r/writing•
Platinum-Scroll

Lost on how i should aproach to learn story structure or plot planning for comics

Beginner Question

So i have been trying to make this one shot for a manga and my resources tend to be from what i find on books (like save the cat, mckee story) and classes on youtube (like sanderson).

But when i read and analyze many famous manga one shots it seems that the plot is structured in a different way despite having it's pattterns. Like there is always a twist that gives a reinterpretation of the whole story. Maybe it's because they are short stories?

I also just don't understand very well where i should focus since this is a visual storytelling.
I keep trying to remake my outline of the plot but there is always a screw up like the twist killing the whole meaning of the story or the characters having 0 emotional change.

Am i worrying too much for something that is only the plot structure?
I already made some mangas with some punchlines, nothing too deep and very few pages. But besides having a setup and a punchline, i have never executed a more broader plot for a manga.

To even make things worse i feel like writting just seems this vague thing compared to drawing where nobody agrees about fundamentals.

Anyways this ended up being more of me venting off but if possible i would like to request for advice.

Posted Jun 4, 2026, 12:50 AM UTC

02
Loading comments…