How to Become a Video Game Writer

Video games tell powerful stories that captivate millions of players worldwide. Video game writers create these narratives for PCs, consoles, and mobile devices through carefully crafted storytelling. Writers develop everything from complex branching narratives like those in Baldur's Gate 3 to casual stories in the Mario RPG series, catering to diverse audiences.

Becoming a video game writer requires both narrative skill and industry knowledge. This guide outlines how to prepare for a career writing stories that could potentially reach billions of players globally.

Video game writers create the stories, characters, and dialogue that define a game's narrative. They collaborate with designers, artist,s and directors to ensure stories align with gameplay and visuals.

Roles vary widely. Writers may craft linear narratives for single-player games, develop branching dialogue for role-playing gam,es or create lore for live-service titles. Many popular games now feature long-running storylines that complement live-service models, allowing writers to create stories that connect with players for years.

Video game writing requires both creative and collaborative abilities:

Storytelling and Narrative Design: You have to craft compelling plots, characters and dialogue for what are essentially interactive stories.

Interactive Writing: Understand branching narratives and player choice. Familiarity with tools like Twine and Articy Draft helps create complex stories .

Adaptability: Modify stories based on gameplay constraints. Writers may need to fit narratives within time limits or release content gradually for live-service titles.

Collaboration: Work effectively with designers and voice actors through strong communication. Multilingual skills benefit writers at global studios offering games in multiple languages.

While not always required, a bachelor's degree in creative writing, English or game design provides a strong foundation. Relevant programs include:

Creative Writing: Universities offer degrees focusing on story writing and dialogue skills that apply to game narratives.

Game Design: Many programs cover narrative design alongside game mechanics.

Film or Screenwriting: Though not essential, these degrees teach compelling storytelling techniques.

Hands-on experience is crucial for breaking into video game writing:

Write for Mods: Contribute to game modifications for titles like Skyrim, Fallout or other RPGs. Create new quests or dialogue to build your portfolio.

Participate in Game Jams: Events like Global Game Jam or Narrative Game Jam encourage collaborative storytelling under time constraints. These events offer networking opportunities with aspiring professionals and valuable experience.

Create Personal Projects: Use tools like Ren'Py or Inklewriter to develop stories or visual novels. Post projects on blogs or websites to showcase your skills.

Pursue Internships: With tens of thousands of games releasing annually, reach out to studios for internship opportunities. Learning from industry professionals can improve your skills and provide industry entry points.

Networking is essential in the gaming industry. Attend local game development meetups to connect with developers and writers. Join online communities on Discord, Reddit or X to share work and engage with professionals.

Entry-level positions like junior narrative designer or scriptwriter are common starting points. Check job boards including Hitmarker, LinkedIn or studio career pages for internship and entry-level opportunities. Freelance platforms also offer opportunities with independent games to gain hands-on experience.