Hitting a Wall

I've been developing an original graphic novel for a while now and I've hit a creative brick wall. The story has been fleshed out and outlined and I'm ready to start scripting it, but I can't seem to get myself to start writing. My focus keeps shifting to the artwork portion; I start thinking about paper weights, pens and brushes when what I need to do right now is get the thing written out. It's certainly not out of place for me to be day-dreaming about kneaded erasers, but it's stalling out my project. I'm still focused on it, just on the wrong part.
I am a natural procrastinator, but I really believe in the project and I want to see it through. I'm sure a big part of the problem is that I'm much more excited about drawing and painting and the actual script-writing feels more like a chore. Does anyone have any advice for refocusing on the actual script-writing? Make the prospect an excitement rather than a chore? Thanks!

I've contemplated jumping into the art first with just the start of the script, but the story as planned needs to be tightly scripted; a lot of stuff happens and there's a lot of metaphor and foreshadowing that needs to be gotten across. I suppose I could try just the first few pages that way to try and get some of the art itch out of my system, but when it comes to actually writing the script there's going to be tons of revision necessary and its going to be a major detriment to try and write-as-I-go. It might get me jump-started on writing (which may be all I need) and I'll be able to put the pens down for a while, but it might also get me into a bad habit for this project. And I'm a stubborn mule so I'd probably be stuck for a while.

I have some character design tweaking to finish, but it's mostly done. I am actually mostly an analogue artist and this project is going to be ink and watercolor mixed media. I'm planning on digitally adding word balloons to the art, so final tweaks to lines will be available. I can go that route for the actual nitty-gritty dialogue, but most of the complicated writing that needs to be done is pacing and framing issues that need to be determined before pencil hits paper.

Funnily enough, I have an outline that was developed that exact way, just through written down conversations with my wife. I know exactly what happens in the story and I have a couple notebooks full of notes to refer to, but I'm still having trouble focusing on the actual writing.

There may be some digital page assembly (less than you're thinking. I'd just replace problem panels digitally). Oh, there are also sections that are going to be done in oil pastel which are going to resemble children's book illustrations more than actual comic pages. Those are going to be full oil pastel paintings digitally edited into a page with text at the bottom. At least, I think. Might change my mind between now and then.

One of the joys of ink and watercolor is how forgiving the paint is. Provided the inks are where you want them (and I might go crazy re-inking pages; my ink work can be sloppy), mistakes in the actual paint looks organic and purposeful. It's a wonderful medium to work in, and has the exact style I want for the book.

As for pages getting wrinkly, you have to use the right paper. Sure, if you're inking on 100# bristol you're going to see cockling with even a small amount of paint. But if you use 300# watercolor paper that's taped down, your page will be flat and smooth. Also, cockling is only really a problem during the painting process (i.e. messing up the flow of paint and getting weird pools of color). Paper that's cockled can be repaired to smoothness. Just lightly spray the backside of the painting with some water and set it between two sheets of plexiglas. Two days later good as new.

I probably should thumbnail pages as I script. If only to help visualize the pages as I write them. I'd give up the ghost and start in on the comic if I wasn't convinced (there's the mule-ness talking) that if I just push through this distraction and write the script I'll be happier with the whole thing. I should probably go back to my sounding board and see if she can't help me flesh out at least the start of the script. My wife does have a way of focusing my attention, even if it usually is on doing the dishes.

I had a talk with the wife, and she said she'd help me get jump-started on writing the script. You're both right and I should definitely thumbnail as I go. I was planning on thumbnailing the complicated pages, but it really will be a helpful tool for each and every page.

I love watercolor too, and I agree that it's under-utilized in comics. I'm in a mood, so I photo'd the last painting I've done to share. Ignore the poor image quality and slight cockling: I painted this on inferior paper and photo'd it at a bad time with an inferior camera. Still, I like sharing.

Oil pastels pretty much HAVE to be photographed rather than scanned. Even sprayed with a fixative, OP is such a temperamental medium I wouldn't set it face-down on ANYTHING except wax paper.

I think the way to get detail across in water color is working big. This painting (which if you're curious what the hell you're looking at is a member of Phyllocrania paradoxa, a species of praying mantis native to Madagascar) is about 7"x4". I'm planning on doing the actual pages on something like 22"x30" sheets, so while some of the smaller panels will have to take less detail, most panels won't. So basically, my plan is the same as what yours would be, just work huge for the whole page and then shrink digitally, rather than work huge in pieces and digitally reassemble later.

I like your spikewalker, he's jaunty.