Lunch thought: A question that comes up a lot for me, both in #ttrpg game design and in creative writing, is "Do I need to get a college degree or take classes in order to be a writer or a game designer?" The best answer I have is "No, however…"

— Shawn Merwin (@shawnmerwin) August 6, 2021

Writing of any kind is both an art and a craft. A lot of diverse skills go into it. You can teach yourself practically anything, or find the resources to guide your own training in any number of skills. Sometimes taking a class, or earning a degree, in a certain field or skill is the best way for a person to learn. It can be a shortcut through a complex maze of learning that you could do on your own, but it takes time.

— Shawn Merwin (@shawnmerwin) August 6, 2021

Occasionally a more formal training in something is antithetical to progress in a skill for a person, for a lot of reasons: learning styles, quality of instruction, etc. What is indisputable, though, is that the learning and the practice must happen at some point to gain proficiency. Whether it's book-learning, trial and error, or any other method, time and thought and repetition are essential.

— Shawn Merwin (@shawnmerwin) August 6, 2021

This is a great point as well. Experience PLAYING a game like #dndWhile I do not have degrees in creative writing or English degrees, my education has provided a wealth of experience in just writing papers and writing styles… The rest comes from enjoyment of the fantasy writing stylings of my favorite authors and game designers is invaluable to being able to create for the game. I've experienced great creative writers who aren't steeped in the game struggle to make good game components, or even great plots within the game.

— Shawn Merwin (@shawnmerwin) August 6, 2021