Use Comics To Encourage Reluctant Writers

Much has been written about the benefits comics hold for reluctant readers. Children who are hesitant to read tend to be visual learners and so offering them a combination of dynamic sequential pictures with words is an ideal way to encourage these readers. But what about their writing skills? Can comics offer the same type of encouragement to children who are similarly reluctant to write?

It has been said that children who are often late to reading also display signs of being reluctant to put paper to pen and write even the smallest of creative paragraphs. My son is an example of this. Finn came late to talking, reading and writing. We have since found that he is a visual learner. When attempting to explain concepts he prefers to act out the idea, use his hands to demonstrate or pick up a pencil and draw a diagram to add to, or substitute for, a verbal explanation. Although he is slowly increasing his written vocabulary and grammar, at age 8 he still struggles to write a paragraph of 5 sentences.

While he may be resistant to writing a paragraph of text on any topic, no matter how broad or appealing (eg Star Wars or another popular show/hobby), he shows no hesitation in writing/drawing a 9 panelled page on almost any subject replete with word balloons and commentary. Comics are an enjoyable and legitimate form of storytelling for him, growing up as he does in a household full of comics and graphic novels and with parents who read them regularly. Having said that, both parents read and write prose regularly so there is something inherently attractive about comics for visual kids. The images draw them in and lead them to the words in an encouraging and familiar way, supporting their reading by providing context for the words.

In the same way, for children who are not confident about their writing skills, supporting them to express their thoughts in comics form allows them the opportunity to convey story progression and plot points without having to write paragraphs of prose. For some kids it’s easier to draw a picture of a turtle sitting on the top of an elephant than it is to write about it. Once they get the main message of the action across they feel more comfortable in adding dialogue or in setting the scene with a few lines of description.

But if the child isn’t confident about their artwork either it helps to have resources on hand to show how even the simplest of pictures can convey meaning. One of the best resources out at the moment is a book called Adventures In Cartooning.

Using an engaging story told in very simple pictures and words (that kids can understand and imagine creating themselves) the book shows how a story can be created using progressive panels of art and words. It introduces concepts like word balloons and speed lines to convey dialogue and motion respectively. Kids will find they probably already know most of the comic concepts already, through reading comics themselves, but it helps to concretise them when they are about to create their own story. Adventures In Cartooning is a highly recommended resource to encourage even the most reluctant young artist or writer start to express themselves on paper.

Another resource I would recommend is pre-formatted 9 panel pages so you can easily print out multiple copies. It’s a great way to start a group of kids on the idea without having to create your own boxes or asking them to do it themselves. Make sure each child has 2 pages each and have more on hand for those that really get going with their stories. You can find a PDF on this site which has the boxes set out for you already. This page is part of an online resource for a great book on creating comics called Drawing Words And Writing Pictures, and would be informative background reading for yourself or a resource book for high-school level tuition.

So go to it! See how comic creation goes with your reluctant writers and even have a go yourself.

It’s surprising how liberating drawing and writing within a box can be!