What was your first job as a journalist?
I started as an editorial intern at Nerve.com in 2004 and my first paid byline was Sex Advice From Doormen.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Purely in the context of being a super pretentious high school kid who found it romantic until he had to replace an ink ribbon.
How is social media changing news?
Social media has made good headline writing an even more delicate and vital practice.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Ben Urich as written by Matt Fraction in Marvel Comics.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means being a guide. We're all in the dark together, but a journalist holds a lantern so we can see.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
. Seeing that after a headline makes me crack up.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
My preferred pitch is from a source that is already familiar with the type of story I gravitate towards and my voice.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
My most recent favorite is Rev's AI transcription tool. It is a reliable primer for one of the most time-consuming journalistic tasks.
What's your favorite social network?
Like all journalists, I can't seem to quit Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Ray Bradbury.
Why did you become a journalist?
The world is a strange, contradictory place and I love it. Sharing stories about it is the only thing I've ever wanted to do.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I wrote film, music, and game criticism for the school paper when I transferred to public school in order to graduate early in 1998.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
"Cars Are Dying, Forza Horizon 4 Will Live On" is the platonic ideal of my feature writing, a mix of criticism science and tech reporting.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be fearless about the scale and scope of the story you want to tell. No source is unattainable.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time of day works, but the ideal time is between 9AM and 2PM ET.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The best pitch I ever received was from a company making materials to clean water damaged by fracking.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I once got a pitch from a company making sex toys shaped like Dick Cheney. Here we are, 13 years later, and I still can't shake the image.
What's your favorite drink?
Water. In any context, water is the best. First thing in the morning, when you wake up in the middle of the night, chasing whisky. Amazing.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Outside hiking or riding my bike, playing with my daughter, or reading while listening to music.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Pitchfork! It's been a daily read for me since 2001 and it remains a vital pub.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Writing about video games does not need to be directed at video game enthusiasts. The best stories are for everyone.
