all good things . . . (part two)

No endings this time, just another beginning . . .

I first met Jason Calacanis at a blogging.la meetup three or so years ago. I didn't know anything about his company, Weblogs, Inc., or his history with the Silicon Alley Reporter, but after talking with him for about fifteen minutes, I respected him. He was one of the first people I talked to back then who really grokked where things were going on the Internets, who understood the importance of content, transparency, respect for the audience, and all the principles that drove me to found Monolith Press and self-publish Dancing Barefoot.

Over the next year or so, Jason kept trying to get me to write for Weblogs, but there wasn't a blog in their network that really fit with my passions . . . until they launched a poker blog. During an all-night hold'em session in Tahoe at Gnomedex, Jason and I talked about poker blogging, the popularity of poker online, and how online poker was making hold'em the bridge of our generation. Over the next few months, Jason asked me so many times to write for the poker blog, you could almost call it "courting," but since there were no flowers or chocolates involved, we'll just call it something else, like . . . uh . . . pursuing. Yeah, that works.

Eventually, after countless WWdN readers bitched me out about writing poker stories on my blog, I realized that I was leaving money that could be helping my family on the table, and I would be stupid to keep telling Jason no. It was a perfect way for me to write about stuff I loved and put some food on the table without alienating a lot of readers. We worked out some details, and I joined the team at CardSquad. We ate Sir Robin's Minstrels, and there was much rejoicing.

After a few months at CardSquad, Brad Hill, a senior editor at Weblogs, asked me if I'd be interested in writing some TNG reviews for TV Squad. I could do whatever I wanted, he told me, and turn them in on a schedule that was convenient to me. This one was a no-brainer, and after a negotiation that I think lasted all of six minutes, I signed up. I've done five of them now, and after finding my groove and voice, I'm really excited to do as many as I can before the jokes get old and the audience gets bored. I even have my own awesome-o banner!

So what's with all this history? It's to illustrate that I really like working for Weblogs, and though I don't always agree with him, I like and respect Jason. I've learned that he's right about things way more often than he's wrong, and when he comes to me with an idea or a job offer, I listen.

A little over a year ago, Jason took me out to lunch to discuss something he cryptically called "a really cool thing that I think you'd be perfect for." During this lunch, he told me that he'd been given the Netscape domain (which was owned by AOL) and given the task of doing something awesome with it. Jason was a big fan of Digg and del.icio.us, and had some ideas on creating a social news portal with a twist: in addition to content submitted by users, he would have full-time staffers (called Navigators) who would seek out content, and full-time staffers (called Anchors) who would do follow-up "meta" journalism on popular or controversial stories, make really important stories sticky, and some other things that involved pushing Big Red Buttons.

"I want you to be a Navigator," he said.

"Why me?" I said.

"Because you're passionate, you're constantly online, and people listen to you when you link them to things. I think you're a good match for what we want to do with Netscape."

We talked about a lot of stuff that's under NDA, and I left the meeting rather intrigued and not just a little excited. Here was an opportunity to be involved with something I already liked (I absolutely love Digg, Reddit, and Fark.) and to be part of it from the very beginning. It was also an opportunity to support my family, help build the college fund for Ryan, and hopefully free up some time to write another book.

See, I really want to write another book, even if it's a Dancing Barefoot-like compilation of stuff that I really like (in fact, that's exactly what the next one is) but there just wasn't time or creative energy to write for myself when I was done with all my various freelance gigs. Working for Netscape would go a very long way toward freeing me up a bit, and giving me the opportunity to write a follow-up to Just A Geek, or maybe even the coveted work of fiction that I've been too chicken to attempt.

Jason and I talked about it several times over the next couple of months, and eventually I got to see a preview of the new Netscape. I was really blown away by the changes they'd made, and their plans for its first year. There's a lot of philosophy underlying the whole project that dovetails with the stuff we're doing at Revision 3: just like I believe that on-demand is part of the future of television, I believe that socially-driven news sites like Fark, Digg, Reddit, and Netscape will eventually become the primary way people will get their news and information in the future. Also like Revision 3 and InDigital, I would be joining a team of passionate and talented people who were taking a chance and challenging the status quo. It was another no-brainer, and I accepted the job.

Last month, I became a Netscape Navigator. Every morning, I drive a truck down the Internets, find stories that I think are worthwhile, and bookmark them for others to vote on. Instead of putting lots of links here, I put them there, sort of the same way I put my poker stuff at CardSquad. See how that works? Everyone wins.

This isn't a full-time gig for me, but I'm spending a few hours a day posting stories and participating in discussions about them. In fact, I'd love it if WWdN readers would become members at Netscape, add me as a friend, and get in on the fun. There's even a super-cool firefox add-on that lets you see what your friends are doing in near real-time. Note: I am told that folks who do not live in the US are running into a hassle because they don't have a US ZIP code to use when they join. Until the development team can work on that (our Fearless Leader at Netscape, C.K., poked them with a stick about it just now) you can put in a ZIP code for a US city near you (if you're in Canada or Mexico) or something else if you're in europe or some other far off mysterious land. I suggest 91505 because you'll know what the weather is like in beautiful downtown Burbank.

I think that's it for beginnings, at least for the near future. I hope that the next ending will be the ending of not enough time and creative energy, leading to a beginning that involves Monolith Press and a lot of words on paper.

Comments

[Scott]

Congrats on the mini-gig with NS/AOL.

Beware of AOL, however, I worked for them for a few years. Great company to work for but the layoffs are swift.

[starshine_diva]

AWESOME!!!!
Joining... hmmm... they're evil tho...

However, your job is close to one of the career options I'm considering, so kudos!

You should write a book on how to make money online... legitimately, by using your interests and actually having fun!

I would buy it.
If you don't advertise it as post-Star Trek Wil Wheaton, but Wil Wheaton they author, I'm sure MANY people will buy it.

[ttrentham]

"Last month, I became a Netscape Navigator."

So...you're a web browser now? Let me know when IE crushes you and you go open source.

Stupid Bill Gates.

[starshine_diva]

Update:
Only US citizens can register... unless you want to fake a zip code.

[noodleandbear]

Congrats on the new gig, Wil.

I tried to register, but apparently my Canadian postal code made the system freak out. What, they don't like Canadians at Netscape?? (LOL).

Seriously. I would like to register, if it's ever possible.

[cocacola]

Greetings:

Was blogging.la a conference. And if so how was it?

The new job sounds good. Yeah, I'm Canadian too so the postal code thing can be an issue. There's probably a section for canadians but they can be tricky to find as I found out when I registered for my yahoo account and had to get help via telephone! he he

A conference for blogging is coming up in Vancouver, BC. Canada for those that are interested, its in February. It's non-profit and being held at the University of British Collumbia...they'll also be having moosecamp and an outdoor barbeque (did I mention it's in February?). I met a lot of people last year and it was good fun and now I'm more into blogging than ever. The conference is called Northern Voice 2007 and it will be held Feb.23-24.

Cheers,
Patricia

[Bitt Faulk]

Go Brand Necrophilia!

http://jwz.livejournal.com/268332.html
http://jwz.livejournal.com/276786.html
http://jwz.livejournal.com/612626.html

[anj]

Noodle and Starshine, you are welcome to try 87113 and 87112. Albquerque zip codes, but I'm sure no one will mind if you use them. :o)
Wil, just curious, but how is the book coming along. ('Do you want Kids with that?',I think was the title) Did I miss it?

[Cherikooka]

I'm impressed, and yes, a bit envious.

[Chris Kessel]

Hey Wil, speaking of writing books. What ever happened to "You want kids with that?"

I was really looking forward to it...

[Tibbo]

Ok, so now I'm hooked up with this Netscape account, which makes me feel really 90s-like, and have added you as a friend.

All this because I read your post through my RSS feed after my after-work beer ;)

[TomB]

Hey Will, congrats on becoming a Netscape Navigator. You're a great addition there.

[elyssek]

Hey Wil,

It's probably silly, but I found it a really weird coincidence when I read this post- my mother worked a lot with Jason when he was at Silicon Alley Reporter, and I couldn't believe it when I saw his name here. Just one of those small world things, I guess.

Congratulations on the new job.

[johninoz]

Good for you Wil (and the family !)...

You have had some adventures in recent years ! All about finding other people with the right values and vision to work with ? Something that doesn't happen easily or quickly...

[Chongo]

is your salary part of your NDA? :)

I don't really want a figure really, but I am curious how much of a living someone can make doing some of the things you do.

[Syndelin]

Congrats Wil!

That definetly sounds like a great begining. I hope the journey is enjoyable for you!

I signed up and added you as a friend. It looks pretty interesting.

[Aaron Shear]

Hey Wil, I was a huge fan! Glad to see you back into our lives. Best wishes and congrats!

[Mike Violette]

Wil, I'm very disappointed in you. There's only one way to end a post entitled "All Good Things, part 2", and that is
"5 Card stud, Nothing's wild, and the sky is the limit.", and if you don't know why, well then... WTF.

Mike (ISS Spock).

[Chuck]

Getting paid to surf the internets sounds like a dream job. OK, I know there is more to it than that, but it does sound really cool. Congrats on the new gig.

[streaky]

Is now a good time to mention that I'm not a fan of the 'new' Netscape because it's users are even more retarded than digg's?

Hehe.

[head.fairy]

"I suggest 91505 because you'll know what the weather is like in beautiful downtown Burbank."
Despite the inherent shame, I always put 90210 as it's the only zip code I knew for many years.

[Kai]

Wil -

While I think what you're doing is totally cool, I was wondering if you've had any problems working for both Netscape and Revision3, considering Rev3 is owned by the same people who own Digg (unless I've been incorrectly informed). Digg and Jason Calacanis had some rivalry a while ago. Or that could all be just something exaggerated by various online news sites.

Anyway, congratulations and I look forward to reading the next book :)

[starshine_diva]

Thank you for showing me Netscape.

Now, I have something to do with all my vacation time, that makes me feel like I'm still advancing my career!! :D

My facebook friends will thank you too! :)

[Sumo]

Didn't you have some experience as a navitagor in some past life?

[ocomik]

Wil,

Was this one of those articles (posts) you talked about as being unfinished but you needed to put to bed a while back?

I only ask because it sounds like you decided to become a navigator right around the time Jason was either deciding to leave, or had left, AOL.

BTW I still think about Jason's memorable quote in Tahoe while playing T-H'em. "If it wasn't for prison rape, I'd be Lex Luthor!"

Playing poker with you guys was definately one of my more memorable geek experiences.

oCoMiK