#writing-if

[writing-if]

Masterlist for Coding

Don't mind me, just getting this coding master list ready ahead of time to make it easier to keep this blog organized! I've already got a few ideas on some things I want to share :) Come across something incorrect? Let me know, please!

Oh - if you got tagged in this list, just ignore me, and sorry for the bother!

Getting Started

Pros & Cons: ChoiceScript vs Twine - coming soon :)

Introduction to CScript

Introduction to ChoiceScript

Commands for ChoiceScript

Text Editor Recommendations - coming soon :)

How to Hide a Choice Based on a Variable

Variables

Setting up Variables for Character Creation (name, pronouns, hair, eyes, etc) - coming soon :)

Introduction to Twine

Twine Cookbook

Twine for Brower (Chromebook) or Desktop Download

Sugarcube Documenation

How to Approach Character Creation - coming soon :)

Templates (I believe all of these are for SugarCube)

Twine Template (mobile friendly) by Vahnya, @outoftheblue-if

Twine Template II by Vahnya, @outoftheblue-if

Sugarcube Template by @nyehilismwriting

Twine Sugarcube Template by @nyehilismwriting

A Quick Guide to Character Pages by @gamesbyalbie

Twine Sugarcube Template by @cerberus-writes

100% Good Twine Sugarcube Template @manonamora-if

Twine Sugarcube 2 Template by a.w. morgan

Variables and Choices

Setting up Variables - coming soon :)

Coding Cycling Choices (where the player clicks to change an option) - coming soon :)

UI, CSS, and Theme-Related Things

How to Add Images to Twine (local and online) - coming soon :)

CSS Chart and Keywords (great to reference when changing colors in your UI)

Google Fonts (download a free font to match your game's theme and/or for accessibility)

Canva - has free and paid assets that you can use

IF Authors / Writers / Coders (AKA Wizard Guru Extraordinaires)

Vahnya - @outoftheblue-if

Cerberus Writes - @cerberus-writes

Nyehilism- @nyehilismwriting

Albie - @gamesbyalbie

Manon - @manonamora-if

idrellegames - @idrellegames

[writing-if]

Hi! I’m Vi 👋🏻 I’m a writer and currently working on my interactive fiction games.

Here are my links:

My website

@nextinline-if | demo

@in-her-shadow-if | demo in development

@bloodydesires-if | demo in development

YouTube Channel

My content focuses on:

RenPy - typically used for visual novels

CScript (ChoiceScript)

Twine (Sugarcube)

Masterlists (added as I create them):

Coding

Writing

[writing-if]

Masterlist for IF Writing

Don't mind me, just getting this writing master list ready ahead of time to make it easier to keep this blog organized! I've already got a few ideas on some things I want to share :) Come across something incorrect? Let me know, please! Also, please excuse any typos in this post - I'm a very exhausted human lol

Oh - if you got tagged in this list, just ignore me, and sorry for the bother!

General Writing Advice and Considerations

Strategies for telling writer's block to "Fuck Off" - coming soon :)

Setting goals that won't overwhelm you - coming soon :)

How long does a demo need to be?

Getting Started

Story Structure & Plotting - coming soon :)

My Outline Process + Outline Templates

Because we all make mistakes :)

Tools

Hemingway Editor - the online version is completely free!

Writer - Free Basic Proofreader

Grammarly - Free Basic Proofreading

NaturalReader - text to speech to help catch errors!

Self-Editing

How to Self-Edit Your Work - coming soon :)

Common Dialogue Mistakes - coming soon :)

Showing Not Telling - coming soon :)

Worldbuilding Resources

Food Timeline - history of food across many centuries

Script A World - @script-a-world

Script Myth - @scriptmyth

Inkarnate - can use free or paid to create a map

Developing Your World

Basics for Worldbuilding (AKA Get Started) - coming soon :)

Planning Celebrations (Festivals, Feasts, Holidays) - coming soon :)

Politics and Government in Your World - coming soon :)

Religion in Your World - coming soon :)

Main Character (MC)

Deciding How Much Control to Give Players - coming soon :)

Customization Options to Consider - coming soon :)

Developing Characters

How many characters are too many? - coming soon :)

Basic Character Development Questions - coming soon :)

Choosing Character Names - coming soon :)

Writing Romance: Tropes and Clichés - coming soon :)

Links to Character-Related Resources

ArtBreeder - use AI to create the faces of your characters

The Librarian's Sexuality Masterpost - @linklibrarian

Behind The Name - history and meaning of names

Blogs For Educating Oneself

These are helpful in addition to research!

Writing With Color - @writingwithcolor

A Guide to Writing Disabled Characters - @cripplecharacters

Script LGBT - @scriptlgbt

Rainbow Writing - @rainbowwriting

ScriptAutistic- @scriptautistic

Writing Questions Answered - @writingquestionsanswered

ScriptShrink - @scriptshrink

Writing Blind and Visually Impaired Characters - @mimzy-writing-online

Links to Other Things

WorkFlowy - outlining and list making

[writing-if]

How long should your interactive fiction demo be?

If you’re writing a new interactive fiction (especially if it’s your first time) you may be wondering how long your demo needs to be.

Ask a dozen people and they’ll all tell you something different. Why? Because people want different things out of a demo.

Your demo is your opportunity to connect with a player and leave them wanting more. But if not properly executed, it could cause people to drop off, meaning they lose interest in your game.

So, how long does your demo need to be? It needs to be however long it takes for you to introduce and hook people into your story.

You may be thinking, “Thanks, Vi. That totally answered my question.” Which is fair. So, how long does it need to be? Well, it’s not an exact science, but here’s my opinion (based on my research and experience):

Focus on quality, not word count. I’d rather read two thousand words that hook me than ten thousand that don’t.

Introduce the world. At least a little. Is this fantasy? Modern? Steampunk?

Make sure the MCs purpose is clear. As in, what is their journey about? This can be the tied into the major conflict/problem/plot.

Introduce most, if not all of the main characters.

Allow the player to make some choices. Even if they are minor. It allows them to get more attached to the story and gives them a taste of what to expect. All of that said, there are perfectly amazing demos that don’t have any choices because they’re just the prologue and that’s okay. It depends on your story.

When I set out to write the demo for Next in Line, I was writing it for the visual novel format at the time and I set my demo word count goal to be between 5000-10000 words.

Those numbers made me sweat if I’m being honest. They felt impossible when I first began. But I ended up with about 20,000. And then when I decided to reformat it to interactive fiction, it got to over 40,000 words, which is where the demo stands as of today.

Do you need 40,000 words for your demo? Nope. I just wrote until I felt like I had introduced the world and characters enough to hook people.

My best advice? Don’t get caught up with word count. Just write.