Talks & Teaching

I’ve been giving talks at game industry events since 2014, and teaching university games programmes since 2013. At the moment I’m a regular guest lecturer at Den Danske Filmskole and ITU in Copenhagen. If you’d like me to bring my expertise to your event or university, please get in touch! I’m capable, enthusiastic and experienced at leading workshops, presenting talks, and running full semesters of classes.

CERN Narrative Workshop

In October 2019 I got to teach writing and interactive narrative design to quantum scientists at CERN working towards democratising quantum education through the medium of games. It was a real highlight of my teaching career!

Konsoll 2018

I gave a 1-hour talk at Konsoll titled “Delightful Dilemmas: Writing For Choice-Based Narratives.” The focus was on inspiring creativity & crafting compelling choices in narrative games. You can watch it here.

Creative Coast 2018

I gave a 1-hour talk at Creative Coast titled “Writing Through The Storm: How To Keep On Writing When The Going Is Tough.” The focus was on maintaining creativity .

Screenshake 2017

I gave a quick-hit talk at Screenshake 2017 titled “Don’t Hit The Snooze Button: How To Become A Better Writer In 10 Minutes Per Day.” I gave a 7-day programme to improve skills.

Interactive Fiction Workshops

I’ve taught Interactive Fiction (from paper, to Twine, to Unity) to hundreds of students at many locations, including: Irish Writers Centre, ITU Copenhagen, Den Danske Filmskole, ReFIG, V&A Museum, Level One Jam, Dublin Twine Jam & many more.

Nordic Game Jam 2018

I gave a 30-minute lecture at Nordic Game Jam titled “Theme Player: Finding Writing Inspiration When The Clock Is Ticking.” The focus was inspiring game jam narrative creativity.

AMAZE Berlin 2015

I gave a hypertalk at AMAZE titled “Surrender” on meditation and awareness for creativity. Getting 400+ people to meditate together made me happy.

Play New Stories 2019

If we want players to play new stories, we must write new stories. We cannot make meaningful work by copying past successes.

I shared methods for generating influences from unexpected sources, crafting these influences into meaningful choices designed for interactive storytelling, and techniques to mine your own life for the seeds of new stories to offer players.

University Lecturing

At DIT, I lectured on Interactive Narrative (3 years), RPGs & LARPs (3 years), and Project Management (1 year) on the BA in Game Design. At Trinity College Dublin, I lectured on Interactive Narrative on the MSc in Interactive Digital Media (2 years).

Game City Nottingham 2014

I gave a 30-minute talk at Game City titled “New Play Aeon: An Exploration Of Playful Occulture” which looked at occult techniques for game creation and finished with some joyful group yoga.

Playful Arts 2014

I gave a 30-minute talk at Playful Arts Festival titled “Arcane Play: Playful Occulture In The New Aeon” which focused on applying playful techniques from magick to games.