How much does a game writer cost?
Freelance game writers usually charge by the hour for short jobs and a project price for bigger ones, so the cost depends mostly on how much text you need and how tangled it is. The clearest public numbers I found come from Liam Esler, a game writer and narrative designer, who wrote in 2018 that studios should expect to pay about $25 to $30 USD an hour on the lower end and $45 to $90 or more on the higher end when narrative is central to the game. His own rate for short projects was $37 to $60 USD an hour.
- Most game writers charge hourly for short jobs and a project price for long ones.
- Liam Esler (2018): studios should pay about $25 to $30 USD an hour on the lower end, $45 to $90+ on the higher end, more for writers with big credits.
- He says beginners can fairly charge about $15 to $18 USD an hour, and experienced writers should not go that low.
- Branching dialogue, word count, research, implementation in your engine and rewrites push the price up most.
- The fastest way to a real quote: your word count or scene list, a sample of the tone, your engine or tool, and your budget.
I'm not going to make up numbers. I couldn't find an independent pay survey for freelance video game writers, so the figures below come from one experienced writer's public guide and one freelance platform's estimates. Use them as a feel for scale, not a price list.
How game writers price their work
- Hourly. Common for short jobs like a quest, item text or a rewrite pass. Liam Esler quotes short projects by the hour.
- Project price. For longer work he doesn't quote hourly. He estimates the work, including revisions and polish, then adds about 30% on top.
- Per word. Some writers quote per word, mostly for big amounts of plain text like codex entries or item descriptions. Branching dialogue is harder to price this way, since the work is in the structure, not the word count.
What the numbers look like
| Example | What was said | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What studios should pay, lower end | About $25 to $30 USD an hour ($35 to $40 AUD) | Liam Esler, 2018 |
| What studios should pay, higher end | About $45 to $90 USD an hour or more ($60 to $120 AUD), higher for writers with significant titles | Liam Esler, 2018 |
| One experienced writer's short-project rate | About $37 to $60 USD an hour ($50 to $80 AUD), depending on scope and the team's budget | Liam Esler, 2018 |
| Beginners | About $15 to $18 USD an hour ($20 to $25 AUD) | Liam Esler, 2018 |
| Freelance game designers in general (includes narrative design) | $25 to $150 an hour depending on experience, with 2D indie games at $40 to $80 | Twine |
The 2018 numbers were given in Australian dollars with US conversions, and rates have likely gone up since. Esler also points out that freelancers need to charge more than an in-house salary works out to, because they cover their own downtime, gear and taxes.
What makes game writing cost more
- Branching. Choices, flags and consequences multiply the work far faster than the word count shows.
- Narrative design vs writing. Designing how the story works with the gameplay is a bigger job than writing lines for a story you already have, and Esler says it should be paid more.
- Volume. Barks, item text and codex entries add up fast. Count them before you ask for a quote.
- Implementation. If the writer also puts lines into Ink, Yarn Spinner, Twine or your own tool and tests them, that's extra time.
- Voice acting. Scripts for voice need line IDs, direction notes and tighter edits.
- Revisions. Agree in writing how many rounds of changes the price includes.
How to budget writing for your game
- Make a list of scenes, quests, characters and text types (dialogue, barks, items, UI), with a rough word count for each.
- Send a sample of the tone, like a scene you wrote or a game whose voice you want.
- Pay for one test scene before you commit to the whole script.
- Decide who owns the story and characters, and how the writer is credited, before work starts.
Tip: When you post a role on IndieGuild, list your genre, how much text you need and your budget. Writers who fit can tell right away if it's their kind of work.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a game writer cost?
Game writer and narrative designer Liam Esler wrote in 2018 that studios should expect about $25 to $30 USD an hour on the lower end and $45 to $90 or more on the higher end when narrative is central to the game. Bigger projects are usually quoted as one project price.
Do game writers charge per word?
Some do, mostly for plain text like item descriptions or codex entries. Branching dialogue is usually priced hourly or per project, because the work is in the structure, not the word count.
How do I get an accurate quote from a game writer?
Send a list of scenes, quests and text types with rough word counts, a sample of the tone you want, the tool or engine you use, and your budget. Ask for one paid test scene first.
Is IndieGuild free?
Yes. IndieGuild is free for developers and creators, and I don't take a cut of anything you pay people. Pay and rights are agreed directly between you and the person you hire.
Find a writer for your game
Post your writing role on IndieGuild (it takes about a minute), add your genre, word count and budget, and writers who fit get it in their inbox. IndieGuild is free for developers and creators, and I don't take a cut of anything you pay people. Or browse writing portfolios and message someone directly.
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