Dear Escapist Magazine,


Nearly three years ago I was completely blindsided by the death of one of my closest friends. While on his way to class one morning, he was involved in a fatal car accident. As an 18 year-old kid who had just started college it was the first time I faced the stark realities of life, but it would not be the last. This past May, another one of my closest friends passed away after struggling with cancer for roughly six months. Once again I was tossed into a sea of misery. Even with my previous experience, nothing I did felt quite right. Well, except one familiar pastime of mine that had helped me the deal with death the first time around: video games.


Mainstream media has not been kind to games or gamers over the course of their existence. Even with the medium becoming more and more accepted by society, recent events have only spurred more talk about games and their effects on the psyche. As someone who has had gaming help him come back to the real world on two separate occasions, I can’t help but be offended by the vitriolic comments. Without the help of video games, I’m not sure where I would be today.


What I’m proposing, is a feature on my experiences with death and how games helped me come to terms with not only the passing of two close friends, but with my own mortality. I want to show how games can have a significant positive effect despite of all the supposed negatives. I intend to do this by discussing how I felt during these traumatic times and then explaining how specific titles helped me overcome. For example, I had been nagged into buying Fable III just a couple weeks before his passing, but we never had a chance to play it. When finishing it a few days after his funeral it was a surprisingly cathartic experience.


I feel my personal insights, like the one I just briefly described can help shed light on the many benefits of gaming and I hope to aid in helping the industry get the respect it deserves.


Thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope to hear back from you soon.


Sincerly,


Jamison Miller

Dear Mr. Hsu,   


I am deeply interested in the freelance writer position for GamesBeat.com. I've written for several smaller gaming blogs over the course of the past few years. During that time I’ve honed my skills as a writer and game journalist a fair bit. For the past ten months now I’ve been working for a site known as Plus10Damage.com. I’ve acquired a diverse skill set in my time working there. Not only have I written numerous reviews, news pieces, interviews, and opinion pieces, but I’ve also managed weekly features, created/edited video content, and participated in multiple podcasts. Obviously this means I’m your guy for just about anything you want to throw my way.


Another key experience I’ve taken from my time at Plus 10 would be learning how to receive criticism. Not just from readers, because I know there can be plenty of that from time to time, but also from my editors. At Plus 10 we worked together to improve each other’s work. Even the best writer needs an editor and I am more than willing to team up and take a fine-tooth comb to any of my writing. After all, it’s a win-win situation. Not only am I able to grow as a writer, but it ensures quality content for GamesBeat.


In the nearly two decades I’ve been gaming, I’ve grown quite the collection of titles and platforms. I’m open to playing just about anything on any platform. Hopefully this furthest illustrates my flexibility and openness to all sorts of work.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this, I hope to hear back from you soon. I’m available most of the time besides Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:45- 3p.m. PT, Tuesdays from 9a.m-6p.m., and Thursdays from 9a.m.- 1:45p.m..


Sincerely,


Jamison Miller

I think there are people out there who severely underestimate the professional and potentially career advancing uses of social media. Sites like Facebook and Twitter aren’t perfect but they’re a way of reaching out into the world, just the same as a telephone call or interview. In fact, in some ways they are better. So long as you use them appropriately, they’re an ever-perpetuating means of communication. I’ve heard about several people getting jobs with the help of Twitter


There’s also the simple fact that the world we live in is constantly connected to the internet. It serves any publication, blog, news site, or whatever platform to be in the thick of it. Many of the places I could potentially end up working for in the future have a very active online presence.  The more active you are on Twitter, the more of a presence you are in the lives of your audience.


With this is mind it’s no wonder so many place now as for your Twitter. Not because they want to dig up dirt on you. No, they want to get to know the social media you. How do you interact with readers? Will you be a valuable asset or a timebomb waiting to explode?

I found that I completely agree with the article Why ‘Optional’ Cover Letters Aren’t Really Optional. Resumes and CVs are hardly enough to sell yourself as a potential employee anymore. They fell cold and dry. So many of them read the same anymore. What really matters is selling yourself in the cover letter.  That’s how you let your desired employers know who you are and what you bring to the table.


It’s also important to show that you are more than willing to go beyond the minimum requirement. With a cover letter you can really show any potential employers how passionate you are. How you are willing to do more than what will be required of you.


Another problem with a resume or CV is that they are so formulaic. They’re designed to get certain information out of you and that’s it. Many applicant will have very similar information, making it difficult to stand out amongst the crowd. How are you to get the vital information that will help you make employers aware of your talents. Well this is another place where a cover letter comes in. I know I’ve done it.

1. Do I find myself satisfied and challenged by my current projects? The thing is, I’m the one deciding on what work I’ll be doing. I do as much work as I can handle.


2. Where do I see myself in two years. With a degree in hand I’ve hopefully landed a full-time gig somewhere. I’m well aware that may not be the case, so at the very least I expect to be doing plenty of freelance work.


3.What are my long-term career goals. Well I’d like to work my way up from a freelance writer to a salaried role as an editor. To be honest, I’m not all that interested in becoming an E.I.C. anywhere. I’d much rather focus specifically on content creation. Ideally reviews, opinion pieces,and video content. With that said, I do have some dreams outside of being a video game blogger. While that’s where I see myself permanently, I would love to branch out to actually write some games or T.V. shows.


4.What readings will or have helped me branch out? Well, I’ve read a couple books about how to be a video game blogger. There’s a ton of quality advice out there in the internet from people who already posses a job in my desired field. In actuality, the internet has made my career field not only easier to get into, but a much more viable means to supporting yourself.


5.Who do I know that could help me. Well I’ve made contacts within the industry for starters. There are also my fellow writers who have already helped me advance my skills.

1.It can be quite difficult to get your foot in the door when it comes to getting published. You could have literary gold and yet, for a number of reasons, it’s not entirely unlikely your work could get overlooked. With that in mind, do you feel it would be better to go the self-publish route for your first novel?


2. In “5 Ways to Build Strong Network Connections” the author suggests getting in touch or sending thank you letters via hand-written letter. She also mentions meeting in person. While it may seem more personal in the digital age, are these tactics even practical anymore?


3.Social Networks have been both a blessing and a curse.They’re a useful tool for getting your work out there but at what cost? For starters, much of your personal information becomes public knowledge. So the question is; how comfortable are you with using sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook?


4.What do you think of sites such as Writer’s Bloq? Can they really be reliable tools for getting your work out there? Can such niche sites truly bring in the audience you desire?


5.When managing a blog or related site, you have to keep the content flowing. At the same time you have to ensure it’s all quality work that your fans will want to read. How do you find the proper balance?

A. It’s tough to choose a favorite professor. I suppose I would technically have one, but to deem one my favorite seems like I would be lying. I’ve not really had a professor significantly alter who I am as a writer or person. Part of that is their fault, but the blame is partially mine to bare as well . I could certainly name a number of professional writers or bloggers who have made a noteworthy impact though.


By best paper I’ve ever written, I’m assuming that regards to school work. Well to be honest, once I’ve finished and handed in my work, it fades from my memory instantaneously.  I could probably pick one of my best pieces I’ve written outside of school. In the past nine months I’ve done whole lot of writing for the gaming blog I write for and I really loved the opening paragraph of my my recent review. I felt that it did a better job of conveying what the game was all about than any traditional style review would have.


Picking a most influential book is an easy one, because it’s also my favorite. J.R.R Tolkien's The Hobbit has influenced my tastes in entertainment quite a bit. I love the level of detail in his writing and it’s something I attempt to emulate in my own work.


I think the single most important concept I’ve learned over the years is to just be yourself. I know it seems cliche, but no better advice can be given. You should never be too derivative, even of the best writers. Develop your own voice and don’t try to be too formal. Most people would much rather read a article that talks to the reader like a human being rather than something so formulaic that it feels disingenuous.


B. “Miller, if I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t have thought you were the one who wrote this.”

While not exactly the best of compliments to my personality at the time, my high school journalism teacher went on to tell me that I had a knack for writing. Throughout the remainder of the school year he encouraged me to improve my talent and find a college with a respectable writing program.


C. It was in my senior year of high school that I knew I wanted to be a game critic. After taking my first step to improve my writing during my journalism class, I began to find my focus. I had loved playing and talking about games my whole life, but now that I knew I had the potential to make a career of it, I worked toward my goal. While I originally considered the field I was aiming for gaming journalism, it’s evolved over the years to game blogger/critic.


D. Well the prior paragraph does a good job summing up a portion of why I want the career I do, but I suppose there is more to it.  One major factor is just seeing and hearing how great the job can be. So many people work the stereotypical 9-5 job and despise what they do. Nothing could be more idiotic. If I’m going to have to do something 40+ hours a week, I might as well enjoy it.


E & F. How have I prepared myself to succeed and how has school prepared me to succeed are two very different things. I’d say the latter of the two, hasn’t done a whole lot. Once I have my bachelors it will have been of some use but in comparison to what I’ve done on my own accord, schooling has been insignificant.  I just don’t let a day go by without getting some sort of writing done. I also seek out critique and feedback from average readers, talented writers, and those already working in my career field. I’m always working at improving all the relevant skills for a gaming critic. Some of those skills have been developing my own voice, writing different types of articles, and understanding what my target audiences wants.


G. What makes me believe I can succeed? Well other than the required skill set, I have the equally important drive to succeed.  What’s the point of being talented if you're not motivated to do anything with the abilities you possess?

The quote regarding friends’ and family’s understanding writers is one I find rather interesting. Like every young adult going to college, my family and friends often ask what I’m majoring in and what do I intend to do once I graduate. It’s not an easy question for anyone to answer, but even more so for a writing arts major. The looks I often get are ones of trepidation and confusion. Said faces only get more befuddled when I tell them I want to be a video game critic, but that’s a story for another time. Bottom line is, no one outside of the writing field has a solid grasp on what the profession truly is.


The first problem I ran into when I began to write seriously was that I never really believed any of the praise I received. In most cases I figured I wasn’t as inept as the average high school student, so in comparison I must have looked fairly competent. It wasn’t until senior year journalism that I actually started growing as a writer. My teacher was well versed in the subject, but unlike everyone else, he balanced praise with fair -and more importantly- constructive criticism.


Another thing I’ve noticed over the years is the lack of guidance by those close to me. Not because they don’t care, or at least I hope that’s not the case, but due to a lack of knowledge. How does one get into a career with a writing arts degree? None of them know. Most think such a degree would lead me to be a reclusive novelist, sitting in my home all day. We in the know however, have a clearer picture of what things are truly like. Many writers do freelance work for quite sometime before getting anything permanent. Meanwhile, on top of the writing, they’re balancing some other secondary income source.


Most of the knowledge I’ve accumulated to getting me on the right path has come from those already working in the field. It’s not always an easy thing to do but I’ve found that the best way to get good advice is by going straight to the source. Seems obvious enough right? Sadly, not everyone does this and they rely entirely on what they’ve heard from family or school.


What I’m saying is, the path to a career as a writer of any sort is not an easy one. It’s oft made more difficult by people who know next to nothing about the subject trying to give advice. While it’s nice to know that they care, it’s best if you take such guidance with a grain of salt.

Before I get started I would like to say I thought the piece did what the author set out to do fairly well. Clearly it's meant to knock some sense into foolhardy writing students, which is all well and good. However, there was one thing that bothered me a fair deal. In the 5th point, Salerno claims you should accept that a sizable portion of the work you’ll get is going to be pure and utter garbage. Essentially filler content and throw-away pieces about inane drivel, and you should be okay with that.

Well I’m not, and nor should anybody else.

As a firm believer in “finding a career you love so much that you hardly consider it a job”, I think the notion Salerno purposes is preposterous. While I understand no one starts at the top, hating the work you do and being okay with it is the attitude of a defeatist. I for one know the career I’ll have after college. It entails plenty of hard work and isn’t always fun and games, despite literally beign focused around games. At times being a video game critic can be a thankless career on top of pay that pales in comparison to some of their fellow writers. At at the end of the day though, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I already do it for free simply because I enjoy it. I push myself to write thousands of words a week -on top of work and school- all for zero cents an hour.

So yes, while Salerno brings up plenty of valid points every writing major should consider, but there are some things to be ignored. I know my future career won't be funding any mansions or vactions to exoctic loactions, and it can even be a real pain sometimes. With that in mind, why would I accept having to write something I have no interest in?