It's me!

Recent college grad and proud owner of a Bachelor's degree in both English writing and English literature from the University of Pittsburgh, I am a writer, game designer, artist, photographer, and general creative person. My favorite color is pink, I love the smell of freshly brewed coffee, and find supreme coziness in the crinkling whisper of leaves. A day doesn't pass where I don't at least try to make something (no matter how successful that endeavor may be)!

In 2021, I worked as the lead writer on a visual novel called "Keepless Nights", which went on to win the Judges' Choice Award at the Games 4 Social Impact Game Jam. On my own, I've made several interactive narratives via Twine as well as a vertical slice of a narrative-driven point-and-click adventure game in Unity. While much of my interest lies in the storytelling side of games, I also have some scripting know-how. As a programmer, I'm knowledgeable in Python, Java, and C#, with a passable amount of experience in HTML. 

I'm a genre writer whose work goes from neo-noir sci-fi, to Japanese fantasy, to apocalyptic space opera, and everywhere in-between. My fiction has appeared in the Blue Marble Press and is slated for release through Stupefying Stories. A memoir piece of mine, "How Do You Talk to Friends?", also won third prize in the Melissa Difatta Nonfiction Contest. I've done a variety of freelance work, including: writing blog posts and making video essays. I also create all of the written content you see on this website, diving deep into topics I'm interested in and gushing about my interests. I'm always writing in some capacity, whether for work or as my own creative outlet.

Writing Experience

Games Experience

I also have experience developing tabletop games, having worked as an intern at Pandora Games during Spring 2022. There, I taught myself graphic design while tasked with designing various decks of playing cards. I also wrote flavor and body text for cards and workshopped game mechanics for multiple games throughout the design process.

My main goal in life is simply to create stuff! Whether it's by publishing novels, designing games, making art, or doing whatever I can to help other people make their own art, all I want is to be involved in the process of creation. Making stuff is a magical thing. This very website is a celebration of that! :)

(SUPERNOVA: one of the games I worked on at Pandora)

(Screenshot from Keepless Nights)

Editorial Experience

Alongside my freelance writing, I've also spent the past two years building my skills as a freelance developmental editor. I've given feedback on over a dozen manuscripts and short stories, working with authors to hone their writing and nail down their narratives. As an editor, my feedback has been described as "thoughtful and insightful" as well as "honest, gentle, clear, and helpful." Two of the novels I've worked on have gone on to be published, alongside one narrative podcast! Serving as a constructive voice that can help other authors grow is a very rewarding experience that I'm immensely proud of.

(I gave editorial feedback on Scott Warren's novel War Horses: Chevalier)

(I am Joel Troutman)

Get in touch!

Reach out directly :)

joelatroutman@gmail.com

Or use this form thing!