I would just take it step by step. Think of a good story, pitch it to a few editors of places you think might be interested in publishing your story, and take it from there. At first, you will only have one or two different deadlines so it should be possible to fit it into your schedule and then slowly expand your network of sites and editors and get more and more assignments until you feel either comfortable doing freelance full-time or find a nice balance between working a full-time job and doing part-time freelance stuff.

Any other thoughts on that?

The problem for me seems to be making the step up to paid work – there are very few permanent paid positions advertised and I’m not in a position where I can quit my dayjob to freelance, not knowing whether anyone is actually going to pay me. Any advice for making that step? Is it just a case of trying to pimp myself out directly to editors for freelance work?

I can’t agree with this enough. Having specialised with producing video game guides for around 5 years now, I’ve become the ‘go to’ person at the UK’s largest gaming magazine publisher when someone needs a magazine cover mount tips book or a spread on a specific game (or I get offered to tip what the hell I like sometimes, which is really flattering, being offered all that creative freedom).

So find that ONE area that you are truly passionate about (you’ll create your best work this way) and just go for it. Then once you’ve got that all-important foot in the door, try experimenting then. I’ve started dabbling in writing features as well as guides, makes a nice change once in a while. 🙂

Oh, and don’t expect it to be fun all the time. I’ve lost track how many ‘all-nighters’ I’ve had to do just so I can meet the ridiculously short deadline I’ve been given. But money is essential to survive, so keep that in mind when you’re writing away in the small-hours.

Good luck!

PC Gamer UK, or US? I have a subscription to PC Gamer UK so I’ll look out for your article 😀

Good article – I’m a games journalist myself and I love the shock on people’s faces when I tell them I play video games for a living. I started doing it as a hobby and now love doing it full time 🙂

Damn you Proctor for giving the sensible answer.

Why didn’t I think of this! Very good suggestion Ben thanks a bunch, I post quite a bit on RPS I’m sure you’ll see if you look back and some times I get a good few reply’s so I guess people are reading that works for me.

PC Gamer, for a piece in their Extra Life features section. As my first professional quality submission, I’m both incredibly excited and nervous as all hell.

I always seem to get more hits whenever I comment on a post on RPS, because my blog is linked to my name on the comments thread. It turns out, people actually click those.

Posting your more unique stuff in their ‘writers hive’ area isn’t a bad idea either. I’ve had some great comments from there.

Nobody is going to hire somebody just because they can review games. Find a niche, make it yours.

If it were me, I’d probably ask him.

I’d like to add in something about free writing: You should be getting paid if a site is profitable, and no matter what, non-paid writing shouldn’t be permanent. If someone says “Oh, but you get exposure here” then they should be ashamed.

Question about actual industry stuff: There’s a site that the editor has said that he’ll read my email when I send it to him. Do I send him a brief outline of what article I’m thinking of, or a fully written out one?

I was kind of wrong. Well not about there being far better writers out there, but about the amount of talent. At first it seemed to me that there is no way to get into games writing. But actually I found that most editors are quite happy about being contacted by new writers. Be it more “lowbrow” gaming news sites, newspapers, magazines: editors are happy to get in touch with new talent.

If you’re good, interesting and have a nice story to share, you’ll get a chance if you ask nicely. I’m more experienced in German media, but I do write for Kill Screen and there it has been similar. So far, there haven’t been many editors who didn’t reply at all (mostly from very, very, very well regarded news outlets or magazines so hip you shouldn’t even bother).

Btw. my first big piece (4 page spread) for a major German gaming magazine got commissioned because an editor liked the articles me and a friend of mine were writing for a non-paying small online magazine covering arts and entertainment (think Paste Magazine, but way, way, waaay less popular…and German)

Now, my goal is to actually improve my writing and get more commissioned work both in German and English. I think it’s helpful to find writers you admire (both in games journalism and outside) and look at how they structure stories, all the little things and then look at your writing and see where it needs work. If you write a great story and show it to an editor who will sit down and read it, chances are that this someone will see that you’re a talented writer worth knowing and worth having around.

Can I ask where you were commissioned?

I’d suggesting thinking about what other sites might be interested in the stuff you are doing, and see if you can get them to link to it.

Or if contacting the PRs/Devs for whatever games you’re covering, or posting your coverage on any official forums/fan forums is a good idea too.

My advice would be if you start something purely with the aim of it leading to paid work and couldn’t be proud of what you’d created if it never lead to something professional, you should probably reconsider your motives. It should go without saying that if you don’t enjoy creating something – be it writing, video or whatever – then you shouldn’t bother.

It’s hard to put a finger on really. It’s entirely possible that a face to face meeting could put you above other candidates for a position, or perhaps you’ll only ever get useful conversations out of it. I’d say it’s certainly not worth paying huge amounts to go out of your way to go to an event, but if there are any that you can get to relatively easily, it’s worth doing.

You’ve touched on it here, but what significance would you put on real life networking? (I kind of know the answer already, but it’s worth discussing.)