What Really Goes Into Game Writing

Recently I discovered this amazing site called Udemy.com where professionals upload online courses that you can follow and take at your own pace. Occasionally there are mindblowing deals like 50-75% off of whatever course you want, and one that I found was “Writing for the Video Game Industry” by Elisha Miller.

Not a game journalism course, but writing everything that you find in a video game, from the scenes, to the characters, to the storyline, to the screen. If you’re looking to delve into the industry from that angle, I highly recommend following the course for the details and to build your portfolio or, if you want to write for your own game, then it might be the right fit.

I’m not going to spew out everything within the course because it’s really not my place; it’s a resource you should invest in if you’re truly interested. I will, however, give you a skeletal rundown of what you’ll see, so it will be up to you to flesh everything out. 

Miller has over six years’ experience in game writing and narrative design, so she goes through breaking several “barriers,” which ranges from job searching to experience. These are important to gain a rather informed perspective of what you’re getting into.

Additionally, Miller also provides several templates for you to build your writing portfolio. Like an artist trying to get in somewhere, you’ll need to show your goods. And these count! 

When you write for a video game, it won’t be just a storyline and characters, but a whole smattering of creative and copywriting:

Cutscenes, character profiles, film scripts, triggers, storyboards, quests, pitches, game design documents, world descriptions, and more. 

So many different factors go into a game’s writing. Luckily in a larger studio there will be more than one person working on the writing, but it’s always good to know how to do these things. Elisha Miller’s course is definitely a good first step to get your feet wet and let you know if this is what you want. You may be the next huge game writer on par with The Last of Us or The Elder Scrolls. 

You can find the course at Udemy.com, search for “Writing for the Videogame Industry,”and definitely explore any other amazing courses to enrich your learning!