Well, I'll make this short. I'm jealous.
I want to be writing for RJ's blog. More specifically, I want to be writing this and this and this.
I've come to a difficult point in my blogging life: specifically, I've become aware of the blog as a potentially powerful tool. As anyone creative knows, POTENTIAL is a downer. All the things you COULD do tend to cripple your ability to properly DO anything.
Foremost among the potential uses: my blog could be a PR tool for my projects. Thanks to a few recent articles, and the profile of the IMD in general, people seem to be watching. I could publicize my Warez, make sure the things I do are seen and heard by people as they pass through. If I didn't do this AT ALL, I'd be crazy. But when I do it too much, the self-loathing creeps in... I start wondering, with the energy I'm spending talking about my work, couldn't I be making better things?
I could also use the blog to keep a record of my progress. This is related, but not identical, to the idea of PR... it's leveraging the blog for notes, thoughts, theories and design issues in my work. The problem with this is the nagging question: FOR WHOM. Because the blog is a public space, I am always dogged by the question: why should the rest of the world give a damn?
And hey, I could definitely use the blog to blow off steam, to confound expectations, leave my mark (in the fire hydrant sense) and perhaps make people aware of a bold new take on Garfield. Again, this is geat... but I'm not quick enough on the draw to be a real cultural resource, and, honestly, smarminess is just too emotionally draining as a full-time job.
Now here's what RJ is doing: he's leveraging his expertise as a designer to comment about the state of our field. He's not serving as a link aggregator, nor is he writing the sort of self-involvement-fest that seems native to the blogging world. He's uncovering issues in the games industry and delivering a highly personal but universally relevant take on them.
Son of a bitch... why didn't I think of that.
Right now my brain isn't wired right for following RJ's formula... but my basic blog philosophy has been "keep doing it and see what happens". You'll probably see some of the former (PR, student gargle, and randomness) but I'm going to be on the lookout for something serious to sink my teeth into. In the meantime, I'm going to try to get some discussion going over at Senor Layton's Philosophy Shack. See you there.
Comments (2)
Wow - that's some seriously high praise! Thank you, Jamie.
Personally I've always enjoyed your blog for its ability to surprise me. I can't always predict what I'm going to find here, so I feel compelled to click. Also, your blog is funnier than mine. IT TEARS ME UP INSIDE. It will undoubtedly become more of a progress log as the Cache continues toward its final form. I would love to see a post on the background of why you're doing the Cache, what sorts of things compel you to do it, and so on. We talked about it at GDC but I can tell there's a wealth of stuff there.
Also, Garfield minus Garfield is incredible.
Posted by RJ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/jantonisse/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 2, 2008 2:01 PM
Posted on March 2, 2008 14:01
I've been through a similar existential blogging crisis myself. My initial intention was to use mine as a forum to discuss my work, primarily the side projects. But - exactly as you say - time spent writing about is time spent not-doing, and there just isn't enough of either kind.
I've found blogging most useful for a holding cell for all the pesky thoughts that buzz around in my head while I should be thinking about something else. Or sleeping. Things that occur to me about games I'm playing or making, or general issues get concreted in the blog, and this helps to unclog my mental processes, leaving them more room to maneuver. I also like recommending stuff I think is worth checking out - on the off-chance, like.
Your blog seems eminently readable to me - the words certainly manage to make a connection with the reader, which is a hurdle I don't get over with a lot of them - I'll certainly keep checking back. Don't feel you have to have something Important and Structured to say - there's value in the other stuff too.
Posted by rickyhaggett![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://interactive.usc.edu/members/jantonisse/nav-commenters.gif)
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March 11, 2008 4:14 PM
Posted on March 11, 2008 16:14