New Storytelling For A Diverse World

Alexander Swords is a writer and narrative designer working across emotional games, games for change, the adaptation and evolution of stories moving to new mediums, and advocating for the power of interactive narrative and the need for diverse future storytellers.

The Forest Paths Method For Narrative Design

I've created the Forest Paths Method for Narrative Design. It is an accessible and collaborative approach to writing and narrative design for interactive and non-interactive story. It is now used internationally to develop, research and educate in games and screenwriting.

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Its power lies in giving visibility to the intangible elements of an experience, how they change and the impact on meaning and themes. 

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I'm using it for my work and as a way of advocating and educating others about diverse story structures and conventions as well as narrative design for games for change. 

Swords Narrative

Under the banner of Swords Narrative I am doing writing and narrative design for Totem Teller and Anytown: Garage Sale Monsters. These are games for the heart and soul, exploring what play can mean. 

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And a range of unnanounced projects adapting film and television properties for games, exploring the potential of virtual production, and looking at the extension of games into gallery and museum spaces.

Advocacy and Education

Advising developers, educators, arts organisations and governments on the power of interactive narrative and the need for diverse future storytellers.

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Organisations include Creative Victoria, ACMI, Bendigo Creative Industries Hub, Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) in New Zealand, Luggarah’s regional outreach program and Google.

Public speaking is a large part of this effort and I’ve presented at: Game Developers Conference (GDC) in USA, Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP), New Zealand Game Developers Conference, Freeplay Independent Games Festival, Google’s Indie Games Accelerator in Singapore and IGGI's annual conference. 
 

About Me

A writer and narrative designer with a background in audience development and arts management. He’s worked for indies in Berlin, AAA in Sweden, and is now based in Australia helping forward-thinking developers forge strong relationships with their audiences through stories, narrative systems and player care.

With assistance from Creative Victoria’s Creator’s Fund, he’s also developed the Forest Paths Method of Narrative Design helping developers to discover the power of their own stories built on the design pillars of their projects away from Western conventions and with an understanding of player motivation beyond demographics and traditional models. 

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Education:

• Master of Arts Management - RMIT

• Bachelor of Business - QUT

• Bachelor of Screen Production - Griffith University

• Advanced Diploma of Screen Development - Open Channel