You'll have a blast Wil. It's mecca for gamers. See you there.

I pretty much spent all of my free time at PAX East in those two rooms too, so I'm right there with you.

I find it very hard to "turn off" the analytical side, especially when playing games. I spend so much time writing and podcasting about games, it can be hard to just shut out that little voice and let myself play and enjoy a game for what it is.

Sad. My thoughts are with you and your wife and kids.

And you have to admit, the advent of true Spam Poetry is one of the best things to happen since Spam. "Insoluble conundrums of john's national zeal" is a great turn of phrase.

Excellently put.

Your "five simple ways" was a great kick in the ass right when I needed it, so thanks for that. I figure if you can help one completely random person on a completely random day, once a year, you've had a good year. My guess is you did more than that. Julian Murdoch rabbitatsignrabbitcaveperiodcom

All very true, but none more than #5. EVERYONE needs an editor, and good ones (like good agents) are worth their weight in gold. Julian Murdoch rabbitatsignrabbitcavedotcom

All very true, but none more than #5. EVERYONE needs an editor, and good ones (like good agents) are worth their weight in gold. Julian Murdoch rabbitatsignrabbitcavedotcom

DM: OK, what's your name? Bill? Wil: It's Wil. Can I play the Rogue? DM looks up. DM: Wil. Oh. Um. You look familiar. So, sorry, all we have left is the Gnome Illusionist. Wil: OK, well, that's great, I'm just happy to be in a game. DM: Oh Shit, you're Wil Wheaton. Um. OK. Great to have you in my game. Wil: Really, let's just move along. -- No pressure Mr. DM. No Pressure at ALL. Julian rabbitatrabbitcavedotcom

DM: OK, what's your name? Bill? Wil: It's Wil. Can I play the Rogue? DM looks up. DM: Wil. Oh. Um. You look familiar. So, sorry, all we have left is the Gnome Illusionist. Wil: OK, well, that's great, I'm just happy to be in a game. DM: Oh Shit, you're Wil Wheaton. Um. OK. Great to have you in my game. Wil: Really, let's just move along. -- No pressure Mr. DM. No Pressure at ALL. Julian rabbitatrabbitcavedotcom

Now if that was Front rolling up the sun, then we'd have something (grin).

Now if that was Front rolling up the sun, then we'd have something (grin).

But Wil, what about GenCon? Not to work, but just to throw down some dice and hang with the cool kids? Julian

But Wil, what about GenCon? Not to work, but just to throw down some dice and hang with the cool kids? Julian

In reading your new post, I felt compelled to log in and say something. I make my living by the word - I'm not fiction or even non-fiction writer in the sense you are. I get paid by the word or by the hour. I have two rates. What I'm worth (which is a lot) or absolutely free, no questions asked. There are no deals, there are no specs, there are no contests. Sometimes I do work for free - for friends, for publicity, for a cause, for the hope of future work. But to say "never free" doesn't recognize the real world. Maybe that's what you mean by "other compensation," but I still think there's a subtlety here.

In reading your new post, I felt compelled to log in and say something. I make my living by the word - I'm not fiction or even non-fiction writer in the sense you are. I get paid by the word or by the hour. I have two rates. What I'm worth (which is a lot) or absolutely free, no questions asked. There are no deals, there are no specs, there are no contests. Sometimes I do work for free - for friends, for publicity, for a cause, for the hope of future work. But to say "never free" doesn't recognize the real world. Maybe that's what you mean by "other compensation," but I still think there's a subtlety here.

I'll toss in two more invaluable resources, particularly if you are a non-fiction writer: APStylebook.com - get it right everytime. Copyblogger.com - and have it work. JM rabbitatsignrabbitcavedotcom

I'll toss in two more invaluable resources, particularly if you are a non-fiction writer: APStylebook.com - get it right everytime. Copyblogger.com - and have it work. JM rabbitatsignrabbitcavedotcom

Browncoats: the anti-alliance fighting force from the series Firefly. Brownshirts are Nazi elite infantry.

Browncoats: the anti-alliance fighting force from the series Firefly. Brownshirts are Nazi elite infantry.

Thanks for the comment maycomb. And I hope I made it clear how much I enjoyed your work, Wil. Keep it up. Julian rabbitatsignrabbitcavedotcom

Thanks for the comment maycomb. And I hope I made it clear how much I enjoyed your work, Wil. Keep it up. Julian rabbitatsignrabbitcavedotcom

I bought my daughter her first Gencon dice when she was but 4 years old. It's a spiritual thing, it truly is. I recently upgraded though - for years I've used the dice in the crown royal sack, some of which date back to the soft blue plastic era. But now I've got stainless steel. My old dice are jealous now. I will, on occasion, still reach in and grab an old lucky one. If it's, you know, important. rabbitatrabbitcavedotcom

I bought my daughter her first Gencon dice when she was but 4 years old. It's a spiritual thing, it truly is. I recently upgraded though - for years I've used the dice in the crown royal sack, some of which date back to the soft blue plastic era. But now I've got stainless steel. My old dice are jealous now. I will, on occasion, still reach in and grab an old lucky one. If it's, you know, important. rabbitatrabbitcavedotcom