The year 2022 is almost over, much to the dismay of most people I know, including myself. So much has happened in the past year+ that it feels a bit pointless to rehash it all. Suffice it to say, I moved to Illinois and began my studies in the MFA program at Southern Illinois University. What happened was quite unexpected, as there has been little in the way of traditional "writing" as one might expect when they envision an MFA program. Instead, I was introduced to the path that I have sought for so long but which felt intangible and just beyond the grasp of my full understanding.
Interactive narrative is something I deeply enjoy and is the reason I've gravitated to video games with complex layered worlds and strong narrative arcs, such as Fallout, Mass Effect, and Disco Elysium. I always longed to be able to do interactive stories like this, but bemoaned the necessity of programming, coding, and a background that far outstripped my (ear muffs, young ones) coding-html-for-AOL-profiles background. But that is something I have been instructed in during this fall semester. Technology has crossed an event horizon of sorts and the barrier of requirement has become permeable, what with AI and programs that can do the artwork and coding for you. This has opened new worlds for me and I'm so excited to be able to publish some of the projects from this semester very soon. From Twine to Visual Novel Maker to RPG Maker to Midjourney and NightCafe, these new programs and platforms have allowed me to bring my cinematic style of writing into the interactive space I have always dreamed of. So stay tuned...
But here's some teaser material to give folx an idea when they ask "what IS she doing out there anyway?"
You can also check out a couple of my short films on YouTube .
Hope all is going well on your side of the screen. Happy Holidays and all that jazz!