The Dark Void Of Video Game Newswriting

After about three to four years of dabbling in video game news writing, MMA blogging and local news writing it is time to share my experiences. As those who read my blog may know video game I am not always on top of things when it comes to my blog in fact I took nearly a full year hiatus from video game news writing to try my luck at MMA blogging and writing for my local student newspaper.
I have learned many things and here are some of them:

1. Video game news writing is something every gamer wants to do, as a result there are a loads of shitty websites looking for writers. These sites often advertise “paid positions in the future” or “a great way to improve your writing skills”. Both of those comments are often untrue, the site usually goes under and you can no longer reference it as writing experience and the connection with other writers is usually pretty stagnant.

2. “Video game news writers get free games,” this is part of the allure of the job and in my experience there is some truth behind it. I got my first free game writing for a site which specialized in reviewing independent video games and I was making about $7-$20 an article which was pretty good. But I soon learned those free games come at a cost. Upon receiving my fifth free game gave it a pretty harsh review, my editor told me I had to score it higher as the site had a deal with the developers. When I was told this I resigned from the site and started my hiatus from the industry.

3. A lot of video game news is the same.

4. Paid blogging sites are no fun when you are writing five articles a day.

5. MMA writing often pays better.

6. Student papers often pay better.

7. Local newspapers often pay better.

8. Some video game news sites I have worked for have claimed to have hired me but have had complex site structures and I never actually was able to post anything as a result.

9. Once you make it big your competition skyrockets so remember do cross your Q’s and dot your i’s.

10. It is a long hard road to travel to become a video game news writer and I am be no means an expert yet but I will keep plugging away because that is the only way to fix the injustice of the industry.