, and penciling. In addition to Not Brand Echh, she drew for some of Marvel’s other short-lived humor comics, Spoof, What The—, and Arrgh! (I’d hate to ask for that title by name over the phone.) Marie was reportedly loved by those who knew her and warm to all her fans. A kind-hearted and whimsical woman who will be remembered not only because she was a pioneer in a male-dominated industry, but because her work was extraordinary. The world has lost a great artist.

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Most mini-comics don’t get a lot of attention. They’re usually self-published, and, with some exceptions, not sold in comic shops or bookstores. Mini-comics are often smaller than standard sized comics (hence the name ‘mini’) and are as a rule (but not always) printed in black and white. Many graphic novels were originally published  as mini-comics and later collected into book form. Here are some mini-comics (and a graphic novel) worth seeking out.

URBAN NOMAD, by Alisa Harris, is an autobiographical mini-comic that’s written and drawn in a simple, yet eloquent style. It features episodes from the cartoonist’s life, such as looking for an apartment, going to a wedding or adjusting to living in New York (after growing up in a small town.) Don’t let the mundane sounding subjects fool you. Alisa is able to transform the minutia of daily life into satisfying and engaging vignettes.

BURN THE BRIDGES OF ARTA, by Amelia Onorato, is a mini-comic set in the early 1900s.  It’s not only a mini-comic but a mini-series, with each issue telling an ongoing story. Her attention to period detail in clothing, furniture and architecture is excellent, as are the characters. Amelia has also done a number of other mini-comics, each one taking place in a different historical era. I particularly liked ULTIMA THULE, an ancient Roman story, but they are all well worth reading.

CONNECTION LOST, by Carey Pietsch, is an autobiographical mini-comic featuring engaging slice of life stories from the artist’s life. She also writes and draws fantasy comics, such as WITCHES, DRAGONS, MAGIC & CATS, which takes place in an imaginary, medieval world.

THE AMAZING “TRUE” STORY OF A TEENAGE SINGLE MOM, by Katherine Arnoldi (originally published in 1998, and in a new edition in 2015), is a graphic novel memoir about the author’s difficult life. She was abandoned by her mother as a small child, worked in a factory as a teenager, and was raped and bore her assailant’s child, whom she raised. The book recounts her harrowing struggle, survival and ultimate triumph over terrible adversity. Her story is raw, honest, hard hitting, powerful, and extremely moving. It appeals on many levels, including as a cautionary tale for teenagers.

Check out the new webcomic, Tom’s Tiki Bar, written by me and drawn by Jason Chatfield. You can read it at:  www.tomstikibar.squarespace.com

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I’ve noticed that beginning writers make a lot of the same mistakes.  Here are a few things I’ve learned that may be helpful to you. Some of these might look obvious and easy. So does juggling, ice skating and hang gliding. They are not easy. Neither are the things on this list.

1. Keep sentences short and simple.
2. Don’t include anything that does not advance the story or help define the characters.
3. Be careful about characters addressing each other by name. People who know each other seldom do.
4. If you’re writing a story set in our time, keep the dialogue and description informal. If not, you will sound like a Victorian novel.
5. Don’t explain things when you don’t have to.
6. Don’t have characters tell each other things they know, or should know.
7. Explain statements when needed.
8. Don’t repeat dialogue and descriptions. Many beginning writers feel the need to tell the reader the same thing two or three times using different words. Give the reader credit for understanding you the first time.
9. Refer to Elements of Style by Strunk and White whenever you can.
10. Read the great French mystery writer, Georges Simenon, to see how simple sentences and a deliberately limited vocabulary can be used to tell very complicated stories.

Check out the new webcomic Tom’s Tiki Bar, written by me and drawn by Jason Chatfield.

&raquo www.tomstikibar.squarespace.com

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Are the only comic strips you read in newspapers or on syndicated comics websites? The internet is overflowing with cool comic strips that are too hip, surreal, or intelligent for mainstream media. Here are a few webcomics well worth checking out.

Awkward Yeti – The World Needs Heart

The Awkward Yeti (@AwkwardYeti). These comic strips, by Nick Seluk, encompass a number of continuing features including, a heart and brain that talk to each other, a Yeti monster (who isn’t very monstrous) and a medical doctor. Many are cerebral, some silly, others comment on  relationships or society.

The Little World of Liz Climo

Liz Climo (@LizClimo). Her comic strips are about anthropomorphic animals. But unlike many webcomics, hers are gentle with a quiet, understated humor. Liz works as a character artist on The Simpsons TV show, which, by contrast, is the opposite in tone from her strips. Her cute animals are engaged in very human situations and their reactions often reveal basic truths. There is a warm, childlike innocence to her viewpoint, yet it is also very wise.

Incidental Comics – Grant Snider “Thanks” 11/22/17

Incidental Comics by Grant Snider (@incidentalcomics). Grant’s multi-panel strips (often taking up a whole page) are either  slice of life stories or non-linear narratives that often have a philosophical aspect to them. They are much like illustrated poems. His comics about daily life have a beautiful quality to them not often found in this medium.

Marc Bilgrey is the writer of a new webcomic called Tom’s Tiki Bar (facebook @Toms-Tiki-Bar). The artist is Jason Chatfield. The strip is about a married couple that own a neighborhood bar, their waitress daughter, pet parrot, and the bar’s customers. It can be read by going to www.tomstikibar.squarespace.com or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Toms-Tiki-Bar-1776628262356792/.

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Tired of gritty, violent cop shows? Had enough of today’s most heinous crimes retold in thinly disguised fiction?  Need a show with wit and style? Want to escape back to a more genteel time?  If you haven’t discovered this polished gem, it’s not too late to get in on the action.

At first glance, Murdoch Mysteries might appear British, but, no, it’s Canadian. This excellent show is currently a huge hit in 120 countries; it’s only America that’s been slow to catch on. Set at the turn of the 20^th century, in a Toronto police station, it chronicles the cases of Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) with great attention to period detail and history (especially, but not limited to, Canadian history.) Murdoch solves homicides with the aid of Constable Crabtree (Jonny Harris) and one time medical examiner, Dr. Julia Ogden (Helene Joy.) Murdoch’s boss, Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) provides comic relief.

Based on the novels of Maureen Jennings, the stories are all fair play mysteries. We are given the suspects and clues, as is Murdoch.  By paying close attention we should be able to solve the cases along with him.

Yannick Bisson as Murdoch

Then there are the characters and subplots. Murdoch and Dr. Ogden are in love with each other, yet circumstances keep them apart for the longest time. Constable Crabtree has an eye for Dr. Ogden’s replacement as medical examiner, Doctor Emily Grace (Georgina Reilly), and  Inspector Brackenreid has a difficult relationship with his wife , Margaret (Arwen Humphreys.)

Helene Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden

The turn of the century setting gives the show a wonderful atmosphere. The use of clothing, language, and props of the time make it all appear very believable. In addition, the Murdoch character seems to be something of a genius, often building devices that appear to anticipate later inventions not yet known, such as sonar, the fax machine, phone wiretaps, the polygraph, and many others. There are also guest appearances by numerous well-known people of the period including HG Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, Queen Victoria, Alexander Graham Bell, Emma Goldman, Jack London, and Thomas Edison. In addition, the program sometimes blends fantastical elements into the stories, such as science fiction and fantasy, while still maintaining a completely believable, logical integrity.

Murdoch Mysteries also tackles politics, philosophy, social issues and psychology along with its crimes. Any way you look it, Murdoch Mysteries is a lot of fun. Check your local TV listings for times and channels near you.

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Sam Gross (who signs his work S. Gross) is a legendary cartoonist. Sam’s single panel cartoons have been appearing in magazines for over fifty years. And he’s still at it! His odd, weird and wonderfully strange cartoons have been featured in many publications including Good Housekeeping, Harvard Business Review and The New Yorker. His most famous cartoon was published in the National Lampoon and involves a legless frog at a French restaurant. The subjects of Sam’s cartoons range from daily life to characters from fairly tales, talking animals and sex. Often his cartoons are in questionable taste, which, of course, makes them even funnier. Imagine Charles Addams on LSD.

Sam is a native of the Bronx, New York and started his professional life as an accountant. After a few years of being bored doing other people’s taxes, he was able to pursue his real calling, cartooning. Sam has also taught cartooning and continues to be an inspiration to younger cartoonists.

Sam’s numerous published collections of cartoons are much sought after by collectors of great comic art. His books include, An Elephant Is Soft and Mushy, Catss by Gross, Your Mother Is a Remarkable Woman, and, I Am Blind and My Dog Is Dead.

If you’re not familiar with Sam’s work, go to Amazon and seek out his books. But be warned, these are not for children. They have adult subjects and themes. If you’re easily offended, Sam’s cartoons may not be for you. For everyone else, Sam Gross is one of the funniest single panel cartoonist ever to put pen to paper.

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If you like panel cartoons, comic strips and comic books, here are a few great blogs and websites you might want to check out.

1. 1. Inkspill – Is a blog about cartoonists whose work has appeared in The New Yorker Magazine. There are posts about and interviews with cartoonists past and present. There are also lots of cartoons. Inkspill is run by Michael Maslin, whose wonderful cartoons also run in The New Yorker. Michael is married to another excellent New Yorker cartoonist, Liza Donnelly.
   2. Stu’s Comic Strip Connection – is a website that lists and links to just about every syndicated comic strip there is. He has most current ones and many past ones too. If you like comic strips, this is a site well worth going to.
   3. Attempted Bloggery – This is another blog devoted to New Yorker cartoonists, however it’s not maintained by a cartoonist, it’s run by a doctor. Stephen Nadler, MD is a huge fan of cartoons. He lovingly posts rough drafts of cartoons, notes and letters from many well known cartoonists, plus articles about cartoonists. Did I mention that there are also many cartoons? A very thoughtful and intelligent blog with a different perspective on this popular art form.
   4. Andertoons – This is the website of cartoonist Mark Anderson. Mark is a very prolific cartoonist who licenses his cartoons for newsletters, textbooks and anything else that you can put a cartoon on. Or in. He also has a very good blog which is usually about cartoons and cartooning. His cartoons are very funny too.
   5. Hairy Green Eyeball – This blog is devoted to  vintage and obscure comic books, and other kinds of cartoon art. Often this includes strange comic books from the 1940s, 50’s and 60’s. This blog is always interesting, diverting and entertaining.
   6. 
   7. Mike Lynch Cartoons – Yes, I’ve plugged this blog before and, darn it, I may do it again. Mike Lynch, aside from being a great cartoonist is also a great blogger. This site is about all kinds of cartooning, including, panel cartoons, comic strips, comic books, animation, illustration and graphic novels. If you’re interested in any form of cartooning check out this site.

    

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DON’T START WITH A PLOT, START WITH A CHARACTER.  A plot is a story that involves a lot action. A man steals a car and the police chase after him. That’s a plot. A man who is unhappy in his marriage is starting from character. A good question would be, is what makes a character? A character is a person with:

HISTORY, FEELINGS AND NEEDS.

HISTORY is what has happened in your character’s past. Let’s say your main characters is a man. He was dating a woman. She broke up with him. Then they got together again. That’s their history. You don’t necessarily have to tell your reader all of it, at least not immediately. But it helps for you to know it.

FEELINGS are how your characters feel about each other. Do they like, love, hate, fear, the other character(s)?

NEEDS are what your characters want. Such as, to stay together, to break up, to get revenge, to be noticed, to be appreciated. It could be anything they need.

MAKE IT PERSONAL. Whatever your character needs or wants should be important to him or her. Some examples: to get back together, to find love, to get divorced, to get married.

KEEP IT SIMPLE. In a given scene don’t keep adding elements. The less that’s happening, the more powerful it can often be. Let’s say the scene is about a job interview. A man walks into an HR department, only to discover his ex-girlfriend is the interviewer. Let’s say that things did not end well between them, but both still have feelings for each other. At this point, beginning writers (and improvisors) might introduce more to this scene. The police burst in. Jewels have been stolen. Someone is having a bachelor party down the hall and a stripper gets lost and wanders into the room. None of this is needed! The interview is quite enough. Trust your material. Play what you have. Don’t needlessly complicate things.

JUSTIFICATION. If you are going to introduce something in your story, you better be able to   justify it. Let’s say that you introduce a monster. You better have a really good reason for it being there. One that readers will accept. Even in comic books, there is an elaborate backstory as to how a character gained his super powers. Or why he (or she) is wearing what might otherwise seem like a very silly costume. The stranger the person or thing in a story, the more of a justification you need for including it.

There are other improv principles that might help your writing, but we’ll save those for another day. Till then, keep making it up as you go along.

Thanks to authors of A Doctor, And a Lawyer In A Rowboat. If you’re looking for a great book on Improv, this is it. And yes, it’s available on Amazon.

The post MORE IMPROV PRINCIPLES THAT MAY HELP YOUR FICTION WRITING appeared first on Marc Bilgrey.

Along these lines, is a new book called Writing Hard Stories, Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma, by Melanie Brooks. Brooks interviewed a number of writers who have written books about the darkest times in their lives. These include the deaths of partners, parents, siblings, children, as well as growing up with racism, sexual abuse and illness.

Some of the authors interviewed include Andre Dubus III, Sue William Silverman, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Joan Wickersham, and Kim Stafford.

Writing Hard Stories is about how these courageous men and women were able to survive their trauma and write about it. All of them struggled to tell their intensely personal stories. It took years before some were able to finally pen their books. A few had such difficulty confronting their ordeals directly, that they initially wrote their travails as novels before eventually turning to non-fiction. Whether you’re considering writing your own memoir or want to know how these acclaimed writers kept going through the crises in their lives, this book is well worth reading.

Here are a few quotes from some of the authors in Writing Hard Stories.

“We all need a way to express or make something out of experiences that otherwise have no meaning.” Abigail Thomas

“Tibetan Buddhists believe that eloquence is the telling of truth in such a way that it eases suffering…” Kate Bornstein

Though the experiences that these writers went through were harrowing, this book is not depressing. It’s about triumph over adversity. Each one of their stories is a real-life hero’s journey. These writers are shamans who have gone to the brink of death and returned to bestow the boons of their wisdom to their tribe. (That’s us.) Wounded healers, all.

The post STORIES THAT HEAL appeared first on Marc Bilgrey.

What kind of writer are you? It’s a question all writers get. People have a need to pin a label on a writer. That way they’ll know which file drawer to put him or her in. Let’s take a look at a few well-known writers and ask them the same question. First, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who created Sherlock Holmes. A mystery writer, right? Well, not exactly. Aside from creating the most famous detective in the world, Conan Doyle also created Professor Challenger. Never heard of him? He was a seminal science fiction character. He was also the literary ancestor of Indiana Jones and thousands of other fictional scientist/explorers. Professor Challenger appeared in short stories and novels, the most well-known being, The Lost World. It was made into a movie a number of times. It’s about Challenger’s discovery of a secret valley where dinosaurs still live. So, Conan Doyle was a mystery and science fiction writer. That’s pretty simple. Except it’s not accurate. Conan Doyle also wrote supernatural horror stories, historical novels, mainstream, non-fiction, true crime, romance, poetry, and what would now be called new age.

Let’s look at a more contemporary example, Ray Bradbury, author of The Martian Chronicles, and Fahrenheit 451. At one point, while he was still alive, his books had this slogan on them: “World’s Greatest Living Science Fiction Writer.” The only problem is that it wasn’t true. In fact, much of what Bradbury wrote was fantasy. He also wrote horror stories, suspense, mystery, mainstream, non- fiction, poetry and even children’s books.

Here’s another writer you may have heard of, Stephen King. Horror writer, right? Well, he does write horror, but does that make him a horror writer? Aside from Carrie, The Shining and others, he has also written mainstream, suspense, fantasy, non- fiction, mystery and crime stories.

One more writer, Isaac Asimov. Now, here we definitely have a science fiction writer. He’s the author of The Foundation series, The Galactic Empire series, the creator of the three laws of robotics. If ever there was a science fiction writer, it was Asimov. Uh, not so fast. Asimov also wrote mysteries, fantasy, non-fiction books about science, scholarly, annotated books, memoirs, even limericks.

This list of unclassifiable authors is by no means limited to the few writers I cited. So many writers who have become known for one type of subject, write about a variety of things. People like to categorize writers as if they were produce in a supermarket. The problem is that writers aren’t heads of lettuce. What kind of writer are you? The kind who writes.

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The list that follows features some situation comedies from the 1960s that were only on the air briefly, yet left lasting impressions. These shows were well written and acted, but failed to find audiences during their original runs. Why were they cancelled? In the 1960s, there were only three TV networks, CBS, NBC and ABC. That may seem hard to believe in a world where there are now hundreds of channels and thousands of internet shows, but before cable, satellite, and the web, the entertainment choices on TV were very slim. If a program did not appeal to a wide segment of the population, as decided by a couple of rating services, it was cancelled.

What factors made a show “unpopular”? Being intelligent was one of them.  That’s not to say there were no smart shows on TV, they’ve always been a few. But not too many at any given time. TV, after all is a popular medium, and in the 60s, there were a limited number of channels and time slots.

My World and Welcome to It – William Windom

My World and Welcome to It. This excellent show, which was based on the writings and cartoons of James Thurber, only lasted a brief time. Created by Mel Shavelson, (who wrote for Bob Hope and many feature films) with scripts by excellent writers including, Danny Arnold (who later went on to create the wonderful police sit-com, Barney Miller). William Windom starred as a Thurbereque writer and cartoonist, who worked for a New Yorker-like magazine. He often broke the fourth wall and talked directly to the viewer, a radical idea in 1960’s TV. His wife was played by Joan Hotchkiss, his daughter, by Lisa Gerritsen. Comedian Henry Morgan was in it too. There was even animation based on Thurber’s cartoons. Despite winning Emmys and critical acclaim, this great show was pulled.

Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss

He and She, was another very sophisticated show. Oddly enough, this one was also about a cartoonist. Created by Leonard Stern, co-creator of Get Smart, the writers were (among others) Chris Hayward and Allan Burns, who created The Munsters. He and She starred Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss, as a married couple, (who were also married in real life). In the supporting cast were Jack Cassidy and Kenneth Mars., both wonderful performers. Benjamin plays a cartoonist who draws a superhero comic strip called Jetman. This was a funny, witty, character-based show.

Joby Baker and Ronnie Schell

Good Morning, World. Created by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff, writers who contributed great scripts to The Dick Van Dyke Show, and created, That Girl. Good Morning, World, was about two morning disc jockeys, at work and on their off time. It starred Ronnie Schell, Jobie Baker and Julie Parrish. In the supporting cast, were the very funny Billy De Wolf and Goldie Hawn. Carl Reiner was the producer. This show had a gentle quality to it, especially the scenes with Baker and Parrish, dealing with the day to day problems of married life.

William Daniels

Captain Nice. Okay, this show was not intelligent, in fact, it was extremely silly. But it was also very funny. It was created by Buck Henry, who co-created Get Smart. Captain Nice is a superhero parody.  The premise is, a mild-mannered (is there any other secret identity personality?) police chemist who gets super powers, then bumbles his way into catching crooks. This may sound a bit tame now, when there are so many superhero TV shows and movies, but at the time, it was quite ground breaking. Captain Nice starred William Daniels (later the voice of the car on Knight Rider and Dr. Craig on St. Elsewhere.) Other cast members included, the very funny Alice Ghostley (supposedly, Paul Lynde was very influenced by her style), and Ann Prentiss. The memorable theme song is written by Vic Mizzy, who also wrote The Addams Family music.

It’s About Time. This show will never be mistaken for a Noel Coward play. To say it was broad would be an understatement. Created by Sherwood Schwartz, the man responsible for Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch, It’s About Time starred the legendary Imogene Coca (Your Show of Shows) and the equally hysterical, Joe E. Ross, (Sergeant Bilko and Car 54) as primitive cave people. The premise: astronauts mistakenly go back in time and are stranded in the prehistoric era. Later in the series, the cave dwellers are brought to the modern world. This slapstick farce is not for every taste, but worth a look. It also has a great theme song.

All of these shows can be seen on YouTube, except for Good Morning, World, which is being run on Antenna TV, a cable station. Just because a show wasn’t successful commercially, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t successful creatively. Happy viewing and try not to spill food on the remote.

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That’s the six o’clock news; corrupt politicians, flawed religious leaders, corporations with seemingly no morality. In hundreds of different ways, every day, we’re told that life isn’t fair. But in Fantasy novels it is. It may be a long road, filled with dragons, evil sorcerers, witches, barbarians, demons, and magic spells, but eventually good wins and evil loses. Like the fairy tales that were read to us as children, it all ends happily ever after. And there’s something very wonderful about that.

Speaking of fantasy, my two humorous fantasy novels, And Don’t Forget To Rescue The Princess, and the next one in the series, And Don’t Forget To Rescue The OTHER Princess, have just gotten brand new, beautiful covers! Each book is a separate adventure and can be read in any order.

Both of these novels are available as ebooks from the Amazon Kindle store. >> Click here.

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I was reminded of this recently, when I noticed a few new euphemisms that appeared after Carlin himself bought the farm. You know, bit the big one. The first is the word “passed.” For years, people referred to dying as passing away; now it’s been shortened from two words to one. So, your uncle hasn’t passed away, he’s just “passed.” Previous to this new usage the word passed was something you did to a football or a kidney stone. But we live in an age where passing away is way too much to say. As are the words, air conditioner. That’s been reduced to an A.C. As in, turn on the AC while I get a PB and J. (That’s a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, for those without access to a ten year old.)

Here’s another euphemism I just saw in a commercial for insurance. We see a man, woman and two small children. The camera zooms onto the man as a very serious voice says, “What would your family do if SOMETHING happened to you?” They don’t say what that something might be. It could be that you gained 400 hundred pounds. That would be something. Or that you put on a moose costume and went to live in the woods. That would really be something. The commercial never mentions the word death or dying. That’s too much for people to deal with. But SOMETHING happening? That everyone can handle.

Another commercial (maybe I’m watching too much TV) shows a bunch of people sitting around looking unhappy. The voice over announcer (he never seems to show up in person, in fact he probably passed) says: “Need money for final expenses?” Since he never says what “final expenses” are, it’s left up to the viewer to figure out. It could be a restaurant check, credit card bill, or divorce settlement. (But enough about my problems.) The word “funeral” is, after all, so crass, so crude, so descriptively specific.

My favorite new death euphemism is one I heard on yet another commercial, this one on the radio. After you’ve paid your final expenses, you can buy some property at the memorial park. Keep in mind, it’s not a graveyard or cemetery; those places are dark and creepy. They’re not happy and pleasant, like a memorial park. At a cemetery all you have are dead people, however, at a memorial park there are picnics, concerts, and baseball games. Cemeteries are depressing, memorial parks are fun.

Well, that’s it for me. I hope this little essay will be remembered when I keel over, push up daisies (I’d rather push up petunias) and go off to that big writer’s room in the sky.

The post DEAD WRONG appeared first on Marc Bilgrey.

Bernie was known for his horror illustration, which were featured in comic books, (where I first saw them), graphic novels, and books. He illustrated work by Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and Mary Shelley, among others. He also designed characters for films, including work for the original Ghostbusters. Bernie’s drawing style was beautifully dark and gothic, yet also, at times, wonderfully humorous. His use of light was masterful. His lyrical brushstrokes were poetic.

Bernie was a kind and gentle guy who frequently encouraged young artists, giving of his time and expertise.

Bernie’s drawings will be loved as long as there are people who appreciate extraordinary art.

Illustrations copyright Bernie Wrightson and DC Comics

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1. To succeed as a writer you must be really, really good.
   Not true. You just have to be professional and competent. There are plenty of mediocre writers making a great living.
2. Writers are born not made.
   Not true. I know of no baby writers. Writing requires much reading and plenty of life experience.
3. Almost no one can make a living at just writing.
   Not true. There are plenty of writers (often writing in a genre) who do very well financially. If you insist on only writing literary fiction, consider also teaching.
4. The best selling genre is mystery.
   It’s actually romance.
5. To be successful as a writer you need a lot of luck.
   Maybe. But I notice writers that are the most successful are usually also the most prolific.
6. In order to write a novel, you need a great idea.
   Not true. There is nothing new under the sun, it’s just the approach, handling, viewpoint and style that varies. What may seem like a very old idea in the right hands can be gold.
7. Ideas are hard to get.
   Not true. This is one of the most oft repeated myths. In fact, ideas are everywhere. An overheard conversation, a place, an object, an event, these are just a few of the many ways to find ideas.
8. It’s good to show your writing to friends and family.
   Not true. It’s a lousy idea. Only show your work to a professional writer or editor. No one else is qualified to know anything about writing.
9. In order to write you must have lots of free time.
   Not true. Many people write on their way to work, at night, on weekends, or during vacations.
10. Imitating another writer’s style is a bad way to learn to write.
    Not true. Many excellent writers began by imitating a writer they admired and then eventually found their own voice and style.

The above list contains only a fraction of the many myths about writing. Here’s one more: If you can write an email you can write a short story or novel. This is ridiculous. An email, whether personal or business, has nothing to do with dramatic structure, character, conflict, action or resolution. An email is a letter, not a story. If you can add, subtract and multiply, that does not make you an astrophysicist. I hope none of this is in any way discouraging. If you want to write… write! Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. As Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” And that’s not a myth.

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