In this three part installment we will be talking about the basic steps involved in becoming a legend in the manga industry. Well..okay...so maybe not a legend, but it will at least give you an idea of what you are getting yourself into.

So, how can you be a manga artist? Well, that's a rather broad question. Are you asking what it takes to *be* a manga artist, or specifically how to get published? With a published manga artist on staff, she can tell you from experience there's a lot more to it than simply being able to draw. You need to be able to "sell yourself" as a complete package to a publisher, know how to communicate with your readers (both through your story and in person...), have a professional attitude, and a lot of patience.

Basically, first you need to have your own book. This requires these steps:

1. Write a solid story - Whether it's a 6 issue mini series, or a 2000 page monstrosity is up to you. But you need to WRITE IT DOWN. If you have someone else writing for you, then make sure they know how to write a story script. It's written like a play, with each panel described, then the dialog following. Like this:

PANEL 3 They get into the classroom and Michael is immediately called up to the front by the teacher.

Teacher: "Michael, could you come here for a second?"

Yumei (under her breath): "Busted!"

PANEL 4 As Yumei walks to her seat, Michael talks to the teacher.

Michael: "I assume this is in reference to my copius amounts of detention time?"

PANEL 5 Yumei looks around, and notices that neither Guru or Yoji are in class that day.

Yumei: "That's weird, both Guru and Yoji are absent today."

PANEL 6 She rests her head in her hand and relaxes.

Yumei: "Maybe I can finally get a little peace and quiet."

Having story ideas is one thing, but if you can't write them down into a solid story, or even just plot outlines, then they aren't going to do you any good. Also, only write one complete issue (or chapter) at a time. Don't skip around. You might already have an idea for something that happens further along in the story, but trust us, it will be a BETTER story if you keep your writing chronological. It will also make more sense to the readers, because they aren't familiar with the world in your head, and need a steady guide.

2. Draw the storyboard - This is where you sketch out what the actual page will look like. Draw each panel as if you were drawing stillshots of a movie. Move the camera around, up and down, and near and far. Tilt it occassionally too. A good rule of thumb is 5-9 panels per page.

3. Draw the story pages - It is important to have a good idea what the characters look like, but don't spend a lot of time on character designs. You'll find that what you draw for a pinup versus how you draw the characters when they're actually supposed to be doing something will be very different. It's more important to be able to show expression and movement than it is to make them "look cool". Don't skimp out on the backgrounds, not only does it not help establish the world your characters live in, but it shows that you're lazy.

If you can draw an entire issue without losing interest, then you might have what it takes to be a professional manga artist. Most people give up about half-way through when they realize just how much work it is.

Stay tuned for the next update where we cover the "dos and don'ts" of building your portfolio for an editor to review.