Celebrating the 500th: Why Write?

All this would not be possible without the entries of all the users who write and draw for the NT. Users just like you.

Unless you already contribute to the Neopian Times, one question is: why write?

The fact is, being published in the newspaper has its merits for every kind of player, whether you’re a writer or an artist, avatar collector, someone who enjoys earning Neopoints, a trophy collector, or even just the average Neopian who does a little bit of everything.

Avatar collector: Why Write?

It just so happens that there is not only one, but two avatars associated with getting published in the Neopian Times. The first is that shiny avatar with the quill on it: Neopian Times Star. Aptly named, it is rewarded to you when you’ve been published in the NT ten times. Once you’ve had those many publications, just visit your user lookup, and it’s all yours.

Anyone sporting the NT Star avatar is bound to awaken some jealousy in other users no matter where they go. Having ten Neopian Times publications cannot be called easy, but it cannot be labelled as impossible either. Ten publications means you aren’t limited to any specific sort of entry; everything except the editorial counts. So, it’s up to you if you want to write an article, a short story, or a series, or draw a comic. If your series is published, each separate part is considered one publication – so if your series with five parts is chosen to appear in the NT, you’re already halfway there!

The second Neopian Times related avatar is only available every 50 weeks. What do I mean? It’s called Neopian Times Writer and it sports the most adorable White Weewoo in existence holding onto a quill. You obtain it by being published in a 50th edition of the Neopian Times – so, if you want to try for it now, you’d have to be published in the 550th or the 600th, or the 650th, and so on.

Again, you can enter a short story, an article, a series, or a comic! It’s entirely up to you. Of course, this avatar does require a little bit of luck, simply because there tends to be an influx of entries around the 50th editions, because there are generally a lot of people hoping for the Neopian Times Writer avatar. Again, it’s not impossible – don’t let competition stop you from trying.

Earning neopoints: Why Write?

If your focus on Neopets is on accumulating wealth, you’re probably wondering what you stand to gain from getting published in the NT. Most likely, you’d rather spend time restocking, or reselling, or playing games to earn money instead of writing an article. However, you can earn money from the Neopian Times – but only on special occasions.

Every once in a while, a very noteworthy holiday rolls around and the Neopian Times publishes a themed issue to celebrate. For example, week 497 was themed Fyora in honour of Fyora Day; the graphics were Fyora-themed and one could find many Fyora-inspired comics, articles, and short stories that were published that week.

So, what’s so special about a themed edition? Well, you actually win prizes for being published in the Neopian Times during one of these weeks! Some of these prizes can also be very rare and expensive.

While I won’t recommend relying on Neopian Times prizes for your money – after all, themed editions only come around a few times a year – winning and selling one of your prizes can definitely be a boost to your bank account.

For example, one year ago, I was saving up for my Draik. By some stroke of luck, I was published both in the Valentines issue and the Jhudora Day issue. The prizes definitely helped me out in my goal to purchase a Draik Morphing Potion. Try it out; you have nothing to lose, and your efforts may just be rewarded.

Trophy collector: Why Write?

Well, this one should be fairly obvious. When you get published in the Neopian Times, a shiny trophy is added to your trophy cabinet – and might I add, when I say shiny, I mean shiny. In my opinion, it’s one of the prettiest trophies around. A simple gold quill, and underneath it, it’s labelled ‘Neopian Times Champion!’

Now, who doesn’t want to be called a champion?

And if being called a champion once isn’t enough, the label also lists the amount of publications. So if you’ve been published in the NT five times, your lovely trophy will read ‘Neopian Times 5x Champion!’ Won’t that look good in your trophy cabinet?

Everyone: Why Write?

You don’t have to be any of the above to find a reason to submit your entry to the Neopian Times. If you’re a writer or an artist, it’s fun, constructive, and rewarding. Seeing your writing or your art published – even if it on Neopets – is always encouraging.

Another reason that applies to everyone is the fame. No, getting your entry published in the NT won’t make you an instant celebrity, but it does put your name out there for everyone to see! In fact, there are a few people out there who specifically check the NT for people who got published for the first time, and they neomail them to congratulate them. When my first article got published, I got three very sweet neomails from kind users congratulating me on my publication, and encouraging me to keep writing! Now, with a few articles and stories published, I’ve received quite a few nice neomails over the time, which never fail to brighten up my day.

Of course, the main reason to submit to the Neopian Times is also the most obvious one: write or draw simply because it’s fun.

To all those who have been published before – congratulations, and keep going. And to all of you who haven’t been published yet, I’d like to encourage you to try, and wish you good luck. Thank you for reading!