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The most valuable part of Moore's advice here - and it's worth getting this book just for that - is his comments on characterisation and world-building. Basically, he encourages people to write 3- and 4-D characters and worlds, not just plots that move predictably from A to B, and outlines some useful ideas and techniques to help people start doing that.
However, the insights on the actual writing of a single comic that he chooses to share with us come across - to me at least - as a little insipid. Perhaps this is because the essay was written at a relatively early period in his career, so the writing techniques he mentions are a bit hackneyed - and to be fair, Moore has added an epilogue admitting exactly that.
Nevertheless, it still stands: Moore has an incredible knack for pacing his stories, marrying words with pictures, weaving details within details and levels of meaning within levels. Somehow, precious little of that knack - precious little craft - is revealed to us in this essay.
Then again, perhaps that's the point. Moore frequently points out that there's no mileage in him teaching hundreds of people to Write Comics The Alan Moore Way. The essay emphasises above all else how important it is to work hard at writing good, original work, instead of just rehashing what's gone before.
All in all, I guess you buying this essay depends on where you feel you are as a writer. There's a lot in here that I'd already figured out for myself from reading Moore's and others work; there's also a lot in here that was new to me. But in any case, it's Alan Moore and it's dirt cheap, so it'll never be a waste of money.
If I sound unsure, then that's exactly how this essay left me, so do what you will with that.
The core of the book was written in 1985 when Alan was riding high after Watchmen, V for Vendetta and his other great work. It gives you a good argument for and against the strengths and weaknesses of comics and talks about visual story telling whilst encouraging you to challenge what is cliche and conventional. all good stuff but still only a twenty mnute read.
Then comes the afterword, written in 2002, in which the Alan Moore we are now familar with comes along and undermines everything in the core of the book. Inviting the reader to igore all of it and do something else. This afterword is refreshingly honsest and very telling of the modern writer's attitudes to the industry and indeed his own work. I even shead a tear reading it, as this is not the sort of thing I expected to be reading in a book of this nature.
Anyway. Is this book worth it. Well, it is quite cheap and it should be for what you get, it's about the size of a comic. I'd be more inclinded to look out for it next time you go to a comic shop or stall and buy it second hand. Or ask around to see if any of your mates will lend it to you.
Not a rip off - just slightly over priced and underwelming.
Lie back and prepare to be dazzled!
No, but seriously...
In this slender tome (not 50 pages, with illustrations), originaly published in Wizard with a recent afterword, Alan Moore tells us, not just how to write for comics but shares his whole philosophy of writing with us in his disengenuos humble style. Reading the prose you can really see just what it is that makes Alan Moore so special.
Anyone taking, (or teaching) a creative writing course cannot ignore this book. Nor can anyone who considiers themselves a true Alan Moore fan, nor anyone who even takes the medium seriously.
To paraphrase what Warren Ellis says on the back, one for the shelf of any smart comics fan or interested party, next to your McClouds and Eisner.
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