Tip-Top Writing Tips

This applies to any writing but I'm going to be talking about it specifically in an adventure context:

Show, don't tell! I'm sure all of you had heard that before but I see a specific form of it when it comes to adventures. I see adventures who put paragraphs under every panel, explaining the mechanisms of the world or the character's interests or something.

Why are you telling us this? You have the story right here don't you? Oftentimes a story will come to those points that are described eventually, in which these things mentioned will have to be drawn. So why mention it? You can save it for when you have to draw those panels. That's showing and not telling.

Sometimes refraining from going on long descriptions can help in the long run. Back when I did Godquest I slowly introduced the concept of demons. I didn't say the first demon I showed was a demon, just that he wasn't a god. That led to people speculating about what that meant, aka, more reader involvement, just because I didn't use one noun to describe this character! It was a good feeling and someone said he actually felt surprised when I formally introduced the concept of demons, and linked it back to the first character.

So really, you're doing your story a great benefit by easing up on the text. Just let the panels do the talking, and introduce mechanics and character backstories and whatever else only when they're actually coming into play!