How to Become a Japanese Manga Writer
Japanese manga is a distinct type of comic book, presented in a smaller format about the size of a fiction paperback. Manga art styles can vary, but typically run to long, lean characters with dramatically spiked or flowing hair, large eyes, and other exaggerated features. Plots are often epic, mythological, romantic or gothic. Writing manga scripts can be a fun yet challenging career, and with more American publishers starting manga lines, it is becoming easier for a non-Japanese writer to break into the business.
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Things You'll Need
- Manga publisher guidelines
- Sample manga works by other authors
- Completed script of your own
- Artist collaborator (optional)
- Convention tickets
- Your own webpage and/or blog
Instructions
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Visit manga publishers' websites and read their writer submission guidelines. This will give you valuable information on what sorts of topics the publishers appreciate, what format to write in, what style, and other script writing information.
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Browse manga comics at a bookstore or library. Evaluate the stories and the author's writing style. Find manga that fits the submission rules of the publishers you hope to submit to, so you can use the volumes as a guide. Look at new releases to see what manga styles and subjects are currently popular.
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Look inside manga to find the website addresses for the authors. Manga writers' pages and blogs will help you learn how professionals create their scripts, use sound effects, write dialogue, and submit to publishers. "Manga Tutorials" and "Translation Dojo" are also excellent sites to help you learn about manga art, writing, and the business.
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Complete at least one manga script. Before taking any further steps with artists or publishers, it's necessary to have a full project to work with.
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Network with artists. It's a lot easier to get your manga made if you can offer the publisher a complete project. With just a written script, the publisher has to find an artist and match them to your work, which makes them less likely to choose your piece over a team-submitted project. Many manga artists can be found on sites like "Deviant Art," "LiveJournal," and "MySpace." Their work is displayed in online galleries and their blog will give you an idea of their personality. Get to know the artists that seem like a good fit and then pitch your script to them. It's advantageous for them to be able to submit completed works as well, so they should be open to the idea.
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Attend anime, comic, and manga conventions like "Comic-Con International" and "YaoiCon." Here you can interact with manga writers, artists, publishers and fans. Attend panels and special events, and visit the vendor booths. These large events can help you make important contacts as well as immersing yourself in the culture of manga.
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Submit scripts to publishers or to any contacts you've made. Be sure to reread the submission guidelines for manga publishers, as they can change at any time. Follow all directions exactly to prevent mistakes that will get your submission thrown out. Some publishers require you fill out forms confirming you are over 18 years of age, or other waivers and agreements. If you're working with an artist, make sure their part of the submission follows all the guidelines as well.
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Keep writing and submitting. Getting published is based on luck and timing, as well as talent. It's important to always have work out there. If you're not submitting anything, there's no way to get published. Some publishers frown on simultaneous submissions, but it isn't practical to wait for a year before giving up on one publisher and trying another. Keep your work in circulation until something gets picked up. Start work on the next project once you've been accepted by a publisher. The time between acceptance and actual publication can be a long time, so it's important to write constantly to keep the work and money flowing in.
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Maintain rights when possible. As a novice manga writer, you may have to give up the rights to your work completely in order to get published. Once you've got a few projects made and your name has recognition value, start asking for your rights. You can grant initial rights to the publisher, but after an agreed-upon timeframe the rights will revert to you so that you can resell the story for reprints or for other projects. It's especially important to maintain character rights if you hope to write ongoing series.
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Market your work. Create a website and/or blog with excerpts of your manga and links to bookstores that carry it. Post in manga communities. Ask manga review sites to take a look at your book--your publisher can usually get you free copies to send to the reviewers. Offer to do book signings at bookstores, comic stores, and conventions. Create an author blog on "Amazon" to gather attention from potential buyers. Be kind to fans--the buzz they can create for you is invaluable and will help you sell yourself to publishers.
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Tips & Warnings
Be careful with your online presence. Always maintain a professional demeanor. Avoid saying anything negative about editors, publishers, or other creators. It's better to not burn any bridges, and negative posts can give you a bad reputation with fans and future employers.
