I am looking to write manga....but I can't draw (Or how to find an artist when your broke?)

Nogetsune said:

I don't personally know any artists. The second that is with my current financial situation I just don't have the money to hire an artist and that situation does not look like it will change any time soon. As a result, I am turning to those with more experence in this industry for advice. How does one in my situation find an artist to work with them?

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Here's some useful threads you should read (Maybe we can have a sticky thread for FAQs like this):

• I have a question about developing a one off graphic novel? (04-01-2014)
• My novel as a graphic novel (09-17-2013)
• Looking for an illustrator (09-11-2013)
• My girlfriend wants to work on a graphic novel with me - What am I getting into? (06-25-2013)
• My experience finding an artist (03-23-2012)
• So what do you do... (03-10-2012)
• Looking for an artist to work on a new comic! (01-27-2012)
• Finding an Artist (07-14-2011)
• RELIK - Looking for NEW ARTIST! (06-20-2011)
• Should I learn to draw or hire an artist (12-31-2010)
• Artist and Publishers Needed (11-17-2010)
• Lookinf [sic] for an Illustrator (12-22-2009)
• Approaching Artists (11-08-2009)

Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against you as there's a lot more writers seeking cheap or free work than there are willing artists. The majority of people who can produce good sequential artwork will not accept back end pay with a unproven writer. I won't deny you can find cheap artists, but it'll take patience and likely a sacrifice to quality and/or dependability. Your best bet in my opinion is to get involved in the comic community, learning all you can about how things work and getting to know some artists. Years back in some anime and manga forums I used to frequent, members often collaborated for fun, although most projects fizzled out early on as people tended to get distracted or bored.

Nogetsune said:

Will doing some kind of fundraising be inevedable or is there another way that won't demand me comming up with lots of money somehow? If you have any advice for me I would be grateful.

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Crowdfunding done well isn't easy. It takes promotion, connections and a good reputation. Success doesn't end once you raise the money, for you must fulfill your promises/rewards too, and many a Kickstarter or Indiegogo has gone pear shaped because the person running things under estimated costs, especially taxes and shipping. It's my personal observation among my social circle there's a general weariness and wariness regarding comic crowdfunders thanks to blow ups like Sullivan's Sluggers, Gods of Men and Womanthology, and others. Even people who seemed to have it together ended in disappointment.

Though it wasn't part of your question, here are some threads on related topics you might find useful. First, scriptwriting comics:

• New to comics - suggest me some resources? (08-16-2013)
• How To Get Started? (10-10-2011)
• Converting your written novel into a graphic novel (10-22-2011)
• moving from novels to comics (07-02-2011)

Submitting:

• Writing submissions (02-17-2012)

Crowdfunding:

• Promoting a Kickstarter project? (10-20-2011)

You sound like me about 8 years ago. I had stories inspired by anime and manga, wanted to do something, but other than a few things my hands can't draw for shit (shaky, unstable hands).

What did I do? I started writing novels. I didn't want to do manga or anime per say, but craft a story like what I had been reading and watching. And I still do that to this day, and I enjoy it. Storytelling is universal; it doesn't have to be tacked onto a certain medium.

What I recommend is do what all the other people who have manga ideas do: Write light novels. I have a Japanese friend who's in the manga/light novel business (he's a writer, not an artist--like us) and started out on light novels because he could do as close to the anime/manga style of storytelling as possible, with very pressure on the artist (because 5-10% of the work is in the script, 10% into the story, the rest into the art with manga/anime. The reverse for light novels). I would love to see an western light novel (though, the market is as limited as you can get).
Or there's visual novels. You can use Ren'Py as the base, artists to do the drawings and backdrop, perhaps make your own music. This has been rather successful in the niche western market.

Nogetsune said:

Publishers don't take lite novel submissions from "westerners" like myself, and I am in no financial or life situation to uproot and move to Japan. Thus, it is literally impossible for me to go the lite novel route since, well, I'm not Japanese and publishers are only taking Japanese submissions. So as much as I'd LOVE to write lite novels, Osulagh, I can't because I happen to be in the wrong country.

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I never said anything about moving, living, or publishing in Japan. I said exactly, "I would love to see a western light novel".
And, if light novels are impossible for you for the reasons you stated, how is manga possible?

It's untrue that Japanese publishers wouldn't accept a MS because you're western, or a gaijin for that matter. The main blockage is not being able to write in Japanese and tap into the Japanese market.

As to Bicyclefish, I thank you for the advice. So it appears my only option is getting tons of money after all? Darn, that kinda sucks. However, if the only way involves me getting money somehow, I guess I'll just have to suck it up and start researching crowdfunding. Anyway...if I -am- going to go the crowdfunding route, what do you suggest for me? Exactly how much -art- do I need to send along with my scripts to publishers and how much would it cost me if I am paying up front/not using back-end pay? I would need to know this so I can have a target to set when I start fundrasing. In addition, how much art would I need to buy up front/outright to put on the fundrasing page, as I don't think I can have it empty/art-less. Would just a single commission piece from the perspective artist I am trying to hire be enough, or would I need multiple commission pieces done? I ask because I -already- kinda have an artist who is willing to work with me, I just have -no- means to pay him right now....hence why if I started crowdfunding I could potentially get somewhere.

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I suggest against the whole crowdfunding route. As I see it, you're a untested writer who's looking to hire an artist to fulfill their dream--there's not much there for someone to confidently back your wish. I'm not saying you are one, but I've come across dozens of people who have a script or an idea and want to create their "great work" by having other people do 90% of the work, and these people are a dime a dozen--especially on crowdfunding sites.
Why should someone put up the money for your work? I could see if you were a well-selling, well known writer looking to put out a manga, or if you were already working with an artist--and could show good work--and needed funds to polish and publish the work. But you aren't and don't; you're nearly starting from scratch.

Nogetsune said:

As to Bicyclefish, I thank you for the advice. So it appears my only option is getting tons of money after all? Darn, that kinda sucks.

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No.

You have MANY other options. For example:

You could write your books as novels, without illustrations.

You could move on from these ideas, and find something else to write about for now with a view towards coming back to them when you're more experienced.

You could write screenplays instead of comic books.

You could give up writing completely, and move onto some other creative endeavour.

Or you could do any number of other things.

You are so attached to the idea of working these ideas up in one particular way which you don't have the skills to do at the moment: you're putting yourself into an impossible position. Why not be more flexible in your approach, and focus instead on what you CAN do?

You could also learn to draw. It takes patient effort, but it's a learnable skill.

Good art always has a cost. If you want to do "for free", that cost in the time and effort spent learning to draw. If you want to skip the time-and-effort and use an experienced artist, the cost is the $$$ used to pay them for the skills they've learned. And if you want to crowdfund a project, you'll have to take the time to build a platform and sell people on the idea.

Either way, to quote an excellent manga and anime:
"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange."

Nogetsune said:

So it appears my only option is getting tons of money after all? Darn, that kinda sucks.

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It's not your only option, but it's probably the fastest path to a publishable book. As others mentioned, you can learn to draw yourself, often too frustratingly slow an option for people eager to get a comic out, but also a completely viable one. At the very least I strongly encourage you to get involved and learn all you can about the comic business -- how it works, the terminology, etc. -- and read the links I provided if you've not.

Nogetsune said:

However, if the only way involves me getting money somehow, I guess I'll just have to suck it up and start researching crowdfunding. Anyway...if I -am- going to go the crowdfunding route, what do you suggest for me?

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There's a lot of advice out there on how to best run a Kickstarter, and I have my own observational thoughts, but in my opinion the best people to listen to are those who've successfully raised the money and fulfilled rewards to the backers' satisfaction. Thus, I'm going to answer your question with MOAR LINKS.

Spike Trotman ran two anthology Kickstarters and paid every contributor a page rate plus bonuses:

• https://plus.google.com/+CSpikeTrotman/posts/Px8gbwK3qBH
• http://ironcircus.com/shop/home/27-let-s-kickstart-a-comic-pdf-ebook.html

Jason Brubaker created a series of gorgeous hardcover books pretty much on time and provides some information in his blog:

• http://www.remindblog.com/2010/10/14/grassroots-funding-with-kickstarter-com/

Brad Guigar ran a Webcomic Handbook Kickstarter and some of his advice was:

• Set a reasonable goal.
• Answer questions and respond to comments.
• Participate. People will look at how many Kickstarters you’ve backed and use that to help decide whether to back yours.
• Get to the point. There’s nothing worse than trying to slog through a video that takes more time showing you how cute the creator can be with his copy of iMovie. I wanna know who you are, what you’re doing, and why I need to be involved.
• Clear your schedule for the next 30 days. You have a defined window of opportunity, and you need to be completely tuned-in to make this happen.

Tl;dr: Running a good crowdfunding campaign is hard work. Don't underestimate it.

Nogetsune said:

Exactly how much -art- do I need to send along with my scripts to publishers and how much would it cost me if I am paying up front/not using back-end pay? I would need to know this so I can have a target to set when I start fundrasing. In addition, how much art would I need to buy up front/outright to put on the fundrasing page, as I don't think I can have it empty/art-less. Would just a single commission piece from the perspective artist I am trying to hire be enough, or would I need multiple commission pieces done? I ask because I -already- kinda have an artist who is willing to work with me, I just have -no- means to pay him right now....hence why if I started crowdfunding I could potentially get somewhere.

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The more you have done and to show, the better, but there's no set number. Look at other successfully funded and fulfilled (look for happy backers) campaigns for an idea of what people expect. Then read the link "I have a question about developing a one off graphic novel?" in my last post and do the ballpark calculations.

[EDIT] Equally insightful, is to take a look at campaigns that failed: http://www.kickspy.com/browse/all-failed/comics