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Okay I'll admit, being sixteen and having no publish works out does not give me a lot of credit, but does anyone know a video game project that needs a writer? Anything would be nice, whether it would be mods, indie projects, anything. I just want to start up a portfolio if I want to do some freelance writing for video games in the future.

Also how would I make a portfolio for writing. Would I start a blog with all my works posted and linked? Or is there more to it?
Admittedly - I'm not the most competent person to give advice on such specific subject but here goes...

First of all - the smaller the team, the less likely it is that they'll want a writer, even for free.
Secondly - you're young and while this means that likely not many people will take you seriously, that also gives you LOTS of time to get better at stuff, as long as you stay focused.
Thirdly - as everything gets digitalized, I'm fairly certain you'll have a lot easier time trying to sell an ebook than going through all the hoops to get a printed version.
Fourthly - you need a place to show people your texts, for free, and gather as much feedback as they'll be willing to throw at you. So, yeah, a blog or something of similar nature might be a nice idea.
Lastly - as fun as long-term planning is, just get REALLY good at anything and THEN worry about how to best utilize those skills.
thanks vestin.
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MrWilli: thanks vestin.
I'd note that people suggest it takes 10,000 hours to get good at something. Practice early and practice often. :)
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MrWilli: thanks vestin.
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TheEnigmaticT: I'd note that people suggest it takes 10,000 hours to get good at something. Practice early and practice often. :)
Even people considered "gifted" will pointedly tell you this is true. Derek Sivers of CD Baby fame tells a story about how tone deaf he was and how he practiced until people thought singing came naturally to him. It didn't, people are just dense.

You might take a look at Cory Doctorow (http://craphound.com/), he's made bank on giving his crap away for free. Of course he has a huge fanbase over in his echo chamber, but the dude's got some great ideas about writing.
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MrWilli: Okay I'll admit, being sixteen and having no publish works out does not give me a lot of credit, but does anyone know a video game project that needs a writer? Anything would be nice, whether it would be mods, indie projects, anything. I just want to start up a portfolio if I want to do some freelance writing for video games in the future.

Also how would I make a portfolio for writing. Would I start a blog with all my works posted and linked? Or is there more to it?
In my country.. lie your ass off.
We all got some papers, who cares. Lie. Next time, I'll lie my ass off and say if asked.. "so what?"
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MrWilli: thanks vestin.
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TheEnigmaticT: I'd note that people suggest it takes 10,000 hours to get good at something. Practice early and practice often. :)
Is it possible to get two worlds 2 in here. +questionmark.
Post edited July 15, 2011 by Antimateria
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Antimateria: In my country.. lie your ass off.
It's hard to lie convincingly about being skilled at things as complicated as writing. Also, since your general measure of success as a writer is "Have you been published?" that's pretty easy to check up on. I'd really recommend that someone who wants to be good at a profession actually learn to be good at it. ;)
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Antimateria: Is it possible to get two worlds 2 in here. +questionmark.
Anything's possible but I would hardly be the "Enigmatic" T if I just told people what games are coming when. Rest assured that GOG.com is working to get pretty much every game you ever liked for sale in our catalog.
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TheEnigmaticT: I would hardly be the "Enigmatic" T if I just told people what games are coming when.
What would it take to get you renamed into ThehintfulT? Or, at least to provide some actual riddle to ponder on from the cryptic part of your enigmatic self? ;)
*hopes*
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TheEnigmaticT: It's hard to lie convincingly about being skilled at things as complicated as writing.
This reminds me of the ending scene of "Naked Lunch" (mild spoilers ahead, I guess):

"1 - Do you have any proof of what you say?
2 - How do we know you are really a writer?
3 - Well, I have a writing device.
1 - That's not good enough.
2 - Show us.
3 - Show you...?
1 - Write something."
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Antimateria: In my country.. lie your ass off.
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TheEnigmaticT: It's hard to lie convincingly about being skilled at things as complicated as writing. Also, since your general measure of success as a writer is "Have you been published?" that's pretty easy to check up on. I'd really recommend that someone who wants to be good at a profession actually learn to be good at it. ;)
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Antimateria: Is it possible to get two worlds 2 in here. +questionmark.
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TheEnigmaticT: Anything's possible but I would hardly be the "Enigmatic" T if I just told people what games are coming when. Rest assured that GOG.com is working to get pretty much every game you ever liked for sale in our catalog.
Well, I'd rather you be called TheFutureReleaseSpoilerT, because it is just that much more awesome.

Doesn't everybody else agree? XD
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Vestin: This reminds me of the ending scene of "Naked Lunch" (mild spoilers ahead, I guess):
Dude, that book makes so little sense that you could publish a Cliff's Notes version of it and it would still not qualify as a spoiler.
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Vestin: This reminds me of the ending scene of "Naked Lunch" (mild spoilers ahead, I guess):
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TheEnigmaticT: Dude, that book makes so little sense that you could publish a Cliff's Notes version of it and it would still not qualify as a spoiler.
And THAT is an example of excellent writing. It has to be experienced first-hand to be believed :3.
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TheEnigmaticT: Dude, that book makes so little sense that you could publish a Cliff's Notes version of it and it would still not qualify as a spoiler.
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Vestin: And THAT is an example of excellent writing. It has to be experienced first-hand to be believed :3.
If I want to stick an icepick into the author's eyeball after reading it I'm not sure I can qualify it as excellent.
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Antimateria: In my country.. lie your ass off.
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TheEnigmaticT: It's hard to lie convincingly about being skilled at things as complicated as writing. Also, since your general measure of success as a writer is "Have you been published?" that's pretty easy to check up on. I'd really recommend that someone who wants to be good at a profession actually learn to be good at it. ;)
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Antimateria: Is it possible to get two worlds 2 in here. +questionmark.
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TheEnigmaticT: Anything's possible but I would hardly be the "Enigmatic" T if I just told people what games are coming when. Rest assured that GOG.com is working to get pretty much every game you ever liked for sale in our catalog.
Agreed. I have had people ask me, "are you a professional writer?" to which my response is, "yes, I am published here, here and here." (if the situation warrants a disclosure.)

As a writer, you have nothing if you cannot point to published works.

Edit: I say this with humility, because being published does not mean that you are any good, it merely gets you in the door.
Post edited July 17, 2011 by stoicsentry
I thought I'd give this thread a bump since the OP asked quite a valid question.

Hence, a piece of advice from me < I'm a software translator and a modder; I do write now and then, but poetry doesn't really count, does it? ;) >

* Get involved in the modding community. If You want to do some serious writing (as far as games are concerned) check out the Morrowind LGNPC Project (http://lgnpc.org/) and Tamriel Rebuilt (http://tamriel-rebuilt.org/). Both of them respectable mods, both of them still are and likely will be in development for months if not years to come.

Obviously modding won't get You a job as lead developer anytime soon, however, it will be a perfectly valid addition to Your game industry related CV + You'll get lots of insight into character, quest and plotline design - all of which are a must for a would-be dev.

GL & HF!