How to make a story interesting
First, when developing a story, it is very important to set characters. Think about characters' characteristics carefully first and foremost. What the characters' personalities are like, what purpose they act with and so on.
If setting characters are well-set, a story develops automatically. It's like a situation that characters move spontaneously.
Make efforts to make a story more interesting by its structure and the way to write it.
Make the opening interesting
An opening is important for story manga. Readers don't read on if they think the story boring. Think about how to appeal to readers and make an opening scene. Make a story look mysterious or surprising? Which scene is used for an opening? ...etc. Also, in the opening, it is important to make a lead character stand out as a lead character and recognizable.
Drop an advance hint
It is to give readers beforehand the information that is used later. Show props, lines or characters' actions etc. impressively to readers in the scenes. However, it is important to make them look as natural as possible for readers. It is ideal that readers find the information (the advance hint) out later, and say like “That was the advance hint."
Highlight characters
It is important to make characters stand out by describing their actions or reactions that make the best use of their personality. Additionally, you can make an episode to do that.
Make one's lines short
If lines in a manga are too long, speech balloons take up too much space and it becomes hard for one to read. Therefore, make one's lines in a manga as short as possible. In order to do that, it is necessary to organize the important information in the line and make lines appropriately. Also, lines show the character's personality, situation (mind), relationship with one who the character talks to and so on. When coming up with lines, consider several patterns.
Practice
Draw a scene that a character waits for another. They meet and have a short conversation. Change the character (their personality etc.) and draw different patterns
Each pattern: 200 to 400 words
For example: If the character waiting had a short temper?
If the character waiting was a worrier?
Describe characters' personality etc. by their lines or motions.
Japanese
第8回 スト-リーを創る －お話を作る－
面白くする工夫
・まず、ストーリーを展開させて行く上で大切なのは、キャラクターがしっかり出来ているかどうかです。主人公たち（キャラクター）がどんな性格で、どんな目的を持って行動して（生きて）行くのかしっかり考えましょう。それが出来ていれば、物語は自然と転がって行きます。よく「登場人物が勝手に動いてくれる」という状態です。
・ストーリーの組み立て方、書き方で、より面白さを増す工夫（演出）をしましょう。
オープニングを面白く！
ストーリまんがは出だしが大事です。とにかく「面白そうだ」と思わせないと、読み進めてもらえません。謎めいた事を感じさせたり、驚かせたり、どの場面から始まったら読者の興味をひけるのか、よく考えてオープニングシーンを作ろう。
それと、主人公を主人公として目立たせ、認識させるのもオープニングの役目です。
伏線を張る！
後の展開で使うための情報を、前もって読者に見せて（伝えて）おくことです。小道具やセリフ、行動など、読者の印象に残るように見せておきます。ただし展開上、不自然じゃなく入れられるかどうかがミソ。後から考えて「ああ、アレが伏線だったのか」と言うのが理想的です。
キャラクターをたてる！
登場人物の性格・人間性を行かした行動や、リアクションで目立たせる事が大切です。また、そうする為のエピソードを作ったりします。
セリフは短く！
まんがのセリフが長いと、物理的にフキダシスペースを大きく取られますし、読者からしても読みづらくなります。ですので、まんがの中のセリフは、できるだけ短くしましょう。
その為に、そのセリフで使えるべき情報を整理し、的確にセリフ作りをする必要があります。
また、セリフの言いまわしで人柄や状況（心理）、会話する人物との関係性等、種々な事を読者に伝えられます。
セリフを考える時には、いくつものパターンを考えてみましょう。
Written by Lucky UematsuTranslated by zmi
