5 Things to Know when Hiring a Video Game Writer

by Kevin Zimmerman

As a video game writer working with indie developers, I keep running into some common concerns coming from all you aspiring executive producers! So, instead of waiting for these issues to arise in the course of collaboration, I thought I’d write a helpful blog post and be a little proactive about it. Although I think this could be useful for everyone in the video game industry, it is especially useful for indie developers who know they don’t have any experience in the writing world and need a writer to craft that perfect storyline. So, without any further ado, here are five important tips, here are the things to know when hiring a video game writer.

Hire Your Writer As Early as Possible

First thing’s first. Hire your writer early. One of the most common pitfalls I see indie video game developers make when it comes to working with a writer is bringing them on too late into the development process. For us writers’ sake, don’t leave us hanging!

Indie developers often come from the technological fields of software development, programming, etc., and may not realize it, but the story aspect of a game is just as important to the player’s experience as the artwork and functionality. Seriously! Players routinely rate games higher and come back for more sales when good writing is central to the experience, even when they don’t realize this is the reason. Best of all, good stories can skyrocket your game’s overall value without adding much additional development. So, bringing your writer on as soon as you begin your brainstorming is essential!

With a writer on your team, the pre-development process becomes dynamic and conversational. You, the creator, voice what type of game you are looking for and what type of game you have the resources to produce. Then, your writer will give you a number of options on how your story could unfold and how it can interact with the gameplay seamlessly, providing the best experience for your player.

However, what happens when developers bring in writers too late into the process and with much of the game mechanics already solidified? The developers will often voice that they want X type of story, but the writer sees they only have the skeleton for a Y type of game. This can cause disappointment to the creator, a clunky gaming experience, or unnecessary re-development of the underlying game mechanics. To get the game you want with the least amount of back-tracking, bring your writer in early, so he or she can guide you with what’s possible!

Storytelling is its Own Artform

Piggybacking off a point in the previous section, indie game developers often don’t have a full understanding of how the art of storytelling works. Don’t worry. I’m not judging you if you’ve forgotten your story-diagramming lessons from high school English class (if your school even taught that!), but for writers, storytelling is a complete craft full of techniques, patterns, protocols, trends, etc. Many professional authors even refer to storytelling more like engineering than art.

As a professional storyteller and writer, I am dedicated to staying on top of my craft, just like a scientist would need to read the most current developments in his or her field. Did you know that the hugely successful writer and director JJ Abrams ushered in a unique storytelling technique called “Mystery Box Theory” that utterly changed the last ten years of Hollywood films and even spilled over to the video game world? Or, did you know that all of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean storytelling is influenced by the ancient tradition of Kishōtenketsu? This tradition, the original inspiration for all Japanese games, and thus all of gaming, differs greatly from the storytelling principles of Joseph Campbell, seen by many as the father of modern Western storytelling.

My point is us writers have a whole world that many people know nothing about! For us writers, we have to dissect, analyze, reconfigure, and adapt stories to best suit specific emotional experiences. Thus, it’s important that when working with a writer for your video game narrative, you make sure: 1) that they know these important details, but also 2) that you give them the flexibility to craft the perfect story, which may not always make sense in the early stages. Which leads me to my next point…

Trust your Writer

Ok, I get it. Us writers, we’re kind of asking you indie game developers to have some faith, but what else can we do? In the beginning of the process, a story is very hard to visualize without the sprites, artwork, music, or gameplay. Thankfully, though, writers should be able to visualize your ambitions without a problem (and you can pay them a little extra to make a mood board for your benefit!) Even though writers may offer up some suggestions and ideas that seem out of place, give them a chance first. You usually won’t be disappointed.

Some of the most memorable video games are those where the story took precedent and the rest fell into place. Undertale, Chrono Trigger, and The Last of Us are only a few examples of video games that shook the industry simply by focusing on storytelling that broke the mold. So, give your writer some leeway to do something utterly groundbreaking for your game!

The Language of Storytelling

On the other hand, your writer will inevitably propose many parts of your game’s story that are utterly common to the gaming industry. This is completely, 100% normal and should never be a cause for concern. Because of this, be prepared for your writer to say things like “How about a Samus Aran character but trapped in the bureaucracy of a Star Trek galactic federation?” or “We’ll have your standard berserker, archer, warrior triad, but all played out in a Steampunk aesthetic.”

Why do we talk like this?

Well, the reality is that when stories haven’t been written yet, writers need to have ways of describing what they’re envisioning, so they go with what you are already familiar with. For many developers I’ve worked with, this can cause some trepidation.

“But I don’t want my characters to be exactly like what’s already out there!”

Trust me, I understand this concern, but it’s important to remember that in the early stages, the story is just getting its skeleton together. We have to get the basics solidified first before getting to the iconic stuff that you as the creator will be expecting to see.

This goes back to the craft of storytelling. Writers will be knowledgeable of how different characters work together and synergize. They will know what storytelling structures fit best with specific character traits. In order to communicate this, they will give relatable comparisons from pre-existing games. Just remember, they are not talking about the final product.

Consider the early stages of working with a writer like deciding if you want a sculpture created out of metal, clay, marble, or ice. We’re not talking at all about the version of your game that’s going to hit the Steam store. However, the basics we choose in the beginning will play directly into the final product. A sculptor saying “we should make this sculpture out of clay” doesn’t mean “your clay sculpture will be exactly like all other clay sculptures.” Similarly, you should trust your writer when they give relatable comparisons to help you envision the basics of your story, even if it doesn’t sparkle as much as you’d like.

Don’t Ask for Everything in a Single Game

A great narrative–whether it be in a game, movie, book, etc.–usually consists of a very solid, recognizable structure, paired with one or two features that the audience has never experienced before. These few, surprising features then becomes iconic for all other games to look up to.

What are examples of these memorable features? Well, memorable characters are certainly a popular example of this phenomenon. Consider Geralt’s dashing, womanizing character from Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. His character has been so successful he’s got his own Netflix series now. Or, Kefka from Final Fantasy 6. He stands out as a unique character with his clownlike, chaotic, villainy that leaves the player with a weird sense of discomfort. Even someone like Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series provides players with a complex, quasi-hero, allowing them to step into the gray zone of being such a skillful assassin.

Characters are not the only narrative feature to make a game memorable, though. Unforgettable twists and turns can also place a game in the history books. Sephiroth killing Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 may be one of the most memorable moments in all of gaming history. Flowey the flower’s revelation of the true nature of Undertale at the end of the game shocked many gamers around the world. Even the heartwarming story of love, loss, and regret in the indie title To the Moon was enough to earn it the Best Story award by Gamespot in 2011.

What many developers and casual gamers do not realize about ALL these games, however, is that aside from these iconic features, these games drew heavily on pre-existing storytelling techniques, character tropes, etc. both from within and outside the video game industry to create their memorable experience. To use a common analogy, if you want to paint a beautiful red rose, don’t choose a red canvas. What this means is that the thing you want highlighted should stand out upon a standard background that the player finds approachable and understandable, not simply more weirdness.

So, as a developer, be thinking what are the one or two things that you would like players to remember about your game. If you have an idea for a character no one has ever seen before, your writer may say “great! Let’s put them in a familiar kind of story that can show off how different they act versus other more common characters.” Or, if you want a story with unbelievable twists and turns, your writer may propose going with familiar, archetypal characters so that your players do not become overwhelmed. Trying to do everything in a single game is bad writing… and also bad business. Save some of your amazing ideas for the sequels!

I hope this has got you thinking about what to expect when working with a video game writer. If you found this helpful, be sure to share on social media. I’ll continue adding more tips in the future, too.

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