How to write Game Concept and Proposal Documents

Q: Game development competitions, assignments, Final Year Projects - what do they have in common?

A: Requirement(s) to submit proper documentation.

Proper planning is crucial to success in any project, more so for creative projects such as game development projects, where a good mix of personalities including artists, programmers and designers are involved.

If you can't even put down to paper and articulate what you have in mind, how are you going to be able to implement and deliver a solid game product? Those angel investors you're looking for will need a lot more than "it's cool!" to be convinced.

Look over to Tim Ryan's article on The Anatomy of a Design Document, Part 1:Documentation Guidelines for the Game Concept and Proposal at Gamasutra. It's an older document, but still a goldie.

Note: You'll need a Gamasutra account to login and read. If you haven't got one yet, get one. It's an account you'll use for a long time (if you want to last in the GD business).