This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
Writing a story and having it make the front page of Bitmob brings about a great feeling, one I have been lucky enough to experience on a number of occasions. In the interest of sharing that feeling with my fellow Bitmob community members (especially the newer ones), I thought I’d present a few tips I’ve gathered in my two-and-a-half years writing for this site.
There are two main factors in getting to the front page: what you write about and how you present it.
I’m only going to focus on the “what to write about” factor today, as Bitmob has done a fantastic job educating proper presentation through its Bitmob Writing Tips series. I urge you to read all of them (even the out-of-date ones) as they are extremely helpful.
Again, this is information that I have accumulated over the years through my own experiences and observations, and I don’t speak directly for any of Bitmob’s editors.
Write topical articles
To use an old but effective cliché, you’ve gotta strike while the iron is hot.
Like this, only with words.
If something big is happening in gaming, by all means, write about it. But be sure not to just regurgitate the news: Give your own take on it. Show a different perspective. Make a prediction. I’ve found great front-page success when writing about then-current news pieces on OnLive, David Cage’s comments, and Xbox SmartGlass.
Maybe write a counterpoint to, or something inspired by, a recent front-page story from another contributor. If you can get a dialogue going in the Mobfeed (where community articles initially go to get front-page consideration by the staff), the editors are going to take notice.
Write timeless articles
Topical writing is great and will get you a big boost of early hits, but writing something with lasting appeal will win out in the long run. You want to know why community member Matthew Orona’s “My four-year-old son plays Grand Theft Auto” is the most-viewed Bitmob story of all time? The headline has something to do with that, yes (and again, I refer you to the excellent Bitmob Writing Tips headline piece), but this is an article that could be read, understood, and appreciated exactly as much five years from now as it was the day it was posted.
Don’t write reviews
I’m not saying writing reviews is a bad thing — far from it, as I've written three myself — but from my experience, they never make the front page. Nobody is coming to Bitmob to read the latest reviews: They’re going to mainstream, standardized outlets to get the opinions of established writers. For a review to make the front page here, it would have to be either really unorthodox or quite extraordinary (and most likely, it’d have to be both).
Write about specific parts of games
Instead of just summarizing a game in a review, go in-depth on a particular aspect. I’m much more likely to click on an essay on the inspirations of Okami’s art style or the delicate balance of Diablo III’s economy as it deals with its real-money auction house than simple reviews of those games. Community member Matthew Polen is the expert on this. His account on the politics of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, as well as (former community guy, now staff writer) Evan Killham's hilarious take on God of War 3's Hera, are exactly the kinds of interesting pieces that actually add to the game experience rather than merely culling from it.
Do something no one’s done before
Easier said than done but if you can either write about a topic that hasn’t been discussed much yet, write about a new aspect of an existing topic, or write something in a way no one’s done before, you’ve got a great chance to break through the clutter.
Community writers Andrew Hiscock’s choose your own adventure article, Pete Davison's interactive fiction on Bayonetta, and Killham's Splitscreen series are some choice examples of ways to be innovative with your writing.
Actually, just try to write like Evan Killham all the time.
You might notice that many of the articles I’ve posted as examples fit multiple tips. That’s because they embody what Bitmob is all about: unique, cutting edge, and thoughtful writing that adds to the games we love. Articles like those posted here are easy choices to be promoted by editors, and if you keep a few of these dos and don’ts in mind the next time you write something for Bitmob, I guarantee you’ll have a much better chance of seeing your work on the front page.
And if anyone has any other tips or examples of prime, front-page material, please share them in the comments.