Scribe81: In terms of actually getting paid, I was in business to business sales. Got laid off, have been off work for a year and half. Just got a job as a vendor selling cow shit. Really, lol. I'm now going to be selling fertilizer at Home Depot's, so I sell shit, lol.
My work that doesn't, or rather, has yet to pay is as a writer. I must just suck at it or haven't found my niche yet, but I've placed in the quarter finals in at least one screenwriting contest, and am currrently trying to get an agent so I can publish my book about the Devil. I'm also weighing the pros and cons about self-publishing on the Kindle and ibook stores and have yet to decide what to do since I need a book cover, and I never grew out of stick figure people for artwork and I don't have money to pay for a graphic artist.
Would love to write a video game. Have a whole pile of rough game ideas. However, as with everything in arts, you either need to know someone inside already that can get you in, or you smash against the beautiful Catch 22 of needing experience to get a job, but how do you get experience if no one gives you the opportunity?
I've thought of game journalism, but since I don't actually have a journalism degree (have a Creative Writing degree), same Catch 22 applies to that. Have thought of trying my hand in my own video game news website since I've got like 50-60 game reviews I've already written, but . . .I'm stretching thin as it is with time, including responding to posts like this, lol.
Have you thought of getting involved in a kick starter or small indy project? Not likely to pay off, but it would be experience you could build on. Just a thought. You could also use places like that so solve your artist problem (either offer credit/other reward to artist, or ask for money to pay someone).