New TSS Staffer & We're Looking For More Writers

[Badnik Mechanic]

As many of you have noticed by now, earlier this week we invited SSMB member VEDJ-F to join us on the TSS staff team, and much to our delight she has accepted!

 

VEDJ-F joins the TSS team?

 

Why did we ask VEDJ-F to join us? Well, a few weeks ago we all had a little talk and decided we really could do with some more staff on the TSS Network, and one area we wanted to improve on was our Archie Comics coverage.

 

Well... following a recommendation from SSMB staffer Nep regarding VEDJ-F's amazing contributions to the Archie comics topic, we had a look and were all quite impressed, so we offered her a position on the team and she accepted! So if you're a fan of Archie related news, expect to see much more of that in the near future.

 

So please take a moment to congratulate VEDJ-F on her new role. 

 

 

Now then... you might have noticed I said 'We could do with 'some' more staff' and that is indeed the case.

 

We would like to do a lot more on the main site, but right now, most of us are very busy with real life commitments, so we could really do with some people to both share the load AND contribute new, original articles to the site.

 

If you're interested in joining the TSS team you're probably wondering 'but how do I apply?' Well not so fast, we need you to have the following qualities.

• Write in fluent English and have a formidable grasp of grammar.
• Have an amazing – but level-headed – passion for Sonic the Hedgehog.
• Be available to write on a regular basis.
• Have the drive to contribute all kinds of articles.
• Ability to come up with new ideas.

If you think that's you, here is what you need to do.

• One Sonic-related news article, can be about anything past or present. The point is to see how well you can write a news story when the time comes, and to analyse your style of writing. No longer than 250 words.
• A brief ‘blog’ article, in which you talk about something that strikes you as interesting about the Sonic the Hedgehog fanbase. Can be a cool video you saw, some impressive fan artwork, musings over a scene in a recent Sonic game, or something else entirely. Blogs are all about keeping it personal, and we want TSS to be as personal and friendly a fansite as can be – so get creative on this one. No longer than 300 words.

In your application, please include a link to your SSMB account and tell us a little bit about yourself, e.g. do you have a specific interest in Sonic/Sega? Are you into the comics? Do you collect merch? Do you play retro games on old consoles all the time? Do you make stuff? So long as it's related to Sonic/Sega we want to hear it, because you never know, what you find interested or what you're into might be what we're looking for.

 

When you have your sample articles and details ready. Please email them to queries@sonicstadium.org with the subject heading 'TSS Writer Position.'

If you have any questions about that, please post them here and someone will try to answer them.

Oh and once again. Hooray! VEDJ-F is on the TSS team!

Edit: If you do apply, idealy include your article samples within the body of the email, please don't provide links to other websites or as download attachments.

Deadline = 26th January.

[SnipSnap]

Shoot, writing on a regular basis and the fluent language is not me.

[Blue Wisp]

Oh glorious blue beards of Neptune, I've got another chance to my lifetime dream.

 

OKAY ONE OF MY LIFETIME DREAMS.

 

Still glorious.

 

 

[Badnik Mechanic]

Shoot, writing on a regular basis and the fluent language is not me.

 

By regular basis.

 

We're not looking for daily contributions, it's more a case of avoiding 'hey has anyone seen.. oh whats his name... you know.. that guy? He once did an update about... that thing... No the other guy. DREADKNUX thats his name!'

[PickleBrows]

Is there a deadline for these? I might be busy this weekend but I sure as hell want to try this!

 

EDIT: If I'm writing the news article, does the 250 words need to be a fully completed article or could it be written normally and then at 250 just end with an ellipse?

[Vertekins]

Hoo hoo, this is the exact same manner in which I 'enrolled'. Of course it took a lot of SSMB'ers back in the day to convince me to apply in the first place

 

Good luck applicants. It certainly was a cool job writing for TSS for me and I'm sure it will be for you if you get picked

[Frogging101]

Would these positions be for writing the news articles, or writing stuff for those blank info pages/categories on the main site? Or both?

 

I could do either one, and I may even send in an application, but I'm just curious about this as I've always thought those pages are a bit neglected 

 

Also, this:

 

Is there a deadline for these? I might be busy this weekend but I sure as hell want to try this!

Edited December 13, 2013 by Frogging101

[SnipSnap]

By regular basis.

 

We're not looking for daily contributions, it's more a case of avoiding 'hey has anyone seen.. oh whats his name... you know.. that guy? He once did an update about... that thing... No the other guy.'

Saying like, once a week or two, is that just enough?

I don't think "fluent language" is what I got anyways, I am not sure about the grammar I have just yet...

[DocAzure]

About the news article, can you write about something that hasn't actually happened?

 

I mean, within reason, like writing about newly discovered concept art.

[Badnik Mechanic]

Is there a deadline for these? I might be busy this weekend but I sure as hell want to try this!

 

The last time we did this it was announced in November... and the writers were selected and promoted by April the next year.

 

No real deadline on these, odds are we won't pick anyone over Christmas can't see it happening in January either. Yeah probably best to get in before the end of January since we do really want some new staff apointed sooner rather than later.

 

Though I'll post a huge "THE DEADLINE IS.... (insert date)" update if we decide that we want all applicants in by a said date... though for now, think end of January 2014 at least.

 

 

 

About the news article, can you write about something that hasn't actually happened?

 

I mean, within reason, like writing about newly discovered concept art.

 

Fine with me. That one is mainly for us to make sure you can write more than anything. Just make sure you lable it as being not based on a pre-existing story or something.

 

Should point out, if people do decide to do this, the most spectacular or elaborate the story doesn't = best article, it really is us looking at how you put an article together.

[BlueTidalGamer]

I am aiming to be a games journalist for my future and getting to write for TSS would be so awesome. However I'm still a college student so I'm not sure if I'd be able to write all the time, especially if it's for news announced during a time where I'm at college. While I'd love to try this it may not be possible for me which sucks.

[Jeffhog]

About the news article, can you write about something that hasn't actually happened?

 

I mean, within reason, like writing about newly discovered concept art.

 

Shouldn't be a problem! I did the same with mine!

 

 

But oh man, was this fun to do a couple of years ago! I was just bussing to university when I saw the notice going live, and I just couldn't pass up on the opportunity... I ended up typing(?) most of my entry on my iPhone. XD

 

And the utter joy I felt when bmn sent me that PM... I think I still have the old message in my inbox. I remember going all kinds of nuts and excited all night long and going ballistic in the statuses!

 

All that's left is going pink and my secret takeover as Supreme TSS Overlord will come to fruition.

Good luck to everyone! Write your best!

 

 

see that beach

 

that beach is the staff subforum

 

we're all shirtless there and totally have a secret sexy stash

 

join us

 

aim for the beach

 

 

hint: write something about music and get an immediate recommendation from me

[Lady Soniko]

Think I'll put in for this too since I spend a good part of my time here and scanning for new information, plus I know quite a bit about the music, games and merchandise so...

[Hero of Legend]

VERY interested!

 

I'm a big lover of Sonic and have contributed a lot in other places (mostly at GAF, but also at GoNintendo from time-to-time).

 

For the news post and blog post, I have some ideas, now do the word limits include links? Just because I plan to write about one topic for the news post which includes numerous links. Also it actually will be taken from a GAF thread (but touched up obviously ) and it's a tad old, but only slightly old, and I did do some nice sourcing and research and put a lot of thought into it.

 

The blog post I can make about being a fan of certain groups, you may enjoy them.

 

(I actually just typed up a lot about myself, but I will save them for the application XD).

 

Now when I make said articles... how would you like them? As in, I have a long dead blog I can post them in, if that works? Unless you want both ready to read within the email?

[Badnik Mechanic]

now do the word limits include links?

No. If you include links it won't go against the word limit. 

 

you want both ready to read within the email?

Idealy within the body of the email so we can quickly check in there and see the samples and even quote/post them in our staff area quickly.

[Hero of Legend]

No. If you include links it won't go against the word limit. 

 

Idealy within the body of the email so we can quickly check in there and see the samples and even quote/post them in our staff area quickly.

 

Okay! You're gonna get long emails then. lol

 

I'll try to make it neat so to make them easy to tell what section is which.

[Komodin]

I just have one question: for the blog entry, can it be a "mini-review" of something pertaining to the Sonic fanbase?

[Detective Shadzter]

I want a 10,000 word essay on why Sonic shouldn't have green eyes, PRONTO!

[Kamicciolo]

*fills page with "becuz it loooks dum" over and over*

 

Am I a staff member now? :V

[Jeffhog]

I want a 10,000 word essay on why Sonic shouldn't have green eyes, PRONTO!

 

And I want a report in triplicate, with lots of graphs and diagrams and complicated sums on my desk, tomorrow morning! ASAP! Pronto! LOL!

 

Do I have a desk?

 

I just have one question: for the blog entry, can it be a "mini-review" of something pertaining to the Sonic fanbase?

 

What exactly do you mean by that?

[Hero of Legend]

Well my news article is apparently 539 words. I'm too good. XD

[Badnik Mechanic]

*fills page with "becuz it loooks dum" over and over*

 

Am I a staff member now? :V

 

Well so far you're the only entry so... yeah.

 

 

 

I just have one question: for the blog entry, can it be a "mini-review" of something pertaining to the Sonic fanbase?

 

If you mean like a review of something like a product or what-have-you then sure. But pointing at the fanbase and saying 'It' probably not so much.

[Jet Prower]

You know, looking over this, I notice I don't think anyone has congratulated VEDJ-F on the promotion. Congrats and will likely see you around a lot in that archie topic as I am around there often.

 

Writing, while an okay thing of mine, isn't exactly the kind of thing I'm normally looking to do on a regular basis. I'm so paranoid about spoiler news that I don't think that would be a good job for me to be doing ^^;

[Your Vest Friend]

Ooh my goodness, the interest in this is huuuuge.

 

Do I have any advice, despite only being staff for 48 hours now? I guess I have one piece; it's good to show a bit of your personality through the way you write stuff. It's more engaging to read when the reader knows that the writer has put themselves into it. 

 

Of course, how much can be shown greatly varies with the story in question, but still. 

[Chris]

*fills page with "becuz it loooks dum" over and over*

 

Am I a staff member now? :V

 

But seriously, best of luck guys. It'll be nice to have a few new faces around.