Page 51 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #8
P. 51
Words from the Weiss
By Chris Cavanaugh
Pop-culture expert Brett entries, emphasizing that a
Weiss has written book like mine had never been
numerous articles that done before:
have appeared in Comic descriptions/reviews/data for
Buyer’s Guide, Fangoria, every single game for every
Allgame.com, and past U.S.-released classic
issues of Classic Gamer programmable system. They
Magazine. Brett recently
authored two books: approved the idea pretty
Classic Home Video quickly. During the early-to-
Games: 1972-1984 and mid 1990s, I worked up a
Classic Home Video proposal for a similar book,
Games: 1985-1988 and but I couldn’t find a publisher.
agreed to talk to us about
the challenges of writing, How much influence does the
getting published, and publisher have on content?
how mowing lawns is Did you have to make
good for the game sacrifices?
collector’s soul.
The publisher was very
Convincing a major book receptive to my original
publisher to publish a book proposal, and both books are
isn’t easy. Can you tell us how pretty much exactly like I
the initial deal happened? Did conceived and wrote them.
you approach them or was it During the editors’ meeting,
the other way around? my proposal was approved
unanimously. They loved the
McFarland Publishers, which nostalgic content, the quality
publishes a variety of scholarly of the writing, and the
entertainment books, had a comprehensive nature of the
booth at Comic-Con books. The only sticking point
International in San Diego in was their insistence on Trudging through horrible
2006, and I introduced myself spelling the word “videogame” games. Getting far enough
to one of their editors. I gave as two words. into really hard games to
her a business card and told describe and review them
her to contact me if I could What are the challenges accurately and fairly. The
contribute to any of their associated with writing these sheer exhaustion of having to
books. Three days after I books? write about the games in
returned home, I received an addition to playing them. Not
email from that editor, asking Condensing a long RPG or having enough time to play
me if I had any interesting point-and-click adventure new games because I’m so
book ideas. I pounded out a down to a clear and concise, busy with the old systems.
proposal and some sample yet detailed overview. Luckily, I largely prefer older
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