When geology major Doug Walsh â97 came to Lafayette for orientation, he had no clue he would meet his future wife, Kristin Nahm â97, that very day, then begin studies that would prepare him to work in a niche job many people would envy.
âI came to Lafayette because of a track scholarship,â he says. âI was going to be an English major, but quickly saw how respected the science curriculum was. Because of that, and my love for being outside, I found my way into geology.â
â[Van Artsdalen Professor of Geology Dru] Germanowski worked really closely with me,â he continues. âThe summers I spent studying with him taught me how to work independently and to set my own schedule. I learned that I had to follow through with my responsibilities and respect deadlines. My technical writing skills began to develop. I couldnât do what I do today without all that preparation.â
Walsh has spent the last six years as a video game strategy guide writer. He recently finished his 45th book.
âStrategy guides tell you everything there is to know about a video game. I get an advance copy of a game from the publisher before it is released retail. I have to play through the game and build a book about solving puzzles, revealing secrets, and providing tips for playing the game. I call it a travel guide for fictional places,â he quips.
Walsh writes about 10 books a year for his publisher, BradyGames. It takes him two to three weeks to play through a game and write the guide, working nearly around the clock.
âI kid people that I work either zero hours a week or a hundred,â he says. âBut that is part of the freedom aspect that I love â“ and it is a great a way to work in the industry without having to be an artist or programmer.â
A Tony Hawk game launched Walshâs career. There were no writers who knew it well, so his book established his place in a niche limited to about a dozen authors. He has since written guides for the last 12 games in that line.
âI also did The Matrixsequel book,â he says. âThat was fun because it was so highly secretive, and I had to spend some time in Los Angeles for it.â
âI am doing something that is extremely competitive,â he continues. âI am at the top, but there are lots of kids out there willing to do it free just for the bragging rights. [That creates] lots of pressure to stay sharp, and challenges me to stay self-motivated.â
Walsh would like to break into writing traditional travel guides that he can supplement with his own photography, a sideline he is beginning to develop.