GAME WRITER HUSTLE: The Writing Test
Competition is fierce. Top videogame studios know there's a TON of talent out there vying for that dream game writer gig. (or, in these troubled times, ANY decent work) The solution? A little bit of controversial 'free labour' known as...the WRITING TEST. Now, I've been a game writer and interactive narrative guy since 1997. That's 23 YEARS. Let that sink in for a minute. And even with that slew of storytelling experience, heaps of professional accolades, high-level game writer recommendations, and some acclaimed self-created indie projects? I still get asked, more often than not these days, to 'audition'. Seriously. ..
How Dungeons & Dragons Revealed My True Character
The roots of capital-c Creativity run deep. Mine grew wild and tangled 'til squeezing tight at the sound of rolling dice. Role-playing. Escapism. Fantasy.Call it what you want, son. The rest of us called it...D&D. Dungeons & Dragons pushed my burgeoning imagination in strange and exciting new directions. But, as this story (embedded above and transcribed below) will show, it also taught me something essential about myself...
PODCAST TIME: How an Epic Hike Across Spain Changed the Course of My Career
30 years ago, I first heard of the legendary 900km pilgrimage across Spain — the Camino De Santiago. 10 years ago, after reading The Pilgrimage and The Alchemist by acclaimed author Paulo CoeIho, I made the decision to walk it myself. And in the summer of 2008 -- with a huge career opportunity in the dust and nothing but a 20kg backpack as my companion, I took the first steps on this life-changing journey...
GAME WRITING: A Short Exercise In Suspense ('Homecoming')
A potential client recently offered an intriguing challenge — write a short story in five parts with the following limitations: three sections of prose under 200 words in 2nd person narrative style, and two sections of TEXT MESSAGE dialogue with 8 lines or less in each. Use a female protagonist, and craft the tale from one of the following genres: Romance, Urban Fantasy, Comedy, Horror, or Suspense.
HAVEN: A 'Choose Your Own Adventure' Mini-Mystery (TEXT ONLY)
I'm an oldschool text adventure fan. ZORK 4 LIFE. Thanks to a client's prompting, and the power (and ease) of TWINE, I whipped up this wee mystery/thriller 'prologue'. Zero frills. More of a proof-of-concept than anything else. But as a fan of Twin Peaks and The Prisoner, you KNOW that weirdness awaits...
The 10 Must-See Films of 2017
I'm back on the annual horse for another crack at a 'Best Films' list, which will hopefully get more eyeballs on deserving stories that slipped under the radar in 2017. FYI — I guarantee moments of smug agreement, eye-rolling opposition, and (for at least one contentious choice) even some vocal protest. Trailers aplenty, too. Get clicking!
THE NEW PODCAST IS A THING!!!
I've been asked countless times do a podcast. Thing is, I kinda hate my voice. Which is surprising, considering my tendency to babble. But you kept on nudging me. And then, one crisp winter’s day on the Greek Isle of Rhodes, a pal sent me an outrageous sale listing for a most excellent USB mic on Amazon. That's when I got to fiddling...
QUICK HITS: Podcast News, OZ Chat, Travel Talk, and MORE!!!
With spring in full swing, it's high time (pun intended) to catch everyone up on the fresh goodies as well as some of the irresistible munchies I've got baking in the ol' brain oven. And if you've been stalking the Twitter and FB feeds, then you know what's gotta drop first, right? THERE'S A SWANKY NEW PODCAST COMING TO TOWN...
TWIN PEAKS: SEASON 3 SCOOPS!
It's time for a quick roundup of what went down at yesterday's big TWIN PEAKS announcement, with any and all wide-eyed speculation from yours truly to be taken with girthy licks of salt...even if it's based on very real set reports and caffeinated insider rumblings.
A B.B. 'BLACK FRIDAY' BONANZA!
The whole 'Black Friday' thing creeps me out something fierce, and is right at the top of my list when it comes to proof of the imminent collapse of civilization. But I USED to be a certifiably crazy collector. A completist. So this post is for you, my fellow 'hunters' — for friends and fans who need to catch 'em all...
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