Writing/Designing Gamebooks

[Space Cowboy]

Hey all,

How’s it going?  After I finish a trilogy of novellas I’m working on, I’m taking a page from the Homestar Runner playbook and my next project will be to write a gamebook set in the Wild Sphere universe.  I used to be a HUGE fan of gamebooks (I probably bought over 100 of them (e.g., “Choose Your Own Adventure”, “Fighting Fantasy”, “Lone Wolf”) but it’s been nearly 20 years since I’ve read a gamebook in earnest, and I have do to a bunch of research.

I’ve already been to the excellent source website gamebooks.org, and I’m going to download the Lone Wolf books from Project Aon, but does anyone have any other suggested resources?

Also, if you can remember or if you currently read gamebooks, does anyone have any suggestions, hints, tips to writing/designing gamebooks?

Many thanks in advance!

[xiombarg]

There was an old ADQ article from the British Steve Jackson on how to do gamebooks... Perhaps if you Paw around in the archives...

Also, don't forget gamebooks.org...

[Cup of Iron]

If by research, you mean perhaps reading someof these book, I had heard of one (although had not read it) which was written by an author, who's name escapes me at the moment called Lottery or something like that. One of the more interesting aspects of this book is that while it is also a variable plot novel , it is also made to be read cover to cover, which no doubt took a while to create, but makes it more easily marketable to the average reader.

[Space Cowboy]

There was an old ADQ article from the British Steve Jackson on how to do gamebooks... Perhaps if you Paw around in the archives...

Also, don't forget gamebooks.org...

Hey Xiombarg,

Sorry that I haven't gotten back to your post earlier- I've been down with the flu for a week.  

Thanks heaps for your post and the links!

[Space Cowboy]

If by research, you mean perhaps reading someof these book, I had heard of one (although had not read it) which was written by an author, who's name escapes me at the moment called Lottery or something like that. One of the more interesting aspects of this book is that while it is also a variable plot novel , it is also made to be read cover to cover, which no doubt took a while to create, but makes it more easily marketable to the average reader.

Hey Cup of Iron,

Thanks heaps for your post!  Are you talking about Kim Newman's Life's Lottery?

[Kesher]

Howdy.

If you're interested in the whole gamebook idea, check out

http://www.advancedfightingfantasy.com

They've got tons of info on that line of books, as well as fan-created texts and articles on writing your own.  You can also join the Adventurer's Guild and get your very own membership card and sparkly purple dice sent all the way from England, which, you know, only makes the whole thing sweeter...