Making manga for starters: Putting it all on paper

Since a lot of beginner or even ppl who do have some manga up have this problem I thought this thread may help. ^_^;

How dose one get ideas down on paper. You have drive, story, characters the work.... But how do you start? I'm here to try my best to help you out.



Here’s a good way to start. Make a short summery of what you would like to go on in the first chapter then make a page limit for it. Sine it’s the first chapter it should be a little bit longer then most other chapters. So try and get enough basic info for your story to fill in the page count.

Now that you got an idea of what’s going on you can now find a climax.

Finding a climax: a major event in the story you know where you want to go. Mainly in the first chapter of mangas you get to know the character and how they are. So think of it as a good chance for the reader to try and get in the characters shoes. Then add in the elements of what was in your short chapter 1 summery and bring them in a way to lead to the finally major event.

Example: Here’s a chart. I use this kind of formula a lot.


See in chapter one as it’s kind of steady at first then it gets higher up to the point the climax. And in chapter 2 is on a high still from chapter 1 and you bring that kind of down eating to know what’s happening. After that it’s all you and your story. What do you have planed for your characters? XD


Me? I like to use this for much bigger things like a whole story arc. That way I know the events in each chapter will have a point leading to the main climax in that story arc.


I don’t recommend this way of making a chapter but it’s kind of fun doing it this way. Head diving right into the story by drawing right from your thoughts. Doing it this way can lead to being a little miss directed. So here’s what you do.


You make 3 different versions of the storyboards doing it that way. Doing this can give you an idea on where you want to go and refine what you want to for the story as well. You could also combine what you the storyboards into a chapter that will work.


Wha?! Don’t know how to make a Name(storyboard) cause you don’t know how to make panels?! It’s quite simple friends! Use 3 base panels then go wild. How dose this work? Simple once again!~~~


The first pic shows they used 3 panels but changed where they where placed. The second pic shows they broke up the first base panel into 3 different panels. Base panel 2 and 3 are kind of combined yet they look like they aren’t . (I fail at explaining stuff. ^^;; )


This one is tricky. It doesn’t go by the base 3 rule but it still looks good right? Well, that cause the 3 base “rule” is just for starting out. To get a hang of paneling. Giving what’s going on in the story got to think where bigger or smaller panels make since. The bigger the panel the more you what the reader to look at it. Smaller the panel the less important it is.


All right, I think that’s all I have for now . XD; If anyone wants to add something in that would be awesome! (I fail at explaining things. @_@'" )

Great tutorial! I especially like your tip on paneling.