User:Nikel23/Sandbox4

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The Sims 3

Writing

A Sim practicing her writing

See also: Book
For the similar skill, see Creativity (skill).
For the career in The Sims 4, see Writer.
Writing is a skill in The Sims 3. The skill is augmented by Artistic trait and Acclaimed Author lifetime reward. Aside from Artistic trait, many traits can be beneficial and helpful for this skill. Sims learn Writing skill by writing books, e.g. novels, reports, journals, screenplays[TS3:LN], and comics[TS3:UL]; practicing writing on the computer, or taking a Writing class at the office building rabbit hole. Upon gaining the first level, Sims will be given a laptop in their inventory.

Children and older can write books. Toddlers who have read toddler books about Writing will earn Writing skill as soon as they grow up and practice writing, based on how many books they've read. With The Sims 3: Ambitions, Sims can register as a self-employed Writer.

Statistics[edit source]

  • Books Read
  • Current Book Completed
  • Completed Books
  • Scrapped Writings
  • Pages Written
  • Flops
  • Hits
  • Best Sellers
  • Most Experienced Genre
  • Most Profitable Book
  • Money Earned Writing
  • Current Weekly Royalties

Challenges[edit source]

Speed Writer

Speed Writers are so prolific that they've earned §30,000 in royalties. Speed Writers write more quickly than normal writers.

Prolific Writer

Prolific Writers have written at least 20 books in their career. They are so well known that they tend to write far more best-sellers than their counterparts.

Specialist Writer

Writers must pen at least 5 novels in a specific genre to be known as a specialist for the genre.[1] Such specialists write far more hits and best-sellers in their particular genre than most.

Abilities[edit source]

Level Ability
0 Unlocks fiction genre
Unlocks non-fiction genre
1 "Practice writing" becomes "Refine writing skill"
Unlocks science fiction genre
Ability to write comics
2 Unlocks trashy genre
3 Unlocks drama genre
Unlocks sports genre
Ability to write children's genre
4 Unlocks horror genre
5 Unlocks humor genre
6 Ability to write history genre
7 Unlocks poetry genre
8 Unlocks mystery genre
10 Unlocks romance genre

Genres[edit source]

Genre Requirement Length Base royalty (§) Royalty per page (§) Expected royalties Base book value (§) Bonus traits EP
Fiction Writing lv. 0 80 - 100 25 - 35 0.333 20 - 35 &BG
Non-fiction Writing lv. 0 80 - 100 25 - 35 0.333 20 - 35 &BG
Science fiction Writing lv. 1 or
Writing Lv. 0 with Computer Whiz
145 - 155 60 - 70 0.433 30 - 40 Computer Whiz, Genius &BG
Comic Writing lv. 1 and Painting lv. 1 or
Writing lv. 1 and Street Art lv. 1
22 - 100 48 - 120 1.377 100 - 150 &EP09
Trashy Writing lv. 2 180 - 200 73 - 85 0.416 15-35 Flirty &BG
Drama Writing lv. 3 260 - 350 160 - 183 0.562 30 - 40 Commitment Issues, Diva &BG
Children's Writing lv. 3 and Painting lv. 4 90 - 120 75 - 105 0.857 15 - 35 Artistic, Childish, Family-Oriented &BG
Sports Writing lv. 3 or
Sports Agent lv. 3
100 - 150 150 - 400 2.200 150 - 400 Athletic &EP09
Horror[2][3] Writing lv. 4 or
Writing lv. 2 with Supernatural Fan
350 - 450 200 - 300 0.625 35 - 45 Supernatural Fan &EP07
Humor Writing lv. 5 or
Writing lv. 2 with Good Sense of Humor
320 - 370 185 - 255 0.638 40 - 50 Loser, Inappropriate, Mean Spirited &BG
Historical Writing lv. 6 and elders only 400 - 610 290 - 360 0.643 65 - 85 Perfectionist, No Sense of Humor &BG
Poetry[2] Writing lv. 7 or
Writing lv. 2 with Avant Garde or
Writing lv. 0 with Brooding
200 - 600 300 - 350 1.231 69 - 96 Brooding &EP07
Mystery Writing lv. 8 450 - 570 325 - 340 0.652 75 - 100 Genius &BG
Romance Writing lv. 10 or
Writing lv. 5 with Hopeless Romantic
550 - 800 600 - 890 1.104 75 - 100 Hopeless Romantic &BG
Biography A History of One opportunity 300 - 500 150 - 175 0.406 50 - 75 &BG
Autobiography 3 Biographies 300 - 500 150 - 175 0.406 50 - 75 Ambitious, Charismatic, Unlucky, Daredevil, Insane, Kleptomaniac, Diva &BG
Fantasy 3 Science fiction novels 370 - 510 300 - 360 0.750 30 - 40 Neurotic &BG
Satire 3 Humor novels or
Writing lv. 4 with Avant Garde
320 - 380 350 - 410 1.086 40 - 50 Grumpy, Hot-Headed, Over-Emotional, Rebellious &BG
Vaudeville Writing lv. 10 and 2 of: science fiction, drama, humor, mystery, and romance. 1,100 - 1,400 1,450 - 1,770 1.288 75 - 100 Bookworm &BG
Masterpiece 25 novels 1,800 - 2,200 2,750 - 3,100 1.462 500 - 750 &BG
Life story It's Your Life opportunity 300 - 500 300 - 500 1.000 300 - 500 &BG
Political memoir Thanks for the Memories opportunity 300 - 500 300 - 500 1.000 300 - 500 &BG
Article Journalism lv. 3 72 - 85 35 - 52 0.554 5 - 10 &BG

Writing a book[edit source]

Sims can start writing a book from the computer. Only one book per type (e.g. novel, comic, or screenplay) can be written at a time. On starting a book, the players will be prompted to name the book title. Different genre has different book length. Sims have a base rate of 0.12 page per minute (PPM). Higher PPM rate allows Sims to finish the book faster. The PPM rate is modified by several factors:

  • +0.03 PPM if the Sim has the Bookworm trait.
  • +0.025 PPM per Writing skill level.
  • +0.003 PPM per book read, capped at 0.15 PPM or 50 books.
  • ±0 PPM per book written, capped at 20 books (The value is set to 0, but it is possible to tune the value in the game files using a mod).
  • x1.4 PPM if the Sim has completed Speed Writer skill challenge.
  • x0.8 PPM if the Sim has the Perfectionist trait.

This means a Sim can have a maximum of 0.77 PPM rate. At every one fifth of the book progress, Sims will earn partial work payment by 50% of the book's length. Partial work payment is only earned for novel writing; it is not earned for comics, articles, or screenplays. Unlike most other skill building techniques, Sims will earn Writing skill points once they stop writing novel, instead of while writing.

Screenplay[edit source]

Sims at level 8 of Film career in the Directing branch have the option to write screenplay on the computer. There are five types of screenplay, which are action, science fiction, romantic comedy, indie, and drama. Each requires Writing skill level 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8, respectively. The value of a screenplay ranges from §0 to §1,500. Screenplays can be sold in the film studio. Sims with Suave Seller lifetime reward can sell a screenplay worth +15% more.

Finished screenplays do not contribute to the Sim's royalty earnings.

Quality and royalty[edit source]

When Sims finish writing a book, they will immediately receive payment worth the book's royalty. On the next day, Sims will receive a copy of the written book in the mailbox. Articles will not be mailed, but simply appear in the Sim's inventory, however. The written books can be found in the library, bought from the bookstore, or ordered from the computer.

There are four qualities of a written book: flop, normal, hit, and best seller. There are many factors that contribute the quality of the books:

  • The base chance of the quality depends on the Sim's skill level. Below is the table of base quality chance.
Quality Skill Level
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Flop 0 0 35 20 15 10 10 8 8 5 4
Hit 5 5 5 8 10 11 11 12 12 12 15
Best seller 2 2 5 5 5 7 7 7 7 7 10
  • -1.5 (flop), +1.5 (hit), and +1.5 (best seller) for each previously written novel of the same genre. The value is capped at ±60.
  • -20 (flop), +20 (hit), and +20 (best seller) if the Sim has the Bookworm trait.
  • -15 (flop), +15 (hit), and +20 (best seller) if the Sim has the Perfectionist trait.
  • +20 (hit) and +20 (best seller) if the Sim is a specialist writer of the genre.
  • +15 (hit) and +5 (best seller) if the Sim has completed Prolific Writer skill challenge.
  • +5 (hit) and +5 (best seller) if the Sim has received an advice from the boss, a random career even in Journalism career.

Tips[edit source]

  • Writing a novel reduces the fun motive, but Sims with Night Owl trait that has "Enjoying the Late Night" moodlet gains fun from it.[TS3:SN]

Notes[edit source]

References[edit source]

  1. Specialist is given to the first genre that has 5 completed novels. The specialization will change to the genre with the most completed books. In the case of a tie, the tiebreaker is based on the following list: Trashy > Drama > Science Fiction > Fantasy > Humor > Satire > Mystery > Romance > Historical > Children > Vaudeville > Biography > Article > Autobiography > Masterpiece > Political Memoir > Life Story > Fiction > Non-fiction > Poetry > Horror > Sports > Comic. For example, if the Sim has completed 5 Romance novels, on completion of his fifth Mystery novel, the specialization will change. In order to then change the specialization to Children, the Sim must complete at least six Children's books. Each Genre gets its own special blurb, except for Life Story and Political Memoir, where the specialization will say "**Unknown Genre**"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Included in Patch 38, but requires Supernatural to write these genres properly.
  3. Supernatural Skeptics cannot write Horror genre.