Mid-Month Roundup: Narrative Design Jobs, Opportunities, and How to Convince People that Story Matters!

Welcome to the first mid-month edition of Narrative News.

Hi, fellow narrative designers! I’m back mid-month with a special paid report. Your paid subscriptions are super meaningful to me and, to that end, paid posts will feature not only job listings and opportunities but also practical tips on narrative design and navigating the industry at large.

This month, the topic is how to convince management that story matters. I can tell you from experience, this ain’t easy… but it is important.

If you can’t afford to subscribe but would still like the content, please reach out to me here and I’ll provide access, no questions asked! Free posts will go out on the first of the month, as usual.

The level of excitement I had writing this newsletter.

Now, to kick off the tips portion of the roundup:

How to Convince People That Story Matters!

One thing I didn’t expect about the role of a narrative designer is how much of it involves convincing people that my role should exist. Narrative design requires more advocacy than any other role in games. If the game doesn’t test well, it probably won’t go in a “non-art” direction, but it might just go in a “non-narrative” direction. If you aren’t both writing your heart out and consistently and clearly pitching your value, you could find yourself out of a job. Trust me, I’ve been there, and I’m here to help you avoid the same fate.

Some game devs when asked to read text…

*Note: This is specific to my experience in the mobile industry, but the lessons should hold true across platforms.

Explain the motivations behind your decisions.

It’s not enough to have a great idea, you have to be able to explain it, too.

There are several important reasons for developing this skill. Firstly, you’ll be able to generate the same excitement you have for your idea with the rest of your team, and secondly, you’ll be able to show how much you’ve considered your idea on multiple levels and how much you have the overall success of the game in mind.

Don’t worry too much about being eloquent or using big words, just take up the necessary time and space to explain yourself. For instance:

“This line from Tammy conveys her hesitance to embrace change and also allows us to introduce the concept of the zombie ferrets. Additionally, I changed her tone from sarcastic to fearful so it could convey her empathy for the ferrets.”

Even if it’s not in your nature to give long-winded explanations, get used to it! As someone who can relate, I assure you that people cannot read your mind, so very detailed explanations of the “why” behind your work are always a good thing in a professional setting.

You should apply this to everything from small line changes to the overarching importance of narrative for your game. Take what’s in your brain, and list it out in an unapologetic, matter-of-fact way.

For example:

“Without narrative, our game will look exactly like the competitors, and there will be no enticing reason for players to switch from an established favorite to a new up-and-comer. I understand that you’re worried players claim not to like narrative, but our plan is to develop a killer narrative hook that can be delivered in short, snappy lines with very few taps. A great story doesn’t need huge blocks of text, and we’ll prove that with our game.”