Thread by @AlexanderMFreed

The Game Developer's Conference is next week, which always puts me in a mindset of "lessons and advice for aspiring writers." (Also, the world feels dark right now and I need a distraction.) To that end... here's a thread of random suggestions:

1) I've yet to find a better online source of advice on writing fiction (novels, mostly, though many of the lessons apply cross-medium) than @PatriciaCWrede's blog. Dive in and soak it up: pcwrede.com/blog/

2a) Conferences like GDC are great for meeting people. All sorts of people, even those who aren't in your discipline or available to hire you. Develop a network that can tell you, "Hey, I heard X was looking for a writer..." when something comes up.

2b) That doesn't mean you shouldn't ever sell yourself hard, but at a massive event like GDC I suggest just being an engaged part of the community. Be a decent person, be yourself, socialize, and you'll find people willing to help you.

2c) If you're not an outgoing person, maybe that won't work for you. That's okay. You don't NEED a network to get your first writing job. You don't need to attend a conference. There are lots of paths to professional success, so don't force yourself down a route that doesn't fit.

3a) Think a lot about your long-term aspirations. There's nothing wrong with not making a living at your writing--plenty of great artists aren't "professionals" in the sense of earning their keep through their art. It'll give you a lot of freedom.

3b) But if you DO want to make a living off your writing, be aware of the dangers. Companies shut down. Industries go through lean periods. Workplaces that seem great end up being toxic. You need to be prepared for these sorts of things.

3c) I work in different media (I love games, but I've got books and comics to help support me, too). Maybe you've got other work skills to fall back on, even for short periods.

3d) Other writers work very hard to develop a public face, speak at conferences, aim for visibility, etc., so it's easier for them to find work if something falls through--people already know them. Whatever makes sense for you--but consider your backup plans.

4) There's so many good indie game development tools out there! If you want to be a game writer or narrative designer, you should have interactive samples ready to go. (Since I do a lot of branching narrative work, I often point people to Twine.)

5a) You probably know less about writing than you think you do. (I probably know less about writing than I think I do.) Be humble.

5b) You're never going to get anywhere if you insist on your writing being perfect before you share it. It will always be a teeming mess of flaws. Being a professional is knowing when to say "this is good enough and it's time to move forward."

6) Writer Twitter is full of good advice. And if you've got a question, it's very easy to ask someone, "What are your thoughts on X?" Go ahead and be a polite bother. The worst that'll happen is you won't get an answer.

7) I've got a whole blog post on this, but to boil it down: interactivity is the enemy of subtlety. You CAN have both, but as a player, I've got a whole game going on around me--even if I'm a story person, I'm not paying full attention to the narrative. Writers must manage this.

8) Actually, I've got a lot of blog posts on game writing. alexanderfreed.com/category/writi…. I'm particularly fond of a multi-part series on branching writing: alexanderfreed.com/2014/09/02/bra….

9) Learn the strengths of the medium you're working in. Don't try to write a story that's best expressed as a movie or novel as a video game.

10) Writing and editing are different skills. You can develop them both, but don't assume you can (or should) do one because you can do the other.

11a) Be very, very wary of the impulse to "challenge the audience." That doesn't mean don't DO it, but often there are good reasons the audience hasn't been "challenged" in the way you envision. Not always, but often. (Sometimes the reasons are bad, but they're still reasons.)

11b) Of course, if there's nothing to lose--if you're working on a personal project and you're not relying on it to pay the bills--go crazy! There's a place for experimental, challenging work. (I said "be wary" of the impulse, not to never indulge it.)

12) I write really, really detailed outlines, and it works well for me. If it doesn't work well for you, don't do it! Unless you're working with a team (e.g., in game development), in which case you probably just need to learn to do it anyway.

13a) A large part of successful narrative design is communicating a game's narrative goals to the rest of the team in a straightforward and easily digestible manner. Like it or not, that probably means PowerPoint. It means reducing your most important ideas to bullet points.

13b) And if you can't communicate those ideas efficiently, and the rest of the team builds something that's dissonant from the story you've crafted? That's partly on you, not them.

14a) If you're a game writer, you'll probably end up on a project where the overall design (or development process, or whatever) seems to preclude a strong narrative. It happens. Just do the best you can with the tools you've got (not the ones you wish you had).

14b) In other words "don't try to write War and Peace if you're the narrative designer on Pac-Man." Tell something simple and great that you can actually get across in the format you've been given.

14c) (If someone above you in the chain of command insists on War and Peace, however, you have my sympathy. Again, just do the best job you can and know there will come another project some day.)

I could keep going. Should I keep going? Maybe if I've got time later.

15a) A large part of being a professional is being able to give accurate time estimates. ("When can I expect a finished plot summary for this section?" "By next Tuesday.") A 50-person team can't build a production schedule if you wait for inspiration.

15b) Don't be overly optimistic about your time estimates, either. If you tell me Tuesday and deliver a month later, I'm still in trouble (even if you really meant well). Account for problems, emergencies, etc. Learn from experience

15c) If you really, really can't learn to estimate how long something will take you, maybe you're better off not relying on your writing for money. That's okay!

16) Writing for voiceover is very different from writing something designed to be read (and vice-versa). Spend some time learning to adapt.

17a) If your editor / team lead / whatever tells you, "If you're wrestling with a writing problem, come to me and I'm glad to help," then go to them! It's probably not a trap.

17b) Maybe your ego won't let you ask for help. Maybe you want to prove you can solve the issue on your own. But is either best for the project? (Including the project schedule?)

17c) Generally speaking, I'd rather work with someone who comes to me often and is ultra-reliable than with someone who works on their own, producing predictably good work only 75% of the time.

18a) If someone who knows their stuff identifies a problem with your work and proposes a solution, it's probably fine to solve that problem another way.

18b) As an editor, I rarely mind someone saying, "I see your point, I hate your suggestion, and here's how I'll make this work." It's only a problem when the new solution takes too much time, or causes other problems, or whatever.

18c) As a counterpoint: If you're in a situation with limited time and you trust your editor / lead, sometimes you should probably just accept their fixes. It'll hurt, but you may just need to move forward.

19a) If you write with the slightest hint of nuance, someone is going to interpret your work in a way you find downright vile. Think hard about the implications of your writing... but know your intent won't get through to everyone. It's okay.

19b) Even so, don't get jaded. Pay attention to what the audience sees. If a LOT of people see something you didn't intend, there might be something you can learn. That's okay, too--you're going to make mistakes, and some will be very public.

20a) Speaking broadly: As a player, I only care about me. If you want me to pay attention to the story, relate what you're saying to ME and what I'M doing--don't bother me with deep worldbuilding and tertiary NPC relationships that I'm not already invested in.

20b) Yes, it's actually more complex than that. Yes, it sounds severe. But it's no different than in any other medium: the audience gets bored when the story drifts from the driving needs of the protagonist. We just tend to forget this point in games.

20c) Special social hacking tip: This also applies in the real world! People pay more attention when you frame a conversation about their needs and interests.

21a) Often, a good open world game isn't constructed like a novel. It's constructed like a concept album (or a book of poems). Yes, it's great front to back...

21b) ...but it's still really enjoyable with the first five tracks shuffled out of order, with a strong possibility the listener will never hear the last few songs. Your audience is consuming modular elements in an unpredictable fashion.

21c) Make those modular elements individually amazing; don't rely on me playing the entire game at the pace you want in order to get a compelling narrative. Know that most players don't finish long games anyway.

21d) Also, the more modular your construction, the less disastrous it will be when you're told midway through development that, say, the prison level needs to be chopped for budget reasons. (This will happen. It's okay to cry, but it'll be easier if you plan for this early.)

A few more (last ones?) for the night. I may tack on more tomorrow, but if not, glad to see people have been enjoying these.

22a) If you're writing for games, trust that the designers design better than you. Trust that the artists and cinematics folk can create art and direct better than you. Be a good partner to them. Respect their wisdom.

22b) Sometimes they'll be wrong, even when it comes to their own disciplines. Sometimes you'll see it coming. But being part of a team means trusting your teammates. Let them take risks you don't understand. It's how they'll be brilliant.

22c) That doesn't mean don't vigorously advocate for the needs of the story. But know the difference between "the script calls for an adorable pet, not a slavering monster; please change" and "I think that camera pan really drags."