Writing for Games : Theory and Practice

This new edition of Writing for Games offers resources for communication, collaboration, reflection, and advocacy, inviting the reader to situate their practice in a centuries-long heritage of storytelling, as well as considering the material affordances and the practical realities of working in game development processes.

Focusing on the independent videogames sector, this second edition of Writing for Games offers resources for communication, collaboration, reflection, and advocacy, inviting the reader to situate their practice in a centuries-long heritage of storytelling, as well as considering the material affordances of videogames and the practical realities of working in game development processes. Structured into three parts, Theory considers the craft of both games and writing from a theoretical perspective, covering vocabulary for both game and story practices. Case Studies uses three specific game case studies to explore the theory explored in Part I, and seven in-depth interviews with well-known game writers excavating their craft. The Practical Workbook offers a series of provocations, tools, and exercises that gives the reader the means to refine and develop their writing, not just for now, but as a part of a lifelong practice. The updated new edition adds the in-depth interview section and also contains brand new material on writing for and within genre, on how to be a good collaborator, a section on the problem of using AI/LLM in your practice, and a new introduction. Writing for Games: Theory and Practice (Second Edition) is an approachable and entry-level text for anyone interested in the craft of writing for videogames.