How does someone become a manga writer in Japan?
Q. Japan has a number of manga digests with various stories from different authors. How does the submission process work for most manga publishers, and is it a different process from US or UK publishers? Do these companies accept new writers or do they require a writer with a track record? Do the majority accept finished stories from a writer/artist group or do some have an in-house artist that works with submitted scripts? Are there any guides on the subject of being published in the manga industry?
Asked by Tim - Wed Jun 25 11:59:44 2008 - - 3 Answers - 1 Comments

A. I'm not sure if this will help at all, but Tokyopop, one of the biggest manga publishers, has contact information on their website (www.tokyopop.com) where you could send an email to their Associate Publisher. They might have some more detailed information about submissions and submission guidelines that you could read/peruse. They also have a publication called "The Rising Stars of Manga" that may have been developed from their online pool of members -- I know the Tokyopop website has a lot of fan art and fan fiction, so that might be a place to start.
Answered by ragdoll - Wed Jun 25 12:08:24 2008

What do publishers think about a writer changing genres?
Q. After a writer has published a few books of the same genre, how much will the publisher care if the writer wants to write in a different genre? Will it matter more if the writer is switching to a complete different genre such as mystery/thriller to romance? Is it better to make a small change such as fantasy to science fiction? If the writer does switch between different genres, will the readers be more likely to turn away from the books or will they be more interested in reading the books due to the writers versatility?
Asked by Runner - W.C. - Mon Nov 12 20:22:47 2007 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Some publishers care; most don't. Many writers simply change their nom de plum for other genre to solve the problem. I don't. I use my real, honest to goodness name for everything I write. It doesn't seem to make much difference at all because, I believe, the readers are not put off that I write in several different genre and tend to cross genre in many of my books. On the other hand, I think there are some advantages to writing under a different name for certain things. I wouldn't want my name associated with erotica. Not because I think there is anything wrong with erotica but because readers develop expectations after a while from a specific name and would be put off if I did that. Am I right? I don't know, but I am sure I don't [cont.]
Answered by orbitaldata - Mon Nov 12 21:00:43 2007

As an aspiring writer, what is the best way to go about finding an agent?
Q. I'm an aspiring writer, who will soon be submitting some short stories off for review. I've been studying the Writers Market like a bible for the last few months. Eventually I hope to move onto novels. Has anyone here been published? If so, how did you go about finding your agent? What, exactly, was the process that you underwent the first time you were published? Any information useful for an aspiring writer would be most helpful. Thanks!
Asked by Joseph F - Tue Mar 20 14:31:55 2007 - - 17 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Currently I'm averaging about one magazine article a month and would like to begin work on a book shortly as well. My focus is non-fiction however, so this may not be as targeted to those looking into finding an agent for a novel. I'm also a year away from finishing my MFA, so I'm taking insight and advice from that source as well. Two books I'd strongly suggest you read as you begin to look into getting an agent and getting published are Noah Lukeman's 'The First Five Pages' and 'Making a Literary Life' by Carolyn See. This will be a real asset for you; there are links to both authors below. I'd talk to all of the editors and publishers you are working with. They "swim" in this industry daily and will be able to direct you towards an… [cont.]
Answered by Andy - Tue Mar 20 15:14:32 2007