General Discussion

We're changing our volunteer program here at MMORPG.com, and we want you to be a part of it!

While we are scaling back on our search for editorialists, you can still submit your name to become a volunteer in-game correspondent.

Game Correspondents will be responsible for keeping up-to-date with their assigned games, covering everything from reviews to unique features to major patches and updates. You will have the opportunity to voice your opinions about the game's progress and share your thoughts with the community at large.

Game Correspondents

Requirements:

• Must have the availability to write, at minimum, one article per month of no less than 1,000 words.
• Must have and demonstrate a working knowledge of grammar and spelling.
• Must understand and adhere to deadlines.
• Must be knowledgeable about your assigned game.
• Must be an active player in your assigned game.
• Must be able to put personal feelings about your game aside except when appropriate.

Preferred:

• In-Game correspondents will get a nifty forum title (ex: World of Warcraft Correspondent).
• Experience writing in the games industry.
• The ability to share your thoughts and opinions with our readers.
• Proven correspondents may have the opportunity for special assignments including but not limited to beta previews.

To be considered send an email to editor@mmorpg.com, it should include:

• 500 words on an interesting topic from your specific game.
• Subject Line: MMORPG.com In-Game Correspondent (your game).
• A cover letter detailing your availability and any ideas that you may have.

We are currently looking for correspondents from all of the games on our Game List. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Read more about our Game Correspondent program and other volunteer opportunities here at MMORPG.com.

I've thought about applying to MMORPG for a long, long time.  I used to be a writer over at GamersInfo.net until I started to not have time to do full reviews.  (I wrote reviews and MMOG blog entries.)  So, I have experience and at least partly understand what it takes to be a game writer.  It takes a lot of time and a lot more energy than most people think. 

Even if you are loving the game you are playing - its not always as easy as "play a session, then write a blog." You have to try to remain interesting.  You have to try to find new things to talk about in a game that has you grinding out levels over and over.  You have to still do research by keeping up on the forums - which for some games IS a full time job.  (That's why they have community managers...)

So, I'm a bit dismayed that a site that has ads all over it, and is probably one of the prestige MMOG sites out there, can't throw writers some cash.  I'm not talking full time salaried positions with healthcare - I'm talking about royalties on ad revenue on articles.  See Newsvine as an example of this - as writers write articles, the articles' popularity helps dictate what kind of money came in due to the content.  Then that can be paid back to the writers.  In most cases, this in NO WAY covers the cost of time the writer uses to write the article - but over time it can be a nice little stipend for your work, especially if you are a popular writer.

Furthermore, MMORPG should cover the subscription fees for any of their "correspondents."  Either do this via deals with the MMOG itself - which happens all the time - or by using a little ad revenue to support it.

If you want true "volunteer" writers, then put up a community style system where anyone can write - ala 1Up.  I think that once you move past "masses blogging their thoughts" to "editorial process" you have to start offering SOMETHING to the writers who are spending their time.  A merit / percentage of ad revenue system is perfect for this because it awards your good writers and it doesn't break the bank.

Content is not free.  "Game writing experience" doesn't really mean a hell of a lot in the short to medium term - the world is already full of professional game writers.   If MMORPG.com is getting ad revenue from every page - so should the writers.

I think MMORPG.com is primarily looking for people who are already subscribed to a game, enjoy playing the game, and want to share their detailed experiences to players. For example on the WoW forums there are people who have submitted many useful posts that help players out. They can be spotted by the green text in their posts and as far as I know they are not paid or given anything extra. Their posts are just shown as someone you would probably trust more vs others.

I don't think asking for one article a month with 1,000 words is asking much to keep your "status". I couldn't imagine they'd assign you a game you don't have, tell you to go buy it, and then have you write a review.

I think this offer is meant more for people with a lot of time on their hands or would like a foot in the door to say they have some writing experience in the MMORPG industry to get further eventually.

That's just how I see it though and I could be wrong.

Oh I agree, I just don't think people realize what kind of time that takes, or what kind of commitment it requires.  And in this day and age of ad based revenue models, I'm pointing out to possible authors that this isn't as good as it seems, and that your good writing and content is worth something to MMORPG.  This isn't some community site anymore - this is an advertising based publishing site.  Would you write for Time magazine for free?  (Ok, yeah, I'd do this once too - just to be in Time - but eventually, I need to eat.)

Sites need to get out of the mind-set that just because content written by its users is out there, it should be free.  Likewise, authors need to realize that their thoughts, time and energy are actually worth something besides a good feeling.

Mainly though, I'm just pointing out that this isn't as easy or as glamorous as it might sound.  If I were going to write game related material at this point, I'd go do it at Newsvine or a similar service where I get some ad kickback - that's all.