# Start a comic

Once the script is written and the photos have been taken, it's time to start laying out the comic.

Import the photos from your shoot onto your computer to make them available to Comic Life. Then choose a template. Assign styles to script elements to make laying out your comic even faster.

1. Open your comic script file
2. Click on "Start Comic" in the toolbar
3. In the template browser that appears, locate a comic template that best suits your needs.
4. Click Choose.

The template is loaded and you're ready begin the layout process. Using the script as your guide proceed to layout your pages, adding images from the shoot and text from the script to the panels.

When you start a comic you have an opportunity to assign styles for the distinct elements in your script.

1. If the Assign Styles window is not visible choose Format > Assign Styles to Script Elements (from the Format menu at the top of your screen).

   Note: It appears automatically when you start a comic.

2. To assign styles do any of the following:
   - Balloon styles: Each character named in your script can be assigned a unique style.
   - Caption styles: Click on the Caption tab and each caption keyword can be assigned a unique style.
   - Lettering styles: Click on the Lettering tab and each lettering keyword can be assigned a unique style.

## See also

Edit metadata

Use element styles