By Editorial team
Good lettering lets the reader follow a scene without stopping to work out who spoke. Plan space for it while you sketch the panels, before important faces and actions fill every corner.
Start with the speaking order. In an English-language page, readers usually begin near the upper left and move towards the lower right. Arrange the conversation so the balloons follow that route. If two characters exchange lines, move the characters or adjust the framing before asking the reader to jump backwards across the panel.
Point each balloon tail towards its speaker. Keep it clear of another character’s face and avoid crossing tails. A tail pointing between two people can turn a simple joke into a puzzle.
Give the words breathing room. A balloon should comfortably contain its text, with a visible margin on every side. Keep a character’s lettering style consistent. Use emphasis sparingly so a shout, pause or whispered line still feels different when the story needs it.
When a balloon is crowded, try cutting the line before shrinking the letters. “I think we should probably leave now” might become “Time to go.” Check whether the picture already communicates part of the sentence. A character staring at an empty cake stand does not need to explain that the cake is gone.
Review the finished page at the width a reader will actually see on a phone. Can you read it comfortably without zooming? Does the speech order remain obvious? Are signs and sound effects understandable where they matter to the story? If the answer is no, revise the page before publication.
For AI-generated artwork, compare every visible word with the final transcript. Check for extra balloons, missing letters, repeated phrases and tails pointing at the wrong character. A prompt describes what you wanted; the finished image determines what readers receive.
Try this: draw two characters and give them three short lines. Make three versions of the balloon arrangement. Choose the one you can follow fastest, then check it with the dialogue temporarily covered. The composition should still guide your eye through the exchange.