Cyber Monday Video Game Goodness and More

So, I've got more than enough things to write about, but today I'm going to make a plug for some of my sites in honor of Cyber Monday.

Sure, it's a bit promotional - but maybe, just maybe, you'll find something you're looking for. And I'll be able to talk a bit about writing and niches while I'm at it :)

I create niche sites/articles on a platform called Squidoo that provide people with information they're looking for on the internet. For example, if someone wants to know what video game to get for a friend who owns a Kinect, I've got a list of the best Kinect games that will point them in exactly the right direction. Looking for handheld games instead? 10 Best PS Vita Games or Best 3DS Games might be more your style.

New! Paid Humor/Gaming Writing Market

I'm thrilled to announce a project I've been putting together for the past couple of months on my blog!

It's called The Prancing Laggard Pub, and it's an online magazine dedicated to bringing readers the funniest and most original gaming-focused humor.

Starting this site has allowed me to seek out great writers, help them get publicity, and best of all, pay them! I love giving talented writing professionals exposure, and helping them support themselves with their craft.

So, what makes this site similar to/different from other humor and/or gaming sites? Well, I've definitely taken inspiration from my experience of writing for Cracked; I love how much emphasis that site puts on being original and insightful (and, of course, entertaining at the same time). Compared to other video-game based sites, such as Kotaku or IGN, we're less interested in sharing the latest and greatest news and reviews than in coming up with funny ways to talk about our shared passion for gaming. In addition, we're an all-inclusive publication: we're just as interested in featuring humorous articles about tablet games, casual gaming, card games, LARPing, and tabletop gaming as we are in featuring articles about hardcore gaming and the latest n' greatest FPS.

To read more about the origins of Prancing Laggard, visit the site's About page.

Interested in writing for this paying market? Click here to go to the online submission interest form, and we'll send you a copy of the submission guidelines.

Interview with Brendan P. Frye on Community Fridays

Welcome to Community Fridays! During this weekly event, I interview authors, editors, publishers, and pretty much anyone else who I can get my hands on from the writing and publishing community. Hope you enjoy, and feel free to suggest new participants. Check out current and past interviews here. Only have a minute? Click here for interviews at a glance.

Today's guest is Brendan P. Frye, editor for the Canadian online and print magazine Comics and Gaming monthly.

You’re a writer, as well as an editor, for the magazine Comics and Gaming Monthly. Which did you start out as? How did you transition from one to the other?

I started writing when I was in university, where I did movie and album reviews for local newspapers. First came unpaid opportunities, which I used as a chance to expand on my writing skills. From these jobs I moved to an online publication, Lucid Forge. I worked as content editor there for about 3 years, and while I was there, I ensured everyone worked together, but also that the site had the best coverage of the best music and film events for the area. The transition between the two was not as complex as you may think; once I took control I had a solid team of writers that ensured the move was easy and painless. Really it just comes down to doing what you love to do, and keep doing it until people notice you.

I’ve thought about becoming an editor myself, so that I can toy with the pawns – I mean, writers. How is the skill set that you use for writing different than the one you use for editing a publication?