Many artists make the mistake of picking up their pen and drawing page one of their manga without any script or plan. This almost always leads to messy pacing, plot holes, and incomplete stories. A successful manga starts with a solid written script, which is then translated into a visual storyboard.Step 1: Write the “Logline” and Plot OutlineA logline is a single sentence that summarizes your entire story.Example: “A young artist discovers a magical pencil that brings his drawings to life, but every drawing drains his life force.”Once you have your logline, write a simple 3-act summary of the beginning, middle, and climax of your story.Step 2: Write the Panel ScriptTranslate your outline into a page-by-page, panel-by-panel script.Page 1, Panel 1: Wide shot of the school gates. Rain is falling.Dialogue (Manga Protagonist): “I’m going to be late again…”Keep your dialogues short. Remember, manga is a visual medium—show, don’t tell!Step 3: Create the “Name” (Storyboard)In the manga industry, the storyboard is called a Name. This is a very rough, fast sketch of your pages using stick figures and simple boxes.Draft your panels and place the speech bubbles.This allows you to check if the text fits perfectly and if the visual storytelling flows smoothly before you spend days drawing clean line art.ConclusionBy planning your story in writing first, you free your mind to focus entirely on the art during the drawing stage. Spend time planning, and your final manga will be incredibly polished!
