Hey everyone! It's been a crazy few weeks here. As we swiftly approach 6 months of The Cardboard Herald, I've been thinking a lot about the nature of this site. Originally my goal was to exercise my creative writing skills more, and to host an informational/personality based podcast that would have ~100 or so listeners. What I did not expect is that I would so quickly gain access to tons of incredible people in this hobby and industry and be able to sustain weekly in-depth interviews. So at some point, the site became the podcast, rather than the podcast being about the site.
...And I think it's better for it.
Don't get me wrong, I miss creative writing. Reviews and critical analysis are near and dear to me. Not only do I enjoy writing them, I can actually see where I improve over time, what skills I develop, how I find my voice, and all around become a better writer. But this podcast thing feels more important somehow. Like, I know that there will be thousands and thousands of gaming interviews people can pour over in years to come, but rarely do I see interviews focussed on the creative endeavor as art, rather than being about just the game itself. I don't know, it has value to me at least, and I hope it does to you too.
Speaking of writing though, I did make my way through some major writer's block the other day and killed it in writing a draft of my 7 Wonders review in one fell swoop. I'll give it a couple new drafts and publish soon, with more 7 years of 7 Wonders pieces to come. I'm also excited to be trying some new, short "impressions" videos which I think will be better suited to my personality and skillset. Gotta use that youtube channel anyhow.
And of course, the podcast. I interviewed some amazing people who worked on some of the biggest games... well... ever. And those are coming up soon. I'm still having fun, and I'm finding meaning in my work. And it looks like more than a few of you have found meaning in it too. I hope you are enjoying being along for the ride, and enjoying seeing me stumble every step of the way, only to pick myself back up, learn from my mistakes, and grow.
Take care, and happy 6 months of TCbH!
-Jack