PAX 15 - So You Want to be a Game Writer

Like many posts before this, I'd like to cover here both a talk from a major Game Industry gathering (PAX Prime) and a how-to for those looking at entering/maintaining their place in said industry.

On the last day of PAX, Toiya Finley, Qais Fulton, Anne Toole, Bobby Stein, Tom Abernathy, and Leah Miller laid out a lot of what they've experienced, both personally and professionally, to a packed room of aspiring, struggling, or plainly curious (me) writers.  Here's some of that content:

What do we need to know about writing in the Game Industry?

• Know how to write a good, fleshed-out story.  Then write it shorter.  And shorter.  And shorter.
• Level-up: Write someone else's story idea.  Then have them point out what parts to cut.
• This is part of how a writer will never get their way (exceptions do exist).
• Throw all rules for sequence, timing, and most of how to write for a page-flipping book out the window.
• Games are non-linear, being for a player (not some fictional character) that can (and will) do anything at any time.
• Have recent, presentable material about at all times.

OK - how do we define 'presentable' or 'portfolio' material?

• Make a collection of stories show diversity in both genre and form (keep in mind length, too).
• Genre: Horror, romance, sci-fi, western, etc.
• Form: Novel, screenplay, dialogue, technical documentation, etc.
• Hide any raw notes.
• Think of dirty laundry - it shouldn't be left out if company is paying a visit.
• Include art, audio, and any other medium to help communicate the feel of a story.
• Don't steal!  Get permissions, in writing, of any copyrighted work.
• Take no concept, phrase, history, or saying for granted.
• Assume any- and everyone knows nothing.
• If it's worthy of the portfolio, protect it.
• PDFs, watermarks, and excerpts of material makes it harder for others to claim that content.
• Consider applying these preventative steps on all work, even if it's merely an email to a friend.

Where do we go to make our game stories?

• Twine.  Twine!
• (With resounding enthusiasm, this is the number-one tool recommended by the panelists.)
• Twine allows for branching narratives, easy use, and complex additions to any tale (not to mention being able to be published nearly everywhere).
• Use a robust level editor.
• This shows how scenes are laid out and some technical prowess.
• Write a pen-and-paper RPG campaign.
• Show-off tool versatility while keeping the barrier of entry incredibly low.

Now that we've covered all the basics of the craft itself, is there anything else?

• Yes!  The type of employ is important:
• Full-time staff jobs on a resume are good to be seen.
• Versus having temporary contract work.
• Freelancers cannot be writers first; they must be a sales-person and collections-agent foremost.
• When lacking the support structure of an established company doing a lot of the labor, a freelance writer must set higher priorities on how to sustain themselves before dedicating work to the craft.
• Again to freelancers, never give up rights to work until compensation has been paid in full.
• Become familiar with "work for hire" agreements.

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Do you agree with the panelists on these points?  Would you add to it or offer a counter opinion?  In any case, both the panelists and I hope you could gleam something from this in how you go about your art into the future.