*Phew, I haven't updated in a long while!  Anyhow, on the forum a user asked:

"i'm planning on writing and drawing my own manga is there any advice that you could give me on how to make it appealing to people?"

And my response:

Tell a story that YOU truly want to tell.

Put your effort into a story you'd enjoy working on and would like to read rather than one tailored to another person's preference. Like the saying goes, "Different strokes for different folks." Some people might love your story and get commemorative tattoos; others might use it for toilet paper. Pay no heed to potential readers for now. A hi-quality story will always appeal to someone. But if no one wants to read it, at least it's something you can be proud of--and the extra practice will never hinder your future.

Be original, be inspired, be daring.

If the story you want to tell has been done before, why re-tell it? Can you do it better than the previous incarnation? People say Hollywood is dead because it seems like only remakes of old movies are being produced. Don't go Hollywood.

Sometimes the going is slow when creating. That's fine. There will be moments of dazzling enlightenment soon enough when you'll search madly for a computer, typewriter or quill in ink to jot down your thoughts. Sometimes it's best to let the story come to you rather than force it out. When stuck, don't rely on cliches to get you through to the next page. Be patient. Get outside, talk a walk, see a friend, relax a while and open yourself up to whatever inspiration the world has for you.

Don't adhere to the confines of "typical" stories floating around nowadays. Don't skimp on the details or the dirt if a better story they will make. If you have to choose between the "more difficult-more impressive" and the "easier-less impressive," go the former route. Practice until the "more difficult-more impressive" becomes second nature. Do not allow yourself to settle for anything less than a display of your fullest potential.

Share.

To elaborate on what Johnni said earlier, not going the road alone will make things easier and hopefully more productive. Find someone whose insight you value, whose honesty is unquestioned and whose interest in good storytelling matches your own. It's important to step back from your work at times and ask for another's opinion. When we stare at something too long it loses it's freshness and the mistakes are harder to see.

I experience this often with my artist. She is one of the most talented and dedicated people I've ever known but when she's worked 20 hours straight sometimes she'll gloss over a detail on the page. No biggie, I mention it to her, she laughs and then we move on. Same thing for my writing. She'll catch twenty mistakes that I never even knew existed.

The best part of sharing is the encouragement you will receive. If your friend grows excited because of the progress you're making, you'll feel energized and re-inspired to keep chugging along. A manga is a huge endeavor and we all need some extra mojo at times.

Be prepared.

There will always be critics. The moment you make your work available for consumption they have free reign to say whatever they want. No guarantee of critical acclaim is guaranteed any artist or writer. So protect yourself with your best effort. Make something you can proudly stand by. If you can spot something half-assed, there's no doubt others will see it as well. When you've done the best you can, there are no what-if's or I-should-have's. Take comfort in that fact.

Think of this first story as a stepping stone. Just be sure to keep walking forward and you'll be all right.