Writing for Video Games with Charlene Putney

Course Summary

Get a taster of how to write for video games! In this five-part course, participants will craft interactive stories using a free and easy-to-learn tool called Twine. In addition, they will learn the theory of structuring narratives for choice and interactivity. Learn, create (and even publish!) in a fun and inclusive atmosphere with lots of practical exercises.

Course Outline

• Week One: Introduction to writing for choice and interactivity, with a range of writing exercises to get creativity flowing
• Week Two: Introduction to working with Twine, story shapes and arcs, perspectives
• Week Three: Advanced Twine techniques, procedural generation techniques
• Week Four: Writing juicy characters, methods for iterating/editing
• Week Five: Understanding the role of a game writer in the industry, workshopping and publishing our Twine work.

*Note that between each session there will be a small amount of writing homework (~1-2 hours) to develop your practice

Course Outcomes

How to write for choice and interactivity, an understanding of the role of a game writer in the industry, how to work with and publish Twine games.

Charlene Putney is an award-winning writer and teacher. After working at Google and Facebook in management positions, she’s been writing for video games since 2013, including writing for Divinity: Original Sin 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, NUTS, and Saltsea Chronicles. She has taught writing for games at Trinity College, DIT, ITU Copenhagen, KADK Copenhagen, and many conferences and events (including teaching quantum scientists at CERN about interactive fiction!). And shhhhh, it’s still a bit of a secret, but together with her partner Martin Pichlmair, she’s setting up a new games studio. Keep in touch at alphachar.com.

Booked out? To be added to the waiting list for this course, please email info@irishwriterscentre.ie.