Overcoming A Major Writer's Block

Status
Not open for further replies.

DarkMoonEnigma

Virtualsense Official
Staff member
Moderator
Community & Media Manager
Virtualsense Media Team
VCAT Team Member
break-c.png

I'm adding the article here that Ant referenced in his Introducing DME thread because I have shut down the other site and the link will be directed to this thread instead.
break-c.png

OVERCOMING A MAJOR WRITER'S BLOCK

There was a time when I was traveling at the speed of creative thought, and the molecular construction of words fed a steady stream of informative and entertaining content. That period of time lasted for eight plus years. It was incredibly rich with magical moments and inspirations that were fueled by a globally-diverse community. Opportunities for writing weren't knocking, so I built a door that unlocked more than I expected.

Passing Through The Gate

My journey began with a simple request from my brother to join him in an online game. He was living in another state, so playing a game was a way for us to interact more, but interact doesn't do the experience justice. The real met the virtual, and from that point forward, an alternate life was created that took me places and inspired writing in ways that launched a passion on a trajectory path of triumph and tragedy.

Presenting a bit of historical information will lend itself to understanding the transition from writer's block to writing revelation. I was an intensely involved writer for a virtual universe where interacting with people from around the world was an everyday occurrence. Where players' experiences were driven by their own level of creativity using the game mechanics and potential social aspects presented by the developers.

Building a Media Service

During my eight plus years as a media entity, the involvement was intense and the stories were many, but I will focus on why it has been difficult for me to transition from the in-game media saturation in a virtual universe to real life writing outside of a fantasy environment. The revelation of such was an eye-opener.

It all started with picture storytelling in June of 2005. Capturing the photos of in-game activities and events told the stories of people from a globally-diverse community and their creativity within a virtual world. The pictures drove the direction of the stories, and while I took creative liberty in how I presented the stories, they grew into a unique element of entertainment.

I branched off into themed event planning after connecting with Jon NEVERDIE Jacobs prior to the launch of his original Club NEVERDIE asteroid on 12/19/05, the most expensive virtual real estate purchased at $100,000 (USD) at the time that gained him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. I had opportunities to work with journalists from various countries, and a German TV producer in March of 2006 in conjunction with the first fashion show presented at CND in partnership with fellow gamer and friend Lykke from Denmark. It was filmed for a pop culture show to air in Germany and France.

The Discovery Channel developed a 2 hour Gamers Generation documentary and interviewed and filmed my avatar and virtual mate (at the time) as part of the NEVERDIE profile which starts in Episode 2, Video 4 of 5. My apartment was also filmed, and for this part of the segment, it begins at video spot 7:02. The Discovery Channel was interested in showcasing how people with avatars in a virtual world lived an alternate lifestyle.

My ongoing stories became a window into the world of possibilities, and not only showcased the level of participation by the players, but also promoted the dynamics of the game and progression of development. Over time, I advanced my media involvement into news reporting, writing articles and content about the more intricate aspects of the game, as well as in-depth player and developer profiles to bring the environment and activities more to life. I became a staff member of an in-game magazine and contributed articles that included VIP developer interviews, and profiles of game societies.

I ultimately became a contracted writer on one of the developer’s writing teams, but then resigned after a year because it was key to collaborate with regard to story arc and following the original storyline, and the developer’s time was incredibly limited due to other projects and development constraints that required increased attention.

I eventually developed my own media website to build an even greater presence for writing about and promoting the virtual universe where I was living an alternate lifestyle. The resources were unending, and if something wasn’t so readily available, I would improvise, or be resourceful enough to acquire what I needed. There came a time when a bit of investigative reporting was warranted in order to reveal information that was important to the community, and this was often a team effort with other game-related media services.

I expanded my media presence by creating my own internet radio station to connect with the in-game community, with the sole purpose of developing more of an entertainment value. Live event coverage and engaging players to participate in contests and activities helped to create a diversity of fun and unique gatherings. I would often write an article about the events and activities as a further effort to promote the game and to market possibilities.

It’s an environment that I enjoyed immensely, and while I would not be considered a die-hard gamer, there is no doubt that I was a die-hard media entity with a staunch dedication to my writing and the social aspects of the game, because there was nothing like it anywhere else, and the community was incredible.

This is Where the Transition Challenge Begins

After becoming semi-active in the game the beginning of Oct 2013, and no longer writing or participating in activities or media production, I decided to create a website where I could publish my real life writing. I began writing at a blog, but wanted an actual website where I could add non-game related content and develop more of a presence of what's important to me outside of a fantasy world.

I have quite the diverse background, but found my creative thought process in the real realm a bit fragmented, and for some time I had not been able to tap into a steady flow of delivering content as before. This gave me pause to consider why I was experiencing such an extreme writer's block.

It was during a conversation I had with someone where I was expressing my frustration with the writing process that it hit me. While writing for the virtual universe, the dynamics of constant activity and the potential for creating unique community gatherings was limitless. Resources were readily available if you knew where to look. I was intensely connected with a globally-diverse community both inside and outside of the virtual game itself, and communication was a steady flow of neural chit-chat that translated into a vibrant and eclectic experience like no other.

This virtual universe is unlike the usual online games, because it's not just about picking up a weapon and hunting down the planet's creatures, or facing off with your opponents in a Person vs Person (PvP) arena. This virtual online game platform created by a Swedish developer (MindArk) is unique in that it is also a Real Cash Economy (RCE), which means, that you not only have the option to deposit funds into the game to expand your activities and build your avatar, but you can also withdraw funds. There is potential for building a business and actually profiting, but there is an immense learning curve, and success is a hard earned reward. Some don't mind risk when they chase possibility.

Participants from around the world were creating their own experiences, and building an alternate lifestyle in ways that connected them to the economics and collaborative efforts of the community in an effort to successfully defeat enemies and forge a new frontier. You could only imagine what I had available to me as a writer and media entity in the way of content. This virtual universe expanded into a multi-planet environment each with their own unique theme, and I had the opportunity to work with most of the planet developers, as well as the officials from the main developing company.

The Writing Revelation

The writing I did in the virtual universe for eight plus years was driven by an immense and tremendously intense level of involvement with an almost frenetic atmosphere that constantly delivered solicited, and often unsolicited, content. I was never at a loss for something to write about, and many times inundated with multiple projects that kept me in the zone and scrambling to meet deadlines.

When I made the decision to stop writing for this virtual universe, I was excited about finally focusing on my real life writing and drawing more from my background in behavioral sciences with the intent of elevating understanding as to what was important in building real life personal and community relationships. Experience in the virtual world was an eye-opener, not only from a globally-diverse perspective where participants from many countries had differences of opinions, but from a behavioral perspective where individual personalities and behaviors transferred into the game environment.

It became incredibly clear to me that it wasn't just about pixels on a computer monitor. This experience also became a long-term study in how personalities and behaviors transitioned from the real into the virtual environment, and how anonymity fostered the good, the bad and the beneficial.

It finally dawned on me that my approach to the real life writing is what presented the block for moving forward with my intended focus. I was constantly fed an incredible amount of substance in my virtual environment, and now it was a matter of not having the overabundance of sights, sounds and content, and drawing upon a more cerebral process in developing the messages I would like to share with readers.

The transition has been slow, but I now have a clearer understanding of my mindset. Altering my approach to the real life focus of my writing, I feel that I am in a better place to move forward. I find that I am also amenable to drawing from my experiences in the virtual world when defining and expanding upon the challenges of relationships. I will also try my hand at fiction, because being immersed in a virtual universe, as well as my connection to other fictional experiences, I am drawn to telling stories from a different perspective.

So What is My Quest?

To become a published author. Ultimately, this will mean a book, or a series of books in an ongoing story about the adventures of my main protagonist. This has been in the works for a while, but now there's a twist, and shifting directions is critical.

Writing has always been my passion, and I feel I'm at a good place in my life to pursue a dream I've had for what seems forever. Life will always get in the way in one form or another, and there are responsibilities that require time, so managing the twenty-four hours I have available in a given day takes some doing.

break-c.png


Here's to breaking barriers, having a writing revelation, and continuing to travel at the speed of creative thought through gateways that motivate and inspire writing experiences toward achieving my quest and beyond.
break-c.png

As an Update --> Seems there was a massive cyclonic tornado on 11/26/15, because I am now back in Kansas. :D

So that it's not all so cryptic, the person behind DME is actually MindStar9, but before you flip purple on me, please read my DME Moon State of Mind to gain an understanding of why I couldn't be me. Also, MS9 is now in a cryogenic state not knowing that she's actually freezing her purple ass off.

The MS9 era is in the past, and while her spirit will always be a driving force, it is now time for a new era.

Please let Dark Moon take you on new adventures (albeit somewhat dark), and embrace the fun.
break-c.png
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom