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Looking for 3 (count'm 3) game writers
etoychest
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hey folks
OK, so I'm sure you have no idea, but not so long ago I got back into stretching my personal blogging/site owning wings and opened a new blog at anothercastle.com. Sure, I write for Joystiq and work from time to time at Gamasutra, but free time and idle hands are the devil's playground and I do so love being a good, Christian boy.
Anyway, the comic book portion of the site is rolling very well, with a pair of regular weekly columns that are getting a lot of good feedback. We also brought on board a writer covering tabletop games, and while that has just now started, her initial pair of columns show a lot of promise and I look forward to see where she takes it (hint: her latest bit covered the hidden S&M dealings between players and their DMs). I'm also beating my head against wanting to do a regular piece on nerdy collectibles, so we'll see how that shakes out.
This of course, brings me to video games. I've had a lot of experience in this field obviously, and have a couple writers contributing game reviews and opinions already. What I am interested in doing, and really the point of this post, is culling the masses for three writers, each of whom will focus on a specific platform – Wii, PS3, and 360 (once this all gets underway we'll begin thinking about PCs and handhelds since I get a lot of computer, DS and PSP games sent my way asking for coverage as well pretty regularly). In addition to manning the soapbox for their platform (or calling it out when it fucks up), each writer will also be the target to whom I send product to for their console for coverage.
Hopefully they will be able to rent or otherwise play those games I don't get in to send out (or those that are sent my way under instruction to cover for other sites I work for), but I do get a healthy dose of product sent my way primarily because of my relations with pubs from my days spent flying the eToychest banner of solidarity. I figure once a writer has a handful of articles to his or her credit, and I am sure that they are 1)reliable, 2) a competent writer, and 3) not a wildebeest, I will be sending games out to the trio (which is a good thing seeing as how my wife is tired of product piling up in the den).
So yea, three writers are being sought. Some will tell you that I'm sorta picky when it comes to writers and their ability to...erm...write, but if you think you have the chops and like writing for free (save for free games), gimme a shout with a writing sample by email, PM, or carrier pigeon.
OK, so I'm sure you have no idea, but not so long ago I got back into stretching my personal blogging/site owning wings and opened a new blog at anothercastle.com. Sure, I write for Joystiq and work from time to time at Gamasutra, but free time and idle hands are the devil's playground and I do so love being a good, Christian boy.
Anyway, the comic book portion of the site is rolling very well, with a pair of regular weekly columns that are getting a lot of good feedback. We also brought on board a writer covering tabletop games, and while that has just now started, her initial pair of columns show a lot of promise and I look forward to see where she takes it (hint: her latest bit covered the hidden S&M dealings between players and their DMs). I'm also beating my head against wanting to do a regular piece on nerdy collectibles, so we'll see how that shakes out.
This of course, brings me to video games. I've had a lot of experience in this field obviously, and have a couple writers contributing game reviews and opinions already. What I am interested in doing, and really the point of this post, is culling the masses for three writers, each of whom will focus on a specific platform – Wii, PS3, and 360 (once this all gets underway we'll begin thinking about PCs and handhelds since I get a lot of computer, DS and PSP games sent my way asking for coverage as well pretty regularly). In addition to manning the soapbox for their platform (or calling it out when it fucks up), each writer will also be the target to whom I send product to for their console for coverage.
Hopefully they will be able to rent or otherwise play those games I don't get in to send out (or those that are sent my way under instruction to cover for other sites I work for), but I do get a healthy dose of product sent my way primarily because of my relations with pubs from my days spent flying the eToychest banner of solidarity. I figure once a writer has a handful of articles to his or her credit, and I am sure that they are 1)reliable, 2) a competent writer, and 3) not a wildebeest, I will be sending games out to the trio (which is a good thing seeing as how my wife is tired of product piling up in the den).
So yea, three writers are being sought. Some will tell you that I'm sorta picky when it comes to writers and their ability to...erm...write, but if you think you have the chops and like writing for free (save for free games), gimme a shout with a writing sample by email, PM, or carrier pigeon.
etoychest on
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Is this offer region specific? You may struggle to send some titles to us UK/Pal folk, especially Wii games.
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
*Thanks Thanatos!
I think you've come to the wrong forum.
In fact, screw the website.
I would actually want to put myself forward, except I'm also in the UK and been really busy with the band I'm in, and don't have a lot of time for anything else.
I mean, what would Shakespear say?
He'd spell his name right, for a start..
I'm so sorry don't make me feel guilty I'm actually a lovely person
[SIZE="-15"]Also, must think up stichk better than ZP, and work on enunciation...[/SIZE]
Clearly you haven't heard of the famous and great games reviewer Billy Shakespear?
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
This is a perfect example of the, lovable, witty sarcasm I can inject into reviews. I intentionally misspelt 'Shakespear' for comedic effect.
Dyslexia vs. The Fourth Wall
Whoever wins, we all laugh.
Anywho, I am so down for this. I need to put this college degree to work!
Actually, it is correct, as it can be spelled either way iirc.
I will try to send a sample later today.
I've always liked writing as a hobby and can inject my posts with snark and facts depending on the mood.
Anyway, PM sent.
*Thanks Thanatos!
That would actually be really cool.
Also, I'd like to try doing this but I'm in the same british boat as you guys.
Sometimes I Stream Games: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/italax-plays-video-games
I have all the current consoles and handhelds save for the PS3, so I could do reviews for basically any platform.
I'm gonna have to write up a mock review and PM it to you later tonight methinks.
Switch: 6200-8149-0919 / Wii U: maximumzero / 3DS: 0860-3352-3335 / eBay Shop
Honestly, what I really like about SavyGamer is that it is completely focused on one topic, I'm not trying to be a general all purpose gaming blog.
That said if anyone has any specific articles that they would like to write for my blog, that are even vaguely connected to it's theme, I would be very open minded to publishing it.
Anyway, I believe I've expressed my interest and good lucks before, but might as well do it again.
I dont think you need to make it a full blown site. But features on all sorts of topics would be totally worth it.
one fear i have is that it will turn into another cheapssgamer. the problem with that site is that it did what was just suggested, tried to do everything.
articles on savvy about where to find deals, how to get the most for trade in games, what to buy and what to rent etc is all in line with the theme.
as you know, the chair im sitting in as i type this was bought with the money i saved from having savvy gamer in my bookmarks. and it aint no cheap chair.
savvy gamer doesnt need to change. its an invaluable resource for us brits.
Shakespeare is the common accepted spelling, but in the older texts about him there is a very high amount of difference in spelling, most likely due to the phonetic spellings or poor memory, since then someone writing about him couldn't necessarily look up the correct spelling of the name, and instead would write what they thought was correct, and hope that Shakespear or Shakespeer or Sagespere or Shagspeare or Shagstaff or whatever would get the point across enough that the readers would know what was up.
Now you know!
Also I would totally be into this but my schedule prevents me from taking on any time obligations that I don't schedule months in advance. With pay or very, very close friends.
What about some occasional opinion pieces or something? The sort of stuff you find towards the back of a magazine.
Sure, I would definitely consider something like that.
I don't want to derail this thread any more though, so if anyone wants to discuss this kind of thing either PM me or check with a mod and make a thread.
I've worked for a number of gaming blogs and sites (and a few magazines) both paid and voluntary and I'm studying English & Journalism at university so the experience is there.
XBL/PSN/Steam: APZonerunner
If being from the UK takes us out of the runnings for the site, maybe we use my site as a kind of UK branch?
PSN: Wstfgl | GamerTag: An Evil Plan | Battle.net: FallenIdle#1970
Hit me up on BoardGameArena! User: Loaded D1
I guess I should describe what kind of things I am looking for.
1. I am not necessarily looking for writers for regular columns, I mean that would be cool, but if you even just want to do a one off piece then that's cool too, you don't need to make any huge commitment. The great thing about the internet and specifically blogs is that there is no publication deadline leering over you, a delayed article will eventually be good, and rushed article will be padded out with Triforce hunts.
2. Everything should be written with a UK perspective. Not saying that writers need to live in/be from the UK, but if I read something and think "The doesn't apply to the UK at all" then it won't really be suitable.
3. I am not looking for reviews like already exist on literally dozens of other, more professional (and some less professional) web sites. If you want to write a review then it should be with some unique angle to it. Bargain bin titles revisited, and critiqued in the context of today's marketplace would be brilliant. Opinion pieces, personal stories, editorials, comics, music, anything creative you want to contribute will be great. If you do write a review, one of the principals I would enforce is that there is not to be any review score, if the text doesn't do a good enough job of conveying the message then slapping a number at the bottom won't improve it.
4. I am not looking for up to date news contributions, people go to the Kotaku's and Joystiq's for that.
5. I'm not going to pay you, I'm not even going to be able to tempt you with the idea of free games.
6. If you can make me laugh then you are probably doing something right.
7. Probably a bunch of other stuff. I am new to this.
If you are interested either discuss it in this thread, or hit me up with an email at my blog address. Dear God don't PM me, I am so bad at keeping my PM folder in order.
"This game is stupid! Go buy Baroque! And Persona 3 FES, due out this Spring! GO NOW!!!"
Questions
Is it possible to sort things on your blog site into catagories, or will it be that people will have to search through dates to find articles when you start putting them on?
Have you considered changing the stylings of the blog a tad, as while I think its fine for its current use as a place to post bargains, reading articles on the site as is may pose a problem, unless anyone vehmentley disagrees with me. In which case, tell me to shut up.
With reviews that people may do, would you have a unified ratings system for the site, or no ratings at all (just a worded review)? If people use different ratings systems for their reviews that are posted up, it would be confusing.
Suggestions
One aspect of gaming that I think goes untapped by many gaming sites right now i download services on consoles. I think there are only a handful of sites who review XBLA and PSN games, that I am aware of anyway. Perhaps as well as reviewing bargain bin games, we could have some downloadable game reviews. This would also be in keeping with your slant of not going with the mainstream (stuff thats already done A LOT by many other sites).
I thought I'd have more suggestions, but in typing up that one, I forgot what my others were. My brain is so bad after being at work.
I have a fair bit of spare time over the next few weeks (evenings and weekends), so I may work on a couple of pieces for SavyGamer... if you have anything specifically in mind, articles wise, that you may want, then drop me a PM and I shall look into it. If you need any advice or input into anything, I'd be happy to help.
*Thanks Thanatos!
I mean, when was the last time you said to a mate "I'd give the graphics a 7, the sound an 8, gameplay an 8.5, but only a 4 for lastability."
If you answer wasn't 'never' then I worry for you.
I talk to my mates about gaming by talking about which parts of the game really affected my one way or the other, like the things in the game that aren't anywhere else.
For example, Devil may cry 1, giant frikkin lava spider.
Hence the name of my site "I was like 'Woah!'"
Well I think it was far more to do with there not being standardised spelling in the 16th and 17th centuries rather than all of the literate men of England suffering from terrible memory loss. I've also never heard of that Shagstaff thing despite Shakespeare forming a large part of my degree studies. Any links?
*Thanks Thanatos!
And my Axe.
(something Ill finish up tomorrow would be perfect)