Writers often hear the truism of “show don’t tell”--similarly, gamers don’t want to be told why they want to go on an adventure; they want to experience the thrill of adventure for themselves. They also want to know the “why” behind a well-rounded character and experience that first hand. Poet Ezra Pound is quoted for saying that “the natural object is always the adequate symbol”--in video games, the “natural object” can be anything from the text, visuals, even the mechanics of a game to entice the player into a story. A well-rounded character can be shown through these methods as well.

In this panel, myself and fellow 2023 middle grade debut author Meg Eden Kuyatt author of Good Different (Scholastic 2023) will discuss the similarities and differences between writing on the page and the screen. We’ll delve into what makes games like Stray and Dexter Stardust : Adventures in Outer Space excite us even after we’ve stopped playing.

For more info about MAGFEST check out here: Music and Gaming Festival