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!

Pinterest a.k.a. My Latest Obsession

Do you know about Pinterest? If not, you should. Pinterest is a virtual (and visual) pinboard website and app that allows you to share photos, products, articles, and more with all of your friends. I could literally sit on the site for hours and once you get the hang of things, you'll probably feel the same way. The recipes alone look so delicious that you'll repin tons, even if you plan on never cooking them.

Here's the latest product that I pinned:


This limited-edition T-shirt from Hendrick Boards is available only until February 15th and reads: "BE THE PERSON YOUR DOG THINKS YOU ARE." With every purchase, a percentage is donated back to animal shelters, including Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue (the local dog rescue I work for). So, click that link and buy a tee!

Click here to follow me on Pinterest and find other cool things I obsess over.

Brushing Up

I haven't created a spec ad in quite some time, so when I came across this print ad in a magazine-- I thought this was a great opportunity to brush up on my copywriting skills.

Exhibit A

By looking at that ad above, do you know what it's about? The headline is too long and wonky... not to mention the fact that it doesn't match the visual at all.

The bottom copy reads:
"Start today by finding out if you have Chronic Migraine. Knowing that what you've been living with has a name, means knowing you can find treatments that are right for you. After all, saying 'yes, I'll be there' ...and really being there... shouldn't be a luxury."

Then, it says "Don't live a Maybe life" because, you know, this ad is supposed to make me feel compelled to do something right this second.

Exhibit B

The above ad is my "after" version which includes a clean headline that speaks to the reader and ties in to the visual.

The bottom copy reads:
"If you experience 15 or more headaches a month, you may suffer from Chronic Migraine, a headache disorder that affects 3.2 million Americans, mostly women. Identifying the cause of your pain is the first step towards finding helpful treatments that are right for you."

I chose to include more information about how many people are affected by Chronic Migraine because it jumped out at me on their website. 3.2 million Americans is a lot of people, after all! Mainly women? Great, more info I would want as a reader. If I did suffer from migraines, these facts would make me want to visit the website to learn more.

I also took the bit about the "maybe life" out because maybe it didn't belong. (No, seriously, it didn't). It was cheesy and unnecessary.

So, what do my dear readers think? Thoughts? Observations? Criticisms about my basic Photoshop skills? :-) Don't hold back!

All About Dino

This is Dino, my foster dog.

On the left is what he looked like when I first met him at the shelter and the right side is Dino today. He was a stray brought into the Brooklyn shelter system and was later rescued by Abandoned Angels Cocker Spaniel Rescue, the organization for which I manage social media.

Dino has been living with my husband and I since about June and I have fallen madly in love with him. Our dog, Frenchy, isn't too fond of him though and so we're still looking for the perfect permanent home for Dino.

Here are 10 things about Dino that you won't find in his bio:

1. You can probably see this in his "after" pic; his right ear hangs back as if he's opening it up to hear you. (It's uber cute).
2. He destroys chew toys, but will be your best friend if you give him a bone or better yet- a cow's ear.
3. He gives endless kisses and loves belly rubs.
4. He actually lets you clean his ears without a problem (my Cocker fights this like you would not believe).
5. He enjoys running (and prancing), and would probably make a great running partner.
6. He wakes us in the morning with a big lick on the face. Warning: His tongue is cold!
7. He sits and gives paw and will even give you his other paw too, if you ask nicely.
8. He sleeps with his eyes half way open, snores a lot, and is startled when you wake him.
9. He is enamored by the squirrels, birds, and cats that he sees outside our bedroom window.
10. He actually hugs like a human with his paws around the neck and everything!


If you have a fenced in backyard and no cats or kids (a prerequisite determined by the rescue) and would like to give Dino a permanent loving home, please email rescue@nyabandonedangels.com to request an application. My husband and I will be extremely sad to see him leave our family, but we know he deserves a suburban backyard. We are secretly hoping that his new owners will send us updates and photographs. :-)

If you're looking to adopt a dog, please visit www.nyabandonedangels.com to view their selection of rescued dogs. They have Cocker Spaniels, Poodles, Springer Spaniels, Jack Russell Terriers, and more. They are always looking for foster homes too and can arrange to transport a dog anywhere in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Please also give them a like on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to stay up to date with rescue news, etc. (Yes, I'm their Twitter gal). Please pass the info to anybody you know who is looking for a new pooch! Words cannot express how much Frenchy (adopted from Abandoned Angels in 2007) and Dino have both changed our lives. The love you will feel for a precious, homeless animal is bigger than you can ever imagine.

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?