Manga falls under the umbrella of book publishing, so this is the best place to start when considering steps for one’s career. Publishing is often thought to be an industry ruled by experience, and this is true; folks hoping to establish themselves must be willing to work their way up and learn the ins and outs of the industry as they go. Because publishing is also a field in flux, accommodating new technology and changes in how media is consumed, some skills can only be learned on the job. Additionally, working with editors and authors requires more situational experience and social skills than textbook knowledge. Publishing is very much so a team sport.
Publishing isn’t exclusively a creative industry. Understanding how the business side works improves one’s chances when it comes to competing for the highly-sought-after openings with publishers. Pursuing a degree in English or creative writing will build basic techniques, particularly for editors, but programs that focus on publishing will put candidates for internships and jobs at a distinct advantage. Publishing courses are designed to balance the creative and business aspects of the industry and have more specialization for the skills behind the books.
An undergraduate or graduate degree in publishing is not for everyone. Individual courses or certificate programs are also viable options. Check with local adult/community learning centers, community colleges, and libraries for classes on writing, editing, design, or programming. Many colleges and universities offer non-credit opportunities for individual courses, depending on space availability. These resources may also provide opportunities for studying Japanese, which, though not required in all positions in manga, is certainly a boon. Editorial isn’t the only route to consider, either; degrees in programs such as graphic design, marketing and advertising, or software programming may lead to jobs in different departments that serve just as important a role in getting manga into the hands of its readers.
Candidates should be familiar with commonly-used programs of the industry. Designers and letterers should know their way around Photoshop, inDesign, Quark, and/or Microsoft Publisher. Editors should have formal experience with copyediting and proofreading, as well as at least a basic understanding of Japanese. Translators should, of course, be fluent in Japanese and also have moderate to high writing skills.
Publishing is a tough field to break into, and positions within the manga sphere are especially limited. Some imprints employ only a dozen or so people in their manga department. Self-taught skills and reading books on publishing alone will not guarantee entry into the industry. Certification and/or degree(s) will increase those odds, as will relevant work experience and professional portfolios. Having contacts within the publishing industry is also huge; though skills are ultimately what get people hired, a recommendation from a trusted employee can be the foot in the door one needs to move one’s resume to the top of the stack.
Internships are the most important entries on a resume when pursuing entry-level positions in publishing. Education, certification, and/or freelance work are all considered as well, but internships in a comparable office setting catch hiring managers’ attentions as qualifiers of competitive candidates. Don’t set your heart only on one kind of internship; experience across different types of publishing or writing fields (books, magazines, newspapers, online media, libraries, etc.) and departments (editorial, marketing, design, etc.) builds a foundation that will give you skills and connections to qualify you for more selective positions.
Much of manga publishing is outsourced to freelancers, particularly in translation, graphic design/cleanup, and lettering. Employees occasionally move into full-time positions from freelance or temporary work, and experience directly with manga or comics can only help. Keep an eye out for advertisements that publishers are seeking freelancers, which they may announce through social media outlets or on their website. Cold contact is also an option, in which freelancers contact the publisher directly with a cover letter, resume, and, if applicable, samples of their work. Some publishers may have tests or other requirements to review candidates’ abilities before officially hiring.
Here’s a breakdown of different capacities in which folks can work in the publishing industry, particularly for manga, and what skills will determine which candidates get job offers:
Editorial
Degree Program Options: English, Creative Writing, Publishing, Editing, Japanese
Editorial is the bread and butter of literary pursuits, so courses are more likely to be available for editing in general English programs as well as specialized publishing programs. Creative writing workshops and seminars are some of your best options, as you’ll largely be working in a peer review setting with hands-on experience in line editing. Copyediting and proofreading are often built into this as well, and if these skills are taught in their own individual classes, take them. Many hiring managers for editorial positions pass over resumes without copyediting skills. A degree in Japanese language entails extensive work in translation and writing, which is hugely beneficial for careers editing content originally written in Japanese.
Certificate Options: Copyediting (Chicago Manual Style primarily, as AP style is used more for newspapers), Proofreading, Editing, Japanese
Copyediting and proofreading are the more clinical half of editing, looking into mechanical skills such as spelling and punctuation, grammar, and maintaining house style. Each publisher has its own list of rules, a “style sheet” that designates preferred usage (American spellings versus British, punctuation inside or outside of quotation marks, etc.), but familiarity with copyediting markings and programs, and especially with the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), plus certified experience or coursework, is the crown jewel of an editorial-bound resume.
Programs to Know: Microsoft Office (especially Word, Outlook, and Publisher), Adobe PDFs (Acrobat/Reader), inDesign
Editorial mostly works in word processing programs like Word or Pages, PDFs, and e-mail. Knowledge of Track Changes in Word and how to make editorial corrections in PDFs are necessities for editors. Though editors may not work as much with programs like Publisher or inDesign, it’s good to have a basic knowledge of their functions.
Miscellaneous Resources: FTP sites, Purdue Owl
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites are frequently used for, as the name suggests, transferring files from one computer to another. Services like Dropbox or WeTransfer are commonly used, and some offices will have folders on the network that connect via the internet, or individual websites.
For last-minute editorial queries and miscellaneous notes in instances where you don’t want to thumb through the thousand-or-so pages of CMS, check out the Purdue Owl, a quick and easy resource for grammatical guidelines.
Marketing and Publicity
Degree AND/OR Certificate Program Options: Publishing, Marketing, Advertising, Graphic Design, Web Design, Communications, Event Planning
Marketing and publicity departments don’t thrive on general English degrees the way editorial departments do, but there’s also a wide range of degree options that will lead to successful careers in these capacities. Publishing programs are again a solid foundation for general understanding of the industry, many of which offer courses specifically in book marketing and publicity. Marketing and advertising degrees may be general programs, but because these skills are applicable to so many fields, the degree sets a solid foundation and customization options for applying these concentrations to publishing are readily available. Positions may also involve designing promotional materials or web content, running social media sites, interacting with audiences and customers, and arranging public appearances, convention appearances, or general travel. Because there are a number of approaches to a successful career in marketing or publicity, employees’ backgrounds and experience also cover a wide range.
Programs to Know:
Depending on what part of marketing and/or publicity candidates are interested in, programs to be familiar with vary. Traditional positions in these departments tend to require employees to be a jack of all trades, with general familiarity with Word processors, art and design programs, and database entry (for interns and entry-level positions, this is generally incorporated into training, as publishers don’t always use the same programs). In particular, marketing and publicity hopefuls should be familiar with a variety of e-mail and calendar programs like Microsoft Outlook or even Google Drive for on-the-go planning and contact. Social media proficiency and communications are also good fields to place your focus.
Miscellaneous Resources: Google Drive, Newsletters, Social Media
Social media websites and Google Drive may not be industry-specific programs, but knowing one’s way around them makes for a marketing or publicity multitask master. Newsletters may seem a bit old-school as well, but keeping in touch with fans and customers via e-mail can be a surprisingly effective tactic for keeping your company at the forefront of their minds.
Sales
Degree AND/OR Program Options: Sales, Business, Communications
Sales isn’t the most creative department in publishing, but it is the backbone of the business. Sales manages a lot of customer service and orders and manages relationships with distributors like bookstores and comic book shops. These positions work extensively in databases and catalog systems. Having a good head for business and a patient and cheerful demeanor will get candidates far. Strengthen your resume with experience directly in the sales field, or in business and communications.
Programs to Know:
Sales departments work primarily through e-mail and databases. Because each publisher has its own systems in place, training for individual programs generally comes with internships and entry-level positions. Sales hopefuls should also be comfortable with phone calls and verbal communication.
Miscellaneous Resources: Retail and customer service
Common first jobs or part-time work help more than people realize, because experience in retail and/or customer service lays the groundwork for success in sales. Working in a bookstore especially will actually shoot you to the top of the list when publishers are looking to hire sales candidates, because you not only have experience in the field working with customers, but also with trends and techniques in bookselling specifically.
Art/Design
Degree Program Options: Publishing, Graphic Design, Web Design, Art/Illustration
Certificate Options: inDesign, Photoshop, Web Design, Graphic Design
A wide variety of art programs will prepare designers and letterers. Graphic design, digital design, and book and/or magazine layout and design coursework is ideal. inDesign is all but the industry standard in this department, so even a certificate in that program alone will give a freelancer’s resume appeal. Thorough knowledge of various graphic design programs, including some web design, creates the ultimate advantage for in-house designers. Some math coursework can help calculating trim size, spine widths based on paper weight and page count, and cover and layout designs. Members of the art department should also have experience with physical art and prints, and some understanding of paper and ink/color quality and selection.
Programs to Know: Adobe Creative Suite (especially Photoshop, inDesign, and Acrobat/PDF), Quark, Microsoft Publisher
Again, if you’re freelancing, inDesign is the one program to invest in. For in-house design and art team members, it’s still the core program, but some departments do use Publisher or Quark, so it’s good to have knowledge of these as well. Most finished products are submitted as inDesign and PDF print files. In instances of retouching, lettering, etc., Photoshop is, much like inDesign, expected knowledge. Illustrator is an excellent program for working with vectors, as well.
Miscellaneous Resources: DaFont, Blambot
Some publishers, schools, or offices may have access to Adobe’s Font Folio, a collection of thousands of font faces, but for the individual designer or smaller company, the $2500 price tag may be off-putting. Many publishers will have designated font faces that are used for all of their titles (Anime Ace and Anime Ace 2 are some of the most common choices for manga). For font options that don’t come built into your word processor or design program, check out affordable and industry-recognized resources like DaFont or Blambot.
Production
Degree Program Options: Publishing, Editing, Graphic Design, Communications, Business, Sales
Certificate Options: inDesign, Copyediting (Chicago Manual Style primarily, as AP style is used more for newspapers), Proofreading, Editing, Graphic Design
“Production” means something different in every publishing house. For some, it leans more towards editorial, working with copyediting and proof review; for others, the position is design-oriented, focusing on paper and ink/color quality and layout; for still others, production departments are all but removed from the creative aspect and deal more with the business side of coordinating with printers and press files. This is another department where being a jack of all trades never hurt anyone. Knowledge of publishing continues to be the winning ticket, however, regardless of what stage of book creation the production team is managing.
Programs to Know: Microsoft Office (especially Outlook, Excel, and Publisher), Adobe Creative Suite (especially inDesign, Acrobat/PDF, and Photoshop)
Again, depending on what capacity a particular publisher’s production team fulfils, candidates may need to be more familiar with design programs. In general, however, production hopefuls can bank on e-mail and communication skills, database knowledge (which is generally included in training for internships and entry-level positions, as every publisher uses its own programs), and an understanding of PDF files. Working with calendars, particularly through Outlook, and proficiency with spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel, Numbers for Mac, or even the free option from Google Drive, is also a great way for candidates to set themselves apart, as one of the core elements of production is scheduling.
Miscellaneous Resources: FTP sites, Purdue Owl, Google Drive
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites are frequently used for, as the name suggests, transferring files from one computer to another. Services like Dropbox or WeTransfer are commonly used, and some offices will have folders on the network that connect via the internet, or individual websites.
For last-minute editorial queries and miscellaneous notes in instances where you don’t want to thumb through the thousand-or-so pages of CMS, check out the Purdue Owl, a quick and easy resource for grammatical guidelines. Because Google Drive is a free option, it’s a good resource for candidates looking to up their proficiency with organizing files, designing spreadsheets, and managing e-mails and a calendar. It’s not necessarily used within the workplace, as more publishers are apt to have Microsoft Office or Mac equivalent programs in place, but for working from a personal computer, Google Drive is a solid (and free!) choice.