After 19 years, I've finally found out what I wanna do. It has been staring me in the face for the last few years now. I wanted to be a game designer Since I first saw and played Metal Gear Solid. but soon, I realized that it wasn't being a game designer my goal. But writing the story and at least partly directing either a video game or better yet, a television show(I prefer animated, but real is good too.) But I don't wanna write books, mostly because I just don't think I have the skill, and I find books kinda boring sometime.

The only problem now, is that I don't know how to reach my goal. I really don't know. I'm just a 19-going-20 year old guy that hasn't gone to college yet, but planning to go for Computer Science.

A friend said I should learn to draw and do some comics or manga, And that does seem like a good idea, so I started trying that out. But I still don't know.

I really need some Advice. what do I do, how do I do it? where do I have to go?

It makes sense that you have to be good at what you doing, you gotta know what your doing. It's a long way for the careers you going. Also importantly you need to advertise and market yourself, otherwise who will know?

I've heard the game industry and art industry is very competitive. Almost everyone wants to get in. You have to be exceptionally good and talented to be in it, and that takes alots and lots of practice. It's life commitment and you have to be passionate in it.

Even though I'm 26, I've considered that alot, and up to now I'm still deciding. I've comtemplated in being a comic/manga artist, I tried drawing and it isn't something you learn instantly, it's a life commitment of learning. You gotta draw alot and I mean everything. Just look at the professional works of comic/manga artist, they have to know how to draw anything that needs to be included in the comic/manga and in a professional standard.

As for me I just drifted away from drawing but thats another story, but if you wanna be famous, being a game designer or director/writer, or comic/manga artist is the way to go. For me , I wish I could be either or preferably both but there's no way you could be both, it just too much.

I think the problem is that your alone, it is impossible to do this alone. I mean you want to be famous but that takes alot of talent and lots work and effort, and you need to market yourself like crazy for companies to notice you.

What if you start your own company with other people?

I personally don't have any friends, which is hard for me to do anything. When you don't know anyone who are into the same interest as you, and no one appreciate your work, things seem far and void and you feel nothing you do impresses people. At the bottom line, the fact that we strive to become this or that is to attract others, social creatures that we are. There seems no escape for this...... but I'm diverting away from the subject at hand.

Back to the subject, I personally think knowing a group of people with the same interest and goal is important for something like this, to get you along to your goal. But most importantly you need to be very good at what you doing to be "useful" for others to "accept" and "need" you. Basically just about everything is a need, people come to you if they need you, otherwise they don't. Basic human social systems.

If you think about it hard enough, you come the conclusion, and say "fuck all this!, I'm going create a company" but you need people to help you with setting up your venture, not only that, but also money. It's hard world.

I'll stop for now.

Hey, if you want to be a writer, you should read a lot of stuff. Everything, the classics, and the trashy pulp. Work up a rhythm and read as much of the literature out there that catches your interest. Read reviews of new books, fiction and non-fiction, and go read them yourself to see if the reviewer's assessment holds up.

Then, you should be writing, just by practicing you'll learn a lot. It helps to keep a journal, that way, you can keep up a rhythm of writing something everyday, even if it's nonsense.

Oh! some of the best advice I've heard about writing (especially when you're self-critical like me): Always write to your lowest standard.

Writing is after all, a purely creative act, it should be fun. You can worry about making it good after you've written it.

Well... correction: for some people writing is fun.

Some of the best writers have found it a terribly painful, but necessary therapy.

The point is you shouldn't be editing your work before you've done it.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Yea, I've written. ALOT. I have various books with ideas that always pop into my head, These books contain all that I write. I don't really write in any style, except just to write to describe what's going on. It's definately not something anyone would consider literature. But it's something I enjoy doing and feel it's necessary to do so I don't forget those ideas.
Currently, I have at least 5(Probably 7) different stories all in the books, None of which may be complete, but as I work on them, I get closer to completing each one(To tell the truth, I have the beginning, middle and end all plotted in my head, I just need to write it down). All of them tend to be long though, So Sometimes I try to think of a story that I can finish writing in a week, but anyways.

I'm never a big fan of books, yea, I know. But I do play alot of games that include a story, Watch Anime, and watch alot of TV shows that include a plot or at the very least, some acceptable character development. I tend not to be picky, which is why I'm always at home and never go out much, I much rather watch a new episode of House, then go out. Different ideas always spark something in me, And when I watch all those shows, or read a comic or manga, I always fantasize about what would have happened if it went this way or that way.
I may not write like a pro, or even in the proper style. But I do write, It just may be the description of what goes on. But I do try different styles of writing my ideas/stories down. My last idea/story, I tried to write it like a script for a television show. Another story was planned in an outline format, and then written in a literary format. and the one I like most was basicly written as a description.

Anyways, I kinda figured Drawing would be tough, I always hoped that it would be easier and quicker, but knew that it would take me years, even if I was properly trained and tutored. Hell, I even tried my best to stay away from doing it when I thought about being a game designer. Hoping to focus on Programming instead. But I'm beginning to realize that my goal of writing will without a doubt be connected to drawing. Especially since I don't just wanna write for books, but for television shows and maybe a comic or two.

have you tried letting other people read your works? i bet your friends and family will be able to give you feedback on what you can improve on with your stories.

you may also want to immerse yourself with people who makes your dreams their daily living.

as for, drawing... yes, you are correct, it is important that you know how to draw. just keep practicing. you actually just need them is you're going to make your story board, the animators will be the one to fill in the gaps for you.

I've actually only let one person read one of my works. I was thinking of making a small site just to put up atleast one thing I'm proud of. But I'm a bit far from doing that with my busy schedule these last few months. But luckily, My friend thought one of my stories were quite interesting, even though she thought it could use a bit more work. I decided to write it like a book, instead of just an outline or basic description. So It probably wouldn't have been as good as it would have been if It was added with pictures. I feel I can be long-winded when it comes to writing like that.