Writing a story for a visual novel
Originally posted on Dev.to.
The story is one of the core aspects of visual novels. This article will focus on the early planning stages of creating a visual novel.
Why planning is important
In the early stages when developing a visual novel it is best to have an idea of what the game will be about. That's why I suggest writing out the story and dialogue draft before moving on to the next step. It keeps the story on track and prevents plot points from being forgotten.
Tools to use for story writing
There are various tools when outlining the story for a visual novel. There are both free and paid software to use for writing. My personal choice is Twine, it is an open-source tool for writing interactive stories. I use Twine to draft and map stories before moving to Ren'Py for the next steps.
Things will change
Going back and making changes to the story is likely going to happen when adding dialogue to the game. An example is going back to change the dialogue to flow more easily.
How long does it take?
Depending on what the visual novel is about. The story could be long or short, simple or complex, the duration of a story varies. Writing and editing your story could take a week, to a few months, or maybe up to a year.
Ask for help
Having another pair of eyes to look over the story to proofread is a good check to make sure the story flows as the game progresses. Another option is to ask for feedback to help improve the story.