It's been about a week since I last posted, so I figured I'd do a little update here.
I've written myself into a corner, and I'm not sure where to go with the stories I've started. I've written several different versions, and think I've decided on which one to choose, but at the point I've reached I don't know which way to turn.
It's frustrating, to say the least.
I've started reading some books, hoping for inspiration and ideas, but so far my mind just runs in circles, and nothing comes out the way I want it to.
Time is ticking by, and the deadline for this writing contest is quickly approaching. Should I fail to finish by the deadline, however, I've decided to submit my work when applying for a Game Designer position as a sort of portfolio for what I'm capable of. Maybe it'll catch someone's eye over at Blizzard.
So nothing excitingly new for now.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Story idea 1
Keep in mind this is a first draft which needs much refinement, and is hardly finished.
The criteria are for 3,000 to 10,000 words, and I'm only at 405. Quite a ways to go, but it allows for more fleshing of the story.
The premise for this particular version is that of a Scourge minion who begins having flashbacks to his prior life, starting with memories of his childhood and family, eventually leading up to his redemption, in some form or another. I haven't quite figured out exactly how to get where I want this story to go.
I actually have another version, but think I may abandon it for this one. I'd originally intended the story to be about a stiched-zombie type character, whose body parts retained memories of their original hosts. Those body parts would begin to infect the zombie's brain with those memories, and would eventually cause the zombie to redeem himself as well.
So, without further ado, here is a snippet of version 1 of the story of Gurgle.
The young man looks out over the field of bright flowers, breathing in the thick scent of spring. His sisters play nearby, giggling while playing with a butterfly. The plough horses grunt as his father slaps their sides to keep them moving. It’ll be harvest time soon enough, then planting season soon after. A never ending schedule of reaping and sowing, day in and out. He sighs, twirling a flower in his hand, already calloused from field work, at such a young age.
“Ulfblud, round up your sisters, and tell your father supper’s on the table,” his mother calls from the porch….
Gurgle, startled, looks up from his meal, gazing out over the battlefield where a gray cloud has started to settle. He feels an itch, somewhere in what little brain is left, something familiar that he can’t quite place. He grunts, dismissing it and going back to the leavings of the recent battle laid out in front of him. So much food, so little time. Across the field, the flesh shapers are hard at work raising new recruits from the recently perished soldiers. Their incantations and the murmurs of the newly raised mingle with the moans of injured and dying, as well as the calls of the carrion birds waiting for their chance at the feast below. The pickings will be slim, for after the flesh shapers have done their work, most of the bodies and parts remaining will be mobile or bound for a cooking cauldron for the army of scourge camped nearby.
As Gurgle finishes his meal he raises his head, looking out across the battlefield at the mountains beyond. For an instant he sees things differently, feeling that itch in his rotting brain again. The battlefield, with it’s bodies, craters and stinking heaps is transformed into that field of bright flowers, and the moans and groans, murmurs and chants have turned into giggles. “Ulfblud, did you hear me? It’s time for din…”
Gurgle yelps in pain as the mounted death knight lashes him once again, “You! I said get back to work, there’s more that needs done before you’ll get your dinner!” Gurgle hurries forward, collecting the weapons of the fallen which might very likely end up in the same hands, albeit transformed hands. As he goes about his task, he can’t help but think, with his tiny brain, about that beautiful view from his vision, and what it might mean.
The criteria are for 3,000 to 10,000 words, and I'm only at 405. Quite a ways to go, but it allows for more fleshing of the story.
The premise for this particular version is that of a Scourge minion who begins having flashbacks to his prior life, starting with memories of his childhood and family, eventually leading up to his redemption, in some form or another. I haven't quite figured out exactly how to get where I want this story to go.
I actually have another version, but think I may abandon it for this one. I'd originally intended the story to be about a stiched-zombie type character, whose body parts retained memories of their original hosts. Those body parts would begin to infect the zombie's brain with those memories, and would eventually cause the zombie to redeem himself as well.
So, without further ado, here is a snippet of version 1 of the story of Gurgle.
The young man looks out over the field of bright flowers, breathing in the thick scent of spring. His sisters play nearby, giggling while playing with a butterfly. The plough horses grunt as his father slaps their sides to keep them moving. It’ll be harvest time soon enough, then planting season soon after. A never ending schedule of reaping and sowing, day in and out. He sighs, twirling a flower in his hand, already calloused from field work, at such a young age.
“Ulfblud, round up your sisters, and tell your father supper’s on the table,” his mother calls from the porch….
Gurgle, startled, looks up from his meal, gazing out over the battlefield where a gray cloud has started to settle. He feels an itch, somewhere in what little brain is left, something familiar that he can’t quite place. He grunts, dismissing it and going back to the leavings of the recent battle laid out in front of him. So much food, so little time. Across the field, the flesh shapers are hard at work raising new recruits from the recently perished soldiers. Their incantations and the murmurs of the newly raised mingle with the moans of injured and dying, as well as the calls of the carrion birds waiting for their chance at the feast below. The pickings will be slim, for after the flesh shapers have done their work, most of the bodies and parts remaining will be mobile or bound for a cooking cauldron for the army of scourge camped nearby.
As Gurgle finishes his meal he raises his head, looking out across the battlefield at the mountains beyond. For an instant he sees things differently, feeling that itch in his rotting brain again. The battlefield, with it’s bodies, craters and stinking heaps is transformed into that field of bright flowers, and the moans and groans, murmurs and chants have turned into giggles. “Ulfblud, did you hear me? It’s time for din…”
Gurgle yelps in pain as the mounted death knight lashes him once again, “You! I said get back to work, there’s more that needs done before you’ll get your dinner!” Gurgle hurries forward, collecting the weapons of the fallen which might very likely end up in the same hands, albeit transformed hands. As he goes about his task, he can’t help but think, with his tiny brain, about that beautiful view from his vision, and what it might mean.
Creative Writing Contest
So, to back right into my previous post, published just a few minutes ago, I've an update already! w00tness, right?
Not nearly as exciting as a call-back for an interview, but something that may allow me to nose my way into a position with Blizzard.
My girlfriend recently drove by the campus to see what I'm so adamant about, then decided to log onto Blizzard's website to check things out, see if there are any updated positions.
She noticed on Blizzard's main page that they're currently holding a writing competition - A creative writing contest, requiring 3,000 to 10,000 words, submitted in English, set in the Warcraft, Diablo or Starcraft "universe".
Hrm, I can write! I've tons of material! I've also been playing World of Warcraft since just a couple of months after it's launch. I can do this, right?
It's been two days since I started trying to write something. My brain is all a-jumble, and I could barely sleep last night. I've got 3 different story-lines started, but I just keep hitting a brick wall after awhile. I'm sure that once I get some things written out my brain will slow down, but as of right now I can't even think enough to figure out if I need to go the bathroom or sneeze.
I'll probably be posting some of what I've written on this blog, just to get it out of my head and off of paper - yeah, I own a nice computer with all kinds of word processing software, but I still write.
I have until April 12th to finish, proof-read, and submit my story.
We'll see if I can get my head wrapped around what I want to write about, and get it out and done with by then.
Wish me luck!
Not nearly as exciting as a call-back for an interview, but something that may allow me to nose my way into a position with Blizzard.
My girlfriend recently drove by the campus to see what I'm so adamant about, then decided to log onto Blizzard's website to check things out, see if there are any updated positions.
She noticed on Blizzard's main page that they're currently holding a writing competition - A creative writing contest, requiring 3,000 to 10,000 words, submitted in English, set in the Warcraft, Diablo or Starcraft "universe".
Hrm, I can write! I've tons of material! I've also been playing World of Warcraft since just a couple of months after it's launch. I can do this, right?
It's been two days since I started trying to write something. My brain is all a-jumble, and I could barely sleep last night. I've got 3 different story-lines started, but I just keep hitting a brick wall after awhile. I'm sure that once I get some things written out my brain will slow down, but as of right now I can't even think enough to figure out if I need to go the bathroom or sneeze.
I'll probably be posting some of what I've written on this blog, just to get it out of my head and off of paper - yeah, I own a nice computer with all kinds of word processing software, but I still write.
I have until April 12th to finish, proof-read, and submit my story.
We'll see if I can get my head wrapped around what I want to write about, and get it out and done with by then.
Wish me luck!
The Purpose
Allow me to introduce myself, as well as the purpose of this blog.
My name is Steve, 28 years old, and a hopeless game nerd. Not so much that I never do anything else, because frankly that time of my life is over. But enough that my dream, forever, has been to somehow be involved with the Video Game industry.
Let me add some specificity there - to be employed in some way with Blizzard Entertainment.
The purpose of this blog is to follow the course of action I take in obtaining employment with Blizzard Entertainment. Hopefully, with any luck, my efforts will come to fruition.
So, I've taken the first (and second) step. I've visited Blizzard's employment opportunities website, and noticed that there are a couple of jobs that I could very well slip into, with the job experience I have.
Customer Service Representative and Call-Center Representative.
Both of these positions are actively open, and I've (twice) submitted applications to these positions, with my resume, salary history, and cover letter, as specified by Blizzard.
With the state of the economy currently, the job market is sterile. It's stagnant. It's non-existent. I'm certain that my lack of a formal education has nothing to do with this, as a previous supervisor (and very good friend) is currently in the same situation as I - unemployed, due to layoff, and currently searching for his next big break.
I'm not looking for the "easy in", I'm certainly amenable to starting at the ground floor. I'll push a broom at Blizzard's campus in Irvine, if I have to. If cleaning toilets is what it takes to get me inside the massive wrought-iron gates at the Blizzard campus, I'm all over that.
I recently watching a film by Brian Herzlinger, where he tries to get a date with Drew Barrymore in 30 days, using the 6 degrees of separation. Anyone who's seen the film - appropriately named "My Date with Drew" - knows that eventually he got the date after 87 long days.
The way he did this was by setting up a website, promoting this website in several different ways (Star 98.7 FM, short radio interview), and eventually this website's URL landing in the right lap.
Well, that's my hope for this blog.
I'll be posting updates, attempts, interviews (/fingers crossed), and anything pertinent to my quest for Blizzard employee status.
For those who play World of Warcraft (I'm a nerd, remember?), look my up anytime on Hyjal, Ulfblud.
For those who don't, by all means, contact me here.
My name is Steve, 28 years old, and a hopeless game nerd. Not so much that I never do anything else, because frankly that time of my life is over. But enough that my dream, forever, has been to somehow be involved with the Video Game industry.
Let me add some specificity there - to be employed in some way with Blizzard Entertainment.
The purpose of this blog is to follow the course of action I take in obtaining employment with Blizzard Entertainment. Hopefully, with any luck, my efforts will come to fruition.
So, I've taken the first (and second) step. I've visited Blizzard's employment opportunities website, and noticed that there are a couple of jobs that I could very well slip into, with the job experience I have.
Customer Service Representative and Call-Center Representative.
Both of these positions are actively open, and I've (twice) submitted applications to these positions, with my resume, salary history, and cover letter, as specified by Blizzard.
With the state of the economy currently, the job market is sterile. It's stagnant. It's non-existent. I'm certain that my lack of a formal education has nothing to do with this, as a previous supervisor (and very good friend) is currently in the same situation as I - unemployed, due to layoff, and currently searching for his next big break.
I'm not looking for the "easy in", I'm certainly amenable to starting at the ground floor. I'll push a broom at Blizzard's campus in Irvine, if I have to. If cleaning toilets is what it takes to get me inside the massive wrought-iron gates at the Blizzard campus, I'm all over that.
I recently watching a film by Brian Herzlinger, where he tries to get a date with Drew Barrymore in 30 days, using the 6 degrees of separation. Anyone who's seen the film - appropriately named "My Date with Drew" - knows that eventually he got the date after 87 long days.
The way he did this was by setting up a website, promoting this website in several different ways (Star 98.7 FM, short radio interview), and eventually this website's URL landing in the right lap.
Well, that's my hope for this blog.
I'll be posting updates, attempts, interviews (/fingers crossed), and anything pertinent to my quest for Blizzard employee status.
For those who play World of Warcraft (I'm a nerd, remember?), look my up anytime on Hyjal, Ulfblud.
For those who don't, by all means, contact me here.
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