As I’ve been creating content, on a professional basis since 1999, it’s fair to say that I’ve created a body of work that I’m very proud of. And, let’s be honest about it, there’s also a lot of my older work that makes me cringe every time I read it. But hey, I embrace my failures and it also shows me just how far I’ve come as a Technical Writer over the years.
As you can see, I’ve created content and guides in nearly every major format imaginable. Print (both magazine and paperback books), DVD, web-based, ePub, audiobooks, and more. I’ve also put my nerves aside on several occasions and presented at different Technical Writing conferences at an international level.
But, the beautiful thing about this career-path, is that the learning never stops and people always need a guiding hand. So, in this section, I detail the multitude of different guides that I’ve created throughout the years – in chronological order.
1999
March: How to… beat the staff ghosts in F-Zero X – N64 Magazine.
Backstory: While I wasn’t paid to write this guide, it was the first piece of guide work where I had to really think about a set word count (600 words). This forced me, very early on, to think of ways of distilling the key strategies/tips into bullet points (to ensure I hit that word count). I also needed to create an introduction, pull together some general tips (that would apply to every track), and provide the settings I used so others could replicate what I had done to beat every staff ghost.
It became the foundation that I used for all of my guide writing work that followed in the years to come.
August: Multiplayer Extravaganza – N64 Magazine (OK. It’s not a piece of my written work, but something I’ll proud of achieving back then, so it stays in).
Backstory: To reach the live finals of this multiplayer tournament, you had to top the table in at least one of their set gaming challenges for a specific game (whether that was F-Zero X, Goldeneye, Mario Kart, or Turok 2). And you proved your highest score/best times by either using an analogue camera or by recording your score/time to VHS tape (remember, this was long before streaming games, or decent mobile phone cameras, was even possible – never mind common!).
2003 – 2007
Samus.co.uk – I created what was to become, at that time, the world’s leading unofficial Metroid website.
July(ish) 2004: Metroid In Motion DVD set created and released.
July(ish) 2006: Metroid in Motion 0-02 DVD set created and released.
2006
June: Metroid Mega Guide (complete guide to Metroid Hunters + tips for Metroid Pinball, Metroid Zero Mission + Metroid Fusion) – NGC Magazine (covermount book).
2007
September: Pokémon Diamond and Pearl (general tips + legendary Pokémon locations + the Elite Four) – GamesMaster Magazine (4 pages).
December: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (location of every collectable) – GamesMaster Magazine (2 pages).
2008
January: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (multiplayer guide) – GamesMaster Magazine (2 pages).
January: Super Mario Galaxy (how to collect all 120 stars) – GamesMaster Magazine (4 pages).
May: Bully (complete collectables guide) – GamesMaster Magazine (4 pages).
July: Grand Theft Auto 4 (pigeons guide) – GamesMaster Magazine (6 pages).
Backstory: This guide put me right off ever playing GTA 4 properly. It was a substantial amount of work with an exceptionally short turnaround time to get it finished in (around 2 weeks – which was tougher due to my main full-time job taking priority).
August: Grand Theft Auto 4 (secrets + Easter eggs) – GamesMaster Magazine (2 pages).
November: The complete Gears 2 guide! – Xbox World 360.
December: Fallout 3 (complete guide to every main story mission) – Xbox World 360 (10 pages).
December: Fallout 3 (general tips + schematic and rare weapon locations + bobblehead locations + early boost tips) – CheatMaster Magazine (A1 foldout poster!).
2009
July: Resident Evil 5 (emblem locations + boss guide + unlockables + advanced combat tips and tricks) – GamesMaster Magazine (6 pages).
December: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Veteran difficulty campaign and Spec Ops mode tips) – GamesMaster Magazine (4 pages).
December: Assassin’s Creed 2 (Glyph locations + advanced battle tactics + secret tomb locations) – GamesMaster Magazine (4 pages).
2010
February: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (multiplayer guide) – GamesMaster Magazine (7 pages).
March: Bioshock 2 (complete story mode guide + all collectables) – Xbox World 360 (covermount book).
June: Alan Wake (complete story mode guide + all collectables) – Xbox World 360 (covermount book).
December: Halo Reach (Legendary campaign guide + Multiplayer weapon tips) – GamesMaster Magazine (4 pages).
Backstory:
2011
March: Dead Space 2 (10 Essential Tips + Weapons guide + Enemy Combat Strategies + Secrets) – GamesMaster Magazine (8 pages).
June: Halo Reach (Defiant DLC map pack multiplayer strategies) – GamesMaster Magazine (2 pages).
June: £300 of gaming + LA Noire (bespoke book content + a complete guide to every LA Noire mission) – Xbox World 360 (covermount book).
July: Portal 2 (Easter eggs + solutions to the toughest single-player and co-op puzzles) – GamesMaster Magazine (6 pages).