This month I got to interview Monica Valentinelli, a freelance writer who, truth be told, I had never even heard of. At least I didn’t think I had. After doing a little bit of research I realized that not only had she contributed to some of my favorite games — such as Obsidian and White Wolf’s Promethea– but she’s also a very talented novelist, opinionated blogger (see her blog, Words on the Water), and the project manager of a horror fanzine called Flames Rising. As someone who aspires to do what she does, I can honestly say her insight was not only helpful but inspiring as well. I hope my readers get as much from her as I did.
JoAnna Gootee: Due to the internet, more people than ever are getting their work out into public forums, do you feel this makes it difficult to get published?
Monica Valentinelli: When you put your work out there on the internet, technically it’s already “published” because it’s available to the public. I’d like to point out that there are a lot of copyright concerns over content published on the web, and there should be. Depending upon the domain you post the material on and when you do it, you may also be limiting your ability to negotiate rights when you sell your piece.
The advantage to putting your work on the web is that you can attract the most vital component to any writer’s career–readers. Social media sites (like MySpace, Facebook, Digg, etc.) have facilitated a “free” way for creative people to promote their work, which is great if you offer samples or stories online. It’s my belief that a writer has to understand how to promote themselves and their work through every available channel they have in order to get that lucrative “big” contract. Holly Black, Elaine Cunningham, Yasmine Galenorn, Alana Abbott and Jess Hartley are just a “few” examples of writers who utilize the channel effectively.
The disadvantage of wielding the internet to help boost your visibility is the trouble of online reputation. Everything you do can be searched, tracked, and linked to. Employers know this, but so do publishers–which can work against you depending upon the quality of the work and the way that you come across. Nobody wants to work with an egomaniac; now through the internet, publishers can “meet” you before they hire you.
Is it easier to “get” published? Yes and no. There are literally thousands of small press publishers with built-in fans who will pay market rates per the Horror Writer’s Association or the SFWA’s guidelines. Some of these smaller guys have great products that you want to be associated with. There’s also the self-publishing option which, when done right, can be a boon to your career.
Getting into the big guys, however, is a lot more difficult now than it ever was because there have been a lot of changes within the brick-and-mortar publishing industry.
Regardless of the size of the publisher, don’t try to be “edgy” or “unique” and ignore submission guidelines. Those guidelines are there to help you get published, so follow them to a “T.”
JG: Since so many people are getting their work out online, do you feel the quality of writing has become more lax?
MV: I don’t believe that the quality of writing is better (or worse) than it has ever been. I believe that because there’s simply more of it the quality becomes more apparent. LOLspeak, l33tspeak, and other internet languages have infiltrated everyday written communication–even in the business world. Couple that with bloggers who “forget” that Mr. Williamson in the UK can read about your dog dying in Tennessee instantaneously, or that your prospective employer can still read the little disagreement you have had with your ex-boyfriend five years ago, and you have a situation “code red.”
The writing, by itself, shapes naturally as language does. What is harder to paint is a picture of what that writing is supposed to communicate. Sometimes? This isn’t always clear. Take a fansite for example that posts “fan fiction.” These poor sites are always getting a bad rap because you have people who love their Buffy or Harry Potter and write about them. To those folk, they’re sharing their views within that “verse.” To other writers or readers, however, they may not understand why a fan would write something that they don’t own the rights to. So words like “it’s not real writing” start circulating around giving all of the writers a bad rap. The site does feature “real writing,” though. It’s just that the intent is different and it’s between the contributors and the site owner to know what they’re getting into “payment-or-right-wise” when they write for someone else’s creation.
This is part of the reason why whenever I post anything professionally I opt to write in proper English and double check my work to make sure my audience knows what I’m trying to accomplish.
JG: Do you think it’s opened the writing community up to possible genres that otherwise would’ve stayed less explored had the internet not been around?
MV: In my opinion, the lines of genre have now blurred to the point where it’s hard to firmly place one body of work into one classification. “Paranormal romance” and “urban fantasy” often blend together, but so do more traditional genres like “horror” and “fantasy.” Many writers are opting for something called “slipstream” fiction, so that the work can hit multiple markets. I think the writing community has become more open to additional “styles” because writers are taking advantage of the medium to stretch their creative muscles. With podcasts and audiobooks, you now have some writers infusing playwright techniques into their work as well. Different mediums can have an impact on the popularity or the acceptance of a genre, simply because a different body of writers and readers are now exposed to it.
To me, the internet has definitely facilitated a creative boon for the writers that want to take advantage of it. How that effects publishing, on the other hand, is another matter entirely.
JG: There are so many horror and fantasy writers/books out there, do you think that maybe it’s become an over-used genre?
MV: Absolutely not. I think that the tropes within horror and fantasy may be overused, but not the genre by itself. The ability to create “new” and “fresh” takes on writing really comes from four sources: the writer, the publisher, the reader and sometimes–the agent. The writer wants to sell their work and get paid for it, while providing an entertaining story to the reader. Writers, by nature, want to experiment and take risks, but depending upon what the publisher’s stipulations are–they may be very limited as to what they “can” or “cannot” write. Here, the reader is everything because every book that is bought turns into a “vote” for that story or author. Publishers are looking at that financial data closely because it’s their business to look at the big picture. Writers are also interested in current sales, but often look for future contracts especially since the turn-around time for a novel isn’t as quick as people might think.
I’ve run into so many readers who want to read something “new,” but in order for this to happen they really have to vote with their dollars or (in the case of online publishing) with a comment on a blog or a recommendation to other folk. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard readers complain about a book they’ve read by a particular author, and then go out and buy the next one hoping it will be better. The only way the publishing houses will listen, is if readers take a stand. Some readers are, by opting to purchase their books through small press publishers found through Horror Mall.com.
To me, I think that horror and fantasy writers are trying to evolve with the times and provide a much-needed contemporary facelift to both genres, but there’s a lot of “push-pull” between a writer, an agent and a publisher. If the medium is ever going to get updated and modernized, it’s going to have to be a group effort of everyone involved–including the reader–to shake things up.
JG: After reading your work, it’s obvious you’re passionate about horror and the macabre, do you prefer it to fantasy?
MV: My take on horror and fantasy is this: for me, horror is a “mood.” Horror can be everywhere–in a child’s nightmare, if you can’t put food on the table, when you have to slay the dragon. The setting that surrounds the horror, whether they are the monsters you know or the creatures you don’t, enhances that mood.
Fantasy, on the other hand, breaks the rules of reality. If the writer believes that their story transcends what they believe is “reality”, then they are writing fantasy because they’re going out of their way to play around with and modify the world they know. Ghosts, for example, could be a fantastical element in a story much like fairies or angels or a pot that magically fills up with rice every morning.
My passions are based around what I can do with the things that lurk in the dark, because I feel I can play around more with mood to create contrast and conflict for a character than I can with “just” a fantasy setting. I often enjoy writing dark fantasy for that reason, because in that subset–I can do both. I can break reality’s rules and integrate it with a mood very much like my project Violet War, which is based on a modern look at Alchemy. The original title was going to be “The Condemned,” if that gives you any indication of where I’m going with it.
JG: Being a freelance writer for the gaming community, which do you feel is more popular: Horror or Fantasy?
MV: Fantasy, but not for the reason that you might think. By their very nature, horror games are extremely difficult to run longer-term if there isn’t a deeper mystery plotted out for multiple sessions. Players will get bored if every session you run is about beating up monsters and experiencing the “horror,” the mood of a horror game needs to ebb and flow naturally. Otherwise, you end up experiencing the horror of redundancy. Two great examples of horror games that add in other elements are Vampire: the Requiem published by White Wolf and All Flesh Must be Eaten by Eden Studios. Both offer elements outside of blood, guts, and gore like resource management, lore and politics to “flesh out” the horror with other aspects that make for an interesting game.
Remember, too, that gaming originated from fantasy and the effects of Dungeons and Dragons across the industry still ripple through to today. I believe that the popularity of fantasy will continue, provided publishers innovate and update their products to reflect more modern themes and styles of play.
JG: How accepting has the gaming industry been to you and do you feel it’s more accepting then it would’ve been ten years ago?
MV: First thing I learned about the gaming industry is that there are a lot of devoted people to the hobby that are passionate about what they do and how they do it. Second thing I learned is that there are times when strong emotions have an impact on how people do business for better or for worse. As a whole, the gaming industry has been very receptive to my professional approach. I’ve worked with a lot of exceptional people within the industry, some of whom continue to be my mentors and biggest fans. Many of these people I have made friends with and look forward to seeing at conventions during the year.
Is the industry more accepting than it would have been ten years ago? I’m not so sure about that. You see, when you work on a project everyone is (usually) reaching for the same goal, and that is to deliver the best, playable game that you can. I feel that part of the reason why I’ve been received well is because I understand that and I channel my passion and energies into writing–instead of focusing on drama or things outside of my control. If I were just starting out now, I might have better luck finding work in the first place than I would ten years ago, but that’s partially because there are more people to work for. For me, finding work is a matter of focus and how people receive me is partially due to my attitude and how I approach them.
JG: Do you feel the industry is more accepting of female gamers than the actual players?
MV: A few years ago, I ran a demo for a publisher at a con on a Friday night. The demos were overflowing with people but, because I don’t like to turn people away, I was managing a group of eight. Whether it was my style of gaming, the packed room we were in or a personality conflict between the players, the game didn’t go very well and I was pretty upset about it because I look as “players” as “potential customers.” I felt I disappointed eight people in one shot.
The next day, two of the players sought me and the publisher out to tell me what an awesome job I did, that the group just didn’t click for whatever reason. The next year, I gave advice to one of them on his first freelancing contract and now he’s a line developer at White Wolf. I ran into the other one last year and he took the time out of his schedule to drop by for a game.
I have several, other stories like this one. Players have been great and I’ve had my issues with a few, but that’s how people are in general. Gaming can be a very intense experience for a lot of people because it’s a social contract; people are vesting time in this activity to have fun. I go with the attitude of having fun and pretty much ignore everything else. My only hope is that the dozens of people I’ve played with have had fun, too.
JG: What do you feel is the most female friendly game?
MV: That’s a really difficult question to answer, because I don’t see games as being designed one way or the other anymore–even if they are, there are plenty of options on the market to pick from. I play dark games like Obsidian: the Age of Judgment or Orpheus because I like what I can do with the character, but I’ll be happy to turn around and play Buffy, Ninja Burger, Munchkin or Lunch Money just as easily.
I think that a lot of games can be considered female-friendly if you strip out the marketing and (admittedly) some of the artwork. Since women have more creative options now more than ever with games, I think it’s important to keep an open mind and explore the game for its story and its setting, rather than the “perceived” target audience. For example, Faery’s Tale is a game I’ve worked on (upcoming supplements) that is geared for children, but the mechanics are simple enough it’s also a great way to introduce new players to role-playing.
I’d also like to point out just how important it is to pick people to game with that you enjoy. If your group interprets Exalted, for example, as a romantic comedy and you’re fine with that? Then great! If you want a more action/adventure style for your game, you can use the same setting you’d just have to find other players.
Video games still have a ways to go, in my opinion, because all too often I feel as if the game designers are “guessing” at what girl gamers want to play. Unlike role-playing games, if the character you’re playing is wearing the tiniest outfit humanly possible–you can’t ignore it because it’s there, visually, on your screen. The games I like best are the ones where either this isn’t an issue, or when I have the option to customize my character. The games I like the least are the ones where there’s some stupid mechanic or screenshot that continually flaunts the character’s sex appeal. I can understand how some people might like it, but it’s really irritating to me.
JG: What’s your favorite game and why?
MV: Too many to pick just one! I’m a really, huge fan of the Legos video game series. If you look on my keychain you’ll see a little Darth Vader R2 unit made out of Legos. I’m also a fan of Michelle Nephew’s design work on Gloom. It’s a see-through card game with artwork that reminds me of Edward Gorey’s pen-and-ink style artwork. One game I haven’t had a lot of experience playing with but really enjoyed was Spirit of the Century, an over-the-top 20s pulp style game that was a lot of fun. Then there’s always Obsidian: the Age of Judgment, which I enjoy simply because you can have a lot of great player conflicts at the table. In it, you can play anything you want at any morality level you want, yet you’re all (supposedly) on the same team.
JG: And finally, the most obvious of obviouses, what would be your advice to girls who want to get into writing games?
MV: Game design and writing games are two, different things. Game design requires a lot of strategy, patience, math, potentially programming, teamwork and lots of experience playing games. Game writing, on the other hand, facilitates the description of the game including the setting, the characters, the rules, etc. using a broad range of writing styles that may include scriptwriting and technical writing. You should still be playing lots of games if you want to write them, even games you don’t like. Game writing may also require teamwork in the sense that you may have to work with an editor or brainstorm with the team, but great game design comes from playtesting–and lots of it.
To get into writing games, you first have to know what you’re good at. Can you whip up a mean story? Are you a prolific writer or savvy programmer? Do you need strict rules and guidelines? By understanding your strengths, you automatically give yourself an edge because you’re confident about your talents. The hardest part for any beginner is finding out “where” they fit into this creative industry because there are so many different places to start.
Now that you know what you’re good at, ask yourself what types of games you enjoy playing and be active within that community. I can’t tell you how many freelancers I know that started out as “fans,” creating quality material for their favorite game. You’ll want to find a mentor, someone who is knowledgeable about the industry and who will listen to you when you have questions. Conventions are also a great place to meet people, but please remember to talk business during slow traffic times.
Eventually, you’ll want to shoot for an “open call” or try for a contract. You may not need a resume, but you will need samples and even a reference or two. That’s where your support material, your online reputation, and your ability to read submission guidelines come into play. If you don’t make it on the first try, don’t be afraid to ask “why” you got rejected. When you do get turned down–be gracious about it. There are so many behind-the-scenes things that happen for these publishers that have nothing to do with you, personally, even though it may feel that way. Remember, what you say now about a publisher or peer may come back to haunt you later on.
If the open call or contract venues don’t work for you, consider reviewing games. There are several places to submit your review including RPGnet, ENworld, Flames Rising or even The Game Reviews.
For video games? I’ve been offered a freelancing gig that I ended up turning down due to time constraints. I used the same techniques to find that job as I did within the other aspects of the gaming industry; just remember that video game freelancing requires a different set of skills.
Above all? Be patient, have faith, and have fun. The minute writing games becomes a burden or a chore, take the day off and max out your character.
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