RPGnet Columns
08-06-2003, 11:52 AM
Post originally by Hunter Logan at 2003-08-06 10:52:19
Converted from Phorums BB System
Hey Sandy,
Good article.
I wanted to point out something Andy Rooney said in one of his many editorial columns. I'm not direct quoting because I don't have a copy of the editorial any more, but he has said that being a writer is very difficult because everyone can write. So, it's a hard thing to get paid for something anyone can do.
I mention this because of the subtext, the message underneath it all. Everyone can write, everyone can string words into sentences, but are they words and sentences that other people actually want to read? Are these words and sentences worth money? I'm sure everyone who ever wrote a word for pay thought the work was worth money. Same thing for anyone who ever touched pencil to paper and wanted to get paid for their art.
The problem is, writing requires skill and craft. Many of the people who want to write rpg material aren't necessarily good writers. They are hobbyists who love their hobby and want to be part of it. Because of their love, they are willing to dedicate incredible time and energy to their hobby. That's not a bad thing, but I think it contributes to the problem of writers being treated as commodities in the rpg industry.
OTOH, being a good writer isn't enough by itself, either. I seriously doubt Andy Rooney could write an rpg text, because rpgs are peculiarly technical. It's not just writing stories, commentaries, or descriptions; it's also writing material for use with specific game systems. Those game systems are often quite complex, and learning enough about them to write a game supplement requires considerable dedication all by itself. Take me as an example. When I really try, I can string words into coherent sentences; but I am completely out of the running to write anything for D20, GURPS, Hero, or any of the more complicated games because I don't know and don't want to learn the systems. People who know those systems inside out and backwards have already won half the battle. So, I'd say the best rpg wordsmiths have that rare combination of system knowledge and writing skill; and publishers will have a hard time finding that if they treat writers like a dime-a-dozen commodity.
-Hunter
Converted from Phorums BB System
Hey Sandy,
Good article.
I wanted to point out something Andy Rooney said in one of his many editorial columns. I'm not direct quoting because I don't have a copy of the editorial any more, but he has said that being a writer is very difficult because everyone can write. So, it's a hard thing to get paid for something anyone can do.
I mention this because of the subtext, the message underneath it all. Everyone can write, everyone can string words into sentences, but are they words and sentences that other people actually want to read? Are these words and sentences worth money? I'm sure everyone who ever wrote a word for pay thought the work was worth money. Same thing for anyone who ever touched pencil to paper and wanted to get paid for their art.
The problem is, writing requires skill and craft. Many of the people who want to write rpg material aren't necessarily good writers. They are hobbyists who love their hobby and want to be part of it. Because of their love, they are willing to dedicate incredible time and energy to their hobby. That's not a bad thing, but I think it contributes to the problem of writers being treated as commodities in the rpg industry.
OTOH, being a good writer isn't enough by itself, either. I seriously doubt Andy Rooney could write an rpg text, because rpgs are peculiarly technical. It's not just writing stories, commentaries, or descriptions; it's also writing material for use with specific game systems. Those game systems are often quite complex, and learning enough about them to write a game supplement requires considerable dedication all by itself. Take me as an example. When I really try, I can string words into coherent sentences; but I am completely out of the running to write anything for D20, GURPS, Hero, or any of the more complicated games because I don't know and don't want to learn the systems. People who know those systems inside out and backwards have already won half the battle. So, I'd say the best rpg wordsmiths have that rare combination of system knowledge and writing skill; and publishers will have a hard time finding that if they treat writers like a dime-a-dozen commodity.
-Hunter