I started writing fiction when I was in third grade, but didn't consider writing nonfiction until March 2006 when, on a boring day in Web Page Design class, I joined 1UP as trafar94. New to blogging, I came to the medium with high expectations: I would be an Internet sensation, video game journalists would interview me to get my perspective on video games, the industry would  be changed forever, and my name would be in the history books.

I was seventeen, naive, and full of pride. And that pride brought me down. Reality set in. Writing is hard work. Connecting with readers is harder. Some write articles that appeal to readers instantly; others have emerging talent, and it may take a while for them to refine their craft before a large readerships. Some never get readers at all. I now write with that in mind.

1UP's unofficial mascot Cody Winn introduced me to Bitmob, but I didn't give the website much attention until this past January when, bored, decided to look at Bitmob in-depth.  Dan "Shoe" Hsu's 13 Dont's yanked me in: here was a website that asked for structure in articles, unlike other blogs, which give the writer a digital journal and say, "Do whatever!"

The standards of Bitmob and the thoughtful topics from other writers in the community force me to think carefully  about the topic I want to write about, so I limit myself to one article per month. That not only means I can make what I hope is a meaningful contribution to the site, but also gives me time to work on my college classes. I attend Auburn University at Montgomery with a dual major in Secondary Education and English/Language Arts. And at AUM, the "standard is excellence", so there's no slacking off in class!

I'm not trying to be video game journalist, although I write articles for the AUM newspaper; my ultimate goal is to write fiction--short stories and novels. In the meantime, I hope to do three things for Bitmob: contribute articles to the site, share ideas with other gamers and receive feedback, and improve my writing. All three are important, but receiving feedback is the most important. As my educational psychology professor said, "Everyone needs some kind of affirmation; everyone needs that kind word or gesture that shows your existence means something." At the moment, I cannot give the pat on the back other writers on Bitmob deserve, but soon I will be more active on the website.

I like that the community says something meaningful about video games--that it's not just, "This game sucks!" or "This game is awesome!" Games are awesome; some do suck. But there must be more we can say about them. As a child and teenager I played games for entertainment. When time permits, I play them to find a deeper purpose for video games.

I think video games are important because they change the way we think. Watching movies and reading books are almost passive things; but because you interact with the environment on screen, you have to think differently about how the game mechanics and overall design influence the story and music. But that's another topic to write about.

At the moment I'm playing an array of RPGs: Final Fantasy 13, Final Fantasy IV, Dragon Quest IV, and Dragon Quest V. It's an epic battle that I'm losing, since one distracts me from all the others. Most of the games I play are on the DS;  it's convenient, since I spend most of the days of the week on campus, and weekends are spent doing college assignments. Also, I work for the Office of Diversity on campus, promoting and developing multicultural events. I remember the days when I was a Freshman and did nothing; now, I'm doing far too much.

The present plan for my twenties--those ominous years of drunken fun--is to teach on an Air Force Base. Then, once I get my Master's, transfer to a base in Japan, and live there for a few years before moving on to another country. I figure I'd settle down around 35 or so. Since I'm not in the environment where I can speak and learn Japanese, I'm learning to read and write Japanese, which is far more convenient and easier. If Donald Richie can speak Japanese fluently but not read or write the language, I can do the opposite!

I grew up on the Official U.S. Playstaion Magazine and Electronic Gaming Monthly--two magazines that downloaded information about video games into my brain and I thank them for their big influence. However, the single greatest influence on my gaming experience occurred when I was a kid. Being good Baptists, my family attended Bible study every  Wednesday night at 7. One Wednesday I was playing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. In the middle of a game and not wanting to end it, I decided  to pause it and then come back an hour later to continue playing.

Well, my mother discovered my scheme. As punishment, she declared that I could not play video games during the week. I guess I broke the commandment "Thy shalt not covet".  What was at first a terrible experience worked out in my favor. The 21 year-old Antonio Byrd is not as attached to video games as before; it's okay for me to not play them every day. I am now a productive, law-abiding citizen of the United States. And for that I thank my mother.

I also thank the founders of Bitmob for allowing an inadequate writer contribute equally inadequate articles compared to the better writers on the site. I hope the day will come when I can write articles that live up to the Bitmob name.