David "Sothoth" Hodgson has been an editor at Maximum, GameFan, Gamers.com and now writes game strategy guides for Prima. All that with a degree in Demonic Possession. This game journalist got his start by making his own gaming publication; not a web site but rather a print 'zine about the PlayStation.

Here, David shares some advice for aspiring game journalists, and his own story:

From Witchcraft to Warcraft: The Long and Winding Road

I'd just completed a four-year History degree (with emphasis on Demonic Possession and Witchcraft in 17th Century Lancashire) from the University of Sheffield, England, and I had the choice of becoming a History teacher (ideally at a Wiccan-only college), or traveling to London, Dick Whittington style, to earn fame and fortune. I found neither; I bunked up on a disused German fishing trawler for ten months with a group of hippies, drug dealers, and roadies. Oh, and a madman named Wilf. In the roughest part of town -- Deptford. Yes, a body floated past the moorings on more than one occasion, but I did land a writing gig on a short-lived, and incredibly strenuous video game magazine called Maximum (now defunct), which had a staff of three, 164 pages an issue, and 500 words to write per page. With three staff.

The job pay was miserable (around $14,000 per year), and I was hired on the basis of a PlayStation fanzine I wrote when I should have been researching more witch trials. In hindsight, the fanzine was almost completely embarrassing, and I had to buy one of the first import PlayStations in the UK for a princely sum of $1500. But persist I did, until Maximum folded, the art director left for the USA, and I was promoted to second in command of the Official Nintendo UK magazine. Two issues later, Gamefan magazine (now defunct) called the boat, and unfortunately talked to Wilf, almost ruining my chances of emigration. Fortunately they called back, still scared from their first conversation, and chatted to me. I had a five minute interview with the CEO of Metropolis Media (now defunct). On the basis of that, I was offered a job in Los Angeles. I packed my bags a nanosecond later.

I began working for Gamefan magazine, which was part fraternity, part mental hospital. It was here that I learned that the world of video game magazine publishing doesn't actually need to be run professionally. It was a great ride though, until the money ran out. Then myself and key editors hopped ship and started up Gamers' Republic (now defunct). During this time, I concentrated on writing strategy guides, which are pretty much the most intense and involved part of editorial. A year or two later, I was tempted to continue my trail of destruction up the West Coast, and started incite Video Gaming magazine (now defunct). This was a much more professional environment, but the magazine had an unclear and sometimes embarrassing message ("the chick from Booty Call plays video games?" whoop-de-frickin'-doo!), and no advertising. Unless you're paying your staff in games, advertising drives magazine sales until subscribers save the day.

After incite, I briefly worked with Dennis "Thresh" Fong at Gamers.com, before a new and extremely tanned CEO ran the company into the ground, after which I fled and used my previous experience at writing strategy guides to break out on my own, and offer my services to Prima Games. They said "yes", and I've never been happier. I even have time to socially play Warcraft III, as well as "work" gaming. Completing Super Mario Sunshine in three days in a non-air conditioned room at Nintendo is a great accomplishment, and although crunch times are chaotic, I feel immensely proud of my achievements in this field. And immensely awkward by some of the crap I wrote early on in my "career."

Top Tips for the Top!

1. Know about video games. An encyclopedic knowledge about certain genres that you can reference during reviews and previews makes you seem like you know what you're talking about, even if you don't. I've actually had quotes on game box covers after writing a preview from a single screen shot.
2. Perfect a writing style, but don't force it. Pouring over witch trial manuscripts from the 17th century, then transcribing them into a thesis taught me style and structure. I'd recommend going to a college and attempting an English or arts major. That way, you can fall back on something when this whole "video games" phenomena implodes.
3. Construct a fanzine or web-site. There's nothing that screams "hire me!" than a cool-looking piece of literature you've already created.
4. Be personable. Yes, it's shocking, but some people in the video gaming canon aren't particularly social, pleasant, or happy folk. It'll help if you don't annoy or upset your boss/PR contact/mother when you're interacting.
5. Choose a sub-profession. Do you want to write a startling expose, 20/20 style, about Microsoft's real reason for banning Kakuto Chojin? Or do you want to regurgitate press releases? Do you want to throw yourself wholeheartedly into previews or reviews? Or do you like freebies from game companies in return for favorable reviews? Become proficient in as many strands of writing as you can, and it helps to have ethics (or no ethics).
6. Wish for luck. Pray to your deity of choice before you embark on a career, as you'll need a bit of good fortune. Mix this in with dogged determination, and witty banter that hits home, pulls no punches, and is particularly pithy, and you may just eke out a writer's job in this wild, crazy, and extremely entertaining world of video games.