What was your first job as a journalist?
Professionally, writing for The Argus, a Sussex-based Newspaper. Eternally grateful to Will Freeman for getting me in. I was a nobody.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
My mum had an old one I used to mess around with as a kid, trying to compose short stories. All that Tippex though.
How is social media changing news?
In some respects it improves legitimacy and in others it tramples all over it, muddying the waters and becoming its own strain of propaganda.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I don't have one.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To tell the damn truth and not attempt to take on work that you're not qualified to cover.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Honestly, I don't keep up.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email me directly is always best.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
A Macbook with Pages. An internet connection.
What's your favorite social network?
X is the best, although I don't think Social Media is doing much good in the world.
Who do you wish followed you?
Jonathan Ross. He often used to chat with me when I worked in a London retro game store.
Why did you become a journalist?
I adore language and the written word. It's work that I genuinely enjoy, on subjects I genuinely enjoy.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I didn't, but I did create two issues of an elaborate, full-colour fanzine once called Silicon World. I could only afford to print a few.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Hard to say. The CafeID piece was quite an experience, but I think Bullets & Toothpicks is one of the best things I've ever had published.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't be afraid to knock on doors to pitch an idea. You might just get a shot. And if you get that shot, make sure you don't blow it.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Whenever!
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Something involving going to Prague to interview Tera Patrick.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I don't get pitched much to be able to choose a worst. I've done most of what I've been offered.
What's your favorite drink?
Black coffee, straight up.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Probably with the lady. Possibly with the lady in the arcade, or playing Mario something on a Nintendo something.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I have no favourites.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That I don't play modern games. I do.
