Self-Negotiated Unit Graphic Novel about Schizohrenia

I want to make a Graphic Novel documenting a subjective experience of Schizophrenia, from childhood to the first episode to adulthood an management of the disease. It will explore possible causes,including biological, social and cultural influences. For the 4 perspectives workshop in the Award Specific Unit 1, I looked at 4 ways of presenting Schizophrenia. They were a textbook about Anti-psychotic drugs for trainee psychiatrists, an advice leaflet for sufferers and carers , an academic textbook about anthropological perspectives on Schizophrenia and a Graphic Novel/Comic Book about one person's experience.

I think the Graphic Novel is one such publication that is not present on the market and I think it could tell an interesting story. I also think it would be interesting to put different perspectives on the disease which are usually kept separate, together (e.g. anthropological, biological and emotional/subjective)

I am interested in this because I studied the genetics of Schizophrenia for my undergraduate degree and it felt quite strange to discuss such an emotive and subjective experience in such a rational, scientific way.  

I think I could produce a short Graphic Novel, maybe 10-20 pages long. 

The Graphic Novel would follow in the footsteps of other Biographical comics, dealing with complex emotional situations, such as Art Speiglman's Maus (about the Holocaust), Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis (Iranian revolution) and David B.'s Epileptic (the authors' brother suffering from epilepsy). 

Other Graphic Novel artists include , Joe Sacco, David B, Josh Neufield, Julia Hanshaw, Sophy Hollington, Art Spieglman, Chester Brown and Piero.

The only Graphic Novel I know of that talks about Schizophrenia is My Mom Was a Schizophrenic by Chester Brown.

Written research:

I will research the subjective experience of Schizophrenia by looking at blogs, interviewing sufferers and reading published  first hand accounts. 

I will email bloggers on Schizophrenia and ask them to answer questions. I will also make notes from their published blogs. 

I'd also look at the work of RD Laing and the anti-psychiatry movement and some anthropological and philosophical perspectives on the disease, for example Madness and Civilasation by Michel Foucault.

I will also look at current debates on talking therapies in Schizophrenia, Biological and social causes and anti-psychotic medication. 

Visual Research:

For the visual research I will look at as many different Graphic novel writers and illustrators as possible. When I have a rough story I will begin trying to put together the drawings. This will be from a mixture of observational drawings from life, photos found on the internet and my own head. 

I want to find a visual style that is original and engaging but also clear to understand and adaptable to show different characters in different environments recognisably.