by Will McDermott Editor’s note: This piece is part of our “Playtesting Game Narratives” series, curated by SFWA’s Game Writing Committee. Writing narrative content for board games is different from any other writing I’ve ever done. It’s even different than writing for video games or role-playing games. The reason is simple: length. Novel and short […]
by John Dale Beety Editor’s note: This is the first installment in our five-part series “Playtesting Game Narratives,” curated by SFWA’s Game Writing Committee. In science fiction and fantasy (SFF) terms, game writing is exactly what it sounds like: writing for games. Calling oneself a game writer, however, is akin to declaring oneself a scientist. […]
by Misha Grifka Wander When I teach video game analysis to college students, I sometimes tell them that they’re going to make their own games—and their eyes glaze over in panic, thinking of the intense production requirements of a video game: music, voice acting, animation, design, and so on. If you’ve ever been curious about […]
By Ursula Whitcher My first fictional love was tabletop role-playing games, from Dungeons & Dragons and ’90s classics like Vampire: The Masquerade to indie hits such as Visigoths vs. Mall Goths. After all that gaming, I thought I knew how to tell stories. But when I began trying to write and sell short fiction, I […]
by Monica Valentinelli
When you produce a game, you’re creating the interactive means for players to share a common experience that is often shaped by a story or narrative. The point, or goal, of that interaction will vary by the type of game. In games set in an expansive world like Star Wars, the Forgotten Realms, or Dragon Age, the goals will be present on a macro and micro level. Those goals drive the game design and shape how writers will intersect with the game’s text.
SFWA opened its doors to game writers as members this year, using the qualifications created by the Game Writing Committee. Alas, as with so much in life, those were not perfect, so we gathered information and worked on amending them. After long deliberation, the Board has voted to change the qualifications, and the motion has […]
Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America to Admit Game Writers Writers who help create narratives for video games, table-top roleplaying games and card games will be eligible to be admitted to the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) following a membership-wide vote. SFWA will start accepting applications for this Active-level type of […]
An Afro-Irreal collection with transformative stories of culture, diversity, climate change, unlimited futures, mythology, and more. It cases black people stories in bold and evocative text, at times deeply flawed but redeemable protagonists.
Laurie Stevens is the author of the multi-award winning Gabriel McRay suspense series and The Return, a new sci-fi/fantasy that pits AI against human consciousness.
