Got a tale to tell but don’t want to bang it out as a traditional book? Try doing it as a digital comic — and ignore anyone who thinks visual narratives are a lesser art form or basic fodder for Hollywood action movies. The tradition of storytelling through sequential art has a long and noble history, used in ancient cave paintings, Roman carvings, tapestries and woodblock printing.

Even if you can’t draw or paint, you can still construct a comic. Some educators have found the medium to be a good way to entice children into creative writing. Thanks to a variety of apps, you can make your digital comics on a smartphone, a tablet, a computer or even a plain old piece of paper. Here’s a guide.

Study the Craft

Before you dive in, decide what type of comic you want to make: A single scene like a cartoon from The New Yorker? A “Peanuts”-style comic strip consisting of two or more panels? A comic book with a heroic protagonist like the Black Panther? Or perhaps a manga adventure or a lengthy graphic memoir like Alison Bechdel’s “Fun Home”?