On the weekend I attended the Game On convention which is a part of Sydney's Vivid lights festival. It was super fun with lots of talks about the future of technology, the trends in the gaming industry and so forth. I went to a talk on how to pitch your game and discovered it was pretty much the same as pitching a novel. Know your audience. Be specific. When using adjectives make sure they are descriptive rather than subjective eg don't say, 'This is an awesome game!' Explain what makes it awesome.
I'm also over at the IWSG website with a few other authors and we are discussing valuing our work. Should we offer our work for free so others can profit from it? I'd love to see you over there and hear your opinion.
55 comments:
Gaming is such an interesting and exciting field. You are amazing, Lynda. I wouldn't know where to start on something like this.
The convention sounds amazing.
Your post today was great!
I guess marketing is marketing whatever the product. Sounds like you're enjoying your gaming venture. The vivid festival looks awesome. I've never been. Must fix that maybe next year. :-)
Best place to start is a love of gaming :)
It was brilliant. So much to see and do.
Vivid is such a wonderful thing for Sydney and a great way to see Sydney at night too. This weekend I'm staying in the city and doing a bunch of walking to check out all the light displays.
It's kind of strange that game designers and writers are so closely related. I guess you have to pitch your work and try to sell no matter what your job is, huh? lol
That sounds like fun. I don't really play games anymore, but some of them have some really excellent stories and I can imagine it is similar to pitching a book.
yarp..there's no escaping the marketing side of a creative outlet.
yep, one of the games I'm working on is heavily story-based. I can't help myself ;)
I dread the marketing side of things, but good to know it's pretty much universal. Awesome for you for spanning more than one medium!
What? You can't say it's awesome possum?
Sounds like a great festival! Marketing is always so tough, but the basic rules are same around the board. Now if only we could find that magic formula!
The pitch does sound similar. Glad you had fun. That's what life is about. That and paying bills. hehehe
Anna from Elements of Writing
I've never tried games. Hats off to you for your many talents -- and for going to conferences. I always gain a lot from conferences.
So I can't go with everything is awesome? Lego Movie lied.
Lynda, congratulations on presenting at the game convention. Excellent advice about pitching specifics rather than subjectively. Thanks for this advice. I've visited and left a comment at the IWSG website. Good advice there as well. Thanks for sharing such wonderful advice with your readers.
The game convention looked cool!
This convention has no doubt affected many on an emotional level with emotions running high, therefore I must consider myself an emotional human! Great post, Lynda
How exciting, Lynda! I hope it all went as you expected.
Spanning more than one medium is challenging but so satisfying.
I can think it, but ;)
It's 'Alacazzam!' But don't tell anyone... ;)
urgh...bills... if only they didn't exist!
conferences are so inspiring, no matter what they are about.
But everything IS awesome!! We just have to go the extra mile and explain WHY it's awesome... ;)
Thanks, Victoria. Your support, as always, is hugely appreciated.
So very cool!! The geek in me had a little dance.
Interesting logic...
Yep, it was better than expected (which is saying something)
What an interesting career.
Thanks for your contributions to IWSGI. I certainly am in need of some encouragement. I have written millions of words and never have attempted to publish. I will be a continual reader of this service.
I love gaming conventions - it's like a big party!
That must have been very exciting. I bet it would be as stressful to pitch a game as it would a novel.
Interesting. Pitching sounds similar across careers and products being sold.
I'll check out the post.
Wow! That looks really cool! And I love hearing how the pitches compare. I bet it's the same no matter what you're trying to pitch, actually.
That makes sense, about pitching being the same for games as for novels. Interesting. Have fun!
Hope you had an awesome time at the gaming convention!
I'm certain that you had lots of fun at the convention, Lyn.
Your work is actually "play" - how cool is that?
Hi Lynda .. just off to the IWSG to see what everyone says ... I know so little about gaming, but I'd love to learn sometime! The convention sounds amazing ... cheers Hilary
That's a lot of words.
Yes!! Exactly!!
Oddly enough, I'm more relaxed when it comes to talking about my game.
Thanks, Medeia
I'm thinking that too.
I hadn't thought about it before. It was an eye-opener.
Awesome and brilliant!
Ha, if only it always felt like play ;)
gaming is all about having fun.. that's all you really need to know ;)
Looks like fun! I used to work for a game company myself:)
Explain what makes it awesome... Exactly. That's what I tell my students when grading their essays.
You are the cool girl. You know that, right?
It can be intense work, but hugely rewarding.
The sparkle makes it awesome because, well, sparkles are awesome, see.
;)
'Cool' is not an adjective commonly associated with me. 'Goofy', yes, 'odd' definitely, but rarely 'cool' ;)
Thank you for sharing experience at the convention. I'm sure it was exciting!!! I will head over to IWSG. That is a great topic.
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