Game Fiction Day Two: How to Fit your Story to the Theme of the Game

If I gave you a list of well-known movies, I bet that you’ll quickly identify what the theme of the movie is. For example, we know Indiana Jones is pulp, we completely “get” that Army of Darkness is a comedy, and we understand that X-Men III was supposed to be an action movie where Phoenix […]

Writing a Story Based on a Game? Day One: Who are You Writing For?

This week is going to be pretty intense for me; I am rounding the corner on a novella based on the game called “Altheia.” Unfortunately, mapping out the story took a lot longer than I thought, so I’m a bit strapped for time. So for most of this week, I’m going to focus on my […]

Game Setting Fiction: The Ins and Outs of Writing Gaming-Related Stories

One of the interesting things about gaming is the idea that their settings can be turned into some awesome pieces of fictional work. A lot of my own fiction started in gaming (or “licensed settings”) because at the time it was a lower risk for the publishers to use unknown writers. That certainly isn’t the […]

An Easy Way to Estimate How Many Words You Can Write

One of the questions that a lot of new freelancers ask me is, “How do I figure out how many words I can write?” Several freelancing contracts will address the concept of “word count,” because it’s easier to pay rates by the word than by the project. From a business standpoint, you might often hear […]

Gary Gygax, the Passing of a Legend

If you haven’t heard by now, Gary Gygax passed away. Gygax’s obituary gives a brief overview of his career in the gaming industry. The father of GenCon, of modern gaming, of the industry I’ve been working with, his passing does not go quietly into the night. A host of gaming sites and communities offered online […]