If you’re just starting your own blog, think you might start a gaming blog, or see any possibilities for blogging in the future, this post is for you. Think about it- with games like Fortnite and Apex Legends making headlines constantly and thriving competitively worldwide, what better time to join the media spotlight than now?
Even if you don’t want to delve into game journalism or game development yourself (gasp!), there are plenty of other opportunities out there for those who enjoy playing video games. You can make an income through YouTube videos, Twitch streaming content on a channel that suits your niche audience (perhaps “What I’m Playing Now”), or using a site like Patreon to help fund their work. While there are a lot of options out there for making your mark on the gaming world, it can be tough to figure out where to start. Here’s a quick rundown of some points that should help you get going.
- Write about games you love and enjoy playing . In a perfect world, you’d be doing this for your own passion projects, but until those blog hits start rolling in, it may be worthwhile to take the advice of Luke Crane (creator of Burning Wheel , Dungeon World , Monsterhearts , and more) and write about games that are hot in the market or have some type of buzz surrounding them.
- Know your medium . If you’re writing about video games, you’re already in the media spotlight, but it’s important to know what that means going in. Blogging and game journalism are two very different animals, especially when success is a possibility. Unless you have an existing audience (read: support from the community) that you can fall back on, it’s important to be realistic about how much traffic your posts will get and how many sales of your physical goods (like t-shirts or coffee mugs) will come from your blog.
- Be transparent . While there will always be some level of intrigue surrounding who the “next big thing” is in the community, very few people are fans of a douchebag when it comes to bloggers and reviewers. Make sure you’re being honest with yourself and your readers- whether that means disclosing your biases or making a public apology for mistakes you’ve made, transparency is key to earning trust as a blogger.
- Embrace controversy . While this is true for pretty much any kind of blogging or writing on social media, it’s especially true in games. Whether you’re writing about how frustrating a game can be, or something else that might rub people the wrong way, don’t shy away from controversy. Embrace it and you’ll find out- as difficult as it may be- that most people are genuinely interested in your opinion.
- Focus on the positive . When I started my blog, I was under the impression that 99% of gamers were male and misogynists who wanted nothing more than to harass women out of their hobbies. While that may be the case for some gamers, the vast majority of people you’ll interact with on the internet are genuine, kind-hearted folks who will try to help you out if they can. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people with questions or to ask them to share your posts on sites like Twitter.
- Be a good listener . If someone asks you a question about your opinion or wants more information about a topic, take the time to respond and answer them honestly. This is especially true when it comes to channels like YouTube and Twitch where users often have direct lines of communication with the content creators they enjoy watching (or play alongside in games like Fortnite).
- Don’t take yourself too seriously . In a community where there’s often a lot of drama and backstabbing, it’s easy to get caught up in the hyperbole of the internet. This can be especially true when you’re about to make your first big splash on the web. Even if you hate a game, think something is completely broken or unbalanced in it, or think someone else is being over-critical or smudge on social media, don’t lose faith in your readers and future viewers. No matter how much of an epic failure you may feel like being right now, odds are good that you’ll be able to turn this into something positive as time goes on.
- Be structured . I think this point should be pretty obvious- but when you’re building a blog and giving readers the chance to respond, it’s important to make the experience as consistent and reliable as possible. Long-winded posts with 10 different links in them are more likely to crash a reader’s browser or cause a reader to lose interest. If you make yourself accessible (whether through contact information or just by creating an account on another website where readers can leave comments of their own), your posts will get more exposure, you’ll build trust in your audience, and they’ll actually have something they can respond to.
- Think about what kind of content you want . I started a blog with the goal of sharing my insights as a queer woman in the games industry and helping other people get involved in the community. Some people might want to create a website focused on tips and tricks for specific games, while others might be looking to share their experiences playing video games with disabled or blind gamers, or why they love playing online shooters with their friends. What kind of things do you enjoy discussing/reading about? What kind of content will help you engage your audience?
- Considering making an eventual switch from blogging if it doesn’t pan out . I’m still in the midst of building my site and it feels like a lot of steps have to be taken before moving forward with my vision, but if I wasn’t able to get a strong audience in the time I think it’ll take to build out this site, I’m very open to going back to writing game reviews. It’s important for me not to set myself up for failure- but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen eventually.