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Monday, August 10, 2009

A Life Tap Too Far

Earlier this morning, it was announced on WoW.com that a new Warlock columnist is required. The brilliant among readers of this proclamation deduced that I am no longer filling that role. And, since I'm the kind of talky-fellow that likes to blather on endlessly when nobody is listening, I figured I'd give an explaination to the endless tubes of the internet.

Working at WoW.com has been one of the coolest experiences of my life thus far. The people I worked with there were not my coworkers and bosses; they were my colleagues. The work I did there was not drudgery; it excited and challenged me. And even the flames and trolls directed at me are not something I will look back on with scorn; they were my teachers. They gave me some small glimpse of what it means to write professionally. I would be lying if I said they never got to me--I remember a handful of comments which continued to mock me within my own mind for days after they were posted. But looking back, there's not a single one that I regret.

In fact, WoW.com has absolutely nothing to do with me resigning from my position there. Rather, I resigned because I had to accept that my disinterest in World of Warcraft wasn't going to go away anytime soon. In fact, I haven't played the game for its own sake since patch 3.1 dropped. I won't try to explain why I'm not interested any longer--attempting to express what it is about the game that keeps me playing would be a seven thousand word digression from a five hundred word post.

I kept playing, and I kept writing, because I loved working with WoW.com. I loved the people, I loved the challenges, and I loved what I learned. But over the last few months I've run dry. One can only keep writing about a subject they don't care about for so long before they need to recognize that their apathy isn't the passing phase they wish it was. So I regretfully informed my editors--who are far cooler than any bosses I'll ever have again--that I couldn't write anymore. And that, is that.

In a way its a bit of a relief. The biggest barrier between me, and writing actively, has always been guilt. It's the reason I stopped writing on Live Journal several years ago, and it's largely the reason I've been writing so sparsely lately. The guilt I was heaping upon myself because of columns I had failed to finish was like a vice on my brain. Now, perhaps, I can get back to basics, and start producing some things worth reading again. Probably not here at Curse of Senility of course--though I actually do have a few non-Warlock related WoW posts that I might pop out over the next few days.

I wish only the very best of luck to WoW.com in the search for a new Warlock writer. And to whoever gets the job: don't forget how lucky you are, and try to learn from those who degrade your work, rather than allow them to wound you.

Thanks for giving me a place to put my words.

-LS

5 comments:

  1. Good to hear you didn't quit because of the moronic comments coming from the regular Wow.com readers. Your stuff was great! Sad to see you go, but if you lost the interest, it's probably for the best.

    GL - Mand

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  2. It's sad to see you go. I know it's probably been hard going as long as you did, but if it's just not something you are in to anymore, that's that. There's nothing that can change it.
    I only hope for the best.

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  3. I share Mandaril's sentiments -- I'm glad it wasn't the commenters, because I enjoyed your posts very much. If it doesn't interest you, though, then it's time to move on.

    Thanks for all you've given, and best of luck to what comes next!

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  4. For all it's worth, I really enjoyed your posts in Blood Pact. Since my interest in WoW nowadays is not as big as it used to be, I could relate to your Warlock posts far more than most posts about the game.

    But even if you don't post in Blood Pact anymore, or not even about WoW, you have a great way of writing and sharing your thoughts, so I'm sure you'll do fine.

    Thank you for all the great warlock posts!

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  5. :(

    Ty for staying with warlocks thru thick and thin. I hope you return sometime and entertain us with your beautifully written notes. I don't care if your posts were not DPS ZOMG but rather into the playstyle. If i want info on DPS.. there are a billion places to get it.

    Ty for keeping us entertained.

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