How To Write Manga

In this blog post you’ll learn how to write manga.

The finest storytellers separate themselves from the rest with their ability to combine art and words, eventually coming up with a visually pleasing and emotionally engaging narrative.

Manga is a Japanese-style graphic novel that alludes to these qualities.

To call it a unique form of storytelling with a worldwide appeal is an understatement.

It’s rich in history and has been a part of Japanese culture for centuries.

If you’ve ever wanted to create your own manga, we’ll tell you right now that you can do it, even if you haven’t immersed yourself in one before.

But before we take on this task, let’s dig deeper into what makes manga different, more challenging, and rewarding simultaneously.

What is Manga?

Manga, a term that once referred broadly to all kinds of cartooning, comics, and animation in Japan, is now commonly known as a style of Japanese comic books and graphic novels.

Manga covers a vast range of genres, from action, adventure, and sports, to fantasy, romance, and sci-fi, making it an inclusive form of art that caters to all ages and interests.

Manga is part of an entire world of comics, which includes other comic styles like American or European graphic novels.

While there are some similarities between these different styles, each has its distinct rules for storytelling and art.

In general, the manga follows a certain style that’s become iconic worldwide: black-and-white drawings, big eyes and expressive faces, action scenes with speed lines and onomatopoeia, etc.

In contrast to Western comic books, manga is typically published in black and white, owing to its weekly or monthly publication frequency and the length of each volume.

Readers engage with manga from right to left, which aligns with traditional Japanese reading style.

What sets manga apart is not just the distinctive artwork but also its capacity to delve deep into character development and complex plots, often extending to dozens or even hundreds of volumes.

Host of Manga Genres

Since all age groups in Japan read manga, it only means that there will be a wide range of genres for writers to choose from.

Whether you prefer adventure, comedy, fantasy, horror or any other genre as your story’s basis, the possibilities are endless.

Unique Structure of Manga

The structure of manga is unique because it allows readers to fully immerse themselves in the narrative by constantly being aware of the flow of time.

This type of structure is achieved by breaking up each page into multiple smaller panels, further divided into long or short strips.

Manga also emphasizes shifting perspectives, allowing readers to get closer to the characters and their environment through close-up shots.

The methodology leads to a unique sensation for the reader because they can easily follow the story and the characters’ reactions to different events.

Reading in an Opposite Direction

The traditional way of reading manga is in a “backward” direction.

In other words, if you pick up a manga from the right side, you should start at the end and work your way back to the beginning.

It’s because manga is traditionally read from right to left, starting with the last panel or page.

Artistic Style

Manga artists have perfected an easily identifiable style with an immense following.

It’s full of energy, expression, and a certain level of exaggeration that can make any story come to life.

The art is often very stylized, highlighted by oversized eyes and small mouths being the norm.

There are many techniques manga artists use to convey movement, emotions, and other elements, all of which are worth exploring.

Writing Your Own Manga

Now that we’ve gone through the basic attributes of manga, it’s time to put your storytelling prowess to the test. Here’s how to go about writing your own manga.

The Audience Comes First

You can’t possibly start writing a manga script without fully understanding the demographics from where your story will derive its readers. Once you’ve determined the age group and interests of your target audience, then it’s time to pick a genre.

In the most traditional sense, the demographics of manga are grouped into five: shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, and kodomomuke.

• Shonen – Aimed at boys and young teens, the theme is almost exclusively about action and adventure. The coming-out-of-age story is also popular in this demographic, so comedy and romance can also be thrown in.
• Shojo – This is the counterpart of shonen, and it’s mainly written for teenage girls. From romantic comedies to magical girl stories, shojo covers a wide range of topics that appeal to its primary demographic.
• Seinen – Seinen stories focus on mature themes and cover horror, science fiction, action-adventure, sports and other genres. This demographic is almost exclusively for adult men.
• Josei – A josei story covers a more mature range of topics than shojo or shonen, such as relationships between adults, career choices and life drama in general. The target audience here is adult women.
• Kodomomuke – Kodomomuke is more of a subgenre that targets younger readers. It features stories about everyday life with characters that are usually children or animals.

Once you’ve chosen an audience and genre, start visualizing your story.

Ask yourself questions like “What do I want to say?”,

“How will the characters look?”

and “What makes this story different?”.

These questions are of equal relevance, and it’s not like you just need to answer one or the other.

The goal of understanding the genres is for you to find inspiration.

Look at other success stories that have been written in the same genre and take note of their plot and art styles.

You must distinguish yourself from them, but you can still learn valuable lessons by studying them.

Outline Your Story

Provided you have a basic story idea, it’s time to start outlining.

You can outline your manga by writing down the plot points with details, i.e., character traits and backgrounds for each scene.

The point is to have continuity throughout your story and that you don’t miss any details.

Outlining your manga is different from traditional comics in various aspects.

For example, the panelling and panel layouts must be taken into account.

Manga panels are usually much smaller than American comic books, so you must plan your story accordingly.

The outline aims to have a structure from which you can write your story.

It should include every major plot point and every character beat you want to include in the story.

Create A Synopsis

The synopsis is, by no means, similar to the outline.

It summarizes the story in one or two paragraphs, including key points and plot twists.

The synopsis should provide enough information to draw readers in but still leave some surprises for them to find out later.

Remember that the synopsis doesn’t have to appear in the manga itself; it’s just an internal document you use to help you organize your story.

The whole point of having it is to keep track of the main plot points and see that you don’t go astray when writing the script.

You can’t afford to miss this step.

If you do, you’d be among the many manga writers who run out of ideas halfway through the story.

You could even end up with a less-than-satisfactory ending since you won’t have taken the time to plan everything out beforehand.

Create Your Character Profiles

Your characters are the heart and soul of your manga.

Without them, there would be no story.

Character profiles should include all crucial details, i.e., physical appearances, personality traits, backstory, etc.

Before you start writing, you must know your characters and motivations by heart because that will shape your story’s plot.

Every character must have strengths and weaknesses.

Depending on your theme, they must carry with them some moral values or maybe even a message.

The idea is to make them as personified and realistic as possible so readers can relate to them.

While the drawings of manga characters are typically exaggerated, it doesn’t mean you don’t stress enough about learning body anatomy.

The poses and expressions must be realistic, even if exaggerated.

Finding references makes sense, too, especially if it’s your first time doing manga.

While you may feel like it’s a waste of time, you should pay attention to anatomy because it helps convey emotions and reactions to different events.

Write the Script

Writing the script is of foremost importance.

We emphasize it because some first-time manga writers are too concerned about the graphics, layout, and issues.

Those things can be dealt with later; just focus on writing the story now.

The scripting process has two main elements: dialogue and action.

Part of your job is to see that both are present in your manga and that they move the story along properly.

Writing engaging dialogue is tricky, to say the least; it should be natural but also showcase relevant character traits and drive the plot forward.

Write your manga dialogue with these tips:

• Stick to the characters’ personalities.
• Use slight variations of words to avoid repetitive dialogue.
• Avoid large chunks of narration.
• Don’t forget about facial expressions and body language.

Action refers to the elements that move your story forward in a visual sense.

It’s what will bring your characters to life and make them vivid for readers.

Move on to the Storyboard

There’s a reason why the storyboard comes after the script, and that’s because it’s supposed to translate the story into something aesthetically pleasing.

It should include the layout of each panel and action scenes, text overlays, sound effects and other elements.

When you draw your storyboard, remember to focus on body language and facial expressions as much as possible.

It’ll make sense to create believable characters.

Likewise, drawing the storyboard according to your manga style is crucial.

What this means is you must stick to what makes your style unique.

If all your works look identical, you can never make a name for yourself as a manga artist.

Make sure every scene in your storyboard is necessary and contributes to the overall plot of your manga.

You don’t want your readers distracted by irrelevant scenes; try to keep it as concise and clear as possible.

Don’t forget that the storyboard is the tool you use to transcribe the story you’ve just written into a visual medium.

This is the basic form of your manga, so see that you take care of this step before moving on to the drawing phase.

The Drawing Phase

This is the part where you can finally let your imagination roam free.

The drawing phase captures each scene’s momentum and makes it alive on paper.

This includes inking, toning and colouring (if you prefer it to be coloured); you’re to add as many details as possible so that the manga looks nothing short of professional.

There’s also the lettering process, which involves writing out dialogue bubbles and sound effects for your manga.

When drawing, don’t forget to leave enough space for these elements. Like the storyboard, your lettering must be consistent and flow well with the rest of the artwork.

There are various techniques for inking manga; you can use pencils, markers, or pens.

Some prefer traditional Japanese brushes and ink for inking, while others go for digital brushwork.

Whichever method of inking you choose, make sure it’s close to perfection (emphasizing the smallest details), as this is what the readers will focus on when reading your manga.

The number one rule when drawing is never to copy other people’s works, even if they’re not manga.

You must adhere to your own style and be consistent with it across all of your work.

The last thing you need is for readers to think your work is plagiarized.

Seek Professional Edits

You look at your work and rave about what you’ve done so far.

But, like all creative projects, professional edits are always an asset.

A fresh set of eyes brings a completely different perspective, and it always makes sense to seek advice from experienced people to make your manga the best version of itself.

It’s optional but highly recommended if you wish to guarantee your story and artwork are up to standard.

Editors specializing in manga will look at both aspects unbiasedly; they’ll give you valuable notes on improving your scripts and artwork.

Once you’re done with the editing, take their advice to heart and implement it before submitting your work or sending it off to publishers.

More Tips on Writing Manga

• Writing your own manga shouldn’t be a short-time project; plan to dedicate a lot of time and effort to it.
• Your lack of confidence in drawing shouldn’t be a problem; you can always hire someone to draw the panels for you.
• Don’t forget that manga is all about visual storytelling; scripts must be translated into eye-catching visuals.
• Be sure to check for grammar and spelling mistakes in your script. If you can, get someone to proofread your work before sending it out for publication.
• Read other manga series and learn from them; observe how different artists approach their stories using their chosen visuals.

Further Reading

How To Hire A Ghostwriter For Fiction

How To Write A Children’s Book

How To Use Social Media For Your Book