Narrative designers and game designers are critical to the development of digital and analog games. This book provides a detailed look at the work writers and designers perform every day on game development projects. It includes practical advice on how to break into the game industry as a writer or game designer. Readers can use the templates and detailed instructions provided here to create lively portfolios that will help open the door to jobs in the game industry. Key features of this book: * An intimate look at the workings of AAA game development from someone who has spent decades embedded on teams at well-known companies. * An insider's look at the game industry, including advice on breaking into the industry. * Detailed instructions for creating a portfolio to demonstrate narrative design and game design skills to prospective employers. * Lessons and exercises to help students develop narrative design and game design skills. * A how-to guide for college instructors teaching classes in narrative design and game design. Detailed assignments and syllabi are included. Author Bio: Michael Breault is a 35-year industry veteran who has contributed his writing and game design skills to over 130 published games. He currently teaches narrative design and game design courses at Webster University in St. Louis. The courses he creates and teaches are based on the tasks narrative designers and game designers undertake every day while developing games. These classes provide his students with a real-world view of the work they will be doing as writers and designers in the game industry.

Writing for the Screen is a collection of essays and interviews exploring the business of screenwriting. This highly accessible guide to working in film and television includes perspectives from industry insiders on topics such as breaking in; pitching; developing and nurturing business relationships; juggling multiple projects; and more. Writing for the Screen is an ideal companion to screenwriting and filmmaking classes, demystifying the industry and the role of the screenwriter with real-world narratives and little-known truths about the business. With insight from working professionals, you'll be armed with the information you need to pursue your career as a screenwriter. Contains essays by and interviews with screenwriting consultants, television writers, feature writers, writer-directors of independent film, producers, and professors. Offers expert opinions on how to get started, including preparing your elevator pitch, finding mentors, landing an internship, and moving from an internship to the next step in your career. Reveals details about taking meetings, what development executives are looking for in a screenwriter, how and when to approach a producer, and how to pitch. Explores strategies for doing creative work under pressure, finding your voice, choosing what to write, sticking with a project over the long haul, overcoming discrimination, and reinventing yourself as a writer. Illuminates the business of screenwriting in the United States (New York and Los Angeles) as compared to other countries around the globe, including England, Ireland, Peru, France, Australia, and Belgium.

Learn how to write comedy that makes people laugh. Masterclass: Writing Comedy will reveal to both beginners and experienced writers the distinctive features that mark out comedy from other forms of creative writing. Having identified these, it will help you then to unlock your inner anarchist, and explore the different elements of comedy, using a combination of practical exercises, insight and creative inspiration. Whatever your preferred comic genre, you will find guidance on everything from wordplay and visual humour to plots, comedy characters and different styles. A section on performance will help you to hone stand-up skills, while chapters on stage and screen will give techniques and tips on how to craft a sitcom or create a sketch show. Finally, there is a uniquely frank but useful section on the realities of the markets, and the actualities of going it alone with self-publishing and self-promotion - or the tools you need to successfully pitch an idea or comic manuscript. ABOUT THE SERIES The Teach Yourself Creative Writing series helps aspiring authors tell their stories. Covering a range of genres from science fiction and romantic novels to illustrated children's books and comedy, this series is packed with advice, exercises, and tips for unlocking creativity and improving your writing. And because we know how daunting the blank page can be, we set up the Just Write online community, at tyjustwrite.com, for budding authors and successful writers to connect and share.

Writer Identity and the Teaching and Learning of Writing is a groundbreaking book which addresses what it really means to identify as a writer in educational contexts and the implications for writing pedagogy. It conceptualises writers' identities, and draws upon empirical studies to explore their construction, enactment and performance. Focusing largely on teachers' identities and practices as writers and the writer identities of primary and secondary students, it also encompasses the perspectives of professional writers and highlights promising new directions for research. With four interlinked sections, this book offers: Nuanced understandings of how writer identities are shaped and formed; Insights into how classroom practice changes when teachers position themselves as writers alongside their students; New understandings of what this positioning means for students' identities as writers and writing pedagogy; and Illuminating case studies mapping young people's writing trajectories. With an international team of contributors, the book offers a global perspective on this vital topic, and makes a new and strongly theorised contribution to the field. Viewing writer identity as fluid and multifaceted, this book is important reading for practising teachers, student teachers, educational researchers and practitioners currently undertaking postgraduate studies. Contributors include: Teresa Cremin, Terry Locke, Sally Baker, Josephine Brady, Diane Collier, Nikolaj Elf, Ian Eyres, Theresa Lillis, Marilyn McKinney, Denise Morgan, Debra Myhill, Mary Ryan, Kristin Stang, Chris Street, Anne Whitney and Rebecca Woodard.

Writer Identity and the Teaching and Learning of Writing is a groundbreaking book which addresses what it really means to identify as a writer in educational contexts and the implications for writing pedagogy. It conceptualises writers' identities, and draws upon empirical studies to explore their construction, enactment and performance. Focusing largely on teachers' identities and practices as writers and the writer identities of primary and secondary students, it also encompasses the perspectives of professional writers and highlights promising new directions for research. With four interlinked sections, this book offers: Nuanced understandings of how writer identities are shaped and formed; Insights into how classroom practice changes when teachers position themselves as writers alongside their students; New understandings of what this positioning means for students' identities as writers and writing pedagogy; and Illuminating case studies mapping young people's writing trajectories. With an international team of contributors, the book offers a global perspective on this vital topic, and makes a new and strongly theorised contribution to the field. Viewing writer identity as fluid and multifaceted, this book is important reading for practising teachers, student teachers, educational researchers and practitioners currently undertaking postgraduate studies. Contributors include: Teresa Cremin, Terry Locke, Sally Baker, Josephine Brady, Diane Collier, Nikolaj Elf, Ian Eyres, Theresa Lillis, Marilyn McKinney, Denise Morgan, Debra Myhill, Mary Ryan, Kristin Stang, Chris Street, Anne Whitney and Rebecca Woodard.

The history of fiction has been dominated by the novel and the short story. But now a brave new genre has emerged: very brief fiction. FLASH! identifies the qualities that make for excellent flash fiction, demystifies the writing process and guides writers by exercise and example through the world of the very short story. John Dufresne's characteristic warmth, wit and humour remind writers of the joy in the creative process, making this a perfect guide for any writer interested in trying a new form.

For more than a decade, writers have turned to William Germano for his insider's take on navigating the world of scholarly publishing. A professor, author, and thirty-year veteran of the book industry, Germano knows what editors want and what writers need to know to get their work published. Today there are more ways to publish than ever, and more challenges to traditional publishing. This ever-evolving landscape brings more confusion for authors trying to understand their options. The third edition of Getting It Published offers the clear, practicable guidance on choosing the best path to publication that has made it a trusted resource, now updated to include discussions of current best practices for submitting a proposal, of the advantages and drawbacks of digital publishing, and tips for authors publishing textbooks and in open-access environments. Germano argues that it's not enough for authors to write well--they also need to write with an audience in mind. He provides valuable guidance on developing a compelling book proposal, finding the right publisher, evaluating a contract, negotiating the production process, and, finally, emerging as a published author. "This endlessly useful and expansive guide is every academic's pocket Wikipedia: a timely, relevant, and ready resource on scholarly publishing, from the traditional monograph to the digital e-book. I regularly share it, teach it, and consult it myself, whenever I have a question on titling a chapter, securing a permission, or negotiating a contract. Professional advice simply does not get any savvier than this pitch-perfect manual on how to think like a publisher."--Diana Fuss, Princeton University

New Playwriting Strategies has become a canonical text in the study and teaching of playwriting, offering a fresh and dynamic insight into the subject. This thoroughly revised and expanded second edition explores and highlights the wide spread of new techniques that form contemporary theatre writing, as well as their influence on other dramatic forms.

Paul Castagno builds on the innovative plays of Len Jenkin, Mac Wellman, and the theories of Mikhail Bakhtin to investigate groundbreaking new techniques from a broad range of contemporary dramatists, including Sarah Ruhl, Suzan Lori-Parks and Young Jean Lee. New features in this edition include an in-depth study of the adaptation of classical texts in contemporary playwright and the utilizing new technologies, such as YouTube, Wikipedia and blogs to create alternative dramatic forms.

The author s step-by-step approach offers the reader new models for:

• narrative
• dialogue
• character
• monologue
• hybrid plays

This is a working text for playwrights, presenting a range of illuminating new exercises suitable for everyone from the workshop student to the established writer. New Playwriting Strategies is an essential resource for anyone studying and writing drama today.

The most frequently asked question about writing musicals is, "Which comes first, the music or the lyrics?" As anyone on Broadway will tell you, the answer is, "The book." Tony-winning book writer Robert L. Freedman takes you through the process of writing a new musical, including story structure, song placement, dialogue, character development, and more that led to the creation of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, the 2014 Best Musical Tony winner. With candor and insight, Freedman describes the challenging and rewarding growing pains of what the critics called "Hilarious!" and "Ingenious!" and said "Ranks among the most inspired and entertaining new musical comedies I've seen in years."

Designed with the busy college student in mind, SPEAK provides students with the essentials to deliver a successful oral presentation. It contains easy-to-read brief lessons that highlight key points and principles, eye-catching visuals, quips, and quotes drawn from a variety of sources. This compact resource's intuitive organization and page layout allow students to absorb each skill quickly, logically, and memorably.

Tailor your screenplay to sell. Find out what Hollywood script readers, producers, and studio executives want in a screenplay (and why) from someone who's been there. Discover what it takes to begin a lasting career as a screenwriter. Peppered with interviews from established professionals, Writing for the Green Light: How to Make Your Script the One Hollywood Notices gives you a sharp competitive edge by showcasing dozens of everyday events that go on at the studios but are rarely if ever discussed in most screenwriting books. With his behind-the-scenes perspective, Scott Kirkpatrick shows you why the system works the way it does and how you can use its unwritten rules to your advantage. He answers such questions as: Who actually reads your script? How do you pique the interest of studios and decision makers? What do agents, producers, and production companies need in a script? How much is a script worth? What are the best genres for new writers and why? What are real steps you can take to 'break in' to television writing? How do you best present or pitch a project without looking desparate? How do you negotiate a contract without an agent? How do you exude confidence and seal your first deal? These and other insights are sure to give you and your screenplay a leg-up for success in this competitive landscape!

Huge numbers of people want to write for children, but it is notoriously difficult to find a publisher in this increasingly comeptitive area. This inspiring and practical guide from acknowledged expert on children's publishing Louise Jordan, will show you how to make your work stand out from the crowd and appeal to commissioning editors, and, of course, your intended audience.

Set in Calcutta in the immediate aftermath of the Partition, Ritwik Ghatak's Nagarik (released in 1977 after Ghatak's death in 1976) chronicles the struggles of a refugee family from East Bengal as they desperately strive to survive in a metropolis which is unable to address the necessities of thousands of people pouring in from across the border. The protagonist, Ramu, like hundreds of other young men, struggles to find that elusive job; unemployment, starvation, incessant dislocation, and the yearning for stability and a home mark the lives of the refugee families in this film. Ghatak was to return to the theme in three other films that have been known as the Partition Trilogy-Meghe Dhaka Tara, Komal Gandhar, and Subarnarekha. With this translation of the screenplay of Nagarik, it will be clear that Ghatak's Partition films, those that deal directly with the lives of refugees in Calcutta, form a quartet and not a trilogy. Nagarik also represents an enticing historiographical idea, the 'what if' of Indian film history: perhaps if it had been released in 1952 when it was made, and before Pather Panchali, the accounts of Indian art cinema that have privileged the Ray film would have been different, and Ghatak may have been accepted as an important Indian auteur in his lifetime.

In this revised and updated edition of the StoryCenter's popular guide to digital storytelling, StoryCenter founder Joe Lambert offers budding storytellers the skills and tools they need to craft compelling digital stories. Using a "Seven Steps" approach, Lambert helps storytellers identify the fundamentals of dynamic digital storytelling - from conceiving a story, to seeing, assembling, and sharing it. Readers will also find new explorations of the global applications of digital storytelling in education and other fields, as well as additional information about copyright, ethics, and distribution. The book is filled with resources about past and present projects on the grassroots and institutional level, including new chapters specifically for students and a discussion of the latest tools and projects in mobile device-based media. This accessible guide's meaningful examples and inviting tone makes this an essential for any student learning the steps toward digital storytelling.

This book provides professional tips and techniques for those wishing to break into writing for TV whether it's a soap, series drama, or situation comedy. It covers all aspects of script writing such as structure, plotting, characterization and dialogue and is packed with advice on presenting and selling scripts. It also includes a chapter specifically on writing for radio.

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Filled with practical advice from an award-winning playwright, with a range of resources to guide you in the craft and business of theatre writing, The Art of Writing for the Theatre provides everything you need to write like a seasoned theatre professional, including: * how to analyze and break down a script * how to write a wide range of plays * how to critique a theatre production * how to construct and craft critical essays, cover letters, and theatrical resumes This thorough introduction is supplemented with exercises and new interviews with a host of internationally acclaimed playwrights, lyricists, and critics, including Marsha Norman, Beth Henley, Lyn Gardner, Octavio Solis, Ismail Khalidi, and David Zippel, among many others. Accompanying online resources include playwriting and script analysis worksheets and exercises, an example of a playwriting resume, and critical points to consider on playwriting, design, acting, directing and choreography.

With exquisite detail and humble sensibilities, Geoffrey Nutter's sixth collection of poetry offers myriad delights in language and the imagination. In cityscapes, nature, books, and color, we find respite in the complexities of the commonplace-from clocks to teardrops to moths. The poems in Giant Moth Perishes teach us how to live in the world with curious attention. And at the heart of this daydreaming is a spectacular earnestness, firmly embedded in the idea that the landscape of poetry is limitless and wild.

The W&A Guide to How to Hook an Agent is the definitive guide to putting together a manuscript submission and attracting the attention of a literary agent.

Structured around a series of real-life questions raised at Writers' & Artists' successful 'How to Hook an Agent' events, this lively and accessible Q&A guide provides everything an unpublished writer needs to know about seeking the representation of a literary agent. Full of practical detail and examples of good and bad practice, it covers:

· Responses to over 180 questions asked by writers about getting an agent
· How to research and approach an agent
· The key ingredients of a submission
· How to draft a successful covering letter
· What to expect when working with an agent
· The agent-publisher relationship
· Contracts, rights and royalties

This unique guide is suitable for writers of fiction and non-fiction and writing across different genres and age ranges.

WRITERS IN CONVERSATION compiles Christopher Bigsby's interviews with the world's greatest writers from a decade of the Arthur Miller Centre's International Literary Festival at the University of East Anglia. These often candid, in-depth, witty and illuminating exchanges shine a light on the craft and profession of the working writer today. Volume 3 features interviews with Martin Amis, Alan Acykbourn, John Banville, John Banville, Cherie Blair, William Boyd, Andre Brink, Geraldine Brooks, A. S. Byatt, Jung Chang, Louis de Bernieres, Margaret Drabble, Richard Eyre, Richard Flanagan, Richard Ford, Jonathan Franzen, David Guterson, Christopher Hampton, David Hare, Michael Holroyd, Christopher Hope, Clive James and Hanif Kureishi.

In the words of novelist Harlan Ellison, "The trick is not becoming a writer. The trick is staying a writer. New York Times bestselling author and British Academy Award nominee J. Michael Straczynski knew he wanted to be a writer ever since he was a child. What he didn't know was how to actually become, or stay, a writer. Now, he's giving fellow writers the comprehensive guide he wishes he had all along, personalized tips and techniques that can't be found in any other book on writing. Becoming a Writer, Staying a Writer culls from Straczynski's more than thirty years of experience writing for film, television, books, and comics. Designed for writers in any stage of their career, this quirky, insightful and often humorous book provides an inside look at these industries with advice and wisdom covering such topics such as: What fledgling writers need to know to improve and sell their work-and avoid wasting valuable time Tips for experienced writers who want to get to the next level Staying disciplined when writing is your day job Why writers should never wait for inspiration Story-planning strategies that don't kill your spontaneity Expert techniques for effective, memorable world-building How to get an agent and survive the writer's journey in more personal relationships Revising and editing with precision When and how to reinvent yourself as an artist