Been playing too many video games. I’d rather be writing.
4 Likes
I feel anxious… 
I just did one of the most daring feats of my whole life: I sent an application to become a COG writer. 
I suddenly feel that was a fatal mistake. 
Do I have what it takes to become a COG writer? Should I have written at least 10 HG before applying?
I feel so confused and insecure… OMG, what did I do?
Has anyone here been there or done that? Any suggestions on how to handle this creeping and growing anxiety?
Thank you in advance, and sorry if this is OT.
14 Likes
Breathe with me, Gil. You are ready. You have control in several languages; you have several stories available and a style of your own.
You are ready. It is scary, but you can manage. And you will have your friends helping you along the way.
You can do it! You deserve it and has the talent to manage it.
I am proud of you.
11 Likes
Thank you @poison_mara 
It’s great to know you’re there. You’ve always been there for every one of us, and I hope you’ll always be.
I wish I could meet you one day and share tea, coffee, pastries, and whatever you like.
6 Likes
Don’t be scared! Everyone wants you to succeed.
It took me a long time to realise my style is too far away from the CoG model for it to work well, so I’m happy here in HG land. So that’s your worst-case scenario: learning more cool stuff, and still being able to write HG.
Of course the best-case scenario is that you join the exalted ranks of the official CoG authors. Good luck!
11 Likes
I was thinking about posting something on deviant art (stories, series, characters sheets…)
Any thoughts? Worth it or waste of time? Useful or pointless? ? Good or bad idea?
3 Likes
Does it makes you happy? If so, then it is always a good idea 
4 Likes
I’ll tell you what will happen if CoG turns you down: you’ll be fine. You’ll be disappointed, but you’ll be fine. You’ll be the same person you are now: a smart, capable guy with one published game behind him and a big dream ahead of him. If writing ChoiceScript games is what you really want to do, you’ll keep doing it whether you have a contract or not. You’ll read what people have had to say about “Pirates of Donkey Island,” and use their feedback to make your next game even better. You’ll read widely in English to improve your fluency. You’ll play CoG games not simply for entertainment, but to study the art of interactive fiction. You’ll read comments on other games in this forum and study what people like and don’t like. You’ll publish some more Hosted Games and get more feedback on your work. And if you still want nothing more than to work for CoG, you’ll apply again.
Best of luck to you. Remember: breathe. You’ll be fine no matter what.
10 Likes
I applied and they asked me for a writing sample and I had a panic attack (despite already being HG published at that point lol) so i just went back to doing another HG. I might apply again based on the reception to my next HG so you better hurry to beat me! 
7 Likes
Worldbuilding for a new story: vampire hunting. Taking it very slowly right now because I’m back in college. This will be like Ace Attorney Investigations meets L.A. Noire in a Castlevania setting, but in text form. It’ll be different than most CoG - you play as a set character and follow a set storyline. There’s one path to win, but you can still fail if screw up too much (or an option to skip the gameplay bits to progress the story anyway?).
I wonder if this will work. But hey, Dragnet is an entire franchise, so I don’t see why not.
Kinda leaving Sahara as is at the moment - chapter 2 unfinished, I don’t know if I have the chops to pull off the characterisations I was aiming for. Re-reading dialogue and everyone just seems… vaguely evil. Even the the characters who you can befriend.
5 Likes
@SpokesWriter OMG I felt the same! I sent them a mythological short story. I hope they will like it!
Why don’t we write something together? I think that would be a great way to improve.
@Aletheia_Knights wow your reply definitely made my day 
Thank you so much for lifting me up. 
And thanks to everyone here. Just knowing you all are here and everybody is ready to lend a hand to people in need is awesome. You are the true heroes of the interactive fiction world. 
9 Likes
I am so very close to finishing chapter 5! Woooo! Writing the Assassin, is also so much fun, I just got to be careful to not make the character snowball. He’s the secondary antagonist, not the main one. Although he does work for Extinction (not willingly). So he will show up in more then just chapter 5.
But considering the state Extinction is in… hmmm.
6 Likes
Well i finally summoned up the courage to tackle a hosted game project(yaay!) it’s been really hard for me putting my writting out there mainly because I’m super shy and what not so I just hide behind fanfiction {been reading and writing it for over ten years}
Going through this thread honestly ignited a metaphorical fire in me… Seeing y’all setting goals and achieving them is honestly super encouraging you have my thanks 
13 Likes
Well, it took a lot of work and having no free time between writing and college (I guess technically writing is my free time since I genuinely enjoy it), but I managed to get the Elizabeth/Arthur scene done for the last part of chapter two. I’m gonna start writing the next scene now, but no doubt next month’s goal will be to get that one done. Ended up being about 38,000 words.
Keep up the good work everyone!
7 Likes
just checked the hosted games thread on a lark and apparently my game is coming out october 7th? that’s so soon ! !!! !!! 
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
16 Likes
W which game is it?
Go for it @Meliodasxxi 
1 Like
Thanks mate 
Choosing not to participate in IFComp this year was a great decision. Here’s a meme about writing from Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal.
For choicescript writers:
How to Anger: “Why would anyone read a Choose Your Own Adventure book when there are so many great video games to play?”
How to Ruin Forever: “Wouldn’t this be better as a novel?”
How to Delight: “Quicktest passed.”
10 Likes
Missing:
How to anger: Did you contact a publisher or make a marketing plan? or Don’t bother if it’s not good as long you sell it
How to delight Wow! I want to read more! or Perfect job integrating lore, plot and character without contradiction
How to ruin forever Your problems are only in your head yes an @##"0/€ told me that for real or just not receiving feedback from your reading group
1 Like