Now in its second year, WordPlay is delivered by GamesHub, Melbourne International Games Week and Creative Victoria.
The 2022 program will commission eight emerging writers from Victoria with an interest in digital games to write a feature article inspired or informed by the events of Melbourne International Games Week 2022, which will then be published on the GamesHub website.
Update: Announcing the participants for the Wordplay 2022 Games Writing Mentorship Program. The original article follows below.
To help these participants get the best start possible, we’re enlisting some of Australia’s most experienced writers in digital games media to mentor the cohort and help them to develop their craft.
Each WordPlay participant will benefit from one-on-one mentoring sessions, as well as group workshops with a focus on sharing knowledge and learning practical skills related to professional digital games writing and reporting.
These activities will take place in the weeks leading up to and during Melbourne International Games Week 2022. All participants will receive payment of $300 (AUD) for their written work.
Who can apply for WordPlay 2022?
Applications are open to residents of Victoria.
Submissions are encouraged from First Peoples, LGBTQ+ and culturally and linguistically diverse applicants.
Additionally, one placement will be reserved for an aspiring First Peoples writer.
How do you apply for WordPlay 2022?
To apply email editor@gameshub.com with the subject line ‘WordPlay 2022 Application‘.
Please include in your application:
1. A short personal introduction describing yourself, your aspirations for writing and your relationship to video games.
2a. An existing piece of your writing about games that you feel best demonstrates your preferred style and capabilities.
OR
2b. An existing piece of your writing about any topic that you feel best demonstrates your preferred style and capabilities
What kind of writing are we looking for?
We welcome all sorts of writing related to games. These pieces can include, but are not limited to:
- Critical analysis of a game or an aspect of a game, such as a review or essay.
- Formal reporting about game-related issues including – interviews, profiles, or pieces about gaming culture.
- Personal prose or op-eds about a game-related topic.
Audio and video versions of the above will also be considered. Any questions can be directed to editor@gameshub.com.
What are the key dates for Wordplay 2022?
Applications for the WordPlay 2022 games writing mentorship program will close 11:59pm, 7 August 2022.
Successful applicants will be contacted the week commencing 15 August 2022 and will be announced the following week.
The list of mentors for WordPlay 2022 can be found in the following article:
Introducing the Mentors for Wordplay: A Games Writing Mentorship Program
About the WordPlay 2021 cohort
The inaugural WordPlay program saw six talented individuals create a host of fantastic articles. Since completing the program, some participants have continued to write for GamesHub as well as for organisations like ACMI and Samurai Punk.
We encourage you to read their excellent work from WordPlay 2021:
- Claire Osborn-Li – God, give me a body! How Virtual events and museums can be better
- Emily Spindler – Gamifying grief: learning how to say goodbye through games
- Percy Ranson – The Hero’s Journey and Monomyth: Does it work for all games?
- Alivia Mantel – Representation in video games starts offscreen
- Jam Walker – How COVID helped tabletop RPGs go mainstream
- Nidula Geeganage – Australian Game Developers are Perfecting Simplicity
The mentors for WordPlay 2021 were Jini Maxwell, Dan Golding, Rae Johnston, Brendan Keogh, Alice Clarke and Edmond Tran.
