This is a good read.
It's an interesting premise and the art in this is absurdly good. Like, crazy crazy good. The dialogue makes me want to think a lot more The story direction is pretty interesting as well and some of the characters are very fun to see and follow along with. Keyword, some.
The problem?
My absolutely biggest problem with this manga is that some of the characters feel like one-dimensional or outright... useless. Characters like Miake for example are stellar, very interesting character to follow and are entertaining. Someone like Wakaba or Hanaichi though? Quite frankly, they're too perfect as characters. You're telling me they're doing all that drawing, while doing another job? The only problem I really felt was relevant to the story is that they needed to improve in making manga. Do you remember Iroha? Where did that plot go? Hanaichi's sister would've been a good character to focus on too since both Iroha and her have something to do with his past, would've liked to explore it a bit more, not just some panels that come out of nowhere every once in a while. A lot of the side characters also don't really go anywhere, like that dude who likes moe, and the aforementioned Iroha. This made it so I kinda just made a straight face the whole time while reading it, because I don't really have that much, or any emotional investment to the characters for the most part.
Why did I stick with it though?
There's a very special thing that made me stick with it even though I had this many problems with the characters. It is when Barazono-sensei was reading the first manga those two created. The manga changed from a gloomy atmosphere to a bright one as an intentional decision. I thought that maybe it is going to be the same as thing manga. As the characters improve their drawing, their writing, their manga, so does the manga that WE'RE reading now. So when Barazono joins the team in the manga, it would also make the plot of THIS manga better. Or if Wakaba improved her art, the art from THIS manga would also become better and detailed. Does that make sense?
Don't let my review deter you from trying it.
It is obviously not finished, and I also obviously have no idea what the intentions of the author has for this series. This is just a review from a casual reader that likes to try and see in between the lines once in a while.