title: Draw Out the Story: Ten Secrets to Creating Your Own Comics
author: Brian McLachlan
description: Theres no shortage of how-to-create-comics manuals around, but McLachlan (The Princess Planet webcomic) manages to distinguish his by breaking down complex concepts with very accurately age-targeted language and examples. His instructions are divided into 10 secrets, each an overarching and abstract idea essential to comics and story creation, like unifying words and art, practicing simplicity, creating ideas, and even a chapter on knowing when to break the rules. He then explains the concept in practical terms with easily understandable language and a great deal of enthusiasm. He fills each chapter with visual examples and pro tips and ends each one with exercises that will pull budding cartoonists right in. Though he affords ample time to the visual mechanics, McLachlan offers salient writing advice as well, touching on elements that have produced great stories for as long as there have been stories, in an easygoing and unintimidating manner. Indeed, like a beloved teacher, McLachlans warmth, humor, and charm make this book the absolute best of its kind for the age group. Grades 4-7. --Jesse Karp
zlib_text: For Beginners LLC
  155 Main Street, Suite 211
  Danbury, CT 06810 USA
  www.forbeginnersbooks.com
  Text: © 2012 W. Terrence Gordon
  Illustrations: © 2012 Susan Willmarth
  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
  system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
  photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.
  A For Beginners® Documentary Comic Book
  Copyright © 2012
  Cataloging-in-Publication information is available from the Library of Congress.
  eISBN: 978-1-939994-16-5
  For Beginners® and Beginners Documentary Comic Books® are published by For
  Beginners LLC.
  v3.1
  
  CONTENTS
  Marshall McWHO?
  What Is So Special About Marshall McLuhan?
  McLuhan’s Point Of View
  Stepping Into McLuhan’s Bio
  Influences
  Student & Teacher
  THE MECHANICAL BRIDE
  EXPLORATIONS & Idea Consultants
  Exploring THE GUTENBERG GALAXY
  Understanding UNDERSTANDING MEDIA
  (Re)Defining Media
  (Re)Defining Message
  Medium = Message
  Media 