
In this section, you will learn how to create a short story using a "12 questions method". This method is a simplification of the complex thinking process of professional Manga Artists. You can easily create a story outline by just answering “12 questions”. Now, let's dive into the story world with me and enjoy creating the short story in this way!
The famous "5W and H Questions" is good enough for writing reports and diaries, but not enough if you want to draw manga or write scripts. Because it lacks two elements: emotion and growth. And if you use my "12 Questions Method" form, you can easily create a story outline by adding those two. Experience the fun of creating a story with this method I propose!
Many of the students I taught in university lamented that storytelling was difficult. In fact, however, it's not that storytelling was difficult, it's just that they didn't know what they should tell or shouldn't tell, and didn’t know the right order to tell. So, to solve them, I came up with "12 Questions Method". By using this method, anyone can easily know what to tell and in what order.
l explain what "12 Questions" means. Fill out the answers on the form you downloaded. Write specific answers instead of vague answers. The last three questions are especially important, so think carefully and answer them. Once you've written everything, you're ready to create a story outline.
There are various character designs in manga. I explain some of them briefly. If you draw manga, decide your own design. If you write just scripts, you can skip this video and go on.
Create a story outline by sorting the answers on the form you downloaded. If you draw manga, draw it on this form. If you write scripts, add a little more detail.
Show your work to others to gain objective feedback, finish projects, and gain momentum toward faster improvement through public sharing.
Focus on main point, told as question A; express emotions with questions B, E, I, and K; show growth from G to A to deepen character understanding in manga.
What is the most important thing to create a story?
The theme? The content of the story?
You can find them in many instructional books. But at least that's not how we Japanese manga artists see it. Of course, I'm not saying that you don't need a theme or a story, but there is a more important thing to consider first.
That's "THE CHARACTER".
Many beginners fail because they think too hard about their theme or story without thinking about the Character. I’m so excited to share this knowledge with you here on Skillshare!
“Think of the Character”, it's easy to say, but it's actually vague, and you don't know how to think of it, do you? So, in this class, I will share with you The Resume Method that I used in my university classes, and I will teach you specifically how to create a Character. This method allows you to concretely understand your Character, and it allows them to begin to move freely within your story. This method is very effective not only for manga, but also for short stories and scripts, and even illustrations.
Explore why characters drive manga appeal over themes or stories, using a Karuta championship scenario and the character's resume to make readers feel like real friends.
Craft a character resume to reveal your protagonist's age, job, weaknesses, strengths, and purpose, and outline the story from their perspective in this manga method.
Discover how character naming and inner design influence growth, showing readers a protagonist who evolves through consistency, courage, and hard-won lessons from adversity.
Explore how to craft a manga protagonist by asking the 12 questions, detailing a reunion with a brother after 10 years, including triggers, emotions, and overcoming language barriers.
Design your protagonist by choosing any style, then plan a drawing order—from rough outline to facial features—checking balance and refining as you ink.
Reflect on your protagonist, formulate the enemies and a friend, and fill their resumes to drive a 12-panel story toward longer episodes and serialized manga.
Curious about story-making, but don't know how to do that?
Join this course and feel the basic structure of the story!
Japanese Manga Artist Naomasa Matsuda welcomes and encourages you, and shows you the entrance to the fun of story creation. You need nothing about any experience or knowledge of it.
In the first section, you will learn how to create a short story using "The 12 Questions Method". This method is a simplification of the complex thinking process of professional Manga Artists. You can easily create a story outline by just answering the “12 questions”. What is the most important thing to create a story? The theme? The content of the story? You can find them in many instructional books. But at least that's not how we Japanese manga artists see it. Of course, I'm not saying that you don't need a theme or a story, but there is a more important thing to consider first. That's "THE CHARACTER". Many beginners fail because they think too hard about their theme or story without thinking about the Character.
In the second section, I will share with you "The Resume Method" that I used in my university classes, and I will teach you specifically how to create a Character. This method allows you to concretely understand your Character, and it allows them to begin to move freely within your story. This method is very effective not only for manga, but also for short stories or scripts. You will analyze the protagonist of "The Gruffalo", "Pokémon", and "Naruto".
In the final section, you will create a protagonist's "Resume", and then apply my "12 Questions Method" to them. The outline of your short story will be now complete.
Now, let's dive into the story world with me and enjoy creating the short story in this way. See you in the course!