Getting the Work Done - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 85

An example of my own task spreadsheet is included in Appendix C as an example
you can use as a starting point for your own project management plan.
Also keep in mind that the best way to get the work done may be to share. Many
game writers freelance and may be available to help out with one or two of these
sections if it's just not possible for one person to meet the deadlines. Chapter 8 in
this topic addresses techniques for working in a team. Consult that chapter for advice
on how to make this work.
9.3 The Basics Can Save Your Backside
Remember that pep talk every Obi-Wan mentor ever gave the plucky young hero
facing their worst fears? Remember your training. Don't abandon the fundamentals
under pressure. When you're facing a huge project, the only way to get through it
with any elegance is to remember the basics of the writing craft. They apply to game
writing as much as anything else.
For example, fully realized characters write their own dialog. Cardboard charac-
ters are hard to write for. I was really worried about this when I started Bratz: Forever
Diamondz . I didn't realize detailed character descriptions had already been written
for each doll/character. When I turned these up in my research, I knew my job just
got much easier.
I made one-page character sheets for each of the main characters, including their
image, brief description, and personal quirks. I hung these up around my office
and really got to know them. I knew how each character would respond in a given
situation, and that made writing dialog a breeze. Take a look at the script sample in
Appendix C to see how it worked out.
You may have your own shortcuts, but one I use is personality theory. I'm a fan
of Carl Jung's personality types, a system also known by the names of the creators
of the sorting test Meyers-Briggs. It's a way to categorize different personalities with
shortcut acronyms. I use them often enough that I know how effervescent an ENFP
will be when she wins a game, and how embarrassed an INTJ will be when she's the
center of attention. The dialog in those situations comes to mind instantly, whether
it's for a video game or a TV episode. Faster dialog writing will more than make up
for the time it takes to breathe life into your characters.
Another truism writers in other media hear is that to be a good writer, you have
to read a lot and you have to write a lot. This is just as true for game writing as long
as you also include playing a lot. Playing video games should be a regular habit. It
sounds crazy at first, but when you work on games and get caught up in your job,
it can be easy to stop immersing yourself in other games and media. Don't let that
fade out. You don't have to be the best gamer ever, but being literate and caught up
is important, and you can learn a lot from your peers.
One of the fundamentals often overlooked in the games industry is editing. Edit-
ing and rewriting are the bedrock of writing. Do your best to include this step in
your video game work. You may have to fight for it, but it will turn mediocre dialog