[Shidash]

I would like to be an American manga author someday, also known as a gensaku-sha. The key is that I do not want to move to Japan, I want to write American manga despite the fact that I am learning Japanese already. It is fine to want to write Japanese manga, but it seems as if many of the people here are chasing unrealistic dreams without a set path. In order to achieve your goals you need to have steps. To be a manga artist they may be:

1. Learn about art, comics, and manga. Read a lot and make mental notes of things that you want to focus on. Read how to draw books, buy the tools that you will need to draw manga and practice. Take classes in art.

2. Get an account at a place like deviantART and practice. Listen to critique, change things, draw some short comics.

3. Get art published at least five times before moving any further.

4. Evaluate whether or not you are able to do the writing, toning, inking, and lettering for a graphic novel. Practice whatever you decide to do alone, and practice with any partners you have (see next step for that)

5. Find partner(s) to work with if needed

6. Enter competitions such as Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga competition. If that fails, practice. Enter again. Send work (NOT THE WORK THAT YOU ARE ENTERING) off to publishers. Show professionals your work and ask for critique.

7. Once you have a few footholds in the industry you should start trying to find a publisher or self publish your work. The easiest way to do this is to win or place highly in Tokyopop's RSoM contest, though there are many other ways.

8. Work, and continue to practice. Continue to seek critique and advice. You will not become better without this.


For me my steps are:

1. Read a lot of both normal books and manga. Make mental notes about the story and plot. Find online guides to writing manga. Read sample raw scrips. Continue to write short stories and poems. Read writing books and how to draw manga books (these really do come in handy)!

2. Join deviantART and look for critique for my writing.

3. Write a synopsis some stories, practice writing some scrips, creating characters, settings, and plots.

4. Get published at least 5 times and talk to professional authors, including manga writers.

5. Find an artist to enter the RSoM competition with, continue other work to try to become well known.

6. Get longer work published.

7. Work on manga as a side job while holding a main job in virtual reality programming.


Call me the evil planner if you like, but it helps. I have my life planned out through age 40, and I am 13 now.