"I would LOVE to be a game writer / narrative designer..."

If you've ever dreamed of writing for games, you're not alone. It's a dream job for a lot of people.

And for good reason. Game writers and narrative designers spend their days living their best lives. They have the freedom to create the most outlandish characters, the wildest storylines, and endless adventures. They work with designers and animators and musicians to bring their stories to life. AND yes, they get to play games. A LOT. That's in the job description!

"...But there's so much competition out there ☹️"

Turns out it's not so easy to land a dream job.

You’ve analyzed games, you’ve sent out one application after another, but landing that elusive game writing job seems impossible.

What the heck is going on? Are studios just not hiring?

They ARE hiring - that's not the problem.

At the Game Developers Conference this year, I had dinner with narrative directors from a couple of the most popular game studios in the world. (If I named them, you'd recognize them - and I'd get in trouble. So please excuse the secrecy, this story is a true one.) Gamers are OBSESSED with these studios, and whenever one of these places posts a new writing job, they're swamped with applicants.

So I figured that they had an easy time finding writers.

Turns out, not so much.

"It's impossible," one of them said. "We just can't find writers with the right skillset."

The other narrative director nodded glumly. "It sucks reading so many applications and just saying No, over and over again, when all you want to do is say Yes." And then he ordered another drink. "Make it a double."

And that's from guys who work at two of the most high-profile studios out there. And there are THOUSANDS of game studios worldwide.

So there are plenty of studios looking for writers. But not just any writer - they want writers who have the chops and can do the job.

That's why a lot of those applicants aren't getting hired - they aren't making a convincing case that they're the right candidate. 

How can you show these studios that you’re the writer they’ve been looking for?

That's what we're going to talk about today.

Why studios reject applicants 

It's so simple, it's going to sound ridiculous.

Here's the number one reason studios don't hire people who apply for game-writing jobs:

Because they're not good writers.

YES I'm serious!

Here's what I mean.

Game writing is a specialized form of writing. It has a lot in common with dramatic writing (which is why playwrights make such good game writers). It also is very different than traditional dramatic writing. It is it's own weird thing.

Good game writers and narrative designers have to know how to build a narrative, create compelling characters, and write great dialogue.

You'd be SHOCKED how many applicants can't deliver the goods. They just haven't put in the work, or honed their writing skills.

Why would people apply for a job they can't do?

Maybe they hope that the studio will train them.

Well, they WILL train you in a lot of things -- like how to use their tools, how to work in their engine, etc -- but they don't have time to teach you how to write.

That's the skillset you bring into the studio on Day One.

Here’s some tough love: you will not land a writing job at a game studio without first proving you can write. Studios need to see what you can do before they bring you on board.

"Show me what you've got"

So how do studios evaluate your writing skills?

Most of them will give you a writing test.

Imagine getting the test in your inbox. You print it out and you stare at it. Where do you even start? How do you do this, much less do it well? These tests can feel confusing and overwhelming. 

(It’s like that anxiety dream from college - you show up to class, and they’re giving out the final exam. But you missed the entire semester and you are totally unprepared. Ahhhh!)

This is a problem with a solution

Most people don’t work on their game-writing skills because they don’t even know where to begin. Maybe they think "We can’t learn how to write for games until, you know, we’re hired to write for games."

This kind of thinking can leave us feeling confused and overwhelmed. And that can stop a writer in their tracks.

Let’s get unstuck.

Be the writer they're looking for  

You don’t need a game in order to work on your writing skills. I know of at least five TND alumni who recently landed their first game-writing jobs, despite the fact they had never shipped a title before. And one of the reasons they got those jobs is because they had great writing samples to share. 

They did it; you can, too.

First, let's break the problem down into smaller parts. There ARE parts of game writing that you can work on, outside of a game. 

How about dialogue? Game writers write dialogue all the time - and they have to be tight, compelling lines that players love to hear. Want to develop your ear for great voices? You could start today. Here's how: start eavesdropping. Write down what you hear at the coffee shop or at the bus stop. Even reality-TV shows will give you great research material. See if you can recreate those different voices.

How about characters? Game writers develop character sheets all the time. If you want to learn how to create great characters, you can start by analyzing YOUR favorite characters. What makes them great? Find playwriting classes: they’ll offer great advice on how to develop characters, and exercises you can use to improve your skills. 

How about structure? A studio’s writing test will have some kind of beginning, middle and end. Do you know how to build a structure that keeps the reader interested all the way through? Again, this is a skill you can develop in a writing workshop or in a writer's group. (Game stories DO have structure, even if it’s bendy and twisty and crazy.) 

Bottom line: start writing. Do a little every day. Develop the habit of writing, even if it’s just a tiny bit, like writing down a funny line of dialogue you overheard at the grocery store. Anything is better than nothing. That way writing becomes a habit. And when that test comes along, it won’t feel so scary. It will feel like just another writing day.

It’s like Austin Kleon says in Steal Like An Artist:

Here’s one last piece of advice that I wish someone had told me when I was starting out. 

If you are serious about this, if you really want to make this happen, don’t go it alone. Writers (myself included) are notorious for starting things and not finishing them. If it wasn’t for deadlines and other people’s expectations, I would never get anything done. (Including these blog posts.)

If you’re the same way, here's my #1 tip: get the structured support you need so that the work HAPPENS. 

This is where community really helps. Find a class. Join or start a writer’s group, and commit to sharing your work with each other weekly. You’ll learn from each other, you’ll help each other, and you’ll all come out the other side with a collection of samples you can be proud of.

Most importantly, you will have massively strengthened your writing muscle. A studio’s writing test won’t throw you. You’ll be ready to show them what you can do.

If you dream of becoming a game writer, this is how you make it happen: one thoughtful, courageous step at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be flying. 

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Susan’s  first job as a game writer was for “a slumber party game - for girls!”  She’s gone on to work on over 25 projects, including award-winning  titles in the BioShock, Far Cry and Tomb Raider franchises. Titles in her portfolio have sold over 30 million copies  and generated over $500 million in sales. She is an adjunct professor at  UT Austin, where she teaches a course on writing for games. A long time  ago, she founded the Game Narrative Summit at GDC. Now, she partners  with studios, publishers, and writers to help teams ship great games  with great stories. She is dedicated to supporting creatives in the  games industry so that they can do their best work.