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Mitch
Mitch

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You’re Already a Narrative Designer (Even If You Don’t Feel Like One)

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by.

I'm Mitch, a video game narrative designer.

I’ll be honest: for a long time, I didn’t feel like a “real” narrative designer.

I wasn’t at a big studio.

I hadn’t shipped anything people had heard of.

Most of my story experiments lived in half-finished docs, or just in my head.

Everywhere I looked, other people seemed more official. More polished. More qualified.

Maybe you’ve felt that too.

Maybe you’ve thought:

  • “I’m just a hobbyist.”
  • “I’m just an indie dev.”
  • “I just have a story idea — that doesn’t count.”

But here’s the thing I’ve learned (and I have to keep reminding myself of):

Being a narrative designer isn’t something you wait for someone else to grant you.

It’s something you decide to be.


Becoming, Not Behind

We live in a world that celebrates public wins — launches, awards, milestones.

But what we don’t always see are the quiet wins:

  • Late-night writing sessions.
  • A dialogue draft no one else has read.
  • That one branching scene that keeps looping in your head.

That’s where it starts.

That’s where all of us start.

There’s no certification. No secret guild. No job title that makes you suddenly valid.

You’re a narrative designer the moment you start shaping stories — exploring choices, sketching arcs, writing something morally true that only you can say.


I Had to Learn This Too

I’ve written hundreds of thousands of words of branching content.

I’ve mapped decisions, emotional arcs, consequence systems.

And still — I catch myself thinking I’m not “legit.”

So I say this out loud for both of us:

You are a narrative designer.

Not because someone handed you a title.

But because you show up, believe in story, and keep creating.


No Permission Required

You don’t need:

  • An investor
  • A publisher
  • A perfect draft
  • Or anyone else’s stamp of approval

If you’re imagining how a player might feel in a given moment, or building a choice that could move someone — you’re already doing it.

So, in case you’re waiting for someone to tell you:

You are a narrative designer.

And your stories matter.


A Quick Resource

Since I’m part of this journey too, I built something to help myself (and hopefully you): NarrativeFlow.

It’s a visual narrative design tool made for storytellers first.

Not just for AAA teams or the polished pros — but for anyone wanting to get their ideas out of docs, spreadsheets, or code, and into something real.

It’s the tool I wish I had when I started, and maybe it can help you too.


You Belong Here

I don’t know what your specific project is.

I don’t know how far along you are.

But I do know this: the world needs stories with light, truth, and heart.

And those stories need you.

So stop waiting.

Pick up your story.

Because you already are a narrative designer.


(Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash)

What about you — when did you first start to feel like a narrative designer? Do you still struggle with doubts? And what narrative projects are you working on right now?

I'd love to discuss your journey with you. 👍

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