How to get into a gaming magazine?

[kristof007]

So I am going to be a senior at high school and so far I've been thinking about going into computer programming. Probably writing software over doing the actual engineering. And then as I was reading Computer Gaming World I realized how much that would be.

So I was wondering if anyone knows what kind of course would I have to take to get into a magazine like that? Are there job openings at all? How is the pay? Give me your thoughts please!

 

[Calin]

How to get into a magazine like that? Write some "test" stories (previews, reviews and so on) and send them to the magazine (with full disclaimers that if they publish it, you only want your name as the author). Look at it like some kind of "test phase" (when they test you)

 

[Valkerie]

You need to be the "best." How many people your age want the job? Many, many. You have to stand out. Write them a lot of good letters, not spam or trash mail, but good ones. Which mag you wanna get into? You gotta be a well rounded person, yet a very hardcore gamer who writes exceptionally well, gotta be the best.
Writing in a magazine is one thing, but if you really think this will help you with your game programming career, go for it. The game programmers today are hardcore programmers, where coding is much harder than it was, say ten years ago.
If you're going into game programming, check out Unreal Engine 3.0

 

[Soccerman06]

To start off, you need to get into the newspaper program at your high school (if any) and try to become an editor-in-chief because the game magazines require you to be able to write a lot of high quality articles at a moments notice. Also, get into yearbook class if they have it at your high school because they are pritty much a laid back newspaper class.

 

[kristof007]

Getting in to school newspaper and stuff actually is really good idea that I haven't thought of. Yearbook actually doesn't do a lot of writing. More like taking pictures and layout stuff but I guess that will help me toward the magazine job too. Newspaper .. I want to write but I don't know if there are positions still open. I guess I will see. I was kind of thinking of having like a "tech corner" or something that I could do but our newspaper is rather small. About 8 pages I think. But I do know the editor in chief from last year so I will talk to him.

 

[JimZero]

For gaming you don't have to be the best, lol. Please take a look at the quality of the articles you see in magazines or at IGN. You need to be extremely lucky or know someone with connections.

 

[jspeicher]

they have job postings just like any other company. go to school, get degrees in programming and minor in communications or journalism. work for the university paper, etc,.

 

[kristof007]

I had registration today and I probably got into the yearbook. There weren't any good computer classes. I took web design 2 years ago. Now I am taking digital design to fulfill the 1 year art requirement. Only thing is the computers are macs *shivers*. Macs don't make sense to me.

 

[Stretchman]

For gaming you don't have to be the best, lol. Please take a look at the quality of the articles you see in magazines or at IGN. You need to be extremely lucky or know someone with connections.

Unfortunately this really seems to be the case sometimes. I spent about a year working connections, going to gaming events, and found out that most of the people there "had a friend" who got them in. Don't despair though - work on your writing skills and technical knowledge and there will be plenty of opportunites after high school.