I’ve been writing for Nintendo Life for about two and a half years now. In that time I’ve been to London, Paris, Poland and Dewsbury, reviewed over sixty games, written hundreds of articles and met dozens of wonderful people, from PRs to developers.
That said, there’s still that nagging feeling that, because I have a day job to pay the bills, I’m not quite a meaningful part of the industry yet. Not to say that the industry metes out status by the size of your pay packet, but to make my living solely from doing what I love to do – that is, writing about it – is a long, long way off yet.
There’s the thought that I still measure my success in a print medium, that to transfer across from writing online to getting my name on paper is a huge step up, when if anything the overall industry is trending in the opposite direction. Perhaps that explains why I’ve been so reluctant to start work on a piece to pitch to magazine editors, though it’s much more likely I’m simply being lazy.
I do wonder where I’ll go next, and I don’t mean geographically. This year promises to be a huge year for me to prove I’ve got what it takes to make a name for myself in such a hugely competitive industry. From small beginnings I have the opportunity to go global, and that brings a smile to my face.
The answer to that seemingly rhetorical question is “yes”. I am in the industry: I may not have influence, but I have a part to play. The 10-year old me would have dreamt of this lifestyle and it seems blase of me to criticise it. I have the opportunity to make my dreams come true and I’m going to do just that.
My name is James Newton, and this is my website - a collection of my writings about
videogames, music and all my other thoughts.