ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1
Resource NameLinkDescriptionType Other NotesIf you have any resources you reccomend (or want any of yours removed!) please reach out to me at AFNarratives+GNRS@gmail.com with "Games Narrative Resource Sheet" in the subject line!
2
Emily Short's Bloghttps://emshort.blog/2019/06/18/narrative-design-related-blogs/A blog that covers many different aspects of Narrative Design and other resources.Article / Web Page
3
Small Stories, Big Games: By Kim Belairhttps://www.gamesindustry.biz/small-stories-big-gamesCould we be making better games if we weren't so concerned with front-loading our stories with the highest possible stakes?Article / Web Page
4
Breaking Into Scriptwriting for Games: By Greg Buchananhttps://www.gregbuchanan.co.uk/breaking-in/gamesA short but helpful guide on making your own start in Games Narrative!Article / Web Page
5
Writers Cabal Bloghttps://writerscabal.wordpress.com/TIPS, TRICKS, AND UNCONSCIONABLE WASTES OF TIME FOR GAME DEVELOPERS DEALING WITH WRITERS OR NARRATIVEArticle / Web Page
6
Breathing Life into Greek Myth: The Dialogue of 'Hades'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5KJSAj4afg&t=2033sIn this 2021 GDC session, Supergiant Games’ Darren Korb and Greg Kasavin break down how an independent studio with fewer than 20 employees managed to release a fully voiced video game with more than 22,000 lines of dialogue—during a global pandemic. Video
7
Roguelikes And Narrative Design With Hades Creative Director Greg Kasavin - GDC Podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnlax6eATVY&t=14sOn GDC Podcast episode 16 we were thrilled to have Greg Kasavin, creative director at Supergiant Games, the studio behind awe-inspiring games like Bastion and most recently the instant-classic Hades.Video
8
AFNarratives Portfoliohttps://afnarratives.carrd.co/My Narrative Portfolio! :) Short and to the point.Portfolio
9
The Skeleton of Narrative Design: Building the Backbone of Your Game (and its Story) by Adanna N.https://www.dropbox.com/s/6slrflfflgfy0ti/Code%20Coven%202023%20Narrative%20Design%20Presentation%20-%20Adanna%20N..pdf?dl=0My presentation giving an overview of Games Writing, Narrative Design, and the Narrative ExperiencePresentation
10
Isa's Portfoliohttps://isaparty.carrd.co/Isa's Narrative Portfolio, highly reccomend looking at this for ideas!Portfolio
11
Nessa Cannon's Portoliohttps://nessacannon.com/Nessa's Narrative Portfolio, highly reccomend looking at this for ideas!Portfolio
12
SweetBaby Inc Narrative Resource Listhttps://sweetbabyinc.com/resources-list/A list of games narrative resources created by Sweet Baby Inc!Article / Web Page
13
Game Devs & Others: Tales from the Margins by Tanya DePasshttps://www.amazon.com/Game-Devs-Others-Tanya-DePass/dp/1138559016Game Devs & Others: Tales from the Margins tell the true stories of life in the industry by people of color, LGBTQIA and other marginalized identities. This collection of essays give people a chance to tell their stories and to let others know what life on the other side of the screen is like when you’re not part of the supposed “majority”.Book
14
The Twine® Grimoire By Grim Baccarishttps://gcbaccaris.itch.io/grimoire-oneThe Twine® Grimoire is an unofficial introduction to using CSS and HTML to customize the appearance and behavior of projects made in Twine 2!Article / Web Page
15
The Game Narrative Toolboxhttps://www.routledge.com/The-Game-Narrative-Toolbox/Heussner-Finley-Hepler-Lemay/p/book/9781138787087Four experienced narrative designers from different genres of game development have banded together to create this all-inclusive guide on what it's like to work as a writer and narrative designer in the videogame industry. From concept to final testing, The Game Narrative Toolbox walks readers through what role a narrative designer plays on a development team and what the requirements are at every stage of development. Drawing on real experiences, authors Tobias Heussner, Toiya Finley, Ann Lemay, and Jennifer Hepler provide invaluable advice for writing compelling player-centered stories and effective dialogue trees in order to help readers make the switch from prose- or screen- writing to interactive. Accompanying every chapter are exercises that allow the reader to develop their own documentation, outlines, and game-dialogue samples for use in applying for industry jobs or developing independent projects.Book
16
Toiya Kristen Finley's Bloghttps://www.toiyakfinley.com/blog-1A collection of blog posts discussing different aspects of Narrative Design!Article / Web Page
17
Freelance Video Game Writing: The Life & Business of the Digital Mercenary for Hire By Toiya Kristen Finleyhttps://www.amazon.com/Freelance-Video-Game-Writing-Mercenary-ebook/dp/B09VJD2P57?ref_=ast_author_dpIn the competitive world of video game writing and narrative design, developers are losing permanent positions while freelancing careers are on the rise. Many developers don’t understand how to seize these freelancing opportunities, such as understanding the business of freelancing, how to go about finding work, how to establish strong relationships with clients, and how to sustain themselves as freelancers. Freelance Video Game Writing: The Life & Business of the Digital Mercenary for Hire offers developers guidance on achieving their freelancing goals as telecommuters. Dr. Toiya Kristen Finley presents practical insight into the profession and how to further enhance your freelancing business, whether you are a newcomer in the field or an experienced freelancer.Book
18
Branching Story, Unlocked Dialogue: Designing and Writing Visual Novels By Toiya Kristen Finleyhttps://www.amazon.com/Branching-Story-Unlocked-Dialogue-Designing-ebook/dp/B0BHLPB749?ref_=ast_author_dpThis book covers the distinguishing characteristics and tropes of visual novels (VNs) as choice-based games and analyzes VNs like 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors; Hatoful Boyfriend; and Monster Prom, some of the best examples of the genre as illustrations. The author covers structuring branching narrative and plot, designing impactful and compelling choices, writing entertaining relationships and character interactions, understanding the importance of a VN’s prose, and planning a VN’s overall narrative design and story delivery.Book
19
Writing for Games: Theory & Practice By Hannah Nicklinhttps://www.routledge.com/Writing-for-Games-Theory-and-Practice/Nicklin/p/book/9781032023052Focussing on the independent videogames sector, this book provides readers with a vocabulary to articulate and build their games writing practice; whether studying games or coming to games from another storytelling discipline. 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.Book
20
Manga in Theory and Practice: The Craft of Creating Manga By Hirohiko Arakihttps://www.amazon.com/Manga-Theory-Practice-Craft-Creating/dp/1421594072Hirohiko Araki is the author of one of the longest-running and most beloved manga of all time, the epic fan favorite JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. According to him, manga is the ultimate synthesis of all forms of art, and in this book he reveals the secrets behind how to make the magic happen using concrete examples from his own work. Read all about his “golden ratio” for drawing, the character histories he draws up for each of the characters he creates, his methodology for storytelling inspired by the great Ernest Hemingway, and many more aspects of manga creation in this how-to guide penned by an industry legend.BookEven though the book is focused on manga, it's a fantastic resource for storytelling in any medium!
21
Freelance Game Writing Rateshttps://twitter.com/VOW_Together/status/1368706796089729026?s=19A mini-guide to rates as a games writing freelancer!Article / Web Page
22
How to give better feedback in game writing (and beyond) by Byrant Francishttps://www.gamedeveloper.com/gdc2023/how-to-give-better-feedback-in-game-writing-and-beyond-An article discussing Alexa Ray Corriea and Lis Moberly's GDC talk about giving effective feedback to games writers!Article / Web Page
23
Rosa Carbó-Mascarel's Game Design Wikihttps://twitter.com/moreelen/status/1639014449486106626A collection of Game Design Resources!Article / Web Page
24
Into Game's Game Role Resource Libararyhttps://twitter.com/intogamesHQ/status/1620795076145463296?t=OQ-_BR8kjmNlr3qdhUuG8A&s=19A collection of information and resources for various roles in the Games Industry!Article / Web Page
25
Game Dev Cheat Sheet by Allurioushttps://allurious.itch.io/cheatsheets2018A sheet discussing various roles and the requirements for them in game development!Article / Web Page
26
Raymond Vermeulen's Narrative Design Resource Sheethttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1OvmeyIUkOIJ8Ekdlr2z4QXf7ES3kNe3eERO9t2breXU/editAnother collection of Games Writing & Narrative Design Resources!Other
27
Cat Manning's Thread on Barkshttps://twitter.com/catacalypto/status/1339293498135126016?s=19A quick and easy guide to barks!Article / Web Page
28
Magic: the Gathering': 20 Years, 20 Lessons Learned By Mark Rosewaterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHg99hwQGYMagic the Gathering head designer Mark Rosewater shares twenty lessons learned over twenty years of designing one of the world's most popular collectible card games. Watch to learn lessons such as "Restrictions Breed Creativity", "Fighting Human Nature Is a Losing Battle" and "If Everyone Likes Your Game, But No One Loves It, It Will Fail".Video
29
AdvX 2018 - Jon Ingold - Sparkling Dialogue: A Masterclasshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vRfNtvFVRoGame conversations are all too often static and stagey: there’s none of the messy, fun and characterful back and forth that makes a conversation sparkle. Using Ink and assisted by Sally Beaumont, Jon Ingold (Heaven’s Vault, 80 Days) will create conversations that are dynamic, contextual and full of moments of connection.Video
30
The Design of Subnautica By Charlie Clevelandhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R-x9NSBS2YIn this 2019 GDC session, Unknown Worlds' Charlie Cleveland discusses the design of Subnautica and how it created feelings of exploration, discovery and the unknown. Video
31
Forget Protagonists: Writing NPCs with Agency for 80 Days and Beyond by Meg Jayanthhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLtATD6CF0EIn this 2016 GDC session, 80 Days writer Meg Jayanth explores best practices around writing three-dimensional, engaging NPCs to enliven game narratives.Video
32
Cursed Problems in Game Design by Alex Jaffehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uE6-vIi1rQIn this 2019 GDC session, Riot Games' Alex Jaffe presents a theory of cursed game design problems and explores the four design paradigms that have helped developers face these problems and survive.Video
33
AI-driven Dynamic Dialog through Fuzzy Pattern Matching by Elan Ruskinhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAbBID3N64AIn this classic GDC 2012 session, programmer Elan Ruskin shows a simple, uniform mechanism made for the Left 4 Dead series for tracking thousands of facts and possibilities, allowing intelligent characters to remember history, cascade from special to general cases, and select the optimal dialog, script, behavior, or animation for every situation. Video
34
Katie Chironis's Blog http://katiechironis.com/A blog that covers breaking into Narrative Design!Video
35
Fireside Chat with Kim Belairhttps://www.linkedin.com/posts/kojokumah_im-very-happy-and-proud-to-finally-be-able-activity-6764969379366080512-RUnwLast year for Black History Month Black@PlayStation (formerly PAAN) hosted a fireside chat featuring Kim Belair where we discussed her work in narrative design, the efforts her company (Sweet Baby Inc) is taking to bring new voices into the gaming industry, and the idea of diversity as innovation which she has spoken about before.Video
36
Slay the Dragon: Writing Great Video Games Book by Keith Giglio and Robert Denton Bryanthttps://www.amazon.com/Slay-Dragon-Writing-Great-Video/dp/1615932291Writing for the multibillion-dollar video-game industry is unlike writing for any other medium. Slay the Dragon will help you understand the challenges and offer creative solutions to writing for a medium where the audience not only demands a great story, but to be a driving force within it. Aimed at traditional writers who want to learn interactive narrative as well as game creators who want to tell better, more emotionally involving stories, the book is written by two creative veterans of both Hollywood and "Nerdyhood." Through lively discussions and self-paced-exercises, Bryant and Giglio step you such topics as: the "no-act" structure of video games; writing great game characters; making gameplay emotionally meaningful; and bringing your game world alive.Book
37
Video Game Storytelling: What Every Developer Needs to Know about Narrative Techniques By Evan Skolnickhttps://www.amazon.com/Video-Game-Storytelling-Developer-Techniques/dp/0385345828With increasingly sophisticated video games being consumed by an enthusiastic and expanding audience, the pressure is on game developers like never before to deliver exciting stories and engaging characters. With Video Game Storytelling, game writer and producer Evan Skolnick provides a comprehensive yet easy-to-follow guide to storytelling basics and how they can be applied at every stage of the development process—by all members of the team. This clear, concise reference pairs relevant examples from top games and other media with a breakdown of the key roles in game development, showing how a team’s shared understanding and application of core storytelling principles can deepen the player experience. Understanding story and why it matters is no longer just for writers or narrative designers.Book
38
Where to look for game writing and narrative design jobs, and some resources for those aspiring to join the industry by Chride Lassheikkihttps://medium.com/@classheikki/how-to-find-game-narrative-job-postings-9603777af2dbFor the past three weeks, I’ve been collecting and sharing game narrative — game writing and narrative design — job postings for my MA thesis. I’ve heard and experienced myself how hard it is to find work in game narrative, but to my glee and horror I found around 200 postings when I was hoping for 50. So how did I find them?Article / Web Page
39
How To Go From "Aspiring" to "Narrative Designer" - Bite-Size Talk - LudoNarraCon 2021 by Karrie Shirouhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr9GAjUiNUMSo you want to break into narrative design & writing for games. Awesome! Where do you start? Tune into this 15-minute blitz where we'll lay out the roadmap to get you making games, building a portfolio, and setting yourself up as a Narrative Designer to watch. We'll laser focus on actionable tips that you can get started on right away.Video
40
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloudhttps://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Comics-Invisible-Scott-McCloud/dp/006097625XPraised throughout the cartoon industry by such luminaries as Art Spiegelman, Matt Groening, and Will Eisner, Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics is a seminal examination of comics art: its rich history, surprising technical components, and major cultural significance. Explore the secret world between the panels, through the lines, and within the hidden symbols of a powerful but misunderstood art form.BookDo not ignore this book just because it is about comics! It deep dives into visual storytelling as a whole - very helpful when crafting stories for games!
41
BlackTabby Games Bloghttps://blacktabbygames.medium.com/A blog with different posts about narrative, design, and player experience!Article / Web Page
42
Kindness Coins, or Chemistry Casino: A New Take On Romantic-Sexual Narrative Design by Michelle Cloughhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlyH_NAs3f0In this 2022 Game Narrative Summit talk, Talespinners' Michelle Clough dives into a new framework for writing and designing romantic/sexual content in games, with similar structure but more flexibility and more character/narrative weight than "kindness coins." Video
43
Passion and Play: A Guide to Designing Sexual Content in Games by Michelle Cloughhttps://www.amazon.com/Passion-Play-Michelle-Clough/dp/0367404656Hoping to add some steam and sex to your next game? Then this book is for you. This practical guide provides you with the foundational tools needed to write, design, and create healthy sexual content in video games in ways that are narratively compelling, varied, and hot! Challenging the assumptions that sex in games is superfluous, exploitative, or only of interest to straight guys, this book encourages designers to create meaningful, enjoyable sexual content for all audiences.Book
44
Digital Love: Romance and Sexuality in Games by Heidi McDonaldhttps://www.amazon.com/Digital-Love-Romance-Sexuality-Games/dp/1482237989Scholars and professionals from all over the world, across experience levels and the gender and sexuality spectrum, share experiences and analysis of romance and sexuality in video games. Whether discussing casual sex in the Star Wars universe; analyzing various Otome games; examining "the gaze" in various games; player romance behavior in games; or exploring the ethical ramifications of sexuality in virtual reality and other emerging technologies, this book discusses what players want in video game romance, and how developers can best deliver it.Book
45
Job Functions in Game Narrative Or: What does that pesky Narrative Designer title actually mean? by Ian Thomashttps://wildwinter.medium.com/role-functions-in-game-narrative-9d4b4daace3bThat 'what is a narrative designer?' question again! No-one agrees, but I've used simple definitions for a while now to talk about *job functions* in game narrative roles.Article / Web Page
46
How to Run (and Survive) a Writers' Room by Antony Johnstonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VflCBFogAB0In this 2022 Game Narrative Summit talk, writer Antony Johnston shares how the writers' room model can be adapted and used to benefit game writing; how to recruit the staff for such a room; and how to run it in a way that delivers the most creativity combined with best results for developers.Video
47
Diablo Game Design Documenthttps://www.graybeardgames.com/download/diablo_pitch.pdfA game design document from the game Diablo.Article / Web Page
48
Game Design Document Example by Kathy Smarthttps://kathysmartgamedesigner.com/game-design-documents.htmlAn example of a Game Design Document - better known as the bible of your game!Article / Web Page
49
Abbott Elementary Pilot Scripthttps://nofilmschool.com/download-abbott-elementary-pilot-script-pdfThe pilot script of Abbott Elementary: Episode 1 - useful if you want to understand screenwriting!Article / Web Page
50
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse Screenplayhttps://origin-flash.sonypictures.com/ist/awards_screenplays/SV_screenplay.pdfThe screenplay of Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse film - useful if you want to understand screenwriting!Article / Web Page
51
Collaborative Worldbuilding for Video Games by Kaitlin Tremblayhttps://www.amazon.com/Collaborative-Worldbuilding-Video-Kaitlin-Tremblay/dp/1032385545This book is a theoretical and practical deep dive into the craft of worldbuilding for video games, with an explicit focus on how different job disciplines contribute to worldbuilding. In addition to providing lenses for recognizing the various components in creating fictional and digital worlds, the author positions worldbuilding as a reciprocal and dynamic process, a process which acknowledges that worldbuilding is both created by and instrumental in the design of narrative, gameplay, art, audio, and more. Collaborative Worldbuilding for Video Games encourages mutual respect and collaboration among teams and provides game writers and narrative designers tools for effectively incorporating other job roles into their own worldbuilding practice and vice versa.Book
52
The future of narrative design with Leigh Alexander (Talking Simulator Podcast)https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-future-of-narrative-design-with-leigh-alexander/id1462420462?i=1000507364097Writer and narrative designer Leigh Alexander, known for her work on games like Neo Cab and Reigns: Her Majesty, talks through some of her thoughts on the current state of narrative design in games and its potential for the future. How can narrative designers meet a younger audience where they already are? Is it possible to harness the undeniable power of social media in more constructive ways? And what can we learn from looking back to the games and other future-looking media of the past?Other
53
nomnomnami's tips for games writershttps://cohost.org/nomnomnami/post/1353545-tips-for-game-writerSome general advice for games writing!Article / Web Page
54
How To: Your First Game Writing Portfolio by Die Gute Fabrikhttps://gutefabrik.com/portolio-review/This is an additional article from our wonderful 2022 Game Writing Intern Halima Hassan. As part of the internship (and as well as working on the studio's upcoming game) Halima also went through a mentoring process with our Studio Lead Hannah Nicklin. Early on they identified together that Halima would like to conclude the mentorship by working towards a portfolio which she could use professionally. Which takes us to now! We hope that you enjoy this insight into Halima's journey. And stay tuned 'til the end for a bonus extract from Writing For Games on designing your own portfolio.Article / Web Page
55
Alex's Game Resources Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QhFyPfYSjHv7PjibGrslF3mNW_CIDXWv9o-iQgLbu1o/edit#gid=1632070911A sheet with resources spanning all areas of game design!Other
56
Alex's Level Design Sheethttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1fAlf2MwEFTwePwzbP3try1H0aYa9kpVBHPBkyIq-caY/editAn in-depth breakdown of level design in games!Article / Web Page
57
The Path to Narrative Design (ft. Son M.!) - The Burn Out Brighter Podcast #113https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E08h1W5e6wThis week, Matt and Destinee are joined by WRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE, Son M.! We talk all about Son's MANY projects, narrative design, and wrap with some State of Play news and more! CHECK IT!Video
58
The Unapologetically Black Gaming Podcast - Dani Deehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dani-dee/id1548607374?i=1000581867099On this episode we chat with writer, combat designer, narrative designer, founder of Split Fate Studios, producer on High Elo Girls, 1/4 of First Bite Games, Dani Dee! We chop it up about what are some of our favorite games to play, their origin story, the wild lore of Mortal Kombat, the gaming development community and the resources available and a bunch of other stuff! Be sure to follow them on all of their platforms for more of their content and go wishlist High Elo Girls!Other
59
Game Dev Resource Sheet by REBECCAH BASSELLhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/17HKHDIsboxI4pTUAQJiPwXCEfGy3OlD1v9-Udk3tkog/editThe purpose of this doc is to provide useful links for those interested in a career in game development. This guide was originally made for undergrad students at my alma mater who, like myself, weren’t enrolled in any formal games education program. This document served as an introduction to what a career in the industry could look like for that class and how to fill those knowledge gaps. Use this context when reviewing this doc.Article / Web Page
60
Games Writer Resource Thread by Ash Propikhttps://twitter.com/ashleypoprik/status/1648412983322869761?t=KSYiYVkGxunHHIlNSxnz7Q&s=19A twitter thread with numerous resources on breaking into the games industry!Article / Web Page
61
Susan O'Connor's Games Narrative Bloghttps://www.thenarrativedept.com/blogA blog with numerous resources about games writing!Article / Web Page
62
Games Narrative Newsletter By Rose Beharhttps://narrativenews.substack.com/p/narrative-news-july-2023-jobs-events?r=nkt4&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=webA narrative newsletter with updates related to games writing including job postings and conferences!Article / Web Page
63
The Game Writing Guide By Anna Megillhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/1032252367?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_FF9KME9HV7C6VVCK4G08This comprehensive guide walks readers through the entire process of getting and keeping a writing job in the games industry. It outlines exactly what a beginner needs to know about education requirements, finding opportunities, applying for roles, and acing studio interviews. Professional writers will learn how to navigate studio hierarchies, transfer roles and companies, work overseas, and keep developing their careers.Article / Web Page
64
Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing 2nd Edition edited by Wendy Despain https://www.amazon.com/Professional-Techniques-Video-Game-Writing/dp/036718477XThis second edition of Professional Techniques for Video Game Writingis updated with new chapters and new authors, but it’s still a no-nonsense guide to the professional craft of writing for video games. Not only does the text cover story and narrative elements, but it also addresses dialogue, documentation, and strategy guides. Seasoned video game writers each address a different topic, including the best way to break into the video game industry, how to be an efficient part of a team, and the principles of narrative design. The bookalso offers script samples, technical writing advice, effective writing tips, and suggestions for how to innovate in game narrative.Book
65
Script Lock Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/script-lock/id1046162544Writers Max and Nick Folkman sit down with other writers and developers to discuss storytelling in video games.Other
66
Jerry Jenkin's Blog on Writinghttps://jerryjenkins.com/category/fiction/A blog detailing tips and resources for writing, nonfiction writing, publishing, and inspiration!Article / Web Page
67
The Writer's Hustle: A Professional Guide to the Creativity, Discipline, Humility, and Grit Every Writer Needs to Flourishhttps://www.bloomsbury.com/us/writers-hustle-9781350160767/The Writer's Hustle is a comprehensive guide to all the things successful writers do when they're not sitting at the keyboard. Drawing on wisdom from dozens of experienced authors, professors, students, and other writing professionals, this book offers pragmatic and systematic advice on the everyday professional practices that make up a writer's life.Book
68
How to Write a Screenplay - Studio Binderhttps://www.studiobinder.com/blog/how-to-write-a-screenplay/Understanding how to write a movie script, also known as a screenplay, can seem daunting at first, but once you understand script format and structure you can then focus on your creativity. We’ll take you through the process of writing a screenplay so that you can begin building that great movie idea into a professional script.Article / Web Page
69
Neil Gaiman's Tumblr Bloghttps://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/689454123592171520/50-words-to-use-instead-of-saidA Tumblr blog run by author Neil Gaiman, which has various tips and discussions on writing.Article / Web Page
70
Writing On Gameshttps://www.youtube.com/@WritingOnGames/aboutIn-depth analysis and opinion pieces on games, their designs and their narratives.Video
71
Intelligame by Josh Boykinhttps://intelli.game/what-is-intelligame/A collection of blogs and podcasts discussing critical analysis of games.Article / Web Page
72
Forest Paths Methods for Narrative Designhttps://swordsnarrative.itch.io/forest-paths-method-for-narrative-designThere are many different reasons people take the paths they do. Some of these paths have structure and look like the many paths we’ve all walked before, but there are other secret paths that many might not even recognise, and they have power as well. As creators of these paths we need to know how to recognise them, design them and create them with the rest of our team for all the different players who will walk our paths. Book
73
Writing Excuses Podcasthttps://writingexcuses.com/Writing Excuses is a fast-paced, educational podcast for writers, by writers. Our goal is to help our listeners become better at their craft. Whether they write for fun or for profit, whether they’re new to the domain or old hands, Writing Excuses has something to offer. We love to write, and our listeners do, too.Other
74
How I Escaped My Certain Fate: The Life and Deaths of a Stand-Up Comedian by Stewart Leehttps://www.amazon.com/How-Escaped-My-Certain-Fate/dp/0571254810Experience how it feels to be the subject of a blasphemy prosecution! Find out why 'wool' is a funny word! See how jokes work, their inner mechanisms revealed, before your astonished face! In 2001, after over a decade in the business, Stewart Lee quit stand-up, disillusioned and drained, and went off to direct a loss-making opera about Jerry Springer. "How I Escaped My Certain Fate" details his return to live performance, and the journey that took him from an early retirement to his position as the most critically acclaimed stand-up in Britain. Here is Stewart Lee's own account of his remarkable comeback, told through transcripts of the three legendary full-length shows that sealed his reputation. Astonishingly frank and detailed in-depth notes reveal the inspiration and inner workings of his act. With unprecedented access to a leading comedian's creative process, this book tell us just what it was like to write these shows, develop the performance and take them on tour. "How I Escaped My Certain Fate" is everything we have come to expect from Stewart Lee: fiercely intelligent, unsparingly honest and very funny.Book
75
What It Is by Lynda Barryhttps://www.amazon.com/What-Lynda-Barry/dp/1897299354How do objects summon memories? What do real images feel like? For decades, these types of questions have permeated the pages of Lynda Barry's compositions, with words attracting pictures and conjuring places through a pen that first and foremost keeps on moving. What It Is demonstrates a tried-and-true creative method that is playful, powerful, and accessible to anyone with an inquisitive wish to write or to remember. Composed of completely new material, each page of Barry's first Drawn & Quarterly book is a full-color collage that is not only a gentle guide to this process but an invigorating example of exactly what it is: "The ordinary is extraordinary."Book
76
How to be an Artist by Michael Atavarhttps://www.amazon.com/How-be-Artist-Michael-Atavar/dp/0953107310#:~:text=HOW%20TO%20BE%20AN%20ARTIST%20is%20a%20book%20that%20develops,to%20make%20your%20vision%20real.HOW TO BE AN ARTIST is a book that develops your creativity and helps you, stage by stage, grow your own creative potential. Michael Atavar draws on his extensive experience as an artist and coach to offer you exercises, tips and extensive lists of choices in order to make your vision real. In three expansive sections, he moves you from beginning an idea, through developing a vocabulary, to working with your own intuitive process. For beginner or experienced practitioner, everyone can benefit from this encouraging and practical volume. Put it in your pocket, it will change your life.Book
77
Playwriting: Structure, Character, How and What to Write by Stephen Jeffreyshttps://www.amazon.com/Playwriting-Structure-Character-What-Write/dp/1848427905Drawn from Jeffreys' renowned writers' workshops at the Royal Court Theatre, whose graduates include Simon Stephens, this book is a comprehensive instruction manual for apprentice playwrights.Book
78
99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style by Matt Maddenhttps://www.amazon.com/99-Ways-Tell-Story-Exercises/dp/1596090782#:~:text=99%20Ways%20to%20Tell%20a%20Story%20is%20a%20series%20of,possibilities%20available%20to%20all%20storytellers.99 Ways to Tell a Story is a series of engrossing one-page comics that tell the same story ninety-nine different ways. Inspired by Raymond Queneau’s 1947 Exercises in Style, a mainstay of creative writing courses, Madden’s project demonstrates the expansive range of possibilities available to all storytellers. Readers are taken on an enlightening tour—sometimes amusing, always surprising—through the world of the story.Book
79
The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories by Christopher Bookerhttps://www.amazon.com/Seven-Basic-Plots-Tell-Stories/dp/0826480373This remarkable and monumental book at last provides a comprehensive answer to the age-old riddle of whether there are only a small number of 'basic stories' in the world. Using a wealth of examples, from ancient myths and folk tales via the plays and novels of great literature to the popular movies and TV soap operas of today, it shows that there are seven archetypal themes which recur throughout every kind of storytelling.Book
80
Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff VanderMeerhttps://www.amazon.com/Wonderbook-Illustrated-Creating-Imaginative-Fiction/dp/1419704427This all-new definitive guide to writing imaginative fiction takes a completely novel approach and fully exploits the visual nature of fantasy through original drawings, maps, renderings, and exercises to create a spectacularly beautiful and inspiring object. Employing an accessible, example-rich approach, Wonderbook energizes and motivates while also providing practical, nuts-and-bolts information needed to improve as a writer. Aimed at aspiring and intermediate-level writers, Wonderbook includes helpful sidebars and essays from some of the biggest names in fantasy today, such as George R. R. Martin, Lev Grossman, Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, Catherynne M. Valente, and Karen Joy Fowler, to name a few.Book
81
Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft by Jannet Burrowayhttps://www.amazon.com/Imaginative-Writing-Elements-Penguin-Academics/dp/0205750354Janet Burroway's bestselling Imaginative Writng: The Elements of Craft explores the craft of creative writing in four genres: Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Creative Nonfiction. A trade author as well as a professor of creative writing, Burroway brings her years of teaching and writing to this book. "Try-This" exercises appear throughout each chapter. Provocative and fun, these exercises help writers develop the specific writing skills discussed within the text. ";Working toward a draft"; exercises encourage writers to develop their ideas into complete drafts. In response to reviewer requests, the preface ";Invitation to the Writer"; has been expanded into a full chapter. This new chapter introduces writers to important skills such as reading like a writer, journaling, and participating in the writer’s workshop. Book
82
Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prosehttps://www.amazon.com/Reading-Like-Writer-Guide-People/dp/0060777052A distinguished novelist and critic inspires readers and writers with this inside look at how the professionals read―and write.Book
83
The Anatomy of Prose: 12 Steps to Sensational Sentences by Sacha Blackhttps://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Prose-Sensational-Sentences-Writers-ebook/dp/B085PVJGZBThe Anatomy of Prose is a comprehensive writing guide that will help you create sensational sentences. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned writer, this book will power up your prose, eliminate line-level distractions and help you find the perfect balance of show and tell. By the end of this book, you'll know how to strengthen your sentences to give your story, prose and characters the extra sparkle they need to capture a reader's heart.Book
84
Writing for Emotional Impact: Advanced Dramatic Techniques to Attract, Engage, and Fascinate the Reader from Beginning to End by Karl Iglesiashttps://www.amazon.com/Writing-Emotional-Impact-Techniques-Fascinate/dp/1595940286There are three kinds of feelings when reading a story – boredom, interest, and WOW! To become a successful writer you must create the WOW! Feeling on as many pages as possible, and this requires writing that engages the reader emotionally. In his best-selling 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters, screenwriter Karl Iglesias explored the working habits of A-list Hollywood scribes. Now, he breaks new ground by focusing on the psychology of the reader. Based on his acclaimed classes at UCLA Extension, Writing for Emotional Impact goes beyond the basics and argues that Hollywood is in the emotion-delivery business, selling emotional experiences packaged in movies and TV shows. Karl not only encourages you to deliver emotional impact on as many pages as possible, he shows you how, offering you hundreds of dramatic techniques to take your writing to the professional level.Book
85
Creating Unexpected and Spectacular Heartthrobs in your Dating Simshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss674WVuA1U&t=1sIndie game writers, directors, and producers (Romancelvania, We are OFK, ValiDate) will join to discuss their character creation process when developing fresh and intriguing characters with believable, relatable romance narratives in video games.Video
86
Narrative Design Notion Board By Ella Lowgrenhttps://candle-mosquito-01f.notion.site/Narrative-Board-47e7c9baaa6f437b99fe5527d775b678A notion template you can use for your own narrative design needs!Software
87
Calicohttps://elliotherriman.itch.io/calicoCalico is an interactive fiction engine for web games, powered by Inkle's ink. Designed as a replacement to the default Ink web player, Calico offers a borderline irresponsible number of new features, such as custom tags, keyboard shortcuts, full mobile compatibility, custom text transitions, and simple text styling and parsing.Software
88
Inkhttps://www.inklestudios.com/ink/A narrative scripting language for games!Software
89
Inkle Writer https://www.inklestudios.com/inklewriter/A web version of Ink that you can use!Software
90
Twinehttps://twinery.org/Twine is an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories.Software
91
Fungushttps://fungusgames.com/An add-on to unity that has visual scripting that lets everyone create beautiful story games - for free and with no coding! Power users can use Lua scripting to tackle bigger storytelling projects.Software
92
Ren'Pyhttps://www.renpy.org/Ren'Py is a visual novel engine – used by thousands of creators from around the world – that helps you use words, images, and sounds to tell interactive stories that run on computers and mobile devices. These can be both visual novels and life simulation games. The easy to learn script language allows anyone to efficiently write large visual novels, while its Python scripting is enough for complex simulation games.Software
93
In depth pronouns add-on for Ren'py by Fenikshttps://feniksdev.itch.io/in-depth-pronouns-for-renpyThis tool for Ren'Py provides a comprehensive way of adding player-selectable pronouns to your game!Software
94
THE RESOURCES BELOW THIS LINE ARE FOR GAME DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL!​
95
Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Gameshttps://www.youtube.com/@sora_sakurai_enJoin Masahiro Sakurai, director of several Kirby games and the Super Smash Bros. series, as he reflects on his work in the games industry and offers insightful and easy-to-understand advice about game development. The goal? To try and help make games around the world a little more fun!Video
96
Creative Freelancing and Taxes: The Basics By Jim Zubhttp://www.jimzub.com/creative-freelancing-and-taxes-the-basics/A quick guide to taxes for freelancers!Article / Web Page
97
Publish Me, Punish Me By GLITCHhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTSenWI47IyZjkkyEqCL5qTgKLuX6puElPUBLISH ME / PUNISH ME is a comedy series examining deal practices in the games industry, hosted by Evva Karr and Son M.Video
98
Hades: Developing Hell By Nocliphttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-THgg8QnvU4JEVov1tMlFThNYS92F8uCA documentary on the development on the game Hades by Supergiant!Video
99
Games UI Databasehttps://www.gameuidatabase.com/A database of games UI that you can view!Article / Web Page
100
Global Game Dev Salary Sheethttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cM3_iBGF8IXZfLS5GKvC0-JWh0tS6TVYJJ-HxlguinA/edit#gid=1190884846An anonymous sheet documenting the salaries of game developers across the globe.Article / Web Page