How to Break In and Stay In - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 5

make a good impression, not a sloppy drunk impression. If you're not a fan of bars,
consider eating meals with people you meet at conferences. It's almost as good—and
better if you can pick up the check on occasion.
1.5 Applying
First, don't cold call a company. It won't do you any good. If there's a particular
company you know you'd like to work for, try to get to know people who work there
through mailing lists, message boards, and conferences. The IGDA can be invaluable
for making these connections. The people you get to know will think of you the
next time there's an opening in their company, and you'll learn volumes about the
company culture long before your first day on the job. Sometimes companies make
games you admire but don't have a corporate culture you could stomach. Better to
know ahead of time, and networking will answer a lot of questions for you.
Ads for game-writing positions are pretty uncommon, so don't wait for them to
show up even on game industry specific job boards. Most game-writing jobs get filled
through word of mouth.
If you do see one of the rare ads for a writer, or someone tells you about an
opening at their company, there are a few things to keep in mind when putting to-
gether your application. First, write it specifically for the company you're applying
to. Don't just use the same materials for every opportunity. Second, be aware of
exactly what they need in an application. Some companies, such as BioWare, re-
quire that you make a game mod with their game engine with an emphasis on the
writing.
If you don't get a reply, don't badger them. Move on to the next opportunity. It
won't do any good to send in a new application over and over again. Spend careful
time on your first application so that it grabs their attention. Your cover letter should
show how you fit with their company but also what you can bring to them, in a
humble and direct manner. The best strategy is to reference your experience and
portfolio.
Once you get past the application process, you're up for an interview. Here's the
time to prove yourself. As Serviss recommends, “Know the company you're inter-
viewing with. Be familiar with their games, the critical and commercial receptions
they've received, and think about elements you would improve upon if you had the
opportunity. Have a basic game plan of how to present your background and inter-
ests, but don't try to memorize anything and stress yourself out. Have a few questions
for the person you're interviewing with at the end that show you're serious.�
Forbeck adds, “Be polite and prepared. Dress well, but in most cases you can
forgo the suit or business dress. To call the dress code in some studios 'business casual'
would be generous. If you're not sure and you have questions, call the company and
ask human resources for advice. That could be your first friend on the inside.�
Overall, if you're polite and prepared, you should be relaxed when getting inter-
viewed. If you're a writer who hasn't yet worked with the game industry, as Posey