What Do You Want To See More Of Here At DIABOLICAL?
I want to cover a lot of different topics and I want your input.
At Forbes, I largely cover video games with some Entertainment stuff sprinkled in, like TV show reviews and the like.
Over at Voice I’m still experimenting, getting my feet wet, figuring out what works. But I have learned that what works there, and what works here are not the same thing. Which is interesting. Things are taking shape and even I’m not entirely sure what comes next.
Here, I’ve been largely focusing on Culture—or at least that nexus where art, entertainment, politics and society collide. Well, that and the odd movie review and so forth.
I suppose I’m getting my feet wet here also. I’ve spent so long writing about video game news, it’s a bit of an adjustment to go back to writing about broader, deeper topics that touch on things like the Hogwarts Legacy controversy or Rachel Evan Woods’ accusations against Marilyn Manson or the complex issues that make “cancel culture” such a minefield to discuss without resorting to tribalism and accusations and hostility and buzzwords.
So I ask you: What would you like to see more of in this newsletter?
What kind of topics would you like to see covered or avoided?
I know some people don’t really like my political posts, but that’s kind of part of what this newsletter is going to be so I’m afraid you’re stuck with that. But I do aim to at least try to make these discussions interesting and not the usual screechy political bullshit you see in so many corners of the internet and mainstream media.
And hey, fortunately I write less politically driven stuff at Forbes and Voice and you can read my work one place and not another if that’s what suits you. But I still care to hear what you want to read and talk about. This is a two-way street, or at least I hope that’s what it will become. A conversation, a dialogue, maybe the occasional barroom brawl.
I think what I’d really like to do is try to navigate a lot of these issues that sort of keep our discourse very narrow and very divisive with a more nuanced rudder. We have enough talking heads out there who just want to score points for their side; I don’t really give a damn about sides. Truth isn’t found there, in some arbitrary “side”—if anything, that’s where truth goes to shrivel up and die.
And I think the pursuit of truth and beauty and understanding and clarity is a worthwhile one. So here we go. We’ll muddle our way through.
As I’ve noted previously, I am turning on the “premium” subscription option soon as well. I’m not sure exactly when or how to balance it all out, but I really am hoping to build some sort of subscriber base here as the more independent I can be, the more time I can spend putting out the highest quality content possible. Thanks again for all your support, my droogies.
Shout out in the comments with any ideas, thoughts, feedback and so forth.
I found your writing through your Forbes piece on Hades, the comprehensively enjoyable experience they achieved with that piece but most importantly, the subsequent link in that article regarding the audio/music in games. Sound is an often overlooked element of film & media and games are and have been certainly exploring that blank space in a profound way. Being a sound engineer, I observe life through the lenses (or filters) of my ears. With that, I would be interested in hearing if you listen to any dramatic podcasts or other audio heavy narrative. I recently have been exploring what seems to be a rapidly growing podcast storytelling market and am finding a bunch of cool shit. I’m even going as far as to create my own short story and Podcast series with several friends who voice act. It centers around an independent sci-fi story set in the universe of Deltron 3030. Kind of a fan fiction homage to one of the best Indy hip-hop albums of all time. Cheers brother.
I think it's commendable that you write about some of these "harder" topics, but in a way that doesn't pit one side against the other. I agree with you 100%. I would much rather follow someone who writes a thoughtful piece that's honest, raw, and real--even if I disagree with it. I've been following you on Voice too and I still can't quite get a handle on what that site is trying to be ... sometimes it's challenging writing about your passions because there's always a layer of "well, is this what people want to read about?" But then again, everyone here knows what you write about and how you write about it, which means you are doing something right and we support you!