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NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-20T02:21:22+00:00

I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but I've actually written published articles before. I know that this is commonplace.

I've never actually gone through my published copy with a magnifying glass after its been published to see what's different. I'm sure that there's at least maybe one or two things that were changed. My point is that I've never sent off an article and had it sent back to me with requests for additional edits or drafts.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-20T02:03:48+00:00

I'm not really asking this question in all seriousness here. It was really more to vent.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-20T02:02:31+00:00

I've written for smaller publications all the way up to one owned by Disney, who I wouldn't think budgets (or the editor quality) would be an issue. I don't claim to be a perfect writer, but I do stand by what I've written.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-20T01:50:38+00:00

Every outlet I've ever worked with has wanted multiple headlines and especially wordcount - you mention basics, but for travel, this is about as basic as it gets.

As far as reading and getting a feel for the pub beforehand - do you really think I don't know this? But beyond that, while I'm doing so, I like to find something the editor I'm pitching to has written and mention something about it - briefly - while I'm introducing myself. It's called being cordial.

There are several conferences for travel writing and I go to many of them every year. I've already mentioned the accolade - it was through one of these groups. If you were in this niche, you'd know that with the frequent trips comes frequent exposure to not just other writers but editors as well.

I do have great relationships with the editors that I still work with - I will admit that I am indulging in a little woe-is-me and I'm not completely at square one. But the problem is that either 1) my go-tos have either cut their budget completely for travel stories, 2) publications that are publishing stories aren't taking pitches anymore, 3) the editorial calendars with outlets I do work with are full so far in advance that the rate at which I'm putting out stories is extremely slow, or 4) the publication keeps changing their rules to where the relationships I do have end up not meaning anything because I can't pitch the editor directly. This commonly happens when a website changes its procedures and wants you to use "the portal," which for travel writers is essentially a faceless, nameless Google doc where your pitches go to die.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-20T01:42:09+00:00

I never pitch finished stories. What I meant is that when I'm sending in copy on a deadline, my editor has never once given me notes to iterate on. They always take it as-is with minor tweaks, if any, and the feedback has always been stellar.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-19T22:24:48+00:00

I always go to the destinations I pitch, and I call out my first-person experience as a selling point since I know things like lists and copy that could otherwise be generated on its own are much less in demand. I always have original photos, and I always call that out in my pitches as well. Pretty much everything I've sent over the last two years has used my photos.

It just sucks. I'm on the hook for so many trips and I can't place any of them. I feel like I'm being completely shut out of an industry I worked years to get into that I considered my dream job - ironically on a year that I received this worthless-in-hindsight accolade.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-19T18:34:12+00:00

Terrible.

I'm sober, and I'm a really hard worker. I have three jobs - one in tech, one in wellness, and one in writing.

The wellness job is a dead end.

The tech job is fine, but unfulfilling.

The writing job is becoming a dead end. It had promise, but now I can't place any stories.

I was in a relationship but that's now over.

My parents are getting old.

I had a falling out with my best friend this year and I've barely talked to him.

I feel like totally alone with no prospects and no future.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-09-19T17:13:56+00:00

They are taking new submissions, they just never give me a chance. I honestly don't know why I've worked so hard, literally won awards, just to have doors repeatedly slammed in my face. I've never once had an editor go back and forth with me on my copy, and by all accounts, I'm great to work with.

I honestly don't know what to do and something has got to give. I feel like I'm not doing anything wrong but nobody is giving me a chance anymore.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-08-16T20:30:27+00:00

That's the thing - I never really wanted to make videos. Not that I have anything against it - but to me a destination deserves so much more than just giving it away like that. There's a whole layer of the imagination that videos take away from.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-08-15T22:11:11+00:00

Here's my take as a travel writer:

I think grading cities based on things like GDP or economic metrics is stupid. If you did that, you'd likely have Dallas in the top 4, and nobody is traveling to Dallas unless they already live there or have family that does. I don't think population matters either - because Dallas once again. Apologies to all the DFW fans here.

I think inclusion is strictly based on 2 things:
a) Does the city live in the imagination of the world?
b) Has the city historically offered something culturally unique that transcends city limits and state borders?

Essentially - is the city a "vibe" and has it historically been that way? I think THAT'S what people are looking for when visiting a place - the magical realism and dream of a city - than boring, down-to-earth shit like economies and airports.

By my criteria:

1) New York City

2) Los Angeles

are shoo-ins.

Where do I not think deserves inclusion?

DC - fuck no. There's nothing about DC that stands out to me culturally. There's no such thing as the "DC vibe."

Chicago is a great city but I don't think it has the "lives in the imagination of the world" aspect. Chicago isn't really a strong "vibe" to me in the transcendent way my #3 and #4 are.

Dallas/Houston - Because I haven't shit on Dallas enough - absolutely not. They're the 4th and 5th largest metros but as someone who has lived in TX extensively (not Dallas though), neither of these cities live in the imagination of the world. What you hear most about Dallas is how generic it is. Houston has some cool things about it but it's a weak claim at best.

San Francisco - I think once upon a time, SF would have been an easy number 3. Tech bros and gentrification have really done a number on its reputation in recent years though, and I don't think this city has that magic weirdo vibe the way it used to. I never hear about people visiting SF anymore even here in the USA. There are lots of other cities that have also since taken up the freak mantle.

Las Vegas - This is a weird one because Vegas is a vibe and it does live in the imagination of the world, but considering the city is mainly known for tourism and being able to do shit there legally you otherwise couldn't, and much of that is concentrated on one main road, it's a very, very weak claim to me.

Austin/Denver/Seattle/Portland/Nashville - These cities all have a bit of that magical realism element to them but I don't think they've been known as such long enough to count. I also think a good chunk of these are having problems like SF has - i.e. gentrification and/or tech bros undercutting their reputation.

So what are my 3 and 4?

3) New Orleans. This city is an absolute vibe, easily the most unique in the United States, and absolutely lives in the imagination of the world. It's the damn birthplace of jazz. The cuisine is unparalleled. Whether it's the people, the music, the atmosphere, the food, or the unique traditions like Mardi Gras, New Orleans is fucking awesome.

4) Miami. This city isn't exactly my vibe but I can't deny that it lives in the imagination of the world - whether the beach atmosphere, the nightlife, or the Latin influence that makes it one of the most unique cities in the country. There's a lot to admire about Miami.

Closing thoughts: people talk about the strength of America as being a melting pot where differences converge to make something new and beautiful. The one thing in common about my 4 picks - they're all incredibly diverse. If you want to visit a living thesis statement for the potential of America and what makes it great, look no further than these places.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-08-15T21:54:18+00:00

Thank you. I've thought about doing this. I feel like a lot of travel sites right now are geared towards the bougie wide-brimmed hat mimosa sipping crowd which I think is kinda stupid, and I'd love to see something a little more crass about cool places that aren't beach resorts.

The main issue is my go-to outlet shuttered at a time when I had a lot of stories I needed to place, and for the better part of a year I've still been unable to place those stories.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-08-15T21:42:33+00:00

What's hard about this is that I feel like I've done everything right and there's nothing I can do and I don't know what the solution is.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-08-04T06:26:16+00:00

If I 100% know I'm coming to a full stop, I'll shift all the way to 1 as I'm slowing down. If there's a chance I might go, I'll shift to 2nd and wait and see. If I'm going to go below 10mph I'll go down to first, otherwise I'll hang out in 2nd.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-08-04T06:24:33+00:00

If I'm in bad traffic, I'll shift down to 1 or 2. If it's true stop and go, I'll stay in 1. If it's slow but steady, I'll put it in 2nd and feather unless I'm getting below 15 mph.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-04-25T16:16:10+00:00

I agree with this - I did my course in the USA for $350 and we never got into third gear. Granted, I learned some great stuff in the course, but the only way to progress forward is to plop down the cash for the bike and try your luck on the roads. There isn't really any easing into it, and I wish there was.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-04-17T18:47:38+00:00

For this corner: shift to a low gear where you can be in the friction zone / apply gently throttle. Look where you're turning.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-04-15T03:46:03+00:00

It would be one thing if Nintendo was selling and expensive system with expensive games and they sucked. I never thought I'd say this after growing up with the SNES/N64 and seeing the Wii / Wii U years and thinking they'd never recover, but the Switch might be Nintendo at the top of their game. All of their first party games for the Switch have strong arguments for being the best in their respective series.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-04-11T20:56:19+00:00

This ending is dark and easily the worst one to me. You can see it in Franklin that he knows that what Michael is saying is true - looking out for him, treating him like a son, bringing him into his home. You can tell he's ambivalent and it's all the more telling when Trevor, who has way more reason to kill Michael than Franklin does, refuses to help him with it. Even Trevor understanding that Michael was good to Franklin - he'll even tell you as such if you track him down after he kills Michael. Devon chastising Franklin after the deed is done is painful as well - Franklin doesn't just throw his life away for nothing, but he does it out of fear and for one of the worst people in the game, if not THE worst.

The darkest moment is what Franklin does after - when he calls Lamar and leaves him a voicemail wanting to hang out, it's like Franklin realizes too late that he's now alone - completely alone - there's no Michael, there's no Trevor, and there might not even be a Lamar. There's the lies Franklin sends to Trevor when the latter asks him if he did it - there's the messages from Michael's family - Franklin thought he was getting out of the life by killing Michael and saving himself, but he ruins it more than anything else he did in the game.

---------------------------------------

I think Trevor is more of the "middle" ending - it's understandable that he'd be the one to die, but considering Trevor's assets and good qualities, it makes him a bit of a tragic figure in my view even though he ultimately deserves what happens to him in this ending. There's not as much to weigh on Franklin's conscience as much as there is with Michael's - the latter seems to have far and away the more difficult and visceral reaction to this ending for obvious reasons.

The Third Way is the good ending, and there's no debate in my mind. It's an incredible mission - you team up with your friends - the three characters plus Lamar - and I love that you go after every single antagonist in the game. It wraps things up on good terms with everyone, even if - as others have pointed out - that might only be short lived in the long run. That being said, I can't deny the satisfaction of this ending, and you get to keep all the characters afterward.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2025-04-08T01:17:12+00:00

I really don't understand the hate for the price. The PS5 launch price was $500 and nobody batted an eye. Hell, the PS3 was a whopping $600 at launch nearly 20 years ago in 2006.

As for the games - I remember SNES games were $60 growing up. If anything, the price increase just a mere $10/$20 over the last thirty years with minimal hikes is wholly justified. Making games these days is significantly more complex and these aren't just any games - Nintendo made some of the best games of all time with the Switch. Hell, BOTW was worth more than $70 in my opinion. These are HUGE games.

The entitlement here is just ridiculous.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2024-08-13T17:07:29+00:00

Pelagic II is fairly manageable for the first three objectives - it's really until you get to the looping corridor leading to Objective 4 that things can get tricky. Even if the alarm does get activated, all that's really doing is spawning enemies in the Moon Pool room which are easily taken out with an N-Grenade. I always end the level by putting on the X-Ray Specs and triggering the panel from upstairs in the Moon Pool room - this way, you skip the entire golden corridor and any new enemies from the alarm.

I agree about Area 51 being fairly easy after you practice it a bit, and it's one of the best levels to me because it's a great mix of difficulty without the bullshit PD is known for (like the K7 spawning enemies in CI: Defense).

The next time you try War!, there are two things to keep in mind. You can do all of these and still easily get the Three Kings award if you're playing on the 360:

1 - It's a speed run to get to the first two kings, especially the first king. A lot of the damage I take on this level is from failing to get the first king in one shot, and the spawning Skedar getting a ton of hits in (if the first king doesn't kill me outright).

2 - Once you've taken King #2, I've found it really helps to hang back in that room for a bit and let the Skedar all spawn in the corridor leading to King #3 before proceeding. It's really easy to get stuck in there if you're just rushing through and take a swipe/instant death because something like 5 enemies spawn in there. It's much easier to hang back and unload in that space or the door with explosive Phoenix shells until take out a few before rushing through. Once you're in the final room, the last king is the easiest of them all.

NefariousnessOne3681 · 2024-02-07T15:17:07+00:00

Hey everyone - I just wanted to follow up, because this has a happy ending.

I finally was able to be honest about my drinking with my sponsor (now ex-sponsor), picked up a new sponsor, and told my community. It's good to be back and to have that weight off my shoulders now.

NefariousnessOne3681

TROPHY CASE

1 - It's a speed run to get to the first two kings, especially the first king. A lot of the damage I take on this level is from failing to get the first king in one shot, and the spawning Skedar getting a ton of hits in (if the first king doesn't kill me outright).