WRITING PORTFOLIO
I’m a professional writer-for-hire with experience working on a wide variety of projects, from screenplays to games to travel articles. Examples of my work can be found below.
GAMES:
ZOMBIES, RUN!
Genre: Zombie apocalypse/fitness
Developer: Naomi Alderman/Six to Start
Zombies, Run! is a zombie-themed smartphone game with a strong story component, created by writer Naomi Alderman. I joined the game’s writing team as a trainee during season 6 of the game’s ongoing storyline and worked as a staff writer across seasons 7, 8, and 9 as well as for the game’s Home Front miniseries, produced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since season 10, I have been working on the game as deputy showrunner.
In addition, I’ve co-created and co-written several spinoffs under the game’s New Adventures label, namely the sci-fi themed Venus Rising and its sequel Titan’s Shadow, and the pirate themed Abel’s Buccaneers. I also wrote the Spring 2022 Virtual Race event, Runners of the Round Table.
ThE TRASAMIRE CAMPAIGNS
Genre: Strategy
Developer: Gemcutter Games
The Trasamire Campaigns is a RISK-like strategy game set in a fantasy kingdom reeling from the death of its tyrannical monarch. The player takes the role of one of five potential successors, each fighting for the throne with their own unique perspective and abilities. I worked as the Narrative Designer for this title, which features a heavy story element — including five branching campaigns, dynamic ability cards, an evolving world map, and reactive battle dialogue. The game can be found on Steam and GOG.
RUNE RAIDERS
Genre: Adventure/strategy
Developer: Retro64
Rune Raiders is a tile-based strategy adventure game set in a medieval fantasy world. I was approached to provide a plot and catchy dialogue for the various characters. Because each character was only able to say a few words per level, creating a satisfying story arc for each one was an interesting challenge. The game’s trailer can be found here, and the game’s writing can be seen in action here.
GOBLIN WAR MACHINE/SUPER GOBLIN WAR MACHINE
Genre: Action/derby
Developer: Big Block Games
Goblin War Machine encouraged players to create absurd engines of destruction and embark on bloody anti-human rampages. To counterbalance the carnage, I was asked to provide jokes for the start of each level, comic location names, and humorous obituaries for the doomed human kings. Goblin War Machine eventually expanded into Super Goblin War Machine, for which I also provided writing. The game can be seen in action here.
COFFEE BREAK HERO
Genre: Adventure
Developer: Big Block Games
A fantasy adventure game made in only fourteen days for the charity Child's Play. Coffee Break Hero was extremely challenging because of the tight time frame it was produced under. I provided dialogue, plot, a backstory and mission descriptions.
BLACK MARKET
Genre: Sci-fi RPG
Developer: Big Block Games
Black Market was an enormous undertaking, a massive online space/trading simulator which required a vast volume of writing. I was tasked with penning a three act campaign (including a tutorial, mission design, a twisty plot, a large cast of characters and branching dialogue), an in-game encyclopedia, general setting history, background material for all in-game items and locations, additional branching dialogue for random encounters, in-game product advertisements, and a development blog.
PROSE:
for a few cryo-pods more
A micro-fiction short about a crashing Generation Starship, published by Martian Magazine. It is available online here and here.
The MACHINE THAT IS YOU
A short story about an AI considering medical insurance fraud, which was published in the September/October 2023 edition of Analog Science Fiction and Fact.
WHY DON’T YOU ASK THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE?
A short story about a universe-destroying doomsday machine suffering from an existential crisis, published by Strange Horizons magazine. It can be read online here.
THE BLUE FOREST
Short story about a scientific research team developing a new form of aquatic life. Winner of iO9.com’s 2008 “Mad Scientist” competition. It can be found online here.
SCREENPLAYS:
BLUE STEEL: READY PLAYER GO
I was head writer and producer for the web-series Blue Steel: Ready Player Go, a satirical adventure about a group of young would-be superheroes attempting to defeat a sinister video game. It can be found online here.
ARTICLES AND BLOG POSTS:
SALAR DE UYUNI – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Travel article at The Planet D, on essential tricks for travellers planning to visit Bolivia’s famous Salar De Uyuni. It can be found here.
6 THINGS TO EXPECT WHEN HIKING RAINBOW MOUNTAIN IN PERU
Travel article at The Planet D, on essential tricks for travellers planning to visit Peru’s mighty Rainbow Mountain. It can be found here.
FREELANCING FOR GLOBAL LINGO
Featured blog post on my experiences as a freelance writer for the transcription, translation and minute-taking service provider, Global Lingo. It can be found here.
wORKSHOPS:
I have delivered workshops and seminars on writing in video games for the School of Arts and Humanities at St Mary's University in London, and for the British Council in Moscow (partnered with Moscow’s Scream School).
Workshop topics include:
The Basics of Narrative in Gameplay
Designing Emotive Quests
Balancing Player Choice in a Branching Narrative
Designing a Coherent World
Making Sandbox Stories Matter.
For information about workshops and teaching rates, please inquire via email.