Pouch of Nuts

[Steven Forbes]

Here's a list of all Bolts & Nuts articles, in chronological order. This list will be updated weekly.

Week 001: Story Talk
Week 002: Plotting
Week 003: Characters
Week 004: Writing The Pitch
Week 005: The Creative Team
Week 006: Communication
Week 007: Scripting Methods
Week 008: Scripting
Week 009: Panel Descriptions & Camera Angles
Week 010: Pacing
Week 011: Dialogue, Part 1
Week 012: Dialogue, Part 2
Week 013: Finding Your Voice
Week 014: Superhero Overview
Week 015: Superheroes & Power Fantasies
Week 016: Supervillains
Week 017: Heroes & Villains
Week 018: Superhero Levels
Week 019: Superheroes--FIGHT!
Week 020: Superhero Universe
Week 021: Horror Overview
Week 022: Bring Out Your Undead!
Week 023: There Wolf, There Castle
Week 024: Here, Zombie Zombie Zombie
Week 025: I'm Not Mad, I'm Angry!
Week 026: Who You Gonna Call?
Week 027: Horror--The End
Week 028: Keep Writing
Week 029: Becoming A Better Writer
Week 030: The White Bull
Week 031: Expectations
Week 032: Being Wary
Week 033: Working With An Editor, Pt 1
Week 034: Working With An Editor, Pt 2
Week 035: Money & Contracts
Week 036: What You Need To Know About Contracts
Week 037: Your Online Persona
Week 038: Networking
Week 039: Scheduling
Week 040: Distribution Pt 1- Digital
Week 041: Distribution Pt 2- Physical
Week 042: How Are You Getting Seen
Week 043: Self-Publishing, Pt 1
Week 044: Self-Publishing, Pt 2
Week 045: Self-Publishing, Pt 3
Week 046: Self-Publishing, Pt 4
Week 047: Self-Publishing, Pt 5
Week 048: Too Many Ideas!
Week 049: Financials
Week 050: Submissions
Week 051: What Happens Next?
Week 052: Pricing Your Book
Week 053: Self Worth & The Power Of No
Week 054: Choosing A Partner
Week 055: Firing Your Client
Week 056: Paying People
Week 057: Page Counts
Week 058: Flashbacks
Week 059: The Good Ol' Boy Network
Week 060: Page Sizes
Week 061: Grow A Thick Skin
Week 062: Quality Is Job One
Week 063: Ownership Is Tricky
Week 064: Hustle
Week 065: Copyright Time
Week 066: Trademarks
Week 067: Project Management
Week 068: Write What You Know (Or, Become A Junior Scientist)
Week 069: Creator or Consumer Mindset?
Week 070: Cover Time
Week 071: Your Work Ethic
Week 072: Confidentiality
Week 073: The Name Game
Week 074: Numbers Game
Week 075: Publisher Responsibilities
Week 076: Looking Back
Week 077: Loyalty
Week 078: Community
Week 079: Decisions
Week 080: Finding Your Audience
Week 081: Advice
Week 082: Inspiration
Week 083: Be A Better Creator- Attitude
Week 084: Motivation
Week 085: Become A Better Creator- Business
Week 086: Become A Better Creator- Press Release & Solicits
Week 087: Become A Better Creator- Decide Your Story's Medium
Week 088: Become A Better Creator- Professionalism
Week 089: Become A Better Creator- Finish What You Start
Week 090: Become A Better Creator- Barriers of Entry
Week 091: Become A Better Creator- Help Yourself
Week 092: Become A Better Creator- Who You Know
Week 093: Become A Better Creator- Have Something To Say
Week 094: Become A Better Creator- Editorial Goals
Week 095: Become A Better Creator- Seeking Feedback
Week 096: Become A Better Creator- Vacation
Week 097: Become A Better Creator- Creative Compromise
Week 098: Become A Better Creator- Marketing
Week 099: Become A Better Creator- Contracts
Week 100: Become A Better Creator- Know Your Numbers
Week 101: Become A Better Creator- Acknowledgements
Week 102: Become A Better Creator- Do The Work
Week 103: Become A Better Creator- Be Observant
Week 104: Become A Better Creator- Persistence
Week 105: Become A Better Creator- Goals
Week 106: Storytime--Medium & Commerciality
Week 107: Story Mechanics
Week 108: Borders, Time, and Color
Week 109: Transitions
Week 110: Pacing--Starting Your Story
Week 111: Conflict & Characters
Week 112: Working the Story
Week 113: Storytelling Questions To Ask Yourself
Week 114: Negotiating
Week 115: Editorial Flow
Week 116: Protips!
Week 117: Rejection
Week 118: Communication--Email & Ads
Week 119: Prose vs Sparse
Week 120: Undrawable Panel Descriptions
Week 121: Lettering Pt 1
Week 122: Lettering Pt 2
Week 123: Different Types of Feedback
Week 124: Lettering Pt 3
Week 125: Making "Better" Comics
Week 126: Excuses? Not If You Can Help It
Week 127: Mistakes
Week 128: What Are You Building?
Week 129: More Protips!
Week 130: Approaching Via Email
Week 131: Support
Week 132: Being A Newbie
Week 133: Calling Your Shots
Week 134: Snobbery
Week 135: The Creative Ego
Week 136: Hard Truths (Or, If...Then You're Wrong)
Week 137: 5 Pages & A Cover?
Week 138: Format & Frequency
Week 139: Effective Communication
Week 140: Titles & Story Names
Week 141: Script To Thumbnails
Week 142: Contests of Champions
Week 143: Top 10 Things Creators Can Do To Help Themselves
Week 144: Ask Questions, Learn, & Then Do
Week 145: Managing Your Brand
Week 146: Increasing Awareness Of Your Brand
Week 147: Where Do You Find Inspiration?
Week 148: Guest Post on Perseverance
Week 149: Do You Cause More Work For The Creative Team?
Week 150: A Very Brief History of Comics
Week 151: Are You Building Your Worlds Correctly?

This looks extensive and helpful, I'm going to have to dig into this.
Thanks!

[Steven Forbes]

No, thank you for saying so!

[Duane Korslund]

this looks like an amazing resource....definitely help a lot of people...myself included...

[Steven Forbes]

Thanks, Kors. We're definitely proud of it, and we look to continue to help!

[Steven Forbes]

Week 152: Engaging Two Types of Readers
Week 153: What's Your Professional Attitude?
Week 154: Top Ten Reasons Why You'll Fail At Making Comics
Week 155: Top Five Horror Stories & Lessons Learned
Week 156: Top 10 Habits Of Successful Creators
Week 157: Top 10 Things Creators Forget
Week 158: Top 10 ComixTribe Posts of 2013
Week 159: What Are Your 2014 Goals?
Week 160: What Exercises Can Strengthen Your Skills?
Week 161: How Do You Approach Your Stories?
Week 162: How Often Do You Set Stories Aside?
Week 163: How Often Do You Adapt Other Stories To Comics?
Week 164: Which Conventions Do You Plan On Attending?
Week 165: How Many People Do You Know Who Can Further Your Career?
Week 166: How Often Can You Reasonably Publish?
Week 167: How Disciplined Do You Have To Be To Create Comics?
Week 168: Are You Ready For Some Advice?
Week 169: Are You An Effective Pitch Writer?
Week 170: Casting--Do You Do It?
Week 171: To Be Or Not To Be--Should You Quit Comics?
Week 172: What Are The Hidden Steps To Creating Comics?
Week 173: Critical or Commercial Acclaim--Which Do You Prefer?
Week 174: Is Continuing Education Important In Comics?
Week 175: Do You Really Want To Be In The Public Eye?
Week 176: Are You Doing Your Part For Comics?
Week 177: Peers--Who Are Yours?
Week 178: Critique or Personal Attack--What Is The Difference?
Week 179: Mix 'n Match--Which Genres Can Be Mixed To Best Effect?
Week 180: Are You A Misunderstood Creator?
Week 181: How Much Research Should You Do On A Topic?
Week 182: Ghosting Panels
Week 183: Does Your Worldview Make Your Characters Preachy?
Week 184: Are You A Good Storyteller?
Week 185: Why Do We Create Superhero Stories?
Week 186: Do You Fail, or Do You Learn?
Week 187: Are You Social On Social Media?
Week 188: How Clear Is Your Voice?
Week 189: What Is The Value Of Your Name?
Week 190: What's Stopping You From Starting?
Week 191: What Is Your Creative Wishlist?
Week 192: What Are Your Keys To Productivity?
Week 193: What Can Apple Teach Us?
Week 194: Are You Defining Your Own Role In Comics?
Week 195: What Are Your Mobile Tools?
Week 196: What Are You Doing To Bring Fun & Games To Comics?
Week 197: What's The Least You Need To Know?

[crognus]

I finished reading the 3 artical on characters. I like your advice on writing interviews. I definitely feel I've been a little lazy.

However, I have to say, I'm surprised you didn't delve into how to write interesting characters. Obviously, there's no set answer. But, for the most part, I think a lot of it boils down to having answers for the following questions:

1. What do they want?
2. Why can't they have it?
3. Why do we care?

I was reading your twitter recently, and obviously you are aware of the need to have these elements for you characters. You were talking about how you didn't want to start hammering out your new script until the main character had some stakes.

[Steven Forbes]

Lots and lots (and lots and lots) of words have already been written on how to create "interesting" characters. I didn't want to delve too deeply into that and add to the cacophony.

And the twitter thing was more about the story than about the character.

[crognus]

Originally Posted by Steven Forbes

Lots and lots (and lots and lots) of words have already been written on how to create "interesting" characters. I didn't want to delve too deeply into that and add to the cacophony.

Haha, that's true. But reading through some of the proving grounds stuff, man some people do not seem to understand, haha.

[crognus]

This is some great stuff. I'm still amazed by how much stuff you're just giving out for free! I love your site!

[Steven Forbes]

Thanks!

[Captainwhizz]

Wow! This looks like a cave full of treasures! Gold and gems piled high! (Although I will refrain from calling you a dragon until I get to know you, Steven ). I would wade straight in, but the day job summons me.

[Steven Forbes]

Originally Posted by Captainwhizz

Wow! This looks like a cave full of treasures! Gold and gems piled high! (Although I will refrain from calling you a dragon until I get to know you, Steven ). I would wade straight in, but the day job summons me.

Read some entries of The Proving Grounds, and you may well change your mind about that.

[LukePierce]

Never. More like a knight is shining armour, destroying the dragon of terrible writing.

[Steven Forbes]

Ah. Now I'm Don Quixote.

Got it.