Christy Kirwan Interviews TwerkZerker
Insights from a Gaming Guru, Freelancer, and Dedicated Student
What made you decide to start writing with HubPages?
I've done freelance writing for a couple of different sites over the past few years (it's kind of been a here-and-there, on-again off-again thing), but I didn't start really committing to it until a couple of months ago. I haven't tried writing for many sites that pay through ad revenue, so I though I'd give HubPages a try!
After I wrote couple of Hubs, I really started to enjoy the more relaxed feel to HubPages. It's a refreshing change from sites where writers sell their work outright and are always in constant competition with each other!
The HubPages community is awesome! I've come to enjoy my time chatting in the forums and perusing the Q&A section as much as actually writing my Hubs! I like that there's an atmosphere of casual discussion outside of writing Hubs so we writers can share ideas, get to know each other, and read each others' work. I think this is a major edge that HubPages has over other content sites.
You write tons of great video game Hubs, and mention in your profile that you're a recovered video game addict. Do you have any special methods you use to make sure your gaming stays fun and healthy?
Well, my biggest motivator keep my gaming fun and healthy (and in moderation) is that I don't want to be the person I was while I was still hooked on video games. My video game binging was ruining my sleep schedule, keeping me from focusing on homework and studying, and contributing to some pretty significant weight gain. Freshman ten? Pfft. It was more like "freshmantwenty-something"...and that was just in one semester of my freshman year of college! Yikes!
I was being really irresponsible and unhealthy, and I started to feel sick way more often than I normally do--which is almost never! My grades slipped and eventually I was unable to climb the five flights of stairs to get to my dorm room without being totally wiped out. That both scared the crud out of me and served as my wake-up call to "unplug".
I suppose saying "recovered addict" is a bit of a misnomer in a way. My habits have drastically changed for the better, but the temptation is still there. It's not so much an issue of "being recovered" as it is "staying recovered". So I've had to adopt a few strategies to help keep myself from backsliding:
First, if I play games, I play them with friends. When I game with other people, it's like I have a support group of sorts. Most of my friends know how out-of-control I was before and won't hesitate to tell me to get off my butt and enjoy the sunshine! Having friends around also helps me keep my attitude in check.
Second, if the game becomes "not fun", whether that's because of my own incompetence or because of someone else's, I turn it off and do something else. Games are supposed to be fun. I don't want to let myself become a video game masochist just because I feel I owe the game my time. I suppose this sounds kind of silly, but it is pretty silly how we start to think when we...well...aren't thinking.
Lastly, I try to keep myself busy with other activities. While I was always plugged into some game or another, there were tons of interesting things I was missing out on! So now when I have spare time, I also make it a priority to hang out with friends (without gaming), work out, read, draw, write...
Video games lost some of their allure when I stopped being a boring shut-in!
You mention that you've done freelance writing in the past. What kinds of projects have you worked on, and how have they influenced your writing?
Before joining HubPages I mostly wrote and sold articles for other content websites. I suppose this really wasn't too different from writing Hubs, but the writing and grammar guidelines tended to be a bit intense.
I'm glad I had these experiences, though! Even though they could be stressful and sometimes I had to do some heavy editing and resubmission to be accepted, I learned how to take pride in my writing and developed a certain amount of professionalism!
I've watched my writing change from sounding mechanical and lifeless to reading more like the way I talk. I think crossing that bridge was the first big step in developing my voice as a writer.
You're an engineering student. How do you work Hubbing into your college routine?
Sometimes it can get kind of tricky. Things started out really smooth early on this semester, but since my classes picked up and the homework load skyrocketed it's been getting harder to write consistently.
I still try to at least write something on a regular basis, though--even if it's just a forum post or a piece of a Hub-to-be on one of my off-days. Keeping myself "in shape" as a writer has actually been helping me as an engineer! You see, people who are cut out to be engineers tend to be lacking in the "communications department"--especially when it comes to writing. And grammar. And spelling.
I like to think that writing in my spare time gives me a leg up!
It's almost scary how some of the people I go to school with can breeze through a differential equations course like it's nothing but then struggle so hard in basic English classes...or any time they have to write essays, give oral presentations, or spell-check anything!
The views and opinions expressed in this interview
do not necessarily reflect those of HubPages.
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