Is striving to be a manga ka just a waist of time?

derek3men · (#1 (**permalink**))

My life dream is to be a manga ka, but Im hearing so many negative things about it! I hear the japanese are prejudice, that the pay is unbelievably low, that it may take years to actually get my manga considered to be put into a magazine, and it might not even become popular there! I also hear its exteremely difficult to learn how to write in japanese, and if you dont learn, they wont even consider your works! I would also have to leave america, and go live there, and I really dont have sufficient funds to go there, nor actually pay for a place to live! I really want to be a manga ka, its the only thing Ive ever wanted to do, but sometimes, it feels like Im just waisting my time. Please tell me theres some hope for me.

Kyousuke · (#2 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by derek3men

My life dream is to be a manga ka, but Im hearing so many negative things about it! I hear the japanese are prejudice, that the pay is unbelievably low, that it may take years to actually get my manga considered to be put into a magazine, and it might not even become popular there! I also hear its exteremely difficult to learn how to write in japanese, and if you dont learn, they wont even consider your works! I would also have to leave america, and go live there, and I really dont have sufficient funds to go there, nor actually pay for a place to live! I really want to be a manga ka, its the only thing Ive ever wanted to do, but sometimes, it feels like Im just waisting my time. Please tell me theres some hope for me.

if its what you want to do then just go for it. its my dream to become one as well. right now im doing research and creating things for a manga i plan to send to publishing companies soon. you can also try Tokyopop. they have contests for manga artists every so often id say get started now so when they announce it you'll be ready.

MMM · (#3 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by derek3men

My life dream is to be a manga ka, but Im hearing so many negative things about it! I hear the japanese are prejudice, that the pay is unbelievably low, that it may take years to actually get my manga considered to be put into a magazine, and it might not even become popular there! I also hear its exteremely difficult to learn how to write in japanese, and if you dont learn, they wont even consider your works! I would also have to leave america, and go live there, and I really dont have sufficient funds to go there, nor actually pay for a place to live! I really want to be a manga ka, its the only thing Ive ever wanted to do, but sometimes, it feels like Im just waisting my time. Please tell me theres some hope for me.

The barriers against you becoming a manga-ka have little to do with Japanese prejudice (what are you talking about?) but with the fact that you do not speak Japanese.

If your manga is amazing, it will take 10 minutes for it to be selected to be put in a magazine, but unless you can communicate in Japanese then yes, you are wasting your time.

You sound like you want to be a really good hot dog maker, and are focusing all your energy on the bun, when forgetting that you also have to have the hot dog.

kcyk8703 · (#4 (**permalink**))

I wouldn't say its a waste of time if you're serious about it. Just consider the amount of competition and requirements. Conversational Japanese I would consider the top priority. Next, when it comes to drawing/inking, you need to be more than skilled at character sketching. Backgrounds, consistency, great attention to detail.

Nyororin · (#5 (**permalink**))

I think you`re striving for the wrong thing.
Not that being a mangaka is an impossibility - but rather things have to be done in steps.

First, strive to be a better artist. This is something you should never stop striving for, no matter how good you become.
Then strive to be a better writer - a manga is nothing without a good story.

And while you`re on those, work on Japanese language. Japanese people in Japan speak Japanese. They aren`t going to have too much interest in publishing English language manga, even if it`s great.

There are a lot of things you need to work on before you can really say you`re striving to be a mangaka.

Undertherose25 · (#6 (**permalink**))

Nothing you dream of doing is a waste of time.

As Noyorin says take your dream in steps. Baby steps towards your dream

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.
-Thoreau, Henry David

MMM · (#7 (**permalink**))

Sure, but "dream" is a kind of misnomer, because it implies passivity. If being a manga-ka is more than a "dream" but a GOAL, then there are some things you will need to do to get there.

japangirl32503 · (#8 (**permalink**))

follow your dream!
one step at a time, i draw manga too. you just got to keep trying