Book Excerpt: The Game Writing Guide

gamedeveloper.com:

I wrote this book in fragments across a decade, although I didn’t know I was writing it. It began its life as a short Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) post on my personal website. I posted the FAQ out of desperation when I got buried by requests for information about game-writing: What’s the job like? How do I break into games? What skills do I need? Do I need a degree? Emails pleading for advice arrived every few days, until I was overwhelmed trying to answer them all. I wanted to help, but there was no way I could respond to all the messages individually. So instead, I sat down and scribbled out some high-level advice. I covered the basics of the job and offered some general tips for breaking into the industry. I posted it and pointed hopefuls in its direction. They got help; I got my time back. Everyone was happy.

That basic FAQ served its purpose well, and I was delighted when it became a standard online reference for aspiring game writers. I added some information about pitching games and internships here and there, but otherwise the post remained unchanged for ten years. In those ten years, a lot happened. The games industry changed and grew, and my knowledge and experience grew along with it. I noticed gaps and flaws in the old FAQ, and I realized that many of my answers had become outdated. Students and new writers needed help with topics my basic post didn’t cover. It became painfully clear that it wasn’t serving its purpose anymore.

So, I decided to write a new, expanded post. I compiled the notes and reference materials I’d bookmarked for years. I planned sections for international work, applying for jobs, negotiating contracts, switching studios, and a wide range of other topics. The role of game writers had