Interview: Paul Semel

We spoke to Paul Semel, who has been writing about music, movies, games, DVDs and Blu-rays, books, and other fun stuff for more than twenty years. A former editor at Bikini, Electronic Gaming Monthly, and Incite, he has contributed to Maxim, Complex, Nylon, G4TV, Ray Gun, and GamePro, and currently writes for Walmart GameCenter, Comic Book Resources, GameCrate, and Common Sense Media, among others. It was fun speaking with Paul and let’s hear what he has to say about his experience and the gaming industry.

 

NoobFeed: Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

Paul Semel: I've been writing about games — as well as books, movies, music, and other fun stuff — for more than twenty-five years. As far as games go, I've written about them for dozens of gaming and pop culture magazines and websites over the years, including Bikini (where I was the editor of what I believe to be the first regular game review section in a non-gaming magazine), EGM (where I was the previews editor for a while), GamePro, G4, OPM, OXM, PTOM, Playboy, Entertainment Weekly's website, Maxim, TV Guide, and even, in one bizarre instance, the American Bar Association's website.

These days, I'm freelancing full-time for GameCrate, Common Sense Media, Walmart GameCenter, and my own site, paulsemel.com.

As for how I got started, I originally just wrote about music, first for some zines, then for The New Review of Records, and eventually for a magazine called huH in Los Angeles. I was the reviews editor, but because I was the only one who had with email, I was also the tech guy. Which is why, when Chris Olmstead, who worked for Golin Harris PR on the Nintendo account, called to pitch someone on Donkey Kong Country, he got put through to me. The game sounded cool, but as I told Chris, I didn't have anything to play it on. I even asked him if there was a Mac version. He laughed at this, and told me not to worry. A couple days later I got a box from him with a new SNES and a bunch of games.

Now, I'd been a gamer since I was a kid. I used to steal quarters from my parents so I could play Asteroids and Missile Command. I'm also a greedy, materialistic bastard. Which is why, when that box of games arrived, I realized that if I got free CDs and concert tickets by writing about music, I'd get free games if I wrote about them as well.

It's also why I started writing about books, movies, gadgets, toys, and tons of other things. I told you I was greedy.

 

NoobFeed: You’ve been into writing for more than 20 years? Who or what inspired you to become an Editor?

Paul Semel: I don't know that anyone "inspired" me to become a writer or editor; as I said, I just kind of fell into it. I had no idea what I wanted to do when I graduated college, but when one of the editors I wrote for at school asked me to write for the music zine he was starting, I agreed. Then, a few weeks later, I was at a pizza place in New York City, and picked up another music zine called Sound Views, and later started writing for them. And it’s kind of just went from there until one day I found myself living in Los Angeles and working for huH.

 

NoobFeed: Esports focuses on its social aspect a lot these days. Do you think there’s a lot more potential in terms of the social aspect of Esports than there currently is?

Paul Semel: I can't comment on this as I don't follow esports. I rather play a game than watch someone else do it. Which is why, if I'm at an event for a game, even one I'm super excited for, I'll start to get bored if a demo goes on too long.

I also prefer single-player to multiplayer, which is why half my game reviews have a line about how I don't play well with others.

 

NoobFeed: What is an effective approach to prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability? Have supervise others in doing this?

Paul Semel: I find that reading things out loud can really help. I also print things out and leave them be for a day or more, and then proofread them. Now, I still miss things, which is why having an editor is so important, but both of these things certainly help.

And yes, this helps when editing another people's work as well.

 

NoobFeed: What is the most challenging part of writing, especially when it comes to editorials and reviews?

Paul Semel: Can't speak to editorials, I don't write them.

But the hard part about writing a review is when the game doesn't inspire you to have an opinion one way or another. Great games can be easy to write about, and terrible games are even more fun — though playing them can be a chore — but games that are just kind of "meh" are always tough to write about.

 

NoobFeed: Have you ever received negative feedback on a piece of writing? What was your response?

Paul Semel: I have and, to be honest, it's not fun. My first thought is always to get pissed at myself for screwing up, and to hate the editor for being such a jerkface, I hate everyone so much, I wish everyone was dead.... But then I calm down and get to work fixing it.

The thing to keep in mind is that even if you don't agree with the criticism, you still have to address it, that's the job. Editors make mistakes, too, but when you're a writer, a freelance writer, your job is to write what the editor wants. Which is not to say you have to change your opinion, you don't, but rather that if they want your review in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet, don't give it to them as a one act play.

 

NoobFeed: What have you found to be the best way to monitor the performance of your work and/or the work of your team?

Paul Semel: I suppose you can look at your traffic numbers, but when you write for someone else, you're not always privy to that info.

 

NoobFeed: Can you tell us about a time when you developed your own way of doing things other than following others?

Paul Semel: As someone who started writing about games for pop culture magazines, not gaming ones, I've always considered games in the larger context of entertainment. It's why I not only reference other games in my reviews, but movies, TV shows, and books as well, where appropriate. I find this is a good way to explain things better.

But this was never a conscious decision. It just always seemed like a natural way of doing things. If a game is about a guy who gets sucked through a portal and end up in a world full of dinosaurs and weird lizard people, it seems only natural that you'll liken it to Land of The Lost.

What's always struck me as odd is when someone says I shouldn't compare a game to another game, I should only talk about the game in question. Really? It's a sci-fi first-person shooter in which you play a genetically-modified super soldier who wears power armor, and you don't think I should compare to the new Halo? Which came out last week? And is way better? Really?

 

NoobFeed: We all have experienced this at least once. Will you share an experience when your ethics and patience were tested? How did you keep your emotions in check?

Paul Semel: Well, I've never been offered a bribe, if that's what you're asking. And I don't honestly know anyone who has. I wish I did, though; it would be nice if someone thought I was important enough to bribe.

I've also never had a publicist call me to get me to change one of my reviews. Though these calls are usually nonsense because publicists know we won't make those changes, and only make the calls because their bosses in the marketing department insist.

In fact, the only potential ethics violations that I've had to deal with has been when someone asks to approve an interview before it's published. Like, you'll interview some celebrity and their publicist will ask if they can read it before you post it, that sort of thing. But I always just tell them I don't do that, it's a breach of ethics, and they back off.

 

NoobFeed: What in gaming excites you the most? Outside of work, how much time do you spend playing video games in an average week?

Paul Semel: It's the games. It's always the games. When a game I really want to play shows up at my house, or a code arrives via email, I still get giddy. I don't care about the business side of things, or the technical specs of a new console, I just want to know about the games.

As for play time, I usually try to get in a couple hours a day, more on weekends. It depends on the game and what else I'm doing. If it's something I'm super into, I will play a lot, but if I'm in the middle of reading a super good book, then that gets priority. Unless, of course, I'm reviewing the game.

 

NoobFeed: What experiences would you personally like video games to deliver in the future?

Paul Semel: It won't happen, but I'd love for a return to the days of big, story-driven, single-player games, which are what I like to play. People still make them, but not as much. I was super annoyed when Black Ops 4 didn't have a campaign.

It's why, one of the things I do on my website, is single-player-focused reviews of multiplayer centric games like Destiny 2, The Division 2, and Fallout 76. Though only if the developers say they can be played solo.

I also wish people would make more AAA-level licensed games. I know, I know, we're supposed to hate them all. Well, all except the Batman Arkham games. And the Spider-man games. And the Star Wars games. And some of the Marvel ones, like that Wolverine game. Oh, and The Witcher III, that game was good. I would've loved to play a cool John Wick game.

 

NoobFeed: As an Editor, you get a lot of developers or publishers trying to get your attention and to play their games, but they may not know the best ways. Do you have any tips that you can impart to make their pitches towards you and other Editors more effective?

Paul Semel: Everyone has their own way they prefer to be contacted. I like email, other people prefer text, and still others would rather you just leave them alone, they'll get in touch when they need you. So it's important to treat us as individuals.

I think it also behooves game writers to treat PR people with respect, and to remember that they have a job to do, too.

 

NoobFeed: Why is it important for gamers to maintain a healthy lifestyle? What advice would you have for a gamer looking to take the first steps towards a healthier lifestyle?

Paul Semel: Obviously, the best reason to be somewhat healthy is that the longer you live, the more games you'll get to play. How bummed would you be if you died a week before some cool new game came out? Sure, it would also be great to see your kids grow up, and your grandkids, and to have more time with the people you love. But how much would it suck if you died the week before Cyberpunk came out? Or Halo: Infinite?

As for how to do this, I would suggest taking small but steady steps. Go for a walk. Eat less. Swap breakfast potatoes for fruit sometimes. Skip desert. Have water with dinner instead of soda. And so on. And continue to make these small changes in your lifestyle. You can do it, I believe in you.

 

NoobFeed: What are the future plans for Paul Semel?

Paul Semel: Well, I'm going to make a salad for dinner, then play some more God of War, which I'm replaying, then read some more of this book I started last night, We Sold Our Souls, which is pretty good so far.

Oh, you mean work stuff. ...  Don’t know. I'd like to keep writing, but it may not be economically viable. I've debated the idea of writing a game, I'd love to work on a big sci-fi epic, but who knows? If my career has taught me anything it's that not everything goes to plan.

 

Many of thanks to Paul for doing the interview with us. We wish him all the very best with all of his ventures. Keep up with Paul Semel by following him on twitter.

 

Admin, NoobFeed