You Are Ready

That project is biting at you, asking, begging to be made! You need to put your attention to it. You need to find the focus and tools to say yes to it and make it happen. The Graphic Novel Development Intensive is what you need.

From SAW instructors, Tom Hart and Emma Jensen and others, we will provide you with inspiration, advice & critique, motivation and structured action plan

Let's get that graphic novel going!

This is the place to be if you want to get focused with your vision and in a groove with your story. The SAW graphic novel development intensive is full of teaching, wisdom and expertise from the SAW teachers and community, including Tom Hart, Justine Mara Andersen and Leela Corman and others.

In this program you will have resources, guidance and community to help you see that thing through. We've been there before. We're offering you our hand.

Success stories from our 2020 Intensive

Hear what our cohort had to say...

50+ Years of Experience and 1000s of Pages of Art

Work With Experienced Professionals

You will have the backwind of SAW's professionals behind you.

NY Times bestselling graphic novelist Tom Hart and Australian graphic novelist Emma Jensen will lead you in our online community and work with you directly in developing your project.

Through our monthly professional calls you will have access to the combined wisdom of amazing comics professionals who know the ins and outs of the comics making process from years of hard won experience.

Bundle includes-->

Here are all the courses that are included in your bundle.

So what does that include?

  • Development Course

    We will walk you through the steps of deciding, planning, strategizing and motivating to make your project. We've done it loads of times, we know this works.

  • Resource Package

    An enormous package of instruction, tutorials, booklets, videos and inspiration. We will guide you through some, and let you rummage on your own sometimes. This is a jewel box of material.

  • Online Community

    An exclusive community of students and instructors working through the same issues, solving the same problems, and sharing elations and inspirations. Keeping you accountable happens here. We want you to be the creator you are meant to be.

  • Monthly Pro Calls

    Once a month we invite professional cartoonists, editors, publishers and creators to join us and show their work, discuss their career and art, and take questions from our students.

Your Path

We'll Walk You Through The Steps You Need

  • Honing in on your idea: Choosing what to work with.

  • Parameters and Formats: What to focus on and aim for.

  • Story and Structure: What will compel the reader?

  • Keeping Going: How to find the energy to keep going.

  • Planning the Finish: Making a plan for the upcoming weeks, months or whatever it takes!

  • Publishing and Sharing: Lots of stories about how to wrap it up for the world.

  • Reflection: Learning from what you have experienced and accomplished.

  • Zoom Calls with Tom, Emma (below!) and the SAW Community!

Our 2020 students said...

Get ready

Starting June 1, 2021. Sign up now for special price of $602

We start June 1, 2021

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Important questions answered here

FAQ

  • How does this differ from the Online Certificate Program?

    This program is focused on a single project.

    The online certificate program is more of an exploratory, tool-building, voice-finding program.

    When you have some tools and a sense of your voice and project, then you are ready or this!

  • Do I Need To Have Started My Graphic Novel Already?

    No! We understand (boy, do we!) how hard it is to START.

    But you should have some idea of what the project is, and be eager to start. We will hold you accountable, but YOU have to do the work. Accountability, group discussion and critique is a lot of what this program is about.

    We will ask you to show up, again and again and again.

  • What is time commitment like?

    The time commitment is entirely up to you. We can't make the book for you. ;) As with most programs of this kind, the people that get the most out of it put the most in. You have to find a rhythm that works for you. As for interacting in the group, you can get away with as little or as much as you like as well. We know life gets in the way and feel that if you can devote 3-5 hours a week at a minimum, you should be able to some progress.

  • Is this all pre-recorded or live or what?

    All the structural materials are prerecorded or otherwise in the course materials. The community is open 24/7 and Tom and Emma will be in it daily. Additionally, we meet weekly via Zoom. Either Tom or Emma will be on each of these, with one call per month featuring a professional cartoonist, editor or creator. We're really excited about the line up! In 2020 we hosted Leela Corman, Leslie Stein, Carol Tyler, Robin Chapman and many more!

  • What is the schedule for the Zoom calls?

    The calls will be weekly, alternating 2 pm and 8 pm Eastern on Tuesdays. They are not mandatory and are recorded.

  • Will Emma, Tom or anybody at SAW be able to read my 300-page graphic novel?

    No, not in its entirety. We can only read short-story sized excerpts at the scale of this program.

    Our main personal offering is an ability to help you see the whole project in context, the motivation and some strategy to work on it, and editorial feedback and critiquing help where needed.

    If you want more in-depth feedback, or editorial services for the entire project, please look to our 1-on-1 consulting page.

  • Is there a materials list?

    There is no materials list. This course is for people already working on something in a medium they are comfortable with. For people who are looking to change their practice, we can help them figure out the best materials to help them reach their goals.

  • What will the discussions in the Mighty Network be like?

    Emma and/or Tom plan on being in the discussion group at least every other day. The online community works best with investment from the cohort of students all working on similar problems and challenges together. We are excited to guide the discussions in important and valuable ways, and give direct feedback to the work that is shared there.

  • It says Apply Now. What does that mean?

    We want to make sure the course is the right fit for you and for us. If we aren't already in touch with you, please email us if you want to share what you want to be working on so we can make sure we can serve you.

CLICK HERE for the
SAW Full-Year Comics Certificate Program

Is this the Single-Year Comics Certificate Program?
No, it is NOT.

What do our students from 2020 have to say?

We start June 1, 2021

You've accidentally wound up on last year's page

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Click to the 2021 Page