Georgia Gamerz

Surprise! Despite what you’ve seen on TV, turning your passion for interactive entertainment into a career isn’t as easy pressing start. But chin up: It’s easy to break into the biz with these simple tips, sure to help you go from enthusiast to expert overnight:

• Game On – Don’t just sit there – get creative! Start a fansite. Use WordPress to blog. Build a podcast using a USB microphone and free programs, i.e. Audacity. Design a homebrew game modification (a.k.a. “mod”) using titles like Half-Life 2’s built-in toolkits. Join Major League Gaming or The CyberAthlete Professional League, which offer cash for tournament wins. The power to create cool projects or become part of movements that shape the industry has never been easier, or more accessible.
  

• Make the Connection – You are who you know: It’s essential you attend tradeshows, contribute to industry forums and become a familiar presence around sites like Gamasutra.com and IGDA.org. Local colleges and professional organizations can also help you build contacts, and provide the educational background you’ll need to succeed. Added bonus: The more people hear your name, the more value placed upon it – with thousands of others competing for industry jobs, make certain you’re not just another face in the crowd.
  

• Play Hard – Shine through inspiration and work ethic. Anyone can construct cool games with XNA Game Studio Express or Torque Game Engine and publish coffee table books or even cool t-shirts with the help of providers like CafePress and Lulu.com. But ultimately, it’s your uniqueness and dedication to the craft – hint: successful gaming insiders grind 24/7 – that’ll really help you land a high score.
  

Scott Steinberg is the author of Get Rich Playing Games (FREE from www.getrichgaming.com) and managing director of Embassy Multimedia Consultants (www.embassymulti.com), which counsels game industry developers, publishers and distributors worldwide.

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