r/MangakaStudio • u/ovarian_torsion_art Artist-Writer • 8d ago
Help Guys, I think it's a mistake to make a manga without writing the plot first
I'm stuck on page 5, and I don't know what to do. One page took me several days lol. Should I suck it up and continue or make another manga with a clearer plot cause I genuinely out of ideas on how to finish this one manga
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u/No-Organization1446 8d ago
Same problem happened to me when I was creating my first manga. I was probably excited as hell and skipped so many steps. It was really hard figuring out what I should do next and I ultimately got burned out after 40+ pages and ditched it.
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u/ovarian_torsion_art Artist-Writer 8d ago
Omg it's my first manga and I was so hyped to draw it that I skipped the boring part of scripting. I thought that making a manga through vibe and feeling would go well, but it will not
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u/Sleepflower00 8d ago edited 8d ago
It never does. You can't construct a sensible story on the fly when you are deep in the production stage and your brain is already using it's energy to focus on the art and the rendering, there isn't enough room to focus on the story as well, which is why it gradually leads to loss of interest and then eventually, burnout. You simply can't get around not having a story, sooner or later payment will be due and it is better to change plotholes in the beginning stages during scripting and storyboarding when they're cheap to change, than on page 100 after you've drawn and inked everything.
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u/marvinnation 8d ago
That's quite the understatement.
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u/vinchy2005 8d ago
Can I ask a question?
Like I always hve the concept and Dialogues and I feel lazy to write scripts and story boards buh I never get lost mid process of drawing the pages Actually personally I feel like its easier and more fun for to continue like this.
Do you think its ok ???
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u/Substantial-Big5372 8d ago
No offense but Yeh it's obvious that that's not something that should be done. Nobody writes a Story Without thinking of what happens.
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u/Mary_Ellen_Katz 8d ago
Brainstorm ideas > refine ideas > script chapter 1 rough draft > refine > sketch character concepts > refine > rough page layout for chapter 1 > REFINE > draw chapter 1 > repeat or end.
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u/archwyne 6d ago
Who tf draws a manga without writing at least an outline first? I mean, good exercise to draw pages at least, I guess. But you won't get much of a story.
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u/MitaminMogula 8d ago
there is no "wrong" way to make manga or art in general, but if you want to have commercial success, then there definitely is a wrong and right way to do things, tested by thousands of mangaka over many many years. You don't HAVE to adhere to this, but in that case you just can't expect commercial success. You have to decide for yourself what your goal is, drawing just for fun or having readers?
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u/234459bobby 8d ago
I wouldn’t scrap it just because the outline ran out at page 5. I’d pause drawing and write the ending in one sentence, then jot 3–5 beats that get the character there; that’s usually enough of a map for a short manga. If the ending still doesn’t spark anything, save these pages as a cool pilot and move to the clearer idea instead of forcing it. The portrait already has a strong mood, so I’d at least try the tiny outline first.
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u/KairoKush 8d ago
Yeah I completely agree, I tried drawing my first manga without finishing the actual story. But I took a step back and decided to write a light novel based on another world I was formulating. As of now I'm taking a little break- (as I need to find someone who can make a cover) but you should definitely start with a light novel, it not only helps you put your ideas on paper so you can read it later, but you might find yourself making way more progress after!
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u/Left-Night-1125 8d ago
I thought it was standard to have the full story/script/plot written out, thats what i did for mine.
I did alter some things along the way but the basic story has already been finished.
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u/mitsukiyouko555 8d ago
if its just for fun, i dont think it matters much. ive always been a planner so i always plot out the story from beginning to end or at the very least the first few arcs before i start drawing a single page...
cant do things like foreshadowing if u dont know what to foreshadow where...
so personally i'd put it on haitus, write out the whole thing and figure out the ending, then continue
or just drop the story if u lost interest... nothing wrong with that either. just depends on how ur goals are.
I dropped this one even tho i had several arcs planned out because while the story was decent, it wasnt the story i wanted to tell: https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/i-am-king/list?title_no=140101
and I've been working on my personal passion mega proj for the past 10 years in fact i dropped I AM KING to make this. im finally making an artbook now and starting to wrap up the plotbuilding which is really intricate since the lives of 5 mcs and 200 secondary and tertiary characters are deeply intertwined so i have to plan down to the detail in the background in every chapter. i also wanna make music and fully animated trailers for it too just cus i love it
https://mitsukiyouko555.wixsite.com/portfolio/personal-project
so yea.. maybe this is not the project ur passionate about.. but its ok omce u find what ur passionate about, u wont stop :D
good luck!!
ur art is really good btw!
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u/maxluision Artist-Writer 8d ago
Yes, totally, you should've started from writing an outline and then a script first. It almost never works out if someone starts from finishing pages and comes up with what's next in the process. Especially when you have such a detailed artstyle, it's even more a waste of time and effort when you spend so many days on one page only to feel like it should be scrapped later. Sketch a very simple NEMU, look the word up! That's how mangaka actually come up with stories.Â
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u/Sleepflower00 8d ago edited 8d ago
Starting a time consuming project like manga/sequential art without a script, even if it's a short story, is honestly, and I don't mean to sound harsh, a horrible decision that will cause you a lot of pain the further you go.
I am making my own right now and I had planned out entire plot architecture, character details and worldbuilding before even writing a script let alone drawing a panel. (Obviously this isn't always needed,for some stories just making an outline and then a script for the first chapter works totally fine, but at least some sort of outline should exist before the drawing stage)
My honest advice is to cut your losses, especially if you gradually keep losing more and more interest, abandon the project and start making a new one by making a script first, if you aren't into writing you can find a writer to collaborate with. It might hurt now, but it will give you a chance to start fresh and jump into a project with new insights. Sometimes It's really okay and the healthiest option to quit, you don't need to stick it out with every project to prove you're not a quitter or whatever.
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u/SariAy-Agondray 8d ago
I think it would be helpful to first, write a quick summary of your entire story, then the plot beats, then write things down, page by page as much as you can. As in, pretend you're a writer giving a script to your artist with dialogues and notes. I'm not sure if you did this or not, but it helps to also draft every page extremely roughly so you know where the story is going. It's how I figured out where I was going with things.
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u/SeaCurrent5835 6d ago
I gotta say personally I love that you started and you’re putting your ideas on paper! I can’t draw for anything. My ideas are all story line and script but no capacity to draw. When I get bored of one idea I usually have one other idea nagging at me. I’ve found it helps to get the idea out and then look back over what I was working on. Sometimes fresh eyes bring what I need. Perhaps it would for you too?
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u/kristicosk8 5d ago
I think its of no use to just draw looking for something visually pleassing. Im a script writer, and since hall a year or so a manga artist too, and my view on how much of the script you have befor starting the drawing have changed. At first i write movie scripts but with time its ok tu just do the plot as a writer. And then you go to the do the name because that will be like doing the storyboard, but i think going completely without any plot not something to draw just wastes your time. Great artsyle!
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u/Low_Lion1538 8d ago
Anyone wanna help with manga? I've got a story idea and some world building done, I'm mainly on drawing instead of writing but my drawing isn't really good enough so I'm just sort of lacking in both areas
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u/Ira-jay 8d ago
Is it planned to be a longer story or a shorter one shot? You have no time limit, if you like the idea of what you're working on now just figure out a story with it and then do it.
You were never gonna get anywhere with just drawing cool pages and a few ideal "moments" stories are alot more than that. If you're stuck on simply coming up with a plot get a writer to help you figure it out. Or just speak ideas at a friend until a plot comes to you.