Writing for Games: Theory & Practice is an approachable and entry-level text for anyone interested in the craft of writing for videogames - and specifically focuses on writing, not narrative design or environmental storytelling.
The book is aimed students, designers and writers interested in games writing as a practice and aims to provide anyone interested in becoming a better writer in the context of videogames.
Hannah explored how theatre influence games and how games influenced theatre as political means of capitalism during both her undergraduate degree and PhD at Loughborough. Since graduating from her degree at Loughborough University in 2007, Hannah has been a writer across many different forms, having written for theatre, performance, criticism, museums, physical games, installation, community work, interactive fiction, poetry, games, academia and more.
Having worked in an increasingly interdisciplinary manner, Hannah has experienced the specific affordances of certain forms, and how to treat the material of the form you are working with, whilst always drawing on you whole practice, and the richness of centuries of practice.
It's in this context that Hannah offers this book, as a means of connecting a slightly opaque discipline to that centuries old practice of storytelling with words. Hannah feels strongly about sharing her knowledge and believes this book is also a means of thinking about yourself as a practitioner inheriting this tradition.
In hearing that her book would be included in the reading lists provided to Creative Arts students as part of an undergraduate module, Hannah said:
“I'm delighted to find that undergraduate students will be reading my book! This book contains everything I would tell you if I mentored you for a year - now I can press it into the hands of so many more people and share the love of a craft practiced with care, ethics and intent. If it's on your reading list, do give it a go!”
In speaking of Hannah's achievements, Dr Carolyn Scott-Jeffs said:
"Hannah was an exceptional student. She gained a first class degree and her PhD with us. It's fantastic to be able to put her new book, Writing for Games, on the reading list for my module, Story Design for Creative Industries.
Hannah is in the vanguard of women writing story theory for gaming and other media, which has generally been the preserve of men. It will be really inspiring for our students to read her book."
Writing for Games: Theory and Practice is currently on pre-order, and you can purchase it from the Routledge website. When the book is released, you can support local bookshops by buying it online at Hive.co.uk (or by going to a local bookshop).
Since graduating from Loughborough University, Hannah has gone onto become the Creative Director at Die Gute Fabrik. To see more of Hannah’s experience writing for games, check out the 2019 multiple award winning game ‘Mutazione’.