[Twilight Time] Eight Lessons RPG Writers Don't Want to Learn

[Heather Grove]

December 9, 2002 - Eight Lessons RPG Writers Don't Want to Learn
Volume 3, Issue 17

This is the Twilight Time zine, the free zine of the Burning Void: 
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Copyright 2002 by Burning Void Publishing and Heather Grove, except 
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Good morning!

This week's article is one more for those who write or want to write 
for the RPG industry. It's a companion piece to an article that went 
up on our writers' resources page: "Seven Lessons Writers Don't Want 
to Learn." (As usual, the link can be found in the site update after 
the article.) Next issue we'll get back to GM and player material.

By the way, you'll also find links below to two (yes, two) more 
listings of powers for our Barakah series. That's right, I went a 
little wild. I was going to do one little article, and somehow it 
turned into three, with a total of almost 150 powers. I did, by the 
way, go back and add a few more to that first article. I was never any 
good at doing something half-way. I'd say that I'll show more 
restraint with whatever I decide to add to that series next, but I 
know it isn't true...

We'll see you again around the end of the year. In the meantime, have 
a great winter holiday of your choice!

Have a wonderful afternoon,
Heather

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Eight Lessons RPG Writers Don't Want to Learn

There are certain aspects to writing professionally (and writing for 
the roleplaying (RPG) market) that people don't like to think about 
when they sit around fantasizing about their dream job. Facing those 
details and dealing with them, however, is much more likely to get you 
a job you enjoy in the long term!


Lesson #1: Writing, Roleplaying, and Designing All Matter

Knowing how to design good RPG material isn't enough. Knowing how to 
write well isn't enough. Knowing your way around a company's products 
and game world isn't enough. Learn as much of all three of these 
things as possible - it will make you and your editors much happier. 
It'll also make you much more likely to get more and better-paying 
contracts. It'll cut down on the research, harsh redlines and 
revisions that accompany your contracts.


Lesson #2: Writing Under Contract Isn't Writing for Yourself

There are certain things you can't do when writing under contract. You 
can't decide that you don't want to do what's in your outline, and 
write something totally different without telling your editor. If you 
feel stuck you can't put the contract aside and wait until you feel 
inspired - you have a deadline to meet. You can't send copies of your 
work to your friends or put them up on the web. (Heck, sometimes you 
can't even tell people the title of the book.) You can't decide that 
you're tired of the manuscript and junk it.

Any of these things are likely to cost you your paycheck when you work 
for someone else. Worse, the company will probably never hire you 
again. You can do these things when you write your own material, but 
not when you act as a professional.


Lesson #3: Even the Best Writer Writes Bad Stuff

ALL writers have trouble learning this lesson. Every writer writes bad 
stuff. Every writer has their off day or their off manuscript. No one 
writes perfect material all the time. Learn to accept this. Learn to 
discriminate between your good writing and your bad so that you can 
junk the bad stuff entirely or revise it into something good.


Lesson #4: Revision is the Philosopher's Stone of Writing

Revision turns the lead of your rough draft into the gold of a 
finished manuscript. No one wants to believe that their first draft 
needs help, but it does. Even the most accomplished writers revise, 
revise, and revise again. Your final draft probably won't look 
anything like your first. Revise your manuscript *before* your editor 
ever sees it.

If you have no idea how to revise your work, then buy a copy of 
"Self-Editing for Fiction Writers" by Browne and King. (Okay, so it's 
for fiction - but it'll still teach you a lot.) Other good resources: 
"Keys to Great Writing" by Stephen Wilbers, and the classic "The 
Elements of Style" by Strunk and White.

Most importantly, know that revision is necessary and make a conscious 
decision to engage in it.


Lesson #5: Craft Takes Time and Practice

Everyone wants to believe that their very first attempts to write are 
perfect and publishable. They aren't. (Ten years from now you'll look 
back on them and cringe.) While talent can be helpful, most of writing 
consists of skill - and skill takes time and effort to learn. It 
includes a knowledge and understanding of everything from grammar to 
pacing, concision to characterization, passive voice to genre conventions.

The good side of this? You can learn a skill. So even if you think you 
have no talent, you may still learn to write well.


Lesson #6: Learn by Doing... Sort Of

To a certain extent you need to learn to write from other people. Read 
your favorite authors' work and see how they do what they do. Take 
classes and workshops. Get your writing evaluated by teachers, 
editors, and peers. Read books and magazines (and web sites) about 
writing. Participate in forum discussions about RPG systems and 
mechanics. Read reviews to see what sorts of things matter to people.

However, none of these things can teach you how to apply this 
information to your own writing. None of them can teach you how to 
decide which pieces of advice apply to you and which don't. No forum 
discussions can tell you for sure which techniques and mechanics will 
and won't work in the course of your game design. You can only learn 
these things by writing. So sure, go ahead and take classes and read 
books - but don't forget to write, too. Try things out and playtest 
them into the ground.


Lesson #7: Someone Hates Your Work

If you publish your writing, someone will hate it. This is true no 
matter how talented or brilliant you are. We all like different things 
in our RPGs and our writing. I like horror; some people hate it. I 
don't like most literary novels; some people love them. The game 
mechanic that wows your sister will be met by scorn from your brother, 
and vice versa.

So don't take it personally when someone writes a negative review 
about your work or says something derisive on a newsgroup. It's going 
to happen. It isn't the end of the world or your career as a writer. 
Let them have their opinions; don't get defensive (feel upset in 
private, not in public). After all, you'd be pretty unhappy if someone 
told you that you weren't allowed to dislike romance novels or 
mysteries, wouldn't you? So why should you yell at someone for not 
liking your work? It just gives you an ulcer and makes you forget 
what's really important: doing what you love.


Lesson #8: The Conditions Suck

Take your pick: short deadlines, vicious editors, late (or missing) 
checks, low pay rates, writing something in a way you don't agree 
with; nasty reviews... I could go on. Eventually you'll encounter one 
(or mostly likely most) of these conditions if you work in the 
business. Keep in mind that even for "normal" writers, the average 
professional writer makes about $4,000 per YEAR. Ugh. Not many people 
can live on that.

Of course, you'll encounter many of these same conditions in other 
writing industries, and in plenty of other non-writing industries as 
well. I think one of the reasons they burn so many people out in this 
industry is that people think of writing RPGs as a magical dream job. 
They don't *expect* these conditions, so they get worn down by them. 
Know what you're getting into before you start, and decide whether or 
not you're willing to deal with it. If you aren't, then do something 
else. You can always write RPG material for yourself in your spare 
time even if you can't stand doing it as a professional.


I'm trying to make sure that if you really are interested in the job, 
you'll stick around longer than your first contract. You won't get 
scared off by the tight deadlines and nasty redlines. You won't 
perform a career-limiting move or ruin your chances of getting a 
contract by turning in a completely un-publishable writing sample. You 
won't be shocked by the low pay or the months-late checks. In short, 
you'll know what to expect - and you'll know whether or not you're 
ready for that.


What's Your Opinion?:

Comments on this issue's topic? Suggestions? Tips? Special topic 
requests? Drop me a line at (heather at burningvoid.com). If I pass any 
of your suggestions on (either through the newsletter or the RPG 
resources page), I'll attribute them to you. Be sure to tell me if you 
don't want me to use your name and/or comments!

The next issue is coming in just a few weeks - late December or early 
January.

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SITE UPDATE:

Burning Void Roleplaying Resources:
http://www.burningvoid.com/users/heather/roleplaying/resources.html

http://www.burningvoid.com/users/heather/roleplaying/Essays/barakah4.html
Barakah Powers Part 2: Resistance, Sensitivity, Intuition, Prophecy, 
Information
http://www.burningvoid.com/users/heather/roleplaying/Essays/barakah5.html
Barakah Powers Part 3: Shape-Shifting, Beguilement, Deception, 
Transportation, Movement

Burning Void Writers' Resources:
http://www.burningvoid.com/users/heather/writing/resources.html

http://www.burningvoid.com/users/heather/writing/ms/essay/unwanted.html
Seven Lessons Writers Don't Want to Learn: all the things you really 
should know about writing but don't want to hear.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
(Trademarks are property of their respective holders and are used for 
identifying purposes only. We reserve the right to edit press releases 
for length, and we give no guarantees as to the legitimacy of any 
offers mentioned here.)

HOGSHEAD PUBLISHING: GAME OVER
http://www.hogshead.demon.co.uk/

As of 30th November 2002, Hogshead Publishing Ltd is leaving the 
adventure-gaming industry.

Please note that the company is not going bankrupt. It is refreshingly 
solvent. However we are bored, creatively frustrated, and increasingly 
despondent about the future of the specialist games industry. After 
our successes in 2002, particularly the mould-breaking and critically 
acclaimed games Nobilis and De Profundis, we think we've gone as far 
as we can and this seems a suitable high-point on which to call it a day.

Nobilis has moved to Guardians of Order, and will be available from 
them with immediate effect. The second printing of the Nobilis 
rulebook will arrive in the USA in mid-December and can be ordered 
from GoO or its stockists. The English-language licence for Warhammer 
Fantasy Roleplay has handed back to Games Workshop. SLA Industries is 
back under the control of Nightfall Games. Warpstone magazine will 
continue publication under its own imprint.

All the future products Hogshead has announced products are cancelled. 
The only exceptions to this are the Nobilis line, which will now 
appear from Guardians of Order, and the full-length Warhammer FRP 
adventure 'Fear the Worst' by Michael Mearls, which we are making 
available as a free PDF download from our website, as a 
farewell-and-thank-you present to all our players and fans.

The majority of Hogshead's existing stock has been sold to our 
favourite distributors, and the rest has been destroyed. We have 
retained a small amount in the UK for mail-order, and will be keeping 
that part of our website running for a while, so if there are any 
Hogshead items you want but haven't bought yet, this is the moment to 
get them.

Our gratitude and our apologies go to all the fans of our games.

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