The Pinning Dance: One Pinner's Analysis of Pinterest

Like the masses, I'm completely addicted to Pinterest. I was recently asked why I thought Pinterest was so successful and why it seems to be growing so unbelievably fast.

My first answer was simple: It's visual. Let's face it, most of us are visual people. We love eye candy. We're attracted to a product by its appearance, a recipe by the photo of the food,  and yes, a book by its cover. In fact, I would venture to guess that most Pinterest users repin a picture without even clicking on it  to read the text associated with the picture. I'm guilty of that myself.

So, I dug deeper. I came across this great infographic below. I'm admittedly growing tired of most infographics but this one is actually quite interesting and speaks the truth, in my humble opinion.

(Source: Mashable http://tinyurl.com/cb6q3ue)

I would also add the fact that Pinterest is deepy personal, customizable, and dare I say somewhat solitary-- but in a good way. Let me explain. When I linger on Pinterest, I'm not really actively engaging with friends or family. For the most part, I keep to myself. I see something, I repin it. I may be repinning a friend's pin, yes, but the act of repinning is the extent of my interaction with them. They'll see that I repinned it and that's enough.

I continue to build my boards and create my personal collections more for myself than for anybody else. I want to remember a beautiful photograph, so I pin it. I do this so I can return to my board at any later date to find that photograph again and admire it, or be inspired by it to create something else of my own. I pin a recipe so I can either make it myself down the road, or share it with a baker friend of mine. She'll see it on my board and repin it for herself. Again, that's the extent of our dialogue.

In essence, the act of pinning and repinning has literally become our entire conversation. I pin, you pin, a friend pins, I repin, somebody else pins, a stranger repins, a friend of the stranger repins, and so forth.  Pins are repeated for days, sometimes weeks to come. I've nicknamed this act of pinning and repinning: "The Pinning Dance."

(Pretend that pushpin above is spinning like a ballerina).

I still thoroughly enjoy The Pinning Dance and as such, I'd like to invite you to follow me on Pinterest here. I'd also love to hear your thoughts on Pinterest too! Please feel free to leave a comment on this post.

In other news (no pun intended), I'm busy this weekend writing an article for a local newspaper!

Stay tuned to hear more about that story next week!

9mm Earns 4 our of 5 Clicks from One Click Mac

9mm just got a fantastic review from One Click Mac and they mention story! WOO-HOO! Here's an excerpt:

"I have commented many times in the past about Gameloft's inability to tell a good story. Take a glance at Eternal Legacy, Fast Five The Movie: Official Game or Dungeon Hunter Alliance and you'll see what I mean. In 9mm, everything changes. Your action-packed tale of torment and anger is well written and, most importantly, well voice acted."



"In all, 9mm is worth it for the asking price if you are looking for a creative and diverse campaign. The multiplayer is a great addition, but too new to be of any value in its current state. It's moody, it's brash and it's Gameloft's most impressive Mac narrative yet."


Click here to read the full review, and buy your copy of 9mm from the App Store!

Also, 9mm was just nominated for Pocketgamer's Readers' Choice Awards!

Midnight Pool 3 Wins Silver Award from Pocketgamer!

My latest project, Midnight Pool 3, just won a Silver Award and a score of 8.0 out of 10 from Pocketgamer.


Game Reviewer James Nouch writes, "I mean, how much narrative justification does anyone really need to play a bit of 8-ball?

But while their presence might not be necessary, that isn't to say these additions aren't welcome. Midnight Pool 3's story is an endearingly ludicrous one, in which every dispute is decided with billiard balls, and every narrative beat takes place next to a felted table."

Here's a trailer that shows you some gameplay:



You can purchase Midnight Pool 3 now on your mobile phone. Yay!

Tidbits from the Typewriter (er...keyboard)

I read such a great screenplay this week! I wish I could tell you what it was called, but it's confidential. :-) Here's a hint:

That's about all I can say until the film is released. Sorry, Charlie. Just trust me, it was totally entertaining and will be a huge hit in the box office.

On another note, I've been dealing with a little bit of writer's block this week. I thought I'd take a moment to share some of my tricks:

Love to flick that thing right off my desk...

Who doesn't adore a squeezable martian?


Water! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


Let me BUILD something! Mmm... the smell is intoxicating!


Frustration no more! BANG!

Dum... dee... dum. Cute potato... Mustache!

Who knew toys from childhood would come in so handy? I'm also a huge fan of The Storymatic. It's just completely fun and useful all at the same time.


So let's hear it. What do you do about your writer's block?

Yes, I Can Write Filth.

I recently completed writing a very gritty game called 9mm which is set to debut this week at E3. 9mm is the story about a group of bad cops who do whatever it takes to keep the streets clean, even if that means breaking the law. Based loosely on Southern California (where I lived for 5 years), the game features gangs, a ton of violence, and all the characters have some serious potty mouths. This is definitely not a game for kids.

That said, it was an incredible collaboration with a designer named Damian who works out of a studio in another country... I can't say which. :-) Damian went to film school too, so we were really able to brainstorm and talk story well, a luxury I don't always get at my job. He happens to be a big fan of American action popcorn movies (and loves Sylvester Stallone), so we had some pretty hilarious conversations about eliminating "the cheese with which oozed" from the game. We were also very active with both the voice-over casting and recording processes which was SO great. (We're usually taken out of the loop at that point).

Don't blame me for all the cussing- this is what they wanted! :-) Check out the trailer below.




9mm is scheduled to be released any day now for Android, iPhone, iPad and iTouch devices.

New Online Content by Yours Truly

Recently, one of my freelance clients (SafetyWeb) launched a new product/service all about protecting one's privacy. It's called MyID.com- check 'em out!


As a result, I wrote a lot of content for their new website including both blog posts and resource articles. It's borderline ridiculous how much knowledge I now have in my brain about identity theft and online privacy. The research was fun and interesting and wow, there are a LOT of things we need to do to protect ourselves in the digital world.

Here are some links to a few of my blogs for your reading pleasure:

Twitter Can Damage Your Online Reputation

Top 10 Safety Tips for Online Dating

Tips for Staying Safe on Craigslist

Your Blog Could Get You Fired! (highly recommended reading)

More to come soon! :-)

WOOF- I heart doggies!

If you've taken one look at my photograph featured on this blog, you'll know that I'm a dog lover. The cute pooch next to me is our beautiful cocker spaniel named Frenchy. My husband and I found Frenchy on Petfinder.com through an amazing dog rescue organization in my area called Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue Inc. They are dedicated to rescuing and re-homing cocker spaniels and other breeds, and let's face it- there are a ton of homeless dogs in kill shelters around the country who need groups like this one to save them.

Here's a great pic of our baby taken during our engagement shoot a couple of years ago:


Photo taken by: Ryan Brenizer Photography

Isn't she adorable? So, why am I telling you all of this? Well, in addition to my writing work-- I also have experience in social media. I've been racking my brain for a while now to figure out how I can make a difference, particularly with this dog rescue group that has given my husband and I so much joy.

And then it hit me! Social media! Why I hadn't though of this before, I'll never know. In any case, I am now managing Abandoned Angels' Twitter page and following! I'm proud to say that within one week, we gained almost 300 followers and boy, are they loyal retweeters! :-) If you love dogs as much as I do, please follow us here: @NYCockerRescue.

And without further ado...

Today, March 15th is Adopt the Internet Day on Petfinder! Go ahead, click on the ad... it won't bite.


More than 320,000 pets are waiting for homes on Petfinder.com. Help Petfinder Adopt the Internet today and find forever homes for as many as possible! Go to Petfinder and rescue, rescue, rescue! Then, spread the word via Twitter, Facebook or on your blog all about Adopt the Internet Day. That's today, people!

If you live in the tri-state area and are looking to adopt or foster a beautiful cocker spaniel, please visit Abandoned Angel Cocker Spaniel Rescue on Facebook and give them a "like" to see all of their pooches searching for loving forever homes. Even better, check out their selection of available dogs on their Petfinder page! If you see one you like, email rescue@nyabandonedangels.com to request an application. (Yes, they do adopt out of state occasionally).

Now, get out there and get your wag on! WOOF!

A Writing Career?!

I recently came across Roni Loren’s blog post (by way of Gabriela Lessa’s blog) about all the various responses writers often get from people when they reveal that they are actual writers. This got me thinking about all the insane comments my whack-a-doodle mother has said to me over the years.

(no, that's not really my mom but it may as well be. she's just as loony)!

Here are just a few examples of her isms:

While I was attending graduate school for screenwriting: “What do you do besides watch movies all day?”

When I moved to Los Angeles: “Do you live next to a famous person?!”

When I became a copywriter: “I don’t get it. Do you write legal stuff?”

(In my mother’s defense, I actually get that question a lot).

When I started working in social media: "What is a Twit? I don’t understand how Tweeter works? If I go on Facebook, can I meet a man?"

When I began writing video games: “What kind of games do you write? Do you write Scrabble? I play a lot of Scrabble. Can you get me free Scrabble?”

…and our latest conversation (via phone last night) went a little like this:

MOM: Have you ever written a mystery?

ME: Yes.

MOM: You have??!

ME: Mom, you know I have.

MOM: Oh. You mean a game. I’m not talking about a game.

ME: No, I’ve written mystery stories other than games. You’ve read some of them.

MOM: I have? Well, I don’t remember. Anyway, I think I want to write mysteries as a hobby.

ME: Uh… okay.

MOM: But I want twists and turns and red herrings and stuff. How do you do that?

ME: Well, first you need a cast of characters.

MOM: Oh. But I want twists and turns.

ME: You still need characters.

MOM: But how do I figure out who committed the crime?

ME: What? What are you talking about?

MOM: How do I solve it? Do I start from the end? How will I know who did it?

ME: What? Just start with characters, okay?

MOM: Oh, okay. I need motives and weapons too!

ME: Decide where you want the story to be set.

MOM: Oh, I know that. In my office.

ME: Okayyyy…

MOM: We have a lot of interesting characters there! They say there’s nothing more interesting than real life!

ME: Actually, they say the opposite. Real life isn’t interesting enough. Things based on real life sometimes get dropped from the story, so be prepared for that.

MOM: Oh, but writing is such a good hobby. Don’t you think it is?

ME: Uh, yeh. That's what you've been telling me my whole life.

MOM: It's not a career. It's just something fun to do!

ME: Mom. I gotta go.

[scene]

A Working Weekend

I've been writing like mad lately. In fact, I spent my whole 3-day weekend working! No complaints here though because as my blog states, I'm trying to write as much as possible.


So, after coming up with a list of what not to get your boyfriend for Valentine's Day, I created Your 2011 Valentine's Day Gift Guide for Her which was really a secret list for my husband to randomly find, ha. Then, I wrote a piece about the oh-so handsome Colin Firth winning his Golden Globe (yay!), and produced what I think is a pretty useful review of the Top 5 Study Abroad Programs for Communications Majors.

Finally, I worked on some additional projects for my other freelance clients, none of which I can mention just yet. Shhh...

Oh, and I'm still working on my magazine queries. Just waiting for a bite. Pretty please bite!

The question is: what shall I create this week? Stay tuned to find out! :-)

Happy 2011! New content from moi...

I've been so busy crafting wool felt flower clips lately (don't worry, i'll post a pic soon) that my writing has somehow fallen to the back burner. Nevertheless, I recently published an article as part of Yahoo!'s Contributor Network. I've never used this network before, so I submitted an article more as an experiment than anything else. I figured the more online clips I have, the better!

So, please click, enjoy & pass it on!

How to Survive a Passive-Aggressive Boss

Also, one of my SafetyWeb resource articles was finally published- yay! If you are currently a college student or know somebody who is in college, this is a must-read. No joke. Check it out here:

Online Reputation Guide for College Students

More later, promise!

Where Did The Year Go?

greetings readers!

so, i haven't written in a couple of months because i've been super busy working and writing like crazy and o-m-g... where did the year go? my birthday's around the corner and soon it will be 2011!

i must admit that 2010 has been a pretty awesome year for me. i had steady freelance work to keep me afloat (so grateful for that) and i finally moved into a 2 bedroom apartment for a (drumroll please) HOME OFFICE!!!! *sigh* my dream! i'm still organizing the room, so expect some great photos sometime soon. let's just say that my walls are two-toned and i'm surrounded by inspiration. it's actually part office/part craft room and i can't tell you how much more productive i am with an entire separate room to myself!

i'm also super excited to announce some of my upcoming projects but unfortunately, everything is still confidential at the moment so i can't say much. :-( i will tell you that one of my games (remember the cupcake post?) is finally coming out in january and i can't wait for players to sink their fangs teeth into it!

i've also been working pretty hard on my children's book manuscript which i hope to finish by the end of the year.

so... stay tuned. more announcements to come soon!

Oregon Trail Makes IGN's Top 25 List...Again!

i realize that i keep talking about video games. i DO write other things. :-) but well, video games have been making a lot of news lately!

for example, a game i wrote last year called Oregon Trail (published by Gameloft) was just named one of The Top 25 iPhone Games of the Year by IGN for the 2nd year in a row! if you haven't checked it out yet, download it on your iphone or ipod touch now! it's fun, it's quirky and well, i'm pretty proud of the funny dialogue in it...especially samuel morse's! (little known fact: i'm a daughter of a ham radio operator and was taught morse code around the same time i learned the alphabet).

here's a colorful screenshot for you to enjoy:

why, oh why?

video games and bad writing.

they seem to go together like a big funky, crunchy, uber cheezy bowl of mac & cheese, right?

well, a friendly coworker of mine came across this video from The Escapist and it pretty much sums up the issues i go through while writing games. in fact, if you're in the video game business, this video should be, like, required viewing... or something. :-)

...And Now For Something Completely Different...

in addition to all of my other writing, i've been freelancing for several months for an extremely worthy start-up company called SafetyWeb which is based in denver, colorado. safetyweb is all about protecting kids online. they offer a subscription service to parents and will monitor their child's online activities, provide resource articles and tips, and they even have an iphone app!



i write their daily blog which covers news stories and parenting tips. it's super interesting material and it's really exciting to be a part of a start-up company with so many amazing people. i'm also working on their website revamp and a bunch of other content currently in the works.

go ahead and check out the blog here and if you know any parents- pass it on!

Life is a Popularity Contest!

and that's the object of my latest video game: high school hook ups!

admittedly, this goes against a lot of my morals. :-) when i was in high school, i was most certainly an outcast and pretty proud of it too. i didn't care about befriending the cheerleaders or the jocks, but this game makes all of that plus more fun- i swear! you even get to go to prom! also- the art is so cool in this game by a talented artist...really different from some of gameloft's previous ones. check out a few screenshots:

you get to play a male or female and you'll meet all kinds of characters that you need to try to impress...including the mean principal. it's a branching dialogue game with a ton of choices for the player, so you really have the chance to direct the outcome of the game!




*sigh* i heart teen angst.

high school hook ups was just launched today and is currently only available on sprint. in the next few days/weeks, it should be available on every u.s. and european carrier! stay tuned...

Chuckles for Shrek!

one of the iPhone games that i completed writing recently got released! very exciting! it's called shrek forever after and yes, it's based on the film. ign apparently reviewed the game in may, but i just noticed it today! journalist/reviewer, levi buchanan, gave the game a 6 out of 10 mainly due to technical issues, but he made a point to say this:

"The writing in Shrek is also good; there are many chuckles in here."

and that right there, folks, made my day. :-) it's pretty rare for writing to be mentioned in a mobile game review-- so i'm pleased as punch!

you can read the entire review here, or pick up the game in the app store and try it out for yourself!

Iron Man 2 is the current #1 App on iTunes!

it's true!

take a look:


for the full article, click here.

Just call me Avril!

so, i've been writing stories since i was a kid, screenplays too...and okay, now video games. but song lyrics? not quite. as an in-house game writer, however, you're sometimes asked to take on projects that may not necessarily be your cup of tea.

believe it or not, i've co-written original lyrics for songs in a few different video games, including American Popstar: Road to Celebrity (DSi) and Gangstar (iPhone). last week, i finished more song lyrics for an upcoming driving game. i'll talk more about that once it's released.

in the meantime, here's a verse or two from "Oh Mama," one of the songs i wrote for American Popstar. my direction? think "cry me a river" by justin timberlake...


Why were you
Holding back on me
About daddy?
You knew I had a dream
But you kept the reality
Away from me, oh.

Now you say
My goal is in my blood
Running through my veins.
You knew I had a dream.
Mama, you could make me scream.

Oh mama...oh mama...
Oh mama...oh mama...you are my family.

Bet you didn't think
This day would come
Smashing down, no.
But don't you realize
My love for you
Will never change, oh?

ok, i won't bore you with anymore. :-P hey, i never said it was shakespeare! you can hear the whole song in the game which is available on Nintendo's DSi.

My Hero is Pissed!

let me explain.

my boss got a computer virus at work. he backs files up in a drive that we writers share. eventually, i got the computer virus. then, i spread it to half our office. this ridiculously annoying virus has plagued me for the past 2 weeks. our IT department has been working furiously to remove it and i've been moved to 2 different temporary computers since. one had no internet and no microsoft office. the 2nd had no internet and no sound...but eventually got both. mind you, most of my files were not backed up because guess what? our back up drive at work has been down for the past 3 months. somehow, through this entire mess, the IT department was blaming me for my issues or just making me feel guilty in general. in their defense, they've been very stressed by all the viruses going around. still, this insanity has made me lose my mind a few times at work which, frankly, is not like me at all. long story even longer-- that virus spread to my ipod and has now infected my personal computer too.

anyway, the point of this post is to explain how it's affected my work, not my mood. every writer is influenced by various things while they're writing and it's been a struggle to continue writing my VERY URGENT project when all my months of communication about the game were lost and my files were missing for 2 weeks.

the project is super uber confidential so i can't say much about it. what i will say is that it's based on a comic book and my comic book hero is pissed. he's angry at all the other characters (even his buddies) and as a result- he keeps yelling at people and trying to fight them. at the end of the day, i review the stuff i've been writing and laugh at how unbelievably bitter my so-called hero is. he has a massive chip on his metallic shoulder. and then, yes, i spend the last few hours of my day rewriting him so that he's not so angry at the world. after all, what does he have to be so angry about? he doesn't have a computer virus!

And On Another Note...

a friend recently sent me a job posting for a video game writing lead at a certain video game company that shall go unnamed. it seemed like a dream job, until i got to one line within the job description:

* Zero desire to parlay your game writing experience into a film, TV show, novel &c.

what a weird thing to include in a job description! i don't know a single writer that doesn't fantasize about other mediums...do you?