Shocker: Once upon a time, long ago, I wasn't the gorgeous, silver-tongued author and marketing/publishing/PR guru you all love and know. (Or as full of self-aggrandizing b/s, but hey, I digress...)

Nay, before all the glitz and glamor, I was just another starry-eyed fansite owner dying to break into the biz. Just one catch – being based out of Atlanta, lacking insider contacts and disinclined to pack and move cross-country, game industry jobs weren't exactly easy to come by.

So, circa 1999, after several months writing semi-professionally for websites such as Online Gaming Review and The Adrenaline Vault, I did what any fresh-faced newbie would do and took the plunge. I quit my cushy day job and went full-time freelance, using contacts I'd acquired by attending the occasional media event.

Pissing into the wind, some might say. Me? I'd go with "spraying a fire hose filled with raw sewage into an oncoming tornado." To keep it brief: I had no savings, no sense of how tough the business really was and no way of comprehending the stumbling blocks ahead. Amusingly, my timing couldn't have been better either: If you were out of the industry at that time, be glad you missed the dot com bust.

Thankfully, ignorance means nothing to a young, twenty-something male. In retrospect, second to getting married to a certain special lady, it was the best decision I ever made. The resulting years of struggle and hardship taught me invaluable lessons about marketing, sales, public relations, accounting and countless other aspects of running a small business you won't come across in the average day job – and, of course, many other crucial elements of the gaming industry and career development. The end result: I've gone on to found several successful businesses, pen two books and contribute to 300+ outlets from CNN to The New York Times, including virtually every videogame magazine in existence.

That said, I remain a realist: Let's skip the hype and cut to the chase – if you're reading this, chances are you want in. Can't say I blame you: All things considered, getting paid to travel the world, play games months in advance of release and rub elbows with the industry elite is nice work if you can get it. It certainly doesn't hurt that the vast majority of editors, fellow freelancers, marketing/PR reps and developers I've encountered are some of the hardest-working, most intelligent and interesting people you'll ever meet.

Still, while several manifestos outline the path to getting a job writing about games for a living – EGM editor-in-chief Dan Hsu's superb overview especially stands out in this regard – they're nonetheless somewhat incomplete. The kicker is that none tell you what you fully need to know to truly DIY, or Do It Your-Darned-Self, as a home-based scribe hoping make a long and successful career of hustling slang by the word or project.

Therefore listen up, because I won't say it twice. Couple the aforementioned resources with the following advice, gleaned from years in the proverbial trenches, and you'll be ready to start cashing in on your passion for playing Pok้mon. So easy literally anyone can do it, so hard it can break the best of men, either way, the future's yours. It's high time we got some new blood in this business. Read up, soak up, then step up and make ol' pappy Steinberg proud:

Getting Started

  1. The first and most crucial thing you need to do is build a writing portfolio – read: get as many published clips as possible. This may mean writing for free for ill-paying, off-brand magazines, newspapers, websites, or weeklies. So be it: I'm not too proud to admit I've offered services pro bono in the past just to toe a door open. Creating opportunity is everything; when things seem tough, or like you're not making any headway, redouble your efforts. Breaking in is a killer, but these things tend to steamroll; build an established background, and it'll be that much easier to approach top editors and gain additional gigs. The more you work you pump out, the more that comes rushing back in.
  2. Looking for leads? Try the local bookstore – simply taking the time to flip through the pages of certain publications and send the editors an e-mail got me dozens of placements in the past. Get to know each outlet as well: All are basically larger entities consisting of smaller, self-contained departments headed up by specific overseers. The trick is simply pitching the right idea to the right editor. Either way, no one's going to come to you with their hand out – you'll be the one having to suggest story ideas. Bearing this in mind, take the time to come up with several custom-tailored suggestions before approaching these individuals as well. (And remember that magazines generally operate on 60- to 90-day lead times, so stories must be relevant for 2-3 months from the date you submit.) It's a pain, but it does keep your name top of mind, and give you some control over the topics you work on. Hot tip: If there's one thing publications in every field are consistently looking for, it's feature stories.
  3. Persistence pays. Except in the case of dating, 'no' does not mean 'no,' typically – coming from most editors, it just means "not now," or "possibly later, if you manage to actually catch my attention." Follow-up is essential too: If an editor says "write back in a week," take the time to do it. If they don't respond to queries (the most common outcome), wait a respectful interval, e.g. 2-3 days, then reach out again. If it helps get your mind right, consider: In all my years of scribbling, I can count the number of writing ops that fell into my lap on one hand. It's murder out there, sure, and you'll fight to gain every inch of ground, but that just makes victory all the sweeter. Most people give up and accept things resignedly; don't, and you'll see how rewarding it can be.
  4. Always treat others with respect and dignity. They teach you this in preschool; sadly, not everyone remembers it, and after a certain amount of wining and dining, many writers get a fat head. You're a freelancer; never forget that everyone's a potential friend. If you're genuine, and not just some corny dweeb trying to fleece them, they'll recognize this. Ensuring, of course, that even if these folks don't help pay the bills, at least you'll have someone to snicker and pass notes with at the next boring press demo.
  5. Never lose sight of this maxim: You are who you know. Most of the time, it's a multi-way street. In other words, you need editors to assign work; PR people to help make a story happen; experts to provide the commentary that links it all together; analysts to offer hard data; and so on. Assembling most stories requires interacting with several individuals and getting them to two-step as deadlines approach, guaranteeing that those with the best, most reliable social network come out ahead. Mastering the art of knowing whom to call in a pinch is one of the single most important attributes you'll need to survive out there.