Untitled Graphic Novel Excerpts Index
The Untitled Graphic Novel is a book in the Outlander series. The script is being written by Diana, and the artwork is being drawn by Hoang Nguyen. The new story, starring Gabaldon's beloved characters Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser, opens with Murtagh, Jamie's godfather, awaiting the return of his godson to Scotland, and the fulfillment of a vow made years before. The graphic novel will be approximately 192 pages and will publish sometime in 2009. Diana occasionally posts excerpts from her books, to CompuServe, for her fans' pleasure and to use in on-line writers' lessons. Those excerpts are available here as well. As you read the excerpts, please remember they are from a work in progress.
From Diana
The script is the beginning of a graphic novel—but only the beginning. The artist—the estimable Hoang Nguyen, in this case—then sets about the difficult task of translating the script into artwork.
It works like this: I (the writer) lay out a script page in panels—anywhere from one to six of them on a page—and at the top of each panel, describe what the scene is, which characters are present, what they're doing, how they look (in terms both of clothing and expression), and add any specific details that need to be present (for instance, a full moon, or brooding cliffs, or a white owl), as well as indicating the position of characters and objects (by specifying, for instance, that So-and-so is in the foreground of a panel, while Mr. X and Ms. Y are having a conversation in the background). Down below is a sample script page, so you can see what one looks like (the number in the upper left corner of the panel identifies each panel individually, for ease of reference among the editor, the artist, and the writer). A script includes standard abbreviations like FG = foreground, BG=background, CAP = caption, and so on.
The artist looks at all this, and then produces layout pages—quick pencil sketches, done without any great reference to character details, but laying out the composition of the scene, catching the major angles, perspectives, and elements. I can then look at these, to be sure we're on the same page (literally [g]), before the artist invests a lot of time and energy in the actual painting of a panel, and let the artist know if I see anything that ought to be changed. -- Diana
Untitled fourth excerpt
Untitled third excerpt rough sketches of Jamie
Untitled second excerpt
Untitled first excerpt sketch of Claire