2015: A look back at the stuff I wrote

Well, that year took the same amount of time as any other year (barring leap years), didn’t it! As my first FULL year of writing weekly (!!!), I thought I’d look back over the year and highlight some pieces I was particularly proud of.

January

I kicked this year off with a piece on Why Dark Souls and Dear Esther are so alike. I loved writing this article, as it gave me an excuse to write about two of my favourite games and give a new perspective on them. It also shows the beginning of a small obsession of mine about players projecting themselves into games. (Seen most recently in November)

“These intricate details force the player into believing the game’s situation, into projecting themselves into the game, into wide eyed, mouth open battles and narratives.“

February

In February, I wrote the first poem that I was properly proud of. Whilst a bit over-dramatic, I still remember the exact moment I started writing it, the stress and gloom of A Levels hanging over me. Cry was important and at the time was an incredible release.

“Yet here I am, back at the screen, 
typing away about freedom, 
as if I lacked it, 
as if I have the right to moan about it,“

May

In May, I wrote Etherised, a poem about the frustration of waiting, of being stuck in Sixth Form. One of my favourite stanzas I’ve written resides within it:

I am blinded by the present
Held to ransom by the past
Yet the future seems to beckon
Offering me a hand to grasp

August

August, was perhaps the greatest month for Pip Writes Stuff so far. I wrote In Parallel, the most complex poem I’ve written, I wrote a diary of my first few days in Fallout Shelter which got featured on Rock Paper Shotgun and pushed my view counter past both the 1000 and 2000 mark! I also rewrote my thoughts on Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, a piece that I am both proud of in terms of quality and the lesson learnt in rewriting it.

October

In October, I wrote Delighted, a poem about David Cameron describing the Work Penalty as “Delightful”. I enjoyed writing this poem so much that I entered it into a poetry slam and got through to the second round as a result!

So next time you hear David Cameron speak,
It doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, brown, british or greek. 
Bolt your doors, lock your windows, he’s coming uninvited.
Cameron will rip you out of your home, “delighted”.

December

This month, I wrote Let’s bomb Syria, another poem I’m particularly proud of, about the UK’s decision to bomb Syria. I also started Itching For More, a weekly column where I explore a small Art/Experimental game. My aim for this is to both give these games more coverage and give myself an excuse to write more personally about games. I’m very very excited about it and hope you are too.

Thanks for reading my stuff this year. If I arrive at this point next year, having written every week consistently, I will be a very, very, happy Pip.