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Why I write this blog (non-gaming)

To preface this, I realize that most of you come here to read about games and games only, and that’s fine. This article is aimed at those of you who are interested in becoming writers. Blogging about anything can and does help but when you’re writing about games, sometimes it almost demands an explanation when you tell people about it. That’s what this is about.

Sitting in my creative writing class today, talking about publishing and the sort, I mentioned that I write my own blog. Of course, that lead to “what kind of blog is it” and “what do you write about” type questions. In a class of writers, the response “I write about video games” comes off as much todo about nothing. So, why do I, and have I, continued to maintain a site that really has nothing to do with my goals or scholarly pursuits in life?

The answer is simple. Gaming is a small part of my life, though this blog may lead a casual reader to believe otherwise. In general, I spend maybe 6 hours a week in a game. Not much. What this space does for me though, is give me an excuse to write. Regularly.

You see, after doing this for so long (18 months…ish now), enough people stop by here for there to be an expectation of new content. That puts a certain amount of pressure on me to make sure I’m popping in to say “hi” and give you the update.

Writing about games isn’t something non-gamers see as worthwhile, but they’re wrong.

The reason for this isn’t that video games are some important, life changing hobby, it’s that the more you write, the easier it is. Since I started writing here, I write quicker and more lucidly in every area that I am called upon to express myself using the written word. Writing takes practice, and even though I’m not narrating the rise and fall of some deep character, I’m stepping into the realm of the non-verbal. Here, we communicate in the same way a story would communicate with you.

Now, I don’t want to discredit the fact that I’ve made friends from this project. I have. Or the fact that I enjoy having a place in the community. I do. There’s a certain forgiveness here, however, that allows a writer to develop who he or she is, and that is the value of maintaining a blog, any blog, even if it’s not related to what you’d really like to be writing.

I gave out this web address to a few of my classmates today who were interested in what I was doing. To them, I’d encourage them to start a website about anything, personal, non-personal, whatever, and find a community to take part in. You’ll get read. You’ll get comments and feedback. And you’ll feel all the more satisfied for it.

I’ve decided to finally work on my personal site, though. Because, as much as I can extol the virtues of any form of regular writing, it’s still nicer to be able to list off a personal, academic, literary, blog rather than a gaming one. It’s about setting, right? You, reader, are the audience that has found this space. You haven’t been sent here because your teacher or boss told you to, nor would I expect you to enjoy it if you had. But, if you were sent here in that context, you’d expect to find something relevant to from whence you came.

And that’s why I’m opening my personal/professional site. If you’re interested, I can shoot you a link but I’ll refrain from posting it here to avoid giving my full name to everyone passing through.

To everyone who makes it a point to stop by here, thanks for giving me a reason to write. I need it sometimes and it has helped my personally and professionally as a writer. Someday, when I’m grown up and published I’ll have you guys to help thank then, too.

Have a good weekend.

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