How to Create a Webtoon with AI: A Step-by-Step Workflow

A webtoon is designed for a phone screen and a vertical scroll, not simply a page comic exported as a long image. The format lets you control reveals with empty space, staggered panels, and changes in scroll speed. AI can help brainstorm, visualize characters, and develop scenes, but you still need to make the decisions that create a readable episode. Here is a practical process for producing a short first chapter without committing to an unmanageable series.

Step 1: Choose a premise that can sustain episodes

Start with a character who wants something specific and a problem that can return in different forms. “A retired moon courier tries to deliver one last letter” gives you an emotional goal, a setting, and possible episode conflicts. Then write the season-level question in one line: what changes if the character succeeds or fails? You do not need every twist yet; you need enough direction to avoid generating disconnected scenes.

Limit the pilot to one introduction, one complication, and one ending hook. The first episode should show the promise of the series, not explain its entire world. A small, finishable chapter also helps you discover how much lettering, art revision, and assembly your format actually requires.

Step 2: Script for a phone screen

Draft a sequence of beats, then turn each beat into a panel or panel group. Label who is speaking and describe only visible action in the image notes. Keep captions and dialogue separate from the art prompt so they remain editable. Read the script aloud: dialogue that is hard to say naturally will usually feel even heavier when readers scroll through it.

Think vertically. A wide establishing panel can set a location; a close-up below it can reveal a clue; a quiet gap can delay the answer. Do not make every panel the same size or place a dramatic reveal immediately after a long explanation. The scroll is a timing tool: reserve some vertical space before a surprise, then place the reveal where the reader must move to see it.

Step 3: Create a character and style guide

Write down the stable visual facts: face shape, hair, outfit, body proportions, palette, accessories, and distinguishing marks. Add a few expressions and poses that suit the character. Choose a style that remains legible on a small display; intricate textures may disappear after scaling down. Make a sample image before producing the full chapter and check it at the size a reader will actually see.

Use the same reference image and stable descriptions for every scene. Change only the pose, expression, camera angle, or environment that the beat requires. AI generators may still vary a face or costume, so review each result and regenerate or correct mismatches. Keep approved images in a reference folder with consistent names rather than relying on a search through old outputs.

Step 4: Generate scenes, not just attractive pictures

For each panel, prompt for one readable action with clear staging: who is in frame, what they are doing, where they are, and what the viewer should notice. If the character must hold a letter, specify its location and orientation. If a panel is a reaction, keep the background quiet enough that the expression reads. Use establishing views to orient readers when the setting changes; otherwise a sequence of beautiful close-ups can be hard to follow.

Work in batches small enough to compare. Review an initial scene, fix the character and art direction, then generate the next group. Keep a simple continuity checklist: face, clothes, props, time of day, light source, and screen direction. If a character exits frame left in one shot and appears to move from the opposite side without a reason, readers may feel the sequence is inconsistent even if the art is polished.

Step 5: Assemble, letter, and test on mobile

Use a webtoon or image-layout tool to stack panels at a comfortable width and preserve the intended gaps. Add speech balloons and captions as editable text, not baked into generated art. Keep a clear reading path, avoid overly small type, and make each balloon tail point to the correct speaker. Recheck that text does not sit on top of a key facial expression or clue.

Preview the episode on a phone-sized screen. Scroll at a normal speed: does a reveal arrive too early? Does an empty gap feel intentional, or like a missing panel? Is any text difficult to read without zooming? Ask a reader who has not seen the script to summarize the episode and tell you where they felt confused. Fix confusing transitions before publishing; readers cannot see your notes.

Step 6: End with a meaningful hook

A cliffhanger does not need to be a sudden danger. It can be a new fact that changes what the character believes, a choice with a cost, or a promise that invites the next episode. Connect the hook to the opening so the pilot feels complete even while it leaves a question open. Then record unresolved questions in your series notes so future episodes pay them off instead of forgetting them.

Use a short production checklist before publishing: title and episode number; readable dialogue; no accidental extra fingers or changed props; consistent character design; image descriptions where useful; and a clear ending. Save your final export and source layout separately so you can make corrections without rebuilding every panel.

Plan the vertical rhythm before drawing

Make a rough scroll map using blank rectangles before you generate finished art. Mark where the reader should pause, where the eye should travel quickly, and where the next panel should create a question. A long gap can create suspense, but empty space without an intended beat may feel like a loading error. Vary spacing sparingly so the effect has meaning. When the location changes, include a visual cue early; a new background alone may not be enough if the character and palette are similar.

Decide how much of the episode is dialogue and how much is visual action. Webtoon readers often scroll at their own pace, so do not depend on a soundtrack or timed cut to explain a silent image. If a scene can be understood only while narration is playing, add a clear visual clue or concise caption. Conversely, avoid writing out every visible action. The strongest panels let image and text contribute different information instead of repeating the same sentence twice.

Check the platform’s current image dimensions and file-size rules before publishing. Keep a high-resolution master, export a test, and inspect it on a phone. Compression can soften thin lines, pale text, and subtle colors, so adjust the source before exporting the remaining episodes.

What AI can and cannot do here

Myria’s AI story generator describes a workflow for generating a narrative from a prompt, reviewing and editing it, selecting visual styles, and creating narrated video. Its visual storytelling tools may help you draft a story or create scene concepts. A vertical webtoon, however, depends on exact panel layout, scroll spacing, and editable speech lettering; confirm the current product workflow meets those needs rather than assuming an AI video export is a webtoon page. You can use Myria for story development and still assemble, letter, and publish the comic in a dedicated webtoon editor.

That separation is useful: let a model propose material, then keep final decisions in your hands. You can also do the entire process without Myria using a text editor, any image tool, and a layout app.

Make a short pilot first

Set a small goal: one character, one location, and one hook. Finish the episode, preview it on a phone, and ask a reader where their attention moved. Sign up for Myria if you want to try its story and visual-generation workflow while planning your webtoon.