Today, a tremendously polite writer contacted me with a question I get a lot. It essentially boils down to, “I want to write games, and I’ve been working on it for a while. I built a great website/portfolio, and I’ve applied to all sorts of jobs. Still, I can’t seem to get much traction. How do I break in?”
They literally wrote: “Can you please advise me on what I am doing wrong or how I should improve myself to get a dream job as a game designer/game writer?”
Here’s what I told them, and I’m posting it here too on the off chance that it might help someone else with the same question.
Hi!
That’s a huge question without any solid answers. Your website looks solid, and you’re clearly working on getting experience, so you’re taking the right steps.
One problem, of course, is that there have been massive layoffs in the tech industry over the past year, which means that a number of those places aren’t hiring. And when they do, you may find yourself competing for spots against some of those laid-off veterans.
In your position, I’d recommend three things:
1) Work on your own projects as best you can. This could be game jams, mods, things you make with Twine or RPG Maker or Unity, or even tabletop games or other creative projects. Put them out there for feedback. Self-publish if you can. Just go at your own pace and have fun with it.
2) Join the IGDA’s Writers SIG. It’s a group of professional and aspiring game writers that there’s to share knowledge about the industry, including job postings. It’s also free to join, even if you’re not a member of the IGDA. It used to be mostly active on an email list, but it’s now moved over to Facebook and Discord.
3) Make friends with other game designers. Lots of game jobs never get posted anywhere but are filled through personal recommendations. If one of your friends can recommend you for a gig, that gives you a shot at it. If you find yourself in a position to recommend others, you can do the same for your friends.
I hope that gives you a bit of guidance and some hope. Like most creative fields, this is not an easy one to make a living in, but it can be loads of fun. Good luck!
