I know most of you as gaming writers but I was curious about what fiction you may have published. Game related fiction included. I've been publishing short stories since about 1988 (mostly horror and speculative stuff). I used to be an editor with Frightnet Online (an award-winning zine that's sadly defunct). I used to run a quarterly "literary" zine called Masquerade. Most recently I had a story accepted by Cenotaph Pocket Edition.

Not only did Masquerade not rock, it made me feel like a fag for ever liking it in the first place.

It's good to get in touch with unresolved feelings....

Have some respect for Bill's thread, anonymous. Christ.

But now I am triply glad I registered on the board.

I don't know why, but I was just reminded of that headline from The Onion last week:

Now More Than Ever, Humanity Needs My Back To The Future Fan Fiction

Hey Bill,

I'm a playwright who just happens to like games, so I hang out here. I've got a play published at playscripts.com called "Legwork" and I just signed the film rights away last week to a small production company in Indianapolis.

I've had productions all over the country and something is usually going on somewhere. The next thing that's coming up is a short play in a night of Christmas shows opening Dec. 7 in Boston (more info, for those interested, at The Xmas Files).

Hey Dean,

That's cool news. I've only tried my hand at playwriting once but shelved it when I couldn't figure out a good third act. The first two were great, however. LOL. I also have an unfinished screenplay somewhere around here. I am hard at work on a fantasy novel though and that's going pretty good.

Boston, eh. I'm pretty close and I have relatives up on Beacon Hill... maybe I'll try to catch the shows.

Jason--how you doing? When you guys gonna ask me to write stuff? I know, when you can afford to. Just checking. Not sure about your fan fiction reference. Haven't written any. Be glad to critique some of yours though :P

Hi Bill,

Yeah, I do fiction too. I've had a one short story (Take Two) published in a print anthology from Impress, and a couple web published. Additionally, I wrote soem of the back story for Disciples. I'm pounding away at a novel, but it's hard to make much progress when I spen 10-12 hours a day on my "paying" writing.

"Have some respect for Bill's thread, anonymous. Christ."

Spare us your false outrage, hellspawn! You were the subject of mockery (appropriately), not Bill!

Bill, that was in no way meant to be some sort of remark about you or your writing. I just honestly had that headline pop into my head, and I thought it was funny. Fan Fiction is Dumb.

As for asking you to write stuff - well, you know I hardly ever assign out articles myself, since we do so much hardware stuff in-house. As for features or reviews...well, we have a lot more people WANTING work than there is work to pass around, or budget for it. But I'll say this: it doesn't work like freelancers just sit back and we toss stuff their way. People have to pitch articles and ideas, let us know what games they want to review, what they've been playing the hell out of and can do tips pieces on, blah blah blah. The street goes freelancer -> publication, not the other way around. =)

I'm ALWAYS looking for ideas for good tech and hardware features, and in recent months have had a couple good pitches from some freelancers, and then, they got some work.

Hey Jason, no problem. I was just playing off your comment in a playful manner.

As for getting work... I know how CGM runs. It's just that for six months I've asked and even pleaded for any kind of writing assignment. I've sent Cindy and Ben a list of games I want to cover. I've seen other freelancers get articles that I know they didn't pitch. You guys know me. I live within walking distance. And I feel like I'm being blacklisted. Anyway, not to get into it all here, but I'm pretty bummed.

Jason,

About the above post. I wish I could erase it. I didn't mean to pile that crap on you personally. My family and I are going through rough times and it's getting to me. I apologize for sounding like a complete whiner. Being a new dad with no job prospects in sight and an impeding forced relocation has taken its toll.

Here's to better times...

"Fan Fiction is Dumb"

How can you dismiss a whole subcategory of
literature without having seen my
"Frasier"/"X-Files" crossover fanfic in which
Frasier's crotchety-but-loveable dad, Martin,
gets eaten by HIS OWN BARCALOUNGER?

And then there's my "Buffy The Vampire Killer"
fanfic, which I wrote without ever seeing an
episode of "Buffy". I just based it on my favorite
episode of "Sesame Street" that featured the
folksinger Buffy St. Marie. In it, Snuffalupagus
gets killed and comes back from the dead,
and Grover gets this totally cute belly shirt so
you can see his navel ring.

Open your minds, people.