3 answers
Eowyn
Student
Meshoppen, Pennsylvania
2
Questions
Asked
1393 views
How would I go about writing stories for video games as a living? What does that look like on a day-to-day basis?
I plan on majoring in creative writing and publishing/editing at Susquehanna University.
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3 answers
Kelly Smyth
Visual development, character design, storyboards
24
Answers
Cupertino, California
Updated
Kelly’s Answer
Hello! While I'm not a writer myself, I'd like to point you towards Dave Mervik as a concrete example. He's the lead narrative designer at Tarsier Studios, and he's given several interviews on his process, work history, inspirations, etc. In short, being a narrative designer is more than writing dialogue; it's writing guidelines for other artists/writers to follow, and ensuring that every piece of worldbuilding fits together.
Here's a couple to to get you started:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPomFxBvd9k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT_FC51t6o8
Here's a couple to to get you started:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPomFxBvd9k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT_FC51t6o8
Thank you so much! I'll be sure to look into this!
Eowyn
Saint P
SongWriter and Creative writer
75
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Saint’s Answer
Hi Eowyn!
Writing stories for video games is a pretty amazing path! It’s all about creating immersive worlds and narratives that interact with the player’s experience. As a creative writing major, you’re already set with the storytelling skills you’ll need.
Day-to-day, you’ll be working on developing characters, writing dialogue, crafting plots, and working with the game’s mechanics to make sure the story fits the gameplay. It’s a very collaborative process think working with game designers, artists, and developers to make sure everything clicks together.
The key is to gain experience by writing in different formats (like short stories or scripts) and getting familiar with the game development process. Over time, you can build a portfolio that shows off your skills and start connecting with game studios or indie developers who need writers.
It’s a lot of creativity and a bit of technical work, but it sounds like a perfect fit for someone like you!
Best of luck with everything! You’ve got this!
Saint
Writing stories for video games is a pretty amazing path! It’s all about creating immersive worlds and narratives that interact with the player’s experience. As a creative writing major, you’re already set with the storytelling skills you’ll need.
Day-to-day, you’ll be working on developing characters, writing dialogue, crafting plots, and working with the game’s mechanics to make sure the story fits the gameplay. It’s a very collaborative process think working with game designers, artists, and developers to make sure everything clicks together.
The key is to gain experience by writing in different formats (like short stories or scripts) and getting familiar with the game development process. Over time, you can build a portfolio that shows off your skills and start connecting with game studios or indie developers who need writers.
It’s a lot of creativity and a bit of technical work, but it sounds like a perfect fit for someone like you!
Best of luck with everything! You’ve got this!
Saint
Thank you so much, this is very insightful!
Eowyn
Tom Foster
Freelance Writer with a lot of life experience
70
Answers
Forest Grove, Oregon
Updated
Tom’s Answer
Create a resume, go looking for the right people, and by all means, pay attention to the trends in gaming so that you know what to write and what's in demand. As far as what it looks like, I couldn't tell you from experience, but expect a lot of revisions and a lot of rewrites, since gamers want their games to be as entertaining as possible. Learn the art of comedy, drama, and most of all, realistic dialogue.
Just write an idea, then go with it.
Just write an idea, then go with it.