LFGryph

Today’s post comes courtesy of another writing prompt from Void over on the #Blaugust Nook.

If you were to create content for a different medium what would you choose? Videos, Streaming, Podcast, Something Else? What about that medium appeals to you as a content creator?

I primarily blog because I love writing, more than as a way to put out content. I kept a daily journal as a teenager, moving onto Livejournal when that was a thing. (Technically I still have one. I bought a lifetime account right before everyone moved to Myspace and Facebook.) My favorite assignments in school were always writing of any sort, creative or essay. I once spent a summer teaching myself html so I could create an Angelfire site to host some of my poetry and short stories. I even enjoy editing if I have enough time that I don’t feel rushed. I started blogging again specifically to have an outlet for my writing, and to get back in the habit of writing regularly – both of those things are very good for me.

That isn’t to say my writing is always easy or always comes out perfect, of course. Just that in a general sense, I enjoy putting words on the page. With that being my primary reason for blogging, I’m not sure what else would take up that space. I could go back to sending my friends novel-length emails when I have an opinion to share? Wall of text forum posts? 😛

Having said that, I do enjoy making other types of content; it’s just not an either/or thing for me.

I very much enjoy being a part of the Beyond the Veil podcast. It’s a fun group of people, and I love the way it helps me stay so involved with The Secret World’s community. Our dev team and community managers are wonderful, so it’s extra fun when we get a chance to interview them. A bonus with the podcast is that the attention is on what we are saying, as opposed to visuals; it’s easier for us and the audience to focus than in some other mediums.

I don’t think I’d want to run my own podcast, though. I am something of a social introvert – I can be very social at times, but it always drains me. If my battery’s dead it becomes extremely difficult to be around people until I recharge. There have been plenty of days I had enough in me to participate in the podcast, but would not have been able to lead it. It’s kind of too bad, I did enjoy leading an episode when our regular host was unavailable; but doing so regularly would end up burning me out.

As I’ve mentioned before, I did enjoy streaming while I could, and still love guesting on my friends’ streams. I enjoy the connection with the viewers, and being able to share games I enjoy. It’s equally fun for me to share a moment of triumph as it is to share a moment of utter fail. (Beyond the Veil is livestreamed, actually, but it’s usually not gameplay.) I’m hoping to have a better computer in the next month or two, and I’d like to get back into streaming if I can. I will probably never be super regular between offline obligations and the introvert thing, but sometimes livestreaming is exactly what I want to do.

I’ve toyed with the idea of videos before, and it’s often tempting. When it comes down to it, however, I only have so much time in a day and I enjoy writing more than trying to put a video together. Writing is also easier for me to do when my battery is low. Since I can’t do both, I’d rather have the time to do the one I prefer and am more likely to be consistent with.

Trivia time: I used to do a lot of sketching and watercolors. That’s another hobby that was sacrificed on the altar or writing, I suspect. I don’t find it likely that I’d pick it up again as a way to put out content, but it’s not impossible.

Speaking of consistency, I’ve gotten very used to this posting every day thing. I don’t plan to keep it up after Blaugust, if nothing else it’s hard to do so and still game. That said, it’s nice to know I can still enjoy writing so often. Last night, when I already had my piece for Holosuite finished, I felt a bit at loose ends without having a post to make. Didn’t stop me from catching up on some much needed sleep, though!

Want to join in on #Blaugust? There’s still time! Visit the Blaugust Initiative page, and then head over to the Nook to get signed up and see what everyone else is up to.