NBI- Lesson Learned

So you want to start a blog? You love a game, and you want to write about it all the time, do you? That’s now, what about a year from now, two years from now, or 5 years from now.

When I first started out blogging and created my first blog Way of the Chosen, which was a Warhammer Online blog.  I reached out to an old time blogger, Tobold. 

This is what he said to me.

I hope you’re considering that blog more like an exercise. The problem
with highly specialized blogs like that is that you won’t be able to
keep it up for 5 years, because it’s unlikely you’re still playing a
Chosen in 5 years. You’re probably even playing a completely different
game. You can make a new blog for every new class and game you play,
but then you are losing all your Google page rank and regular readers
every time you switch.

So I kept on going as is, and years later he proved right when the game started to die, I had to create a new blog, and almost start from scratch. I learned my lesson the hard way, and heed Tobold’s advice, and don’t specialize to much if you are in this for the long haul.

 

The Newbie Blogger Initiative

NBI has started again, and ever since Syp started many years ago I have been a supporter of it. Well Doone as well as some other people have stepped up, and took the helm. They believe as I do that his hobby is well, pretty special.

Some old posts of mine that might help you.

Finding Your Voice. 

Developing a Thick Skin.

 

Some other awesome links…

NBI Site

Some NBI General Advice. 

The NBI Archives 

 

So if you are thinking about blogging, and want some advice feel free to ask me or any of the other mentors/supporters. I look forward to writing a post or two to help the endeavor out as well.

 

The Future has Taken Root in the Past…It is Done!

The New Blogger Initiative has begun again, even though Syp usually is the one running the show,  some new bloggers have taken up the mantle of organizing this year.  I want to thank them in advance, as I think this is a cool endeavor and I support it any way I can.  If you ever wanted to blog, if you like writing, or if you want to take on a bigger part in your gaming community I strongly suggest blogging. It has led me to some of the best people I have ever met, and has enriched my life in so many ways.

Want more info check out….

The Newbie Blogger Int. Website. 

T.R. Red Skies 

You can reach out to me if you want, or check out the forums. 

I really look forward to some new blogs, and maybe making some new friends.

 

I Feel Old

Sorry folks for being a few days late, and several dollars short, but last year, Syp a mentor and old school blogger started up his Newbie Blogger Initiative …I would say it was a success if even one new blog came out of it, and kept on writing.

So I seen a couple posts, it’s been a year since the NBI came about and other bloggers did a way better job covering it then I did…Hear is a few.

Casual Aggro – A great round up, and he himself is going strong

World’s End Tavern – Another great round up.

Avatars of Steel – Has a great post.

Ravalation –  Another blogger wrapping things up and going strong.

Healing the Masses – Did some wonderful work, also posting up blog posts that help bloggers.

Ancient Gaming Noob – Compiled a bunch of Data. My eyes they bleed.

MMO Melting Pot –  They even showed some love.

 

Check these blogs, and many more….A big Congo Rats are in order. Keep on chugging folks…but you do make me feel old. Cause we did something like this many…many moons ago…in a far away place.  Syp led us before in a movement to get new bloggers, and I was a part of it on my old blog, Way of the Chosen, back in 2009. A lot of great blogs came out of that, and are still going strong even today, that makes me proud that I had a small hand in that too.

 

NBI Sucks

NBI Sucks, and I for one happy it is over.  People all over the blogosphere are claiming it a success, as for me I’m glad it’s over.

Why NBI Failed

1. All These New Awesome Blogs – All these great new writers, and their new fresh blogs.

2. Great Advice –  All these sponsors piped in with their great advice, I haven’t gotten to half of them yet.

3. My Blogroll is Huge – I have to go through and add all these new blogs to my blog roll. I use to be made fun of back in the day on how huge my blogroll is, well this isn’t going to help.

4. Hemorrhoids -All these leads to one thing..see  I do most of my reading on the toilet, all this extra reading will result in me buying Preparation H. I’m sending the bill to Syp.

Of course I mean this all in good fun, I really am mildly shocked how well things turned out, but now comes the real task I hope you new bloggers stick around, and write some great stuff. Cause if i add you to my blogroll, and next month I have to take you off…I will be PISSED.

Check out all the new blogs, and sponsor advice links on Syp’s post…cause I’m real lazy to link all that stuff.

NBI- You need a Thick Skin

There are many advice posts being posted about how to do this, how to do that, all of them great posts.

One thing though I did not see is that beign a blogger, you sometimes have to have a thick skin. You are putting a piece of you, for the whole world to view. Some people may not like what your opinion is, and they might attack you, and sometimes get personal about it.

I don’t censure my blog, I have people call me every name in the book, and I leave the statements up, why?  Because I don’t care, their comments are a reflection of them, and their stupidity. Censor that, no I want to show the world that this person is upset of a blog, that just posts crap. As a bouncer at a bar for most of my life I learned a thing or two about having a thick skin.

A Couple Tips For A Thicker Skin.

1. It’s never personal – The people that insult you over the internet don’t really know you, so calling a jerk because of your thoughts on a warrior talent is a moot point.  When people use to scream in my face how their going to get their gun, and blow my head off never worried me, cause the blowhards are just that, big bags of air…it was always the quiet ones I worried about, who without saying a word would grab a bottle, come in back of you, and smash it on your head.

2. Never Argue With Stupidity – See I kind of enjoy feeding the trolls sometimes cause I know no one has any real power on the internet…well maybe Bill Gates does, but that’s besides the point. To avoid frustration I suggest to just walk away.  When people use to argue with me when I worked at the bars, I use to say I wasn’t on the debate team, so they can save their breath.

3. Have a Set of Rules –  If you are going to censor, or not have a set of codes to work by on your blog. Is there a line that a commenter can cross that will upset you. You have some guidelines, and post those to commenters so they know,  so when someone breaks the rules, no debates, it’s just done. Me I have no limits, I don’t censor myself, nor others…but I can understand why someone would  put limitations up. One time someone went to my personal blog found out I was living with my mother, called me a loser for doing so. What they DIDN’T know was that I moved in with Mom who lost a leg due to cancer, to help out with my Stepdad who had a major stroke.  I didn’t remove that comment until the user asked, because it showed what an idiot that person was.

4. If you truly write for yourself, who cares what others think – Alot of people are saying you should write for yourself, not care about numbers…if you are truly doing that then you should have no problems if someone doesn’t like what you do.

5. Never Get in A Fight With Role Players – They be crazy.

 

 

NBI- Finding Your Voice

So you want to write blogs? What makes you so different then the millions of millions of other bloggers out there?  You could write about a certain niche, write a blog about Mario Kart, but as my friend Tobold told me one time it limits you, it’s like painting yourself in a corner, so be careful if your writing about one game, or even one class within the game…I didn’t listen.

No it’s a little better to give yourself some wiggle room, and be a bit of a generalist. The thing that will make you heard among the masses will be your own style, your own voice. 

Around the blogosphere, I’m a bit of a bad boy. I post half-naked women with my posts, Feminists hate me, I have an ongoing war with Role Players. My posts are usually short, and to the point, and most of the time crap, but take it or leave it….that’s me. I write like how I talk, my posts are an extension of who I am….that’s my voice.   

How do you find your voice? For some it comes naturally, god bless them. Their writing is awesome, and almost lyrical. For me it’s always a work in progress. I remember my first posts were dry, and some were even guides on how to stuff. Horrible, don’t we have enough Elitist Jerks sites out there as it is.

For me it was an evolution, but it starts with a vision. My vision for this blog has always been to entertain. The world loves a fool, and I am that fool.  What’s your vision, do you want to entertain, inform, or maybe even both?  From that I went what entertains people…and I go from there.

Why the half naked girlie pics?  Ok I’m going to let you on to a secret, i like girls. Also I think there are way to many carebears in this blogosphere, I see myself as the Man Show of blogs…if I could have girls jumping on trampolines after every post I could. We are still a male runned genre, and other guys like girls too…so sex sells…it’s the way of things.

Why the half naked hot trannies? Once in awhile I post one of these up. It’s kind of a joke on myself…and a little shock value for my readers. I like shocking people, or even angering people at times merely for the reaction. Almost Jerry Springering in fashion.

There are methods to my madness, but for you if you want to blog, find your own method, your own madness, and your own voice.

Make sure to check out the NBI forums, and register

The Newbie Blogger Initiative

It’s May 1st, and thus begins the NEWBIE BLOGGER INITIATIVE…..

We did this once ago, Syp was in charge of it then, and I helped as well, because if there was no Syp, there would be no game blogger Rivs…

Let’s start at the beginning….I was actually a blogger before I became a game blogger. I would write personal stuff, and toss in a game post here and there. Then I started reading game bloggers like Syp, Tobold, and Spicy Tuna.  I thought I could do that. I played games for a long, long time. I thought man there are ALOT of WoW blogs, and a new exciting game was on the horizon. Warhammer Online, despite Tobold’s advice I made a blog about that game, or more specifically my class of chose…Way of the Chosen.

Those were great days indeed, and then like now, Syp had an idea to get more people to blog, and join us in the blogosphere. I stood behind him then, and I stand behind him now.

If your interested in starting a blog, I think you should head over to the Newbie Blogger Initiative Forums, and register and get started.  If you have any questions personally feel free to ask me either in my comments of these posts, or email cc0926 (at) gmail (dot) com.  My door is always open.

Check out Syps post for more info, and look-see who else is in this NBI as sponsors. Some great writers, alas I am not a great writer. Why do I blog then if I suck at writing?  I feel that my voice offers something the others do not. I think I am the red light district of the blogosphere. Sure the quality isn’t all that, but you just might get entertained for a few minutes. I’ve been doing this for nearly 4 years now, and I think if I can do it…a slug drunk on a bottle of Jack can do it.

And who knows one day you might be on my blogroll, on the Honor Roll.