Should I start my own review series

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McKitten

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Apr 20, 2013
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Seconded.
If you expect to get anything out of it besides the satisfaction of having your own review series, don't do it. Odds are you're not going to get it.
If you just want to do your own review series for fun, sure, go ahead, what's stopping you?
 

PureChaos

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Aug 16, 2008
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Copper Zen said:
Consider it this way...

The Escapist has a User Review forum--that practically no one visits. Seriously, [user]Marter[/user] has done a few hundred movie reviews that never received so much as a single reply.

You'll have to have a thick skin for that sort of work. If you can cope with endless lack of responses in anticipation of that rare reply--one which may criticize rather than praise your POV--then go for it!

But do be aware that all you may hear in response is crickets. Lots and lots of crickets.
I can relate to that. I've been doing reviews on YouTube for a couple of years now and some of them I post in the User Reviews section here but it's rare for anyone to post a reply. I've got 40 subscribers on YouTube and things really haven't gone as well as I hoped they would but I enjoy making the videos so I'm not too fussed.
 

Marter

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Oct 27, 2009
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Bertylicious said:
Do you think you could give us some tips or possibly even a guide?
Now, now, that would be telling, wouldn't it? ;D

Really, though, it's kind of hard to give any tips without (1) knowing which medium you want to write about and (2) not sounding like someone ill-prepared to give tips. I think I did that before and it sounded awful. Find a style you like and are happy with, and go with it, Make necessary adjustments based on feedback that you deem worthwhile. Back up opinions with facts. And actually know how to write (at least relatively well), or at least be able to fake it.

Binnsyboy said:
I should probably pick mine up again when the exams are over...
You really should.

ron1n said:
A Routine in writing reviews whether it's weekly or monthly is also good and helps stave off procrastination.
Or daily. =D
 

00slash00

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Dec 29, 2009
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i have no experience in this area so i can only give you the advise jesse cox always give. advertise like a shameless whore. have your friends post in gaming forums all over the place, promoting your stuff. even promote it yourself, but posing as someone else so it doesnt seem like a desperate cry for attention. but even if everyone looks at your stuff, its pointless if you dont give them a reason to stay there. video games are really popular right now and everyone has video game blogs or youtube channels. you need to find a way to make yourself memorable for the people who watch or read it
 

Altorin

Jack of No Trades
May 16, 2008
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If you value your sanity, no.

The thing about reviewing things is.. You're the one being reviewed. Constantly.

Ask Jim Sterling if he's not WAYYYYYYY more criticized then anything he's ever reviewed.

Cause he is. Everyone is. The only thing you can do is pick up old shitty games and review those.. they're slow pitch easy things... it's easy to review something that EVERYONE hates, because your audience is primed to agree with you.. But if you're legit trying to tell people about this or that that's in a game, like an actual review.. you don't have that benefit. People are going to hate your review because they love the game and you gave it a shitty score, even if it's an 8. And when they hate your review, they hate you.

You get almost no positive feedback UNTIL you become an actual personality, and that takes time and a LOT of dedication (WAY more then I'm capable of)

Granted, that's only if you plan to take it seriously. If you intend to just write shit and share it with your friends and maybe a couple people who might like it, more power to you.. I've written maybe 20 reviews on Facebook and in the Review Forum here (not for a LONG time at that).. But if you want it to be a thing, be ready to do WAY more work then you probably think.
 

DrunkOnEstus

In the name of Harman...
May 11, 2012
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Marter said:
Copper Zen said:
@all: Just everybody remember that while you can list your personal blog in your profile it's against the Code of Conduct [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/codeofconduct] to link it in the forums.
Except, of course, at the end of a review posted in User Reviews.
Does a Youtube channel count for that loophole, or does it apply to blogs specifically? It's kinda relevant to a "documentary" I'm working on that one could call I review.

OT: The best advice I can give is to just dive in and do it. It really doesn't matter if you don't hear a peep, or if you get negative attention. Worst case scenario is you either can feel accomplished that you did it at all, or learn from the feedback if it's constructive and improve and continue. I wrote a review of Shadow of the Colossus here and everyone in the world reviewed that game. I was happy to have over 100 views, I took the lack of comments as there being nothing too negative to point out.
 

Marter

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DrunkOnEstus said:
Does a Youtube channel count for that loophole, or does it apply to blogs specifically? It's kinda relevant to a "documentary" I'm working on that one could call I review.
You can link to your channel at the end of a video review, but you can't ask/beg for subscriptions.

Weird, I know, but there you go.
 

DrunkOnEstus

In the name of Harman...
May 11, 2012
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Marter said:
DrunkOnEstus said:
Does a Youtube channel count for that loophole, or does it apply to blogs specifically? It's kinda relevant to a "documentary" I'm working on that one could call I review.
You can link to your channel at the end of a video review, but you can't ask/beg for subscriptions.

Weird, I know, but there you go.
That's absolutely fine, and good to hear, the quality of the content in question should be what sells someone on a subscribe, not how it was asked for. Thank you for the insight.

I think I'm going to be a bigger part of the User Review section soon in that case (though no one's getting close to you in that regard : ) )
 

Trololo Punk

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May 14, 2011
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I remember writing silly reviews and blog posts when I was like 10 and a user on GameSpot. No one wrote nor gave a shit I'm sure but it was kinda fun for me at the time... Anyways.

OT: If it's something you wanna do then full speed ahead. Also if you think you maybe able to add your on spin on things then that just an extra little bonus.

So yea, go ahead man.
 

Mossberg Shotty

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Jan 12, 2013
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I say go for it. You might find that some people will genuinely value your opinions about stuff. Although it's hard to say if you haven't picked a specific genre you want to review.

I remember, I wrote a review (more like a first impressions, really) about some of H.P. Lovecraft's works on this very site, and I got a bit of good feedback and some decent conversations going. Not everyone agreed with me, but I still enjoyed doing it. I've even thought of going further with it by reviewing a few other books I've read... or been meaning to read.

Nothing wrong with getting your toes wet, freelancing doesn't hurt anyone.