Over the years, anime fans have often been able to see in the media something like, "This novel is finally animated!" "The theatrical version of that popular manga will be released this summer!" It can be said that works adapted from original works such as light novels & manga have shown a trend of flooding. In the face of such a situation, I believe that many people will have the idea of "I want to be the original author too".

In Japan, there are many manga newcomer awards, light novel newcomer awards, and so on, and many manga artists and writers we know so far have participated in these competitions and made a name for themselves, bringing many excellent works to the ACG world today. However, behind the glamorous, we must also realize that for newcomers to succeed in this field, it can be described as "difficult to Shu and difficult to go to the sky". So if you want to create a work that is recognized by the public, where should you start? Recently, some Japanese media have written an article on this topic, interviewing well-known people in the industry and exploring the secret of success from their mouths. If you have friends who hope to engage in this industry in the future, you may wish to read on!

[What is the work pursued by the editor?] 】

In the creation type of contest, how do the judges view the entries made? What kind of work are they after? In this regard, the reporter successively visited the editorial department in charge of light novels, shoujo novels and shoujo comics, and interviewed three professionals (all women) who are in charge of compilation.

◎ Light Novel (Fami-tong Bunko Compilation Department) Edited by Editorial A

── What kind of protagonist do you think is the best?

A: The main group of light novel readers is men in their teens or twenties. In order to make the characters in the work feel like they are being substituted, I think it's best to set the main characters as junior high school and high school boys.

- Uncle or girl?

A: If the characters you create are very attractive, then of course the author can set them as he pleases. However, it is difficult to win the attention of young male readers from the perspective of a girl or an uncle, so it becomes very difficult to create a story.

-- What do you mean by "charismatic characters"?

A: This is a one-size-fits-all question. For example, the light novel "The Correct Use of Dogs and Scissors" once won the Grand Prize and was animated. And the secret of the success of this work lies in the creation of the characters. The protagonist is a guy who loves books like his life, but he is killed by robbers because of an accident. However, because of his fanatical obsession with reading, he was able to possess a dog and be resurrected...... Generally speaking, if you suddenly become a dog, you will think, "Why did you have to become a dog?" "Can you still become a human?" But the first thought of this protagonist is actually "How can you read books when you become a dog?" Since most light novel readers have their own favorite works, this character also resonates with them when he becomes a dog.

For another example, "The Buried Treasure of Dragon Lady 777", which won the award after this work, is set on an artificial island where countless "treasures" are buried, with many colorful characters. Needless to say, the characters of this work are set in a location that allows the characters to go on a rampage and be active.

-- In order for a character to be successful, the way they behave and speak must also be eye-catching.

A: That's right. Not only the setting, but I think the work also needs a stage that can show the charm of the characters and make the characters come to life. On the other hand, it would be better if these characters were able to make people feel that they "lived" in the author's mind. Reading a work like this, we can get a glimpse of what kind of life the writer will take when the work is finished.