Shonen Jump has finally taken some much needed steps to boost compensation for its creators. The editorial department announced a significant change to its minimum manuscript fees, signifying a big step toward improving the working conditions for creators.
Creators contributing to WSJ can look forward to an increase in their earnings from next month. From November 2024, the increased prices will apply to serialized and one-shot works published in the magazine.
The editorial team clarified in a statement posted on the magazine’s official X account that the cost hike was based on income from print and digital magazine sales.
The new minimum manuscript fees are 20,900 yen per page for monochrome and 31,350 yen per page for color. This is an increase from prior costs of 18,700 yen for monochrome and 28,050 yen for color.
The initial manuscript submission fee for new creators will be 20,900 yen. It was also stated that if competitors offer higher rates, decisions will be made with input from the editorial staff.
Additionally, the pay distributions for original narrative writing and illustration will be set by discussion among the creators.
Creators working on first-time serializations will receive a 500,000 yen preparation allowance. The division acknowledged that writing fees will rise annually for series which continue beyond their first year.
The writing department also explained that the a year exclusive contract that was previously offered at the beginning of publishing is now optional. “It is not something that has to be automatically agreed upon,” the department stated, giving creators more leeway.
The release also detailed the new Jump GIGA fees. The minimum manuscript fee for this publication has been established at 13,200 yen per page for colorized works and 19,800 yen for shade pages.