I’m Steven Bissett, a science fiction author and narrative designer. I write the Earthborn Saga and work on interactive stories.
Steven Bissett
The Earthborn Saga follows Rex Hunt from a frozen prison colony into a war that spreads across the galaxy. There are now eleven books in the series. I enjoy following the same characters over time and working out how their experiences change the decisions they make.
I also build interactive fiction in Twine and Ink. That involves writing dialogue and quests, mapping different routes through a story, and tracking what changes when a player makes a decision.
Writing helps me work through thoughts and emotions. Even when a story involves psychic abilities or a threat to an entire civilisation, I want to understand what each person is trying to do and why it matters to them.
How I approach storytelling
- Work out what each character wants and what might change their mind
- Outline the story before developing scenes and dialogue
- Keep notes on decisions and their effects on later events
- Check that readers can follow the story as its scope grows
- Revise scenes that conflict with established characters or events
Experience at a glance
- Author of the Earthborn Saga, an eleven-book science fiction series
- Two million plus words of long-form narrative writing
- Interactive fiction prototypes in Twine and Ink
- Quest design documentation, flow diagrams, and branching systems planning
- Technical background: I like building tools, solving problems, and making complex systems understandable
A little more personal
Away from writing, I lift weights, play board games with a small group and regularly do karaoke. I also have a technical background and enjoy building tools to help with my work.
I enjoy working on stories that give me time to get to know the people in them, including the parts of their lives that continue between the battles.
Let’s talk
You can contact me about the books, narrative design work or a project you have in mind. The portfolio has playable examples and design documents.