Scott Chantler's Two Generals in training
I’ve drawn some graphic novels in my time (one of them with a publisher, even), and I work in book publishing, so I’m pretty intrigued by an upcoming course offered by the Editors Association of Canada.
At the end of April, the EAC will offer this one-day workshop for editors: Editing Graphic Novels. Here’s the description:
In the last few years, traditional publishing houses have started to add graphic fiction and nonfiction to their lists. This workshop is for publishing professionals who are new to the graphica medium, its storytelling conventions, and the unique challenges it poses. The workshop focuses on common problems to look for at each stage of development: concept, script, roughs, pencils, and final artwork. Individual and group exercises accompany the discussion of each stage of this process. Other topics include defining roles and responsibilities within the editing process; the dynamics of collaboration among author, artist, editor, and designer; and a brief overview of the different types of graphica and graphica publishing in Canada.
Back to me: one of the most intriguing parts of this workshop is that it’s co-led by Jennifer Lum. Lum is a senior designer at Random House Canada. And not to diminish the word of the other good people at Random House and McClelland & Stewart, but pretty much any cool comic-book or graphic novel project that’s been published by them, she’s had a big hand in: Stitches by David Small, Two Generals by Scott Chantler. Lum’s done work with people like J. Torres, Ramon Perez, Jason Bone, Lesley Fairfield, Michael Cho, Steve Rolston, Eric Kim, Ed Northcott, Ray Fawkes and Udon Entertainment.
(The other workshop leader is Alison Kooistra, who’s also a fine editor of graphic novels and program chair of the Editors’ Association of Canada’s Toronto branch. I’m just not as familiar of her work; that’s the only reason I’m not gushing about her, too.)
The other intriguing element: how do you edit a graphic novel? I have no idea! Stripmalling was edited by ECW Press, but the comic book sections (and my drawings) received only a very light edit. And my other work has been self-published. So I edited myself. And I tend to go pretty easy on myself, let myself get away with all kinds of things. I’m really curious to see how comic books and graphic novels are edited at Random House Canada or Groundwood Books or one of the many other Canadian publishers producing this work.
The workshop takes place on Saturday, April 30, in Northrop Frye Hall, Victoria College, at the University of Toronto. Visit the Editors Association of Canada site for all the details:
www.editors.ca/content/editing-graphic-novels
