That’s been my life in many ways but let’s focus on just one for the time being: how I became a writer. I started at Blizzard as an artist. 2-D, then 3-D. During that time I edited game scripts and wrote dialogue and in time I became a voice director. For a few years I was writing boss lines and trailer VO for World of Warcraft, then auditioning actors for the parts and directing the voice sessions (I can’t tell you how rewarding it is for a writer to cast folks who can speak your words so close to the way you hear them in your head).
Also during that time I started writing fiction, including the Unbroken short story and Ashbringer graphic novel. Something I never really worried about while I was doing all this? Self promotion. I didn’t have to; not only do Blizzard properties have their own built in fan base, but we also have a crack team of marketing folks.
One thing I’ve learned a lot more about in recent years is the more traditional route most writers use to become successful. And something the most successful writers become quite adept at is, you guessed it, self promotion. So I got a Facebook account. I joined Twitter. And now with the assistance of some very talented individuals I have my own website.
Shameless self promotion always felt awkward to me, but the whole endeavor feels much less self-serving if I can provide assistance, inspiration and information to fellow writers. So keep an eye on this blog for tips, tidbits, thoughts, theories… and of course pop culture references and (as this entry no doubt attests) the occasional rambling soliloquy.