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The Narrative Department
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The Narrative Department
  • Your favorite video game stories

    were created by a writer

    just like you

    Get the free roadmap that shows you the path

    from 'I have an idea'

    to 'I'm creating the stories players love'

    Get Your Free Game Writer's Roadmap
  • Ready to take your game writing to the next level?

    Whether you're just starting out or ready to level up,

    the path to better game writing starts here.

    Every professional game writer - from BioShock to Tomb Raider to the indie hit you discovered last week - started exactly where you are now.

    Whether you're just starting out, or you're ready to take your game writing career further, the path to your next breakthrough starts with knowing exactly where you are - and what to do next.

    Get Your Free Game Writer's Roadmap
  • What 30 Million Players Have Taught Me

    Insights from 25+ shipped titles and $500 million in sales -

    knowledge I share with every student.

    30 million

    games sold

    25+

    titles shipped

    $ 500 million

    in sales

  • Leah Hoyer

    "The lady knows her stuff"

    "And she's so generous with her knowledge, it's ridiculous. If you want to get better at telling stories that really connect with your audience, listen to what she has to say."

    Leah Hoyer, GM & VP of Creative,

    New IP Studio at Wizards of the Coast;

    formerly VP of Creative, Telltale Games

    Lucas Loredo

    "So glad I took her class"

    "The amount I’ve learned from Susan about interactive writing is staggering. Her incredible good humor only adds to the cocktail that makes her one of the best writing instructors I’ve ever had."

     

    Lucas Loredo, Narrative Designer, Wolfeye Games

    Stephen McManus

    "Amazing writer"

    "Susan is an amazing writer who's able to challenge the tired cliches of video game narrative while still accommodating the demands of gameplay. Her style is sharp and creative. She's got great instincts for genre and character motivation. Working with her was a great privilege."

     

    Stephen McManus, Senior Experience Designer, ILMxLAB

    Kavita Appachu

    "Master storyteller"

    "Susan is truly a master storyteller. She makes learning & working with her fun. I find myself applying everything I learned from her almost every day."
     

    Kavita Appachu, Consultant & Experience Designer

    John Stafford

    "Destroyer of work (but in a good way)"

    "Susan is a true mentor and master structuralist who taught me the painful lesson of destroying my work to make it better. I often hear her voice in my head when I’m preparing to cut a character or break some story bones. “There’s no crying in baseball, son.” Ain’t that the truth."

     

    John Stafford, Narrative Director, Crystal Dynamics

    Greg Lanier

    "She has a gift for connecting the dots"

    "Susan has one of the fastest brains in the business. She has a gift for connecting the dots and bringing big ideas to life. She has helped me get to the emotional heart of the matter in my work more than I can say. She's a gem!"

     

    Greg Lanier, VP, Strategic Communications at University of Chicago

  • (Some) Past Projects

    For years, I worked in the trenches as a game writer.
    Everything I learned on these projects, I share in our masterclass.

    Tomb Raider

    Tomb Raider

    Crystal Dynamics

    Nominee, Outstanding Achievement in Story, AIAS

    Nominee, Best Narrative, GDC

    Over 8 million copies sold worldwide

    Far Cry 2

    Far Cry 2

    Ubisoft Montreal

    Nominee, Best Writing, GDC

    Nominee, Game of the Year, AIAS

    BioShock

    BioShock

    2K Games

    Winner, Game of the Year, AIAS

    Winner, Best Writing, GDC

    Over 4 million units sold

    Launched a franchise

  • Hi, I'm Susan

    Founder & CEO, The Narrative Department

    Susan O'Connor

    After 15 years writing for major franchises, I've helped hundreds of writers break into the industry and level up their careers.

    Our masterclass alumni have gone on to become game writers or narrative designers at:

    Bad Robot Games, Blizzard, Cloud Chamber, Crimson Herring, Deck Nine, Deviation Games, EA, Firaxis, HakJak, High Moon Studios, Jam City, Kluge Interactive, Massive Games, Monumental, NetEase, Obsidian, Spooky Doorway, Squid Games, System Era Softworks, Telltale, Tencent, Undead Labs, Wizards of the Coast, and ZeniMax.

    And the list keeps growing.

  • Every one of them started exactly where you are today

    Your turn starts with the roadmap below

    Get Your Free Game Writer's Roadmap
  • Monolith Productions
    Crystal Dynamics
    XBox
    EA
    Ubisoft
    2K Games
    WB Games
    Telltale Games
    LucasArts
    Epic Games
    Relic Games
    Netflix

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