All my life I’ve been a fierce force of imagination, persistence, and hard work: like a dragon hunting for gold. But instead of treasure, I’ve been searching for stories to tell and ways to make an impact.

Born in Belarus, I studied journalism in Bulgaria and worked in marketing in Russia, but storytelling has always been my true passion. I create narratives that allow people to explore fresh perspectives in a safe, immersive way.

As a queer, neurodivergent woman from a patriarchal country, I’m passionate about shedding light on complex topics through my work. Over the years, I’ve designed more than 100 LARP games, written 10+ original tabletop campaigns, and worked as a script supervisor on the short film Mein Name Akim (2024), which tells the story of transgender refugees in Germany.

During my MA in Serial Storytelling at IFS Cologne, I honed my skills across genres, working on solo projects as well as collaborating in Writers' Rooms.

Currently, I’m co-developing a visual novel game with a co-author as a passion project.

Now that I've completed my degree, I’m eager to bring my creativity to TV and gaming, crafting stories in both English and German.

Dragons never stop breathing fire. And neither do I, with an endless flow of ideas and stories I can’t wait to share.

Alena Lysiakova

I’m currently writing my first vertical series, and here’s my biggest takeaway so far:


🐲 Momentum is everything.

#Verticals don’t live in perfect structure or beautiful prose. They live in forward motion. Every scene has to pull the reader into the next one immediately without warm-ups or lingering. 

And that’s both the hardest and the most fun part.

You constantly ask yourself:
 👉 Does this end with a reason to keep scrolling?
 👉 Does this scene move, emotionally or plot-wise?
 👉 Can I afford to slow down here? (Usually no)

It’s intense, slightly addictive, and weirdly liberating. Once you lock into the rhythm, the story starts running on its own momentum.

#VerticalSeries #Screenwriting #Storytelling

Alena Lysiakova 🐉

Narrative designer and screenwriter ▶️ Let's create stories that make an impact

Finishing my first #vertical rom-com sample taught me one thing very clearly: you don’t write episodes from the beginning. You write them from the cliffhanger. 🙂 


In verticals, the ending isn’t a nice wrap-up. It’s the engine. Every episode has to land on a moment that reframes what we just saw, emotionally, romantically, or comedically, and makes the next episode unavoidable.
So instead of asking, “How does this episode start?” I started asking, “What’s the last thing I want the viewer to feel?” 

💡 Once the cliffhanger is clear, the rest of the episode snaps into place. Scenes suddenly know how long they’re allowed to be. Dialogue stops rambling. Every beat either pushes toward that final turn or it gets cut.

Writing verticals this way changed how I think about structure in general.
Endings first. Then precision. Then mercy for nothing that doesn’t earn its place. In most of the cases, if the cliffhanger works, the episode works. Everything else is just scaffolding.

#VerticalSeries #Screenwriting #StoryStructure

🐲 Ever wondered why some audio games pull you in instantly, and others just sound like long audiobooks with buttons?

It’s rarely a tech problem. It’s almost always a writing problem.
That’s why I’m running a live masterclass on writing for audio interactive games, and it’s built as a write-along session, not a lecture. 

What we’ll do together:
- Start with a simple inner pitch and turn it into a playable audio scene
- Learn how to write stories that work without visuals, using sound, silence, and pacing
- Craft dialogue that actually survives being spoken aloud
- Design micro-choices that create emotional pressure instead of fake branching
- Learn how to ask the right questions that drive interactive audio forward
- Break down the most common mistakes in audio interactive writing, and fix them with less text 

We’ll also explore TWIST, the interactive audio engine by EarReality, and how it makes writing for audio easy, intuitive, and exciting, even if you’re not technical.

You’ll leave with:
- A playable audio micro-scene you wrote during the session
- A repeatable way of thinking about interactive audio writing
- Clear next steps to continue developing your story

This is for you if you’re:
- A writer curious about games but focused on story
- A narrative designer moving into audio
- An audio drama creator exploring interactivity
- A creator looking for new storytelling formats

📝 Come ready to write. This is a write-along interactive session.
Event details & registration are below 👇 
https://lnkd.in/eiV_CTyB

Audio interactive games are not audiobooks. They are not podcasts with choices. And they don’t work if you “just write good dialogue.”

This live masterclass is a writing-first, hands-on session focused entirely on how stories change when they are written for ears, choice, and listener agency. We are not talking about game mechanics or coding. We are talking about writing — and how to rethink it for interactive audio.

📝 Be ready to write a lot. And interact a lot. This masterclass is designed for people who learn by doing, not by watching slides.

Lawrence Marable, Wynona Cybil Alwyn and 23 other attendees

View event: Masterclass: Writing for Interactive Audio Games

Masterclass: Writing for Interactive Audio Games

One of the fastest ways to break immersion in an audio game is letting the protagonist know more than the player. 👾 


The moment that happens, intimacy is gone. 💀 
Audio works because it’s close. Personal. Almost conspiratorial. The player is inside the character’s head. And that only works when discovery happens together.

Shared ignorance is powerful.

When neither the player nor the protagonist knows what’s behind the door, every sound matters. Every pause carries weight. Every choice feels risky, not because it’s complex, but because it’s unknown.

From a narrative design perspective, this changes how you structure information:
🐲 Exposition becomes something you earn, not something you dump
🐲 Revelations land harder because they surprise both sides
🐲 Trust forms between player and character; you’re figuring it out together

The opposite is also true. If the protagonist casually hints at knowledge the player doesn’t have (“You already know why this is bad…”), the player is suddenly outside the story, trying to catch up instead of living it.

In audio, dramatic irony is a luxury you rarely need. Alignment beats cleverness.

👉 Design your stories so the player and protagonist learn, doubt, and panic at the same pace. That’s where audio stops being a format and becomes an experience.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames #StoryArchitecture

Audio games are often designed as one-time experiences. 


You listen, you move forward, you reach an ending. The format is intimate and linear, so replayability is usually not the goal. 
👉 But it could be.

Replayability in audio doesn’t mean adding more branches or content. It means designing for a new understanding.

If you want a second playthrough to feel rewarding, focus on how knowledge changes the experience:
🐲 Early lines that seem insignificant
🐲 Casual remarks or offhand comments that only gain meaning once the player knows what’s coming
🐲 Consistent NPC behavior

Characters don’t need twists, just logic. On replay, players start recognizing patterns that were always there. 
👉 Choices that don’t announce their importance
👉 Decisions that feel neutral at first, but quietly shape tone, trust, or outcomes later
👉 Consequences that echo instead of exploding
👉 Subtle shifts rather than obvious feedback

The difference becomes clear only in comparison.

If a second playthrough doesn’t make the player notice what they missed the first time, the story was built to be consumed, not discovered. And audio, of all formats, benefits the most from discovery.

Do you replay audio games at all?

#AudioGames #InteractiveStorytelling

In audio games, choices aren’t just content. 
👉 They’re mechanics.


“Open the door.” “Crack the door quietly.” “Kick the door in.”
Same action. Completely different game.

The phrasing doesn’t just describe behavior, it tells the player how to feel about the choice. Safe. Careful. Aggressive. Desperate. Confident. Panicked.

That’s why writing choices is a design task, not just a writing one.
When I work on audio narratives, I think about:
🐲 What emotional tone does this phrasing signal?
🐲 Does it invite caution or recklessness?
🐲 Does it frame the player as in control or reacting under pressure?
🐲 Does it suggest consequences without spelling them out?

The player isn’t only choosing what to do. They’re choosing how they are doing it and who they are in this moment.

If your choices are all written in the same neutral voice, you’re flattening player agency, even if the branches are complex. In audio, wording is gameplay.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames #GameWriting

I’m hosting a remastered round of our free EarReality webinar:
“The Business of Interactive Audio: TWIST Engine & Monetization”

If you’re a(n):
🐲author or narrative designer
🐲voice actor or podcaster
🐲 brand/content marketer
…and you’re curious how to turn stories (or your voice) into interactive audio experiences that can actually earn royalties, this is for you.

I’ll cover:
🎧 A practical intro to the TWIST Engine – what writers & performers really need to know
💰 How self-publishing, collaborations, and monetization work on TWIST & TWIST Tales
🎭 A “lean back” listening session + breakdown of how an interactive story is built step by step

Wish to attend? Link is below 👇 
https://lnkd.in/eWjk-bNA

Feel free to join, share, or tag a writer / voice actor who keeps saying “one day I’ll try something interactive.” This is the day.

#interactiveaudio #narrativedesign #voiceacting #writingcommunity #EarReality #TWIST

🎤 🎧 We’re back with a remastered version of our FREE webinar for authors, narrative designers, voice actors, podcasters, and brand marketers who want to understand how interactive audio actually works – and how to create it. 🕹️

Last time we ran this session, we got a lot of “Wait, this is way more doable than I thought.”

So we fine-tuned it, added more concrete examples, and are doing Round 2: Remastered.

What we’ll cover this time:

✅ TWIST Engine – Updated Intro
A clear walkthrough of the tool we use to build interactive audio stories (with more focus on what storytellers and voice actors really need to know).

✅ Business Opportunities on TWIST & TWIST Tales
How self-publishing, collaborations, and monetization work on the platform – and what that means for you as a creator or performer.

✅ Practical Listening + Workflow Demo
We start with ~30 minutes of listening to an interactive audio story, then break down exactly how it was created step by step.

If you want to:
create interactive audio yourself,
evaluate the format for professional use, or
explore future publishing & royalty opportunities as a creator or voice actor,
…this webinar gives you the essentials in one session.

📌 The registration link is directly beneath this post.

If you want to support the event, feel free to like, share, or repost 😎

#EarReality #TWIST #marketing #storytelling #games #gaming #stories #audiobooks #audio #RPGs #writing #books

Christian Mahnke, Aleksandra Kovalchuk and 13 other attendees

View event: EarReality Webinar: The Business of Interactive Audio & TWIST Remastered

EarReality Webinar: The Business of Interactive Audio & TWIST Remastered

Flowcharts are great. They tell you what happens in the game.
👉 But audio players don’t navigate through logic. 


They navigate through emotion.
They stay because they’re tense. They leave when that tension flattens.
That’s why, when designing audio games, I think in emotional curves before plot structure:
👾 Where does anxiety peak?
👾 Where does the player finally breathe?
👾 When does curiosity replace fear?
👾 Where does silence do more work than dialogue?

This directly affects architecture:
🐲 High emotional intensity = fewer choices, tighter scenes
🐲 Low intensity = space for exploration or reflection
🐲 Too many branches at an emotional peak = cognitive overload
🐲 No emotional variation = disengagement

If your emotional intensity stays on one level for too long, the player’s brain checks out, no matter how good the writing is. 

So yes, map your plot. But also map how it feels to listen minute by minute. Because in audio, emotion is navigation.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames #GameArchitecture

⏱️ Starting in ONE hour! 
Our free webinar on interactive audio storytelling and the business behind it is about to go live 🎤🎧

If you’re curious about narrative design for audio, TWIST, or how creators can turn stories into actual projects (not just ideas), now’s the moment.

👉 Jump in here before we start 
https://lnkd.in/eWjk-bNA

🐲 Audio games shine when they tap into instinct. 


Fear. Curiosity. Trust. Suspicion. That split-second feeling of “this feels wrong” or “I should follow this voice.” 

💀 What they don’t do well?
Turning into memory exams.

If a good outcome depends on recalling a name, a code, or a tiny detail from 20 minutes ago, you’re fighting the format. Audio isn’t built for note-taking. It’s built for presence.

Instead, strong audio choices are designed around:
🐲 Emotional recognition (“This voice feels unsafe.”)
🐲 Pattern sensing (“This keeps happening when I trust them.”)
🐲 Narrative logic (“They warned me about this kind of room.”)

That way, even if the player doesn’t remember the exact detail, they still feel like they made a meaningful choice, not a random guess.

Good audio design doesn’t ask: “Did you remember?”
It asks: “What does your gut tell you right now?”

That’s where audio becomes powerful.

#NarrativeDesign #AudioGames

Quick reminder: our free EarReality webinar is happening tomorrow 🎧


If interactive audio has been sitting on your “sounds cool but how does it actually work?” list, this one’s for you. We’ll talk tools, storytelling, and the business side (yes, the part where you can actually publish and monetize).

🐲 Expect practical insights, real examples, and no unnecessary fluff. 

See you tomorrow 👇 
https://lnkd.in/eWjk-bNA

⏱️ Starting in ONE hour!

The masterclass on writing for interactive audio is about to begin. 
If you’re in — grab your spot now and join live.

👉 https://lnkd.in/edpWX8TG

See you there 🎧 🐲

Casey McCormick, MBA

Intellivant

Leading provider of High-Performance Executive Coaching, Management Consulting, and Advisory Services for Entrepreneurs, Executives, and Businesses.

Founded a boutique consulting firm utilizing an Agile business model to provide businesses and their leaders access to superior digital transformation, management consulting, and executive coaching solutions.  Developed, implemented, and refined the company’s business plan to help entrepreneurs, executives and their companies thrive using proven methodologies and cutting-edge technologies.  Employed Business Intelligence and Data Analytics to optimize all aspects of businesses to ensure superior performance.  Recruited, and retained experienced consultants to contribute to the successful execution of client projects.

•	Specialized in helping our clients achieve sustainable success by providing guidance and support in the areas of automation, business transformation, coaching, consulting, communication, collaboration, growth, innovation, leadership, mentoring, negotiation, organizational design, operations management, problem solving, process optimization, productivity, strategy, systems, technical guidance, startup incubation, and funding.
•	Developed a unique approach combining hands-on experience, cutting-edge technologies, and proven business strategies to deliver measurable results.
•	Guided executive coaching clients in clarifying their top challenges, assessing the root causes of their issues, identifying long-term solutions, and developing potential maximizing execution plans.
•	Provided unbiased external guidance to executives seeking to transform their businesses and maximize their potential.
•	Forged long-term strategic partnerships with dominant industry leaders, including Microsoft, Salesforce, Google, and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Chief Executive Officer

Provider of managed services, cybersecurity and digital transformation for 1,000+ mid-market financial services organizations worldwide with over $3 trillion of assets under management.

Worked with all C-Suite Executives, 30+ Account Executives, 200+ Digital Transformation Technical Professionals and all Strategic Partners to grow the Digital and Business Transformation Business Unit.

•	Led the design, development, and execution of a cross-functional Digital and Business Transformation sales strategy focused on the Private Equity, Venture Capital, Hedge Fund, and Investment Bank client base.
•	Worked with sales professionals across the United States, Europe and Asia selling Digital Transformation Services.
•	Coordinated with technology professionals to ensure successful delivery of Digital Transformation Projects.

Director, Digital Transformation

AgileThought

Key executive team member responsible for the daily operations of the Innovate Line of Service, growth of its three underlying Practices (Product, Training and Coaching) and expansion of the service offerings to enterprise clients. The Innovate Practices exist to inspire and advise the enterprise to new heights of thinking, behaving and decision making. Transforming organizations and digital products through consulting, coaching, and training using innovative approaches like Agile, DevOps and Design Thinking.

•	Responsible for daily operational excellence of the Innovate Line of Service and professional support for the 50+ Product, Training,and Coaching Practice team members.
•	Responsible for all aspects of delivery excellence associated with Innovate Line of Service engagements across the full project lifecycle with annual billings >$15,000,000.
•	Responsible for engaging in sales pursuits and business development to ensure continued business growth coupled with high client and team member satisfaction.

Global Senior Director, Innovate Line of Service

Sold and lead custom enterprise software development projects for global Fortune 1000 clients. The scope of this role spanned from ideation and design to scaled delivery and support while guiding clients in transforming, building, and running their digital businesses. This included leveraging next-generation technologies to create competitive differentiation and exceptional customer experiences. This was done utilizing consultants and delivery centers across North and Latin America by providing Agile-first delivery for a variety of industries with expertise across all facets of digital transformation, application development, advanced data analytics (AI, ML, & IoT), cloud services, UX design, DevOps, and automation.

•	Responsible for all aspects of custom enterprise software development projects with annual billings >$6,500,000.
•	Recruited, staffed, and managed high-performance, cross-functional teams of up to 50 professionals with as much as 60,000 managed hours per year.
•	Responsible for a broad array of Account Management, Business Development and Sales across a diverse set of global clients and industries.

Global Director, Client Services and Delivery Leadership

CMM Partners

Management Consulting and Executive Recruiting Firm specialized in Healthcare, Information Technology (IT), Biotechnology, Legal, Accounting, and Financial Services.

Established company and developed an Agile business plan and model after conducting extensive pro forma financial and competitive analyses of recruiting industry businesses.  Designed a low cost, low overhead, well-organized and highly efficient business entity that mitigated risk while optimizing profits.  Investigated industry best practices and fastest growing verticals to target the most cost-effective niches.  Scrutinized competitors’ inefficiencies. Developed and implemented strategies and processes to ensure productivity and success.

•	Secured contracts with Am Law 100 law firms—the largest law firms in the US—by executing relationship building campaigns composed of cold calling, emailing, and other outreach tactics.
•	Developed a proprietary database of companies, clients, contacts, resumes, job orders, and projects that was continuously refreshed with clean, enhanced, and updated information.
•	Recruited and placed partner level and senior executives earning $150K+ for companies in the high tech, legal, and financial industries.

CEO and President

Systems West Computer Resources

National Consulting Firm providing Businesses and Utility Industry expertise via Strategy, Process, and Technology Consulting.

Recruited during a period of rapid growth to serve as Project Manager directing the implementation of a proprietary summary billing program for complex, multi-premise electric utility accounts. Consulted with client companies on compliance with complex regulations required to support electricity deregulation, bill unbundling, and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) of records between all related parties, including alternative energy suppliers.  Managed portions of $100M annual project with 10 direct reports.

•	Built, mentored, and directed a team of experienced consultants to design, develop, and implement a highly complex CIS summary billing project—replacing manual data analysis and billing with automated systems.
•	Served as a client liaison with the New York State Public Service Commission to define and develop the business, regulatory, legal, and technical requirements for Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
•	Managed the project to design and develop the first EDI transaction sets for a global electric utility client.

Consulting Project Manager

CA Technologies

Global Software and IT Management Solutions provider helping customers manage and secure complex IT environments to support agile business services.

Hired in recognition of deep experience assisting electric utility clients with deregulation and risk mitigation from Y2K.  Challenged to grow the business, solidify customer relationships, manage projects, and define the scope of requirements for new internal and external projects.  Ensured collaboration as a single cohesive unit among clients, other consulting firms, and project teams.  Managed 5 direct and 5 indirect reports.

•	Performed full SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) Project Management for a $3M Mobile Data Project for a large US based electric utility while serving as the subject matter expert on project scope and requirements.
•	Designed and developed software modules for key electric utility clients.
•	Negotiated $1,000,000+ project extensions with multiple electric utility clients.

Accenture

Global Management Consulting, Technology Services and Outsourcing Company serving clients in more than 120 countries.

Hired after receiving MBA and graduating at the top of the class.  Charged with creating enterprise billing software for electric utility companies during industry deregulation.

•	Designed, coded, tested, implemented, and maintained the bill print functionality and batch processes that allowed large electric utility clients to print and mail millions of dollars of bills daily.
•	Researched and analyzed client tariffs filed with the New York State Public Service Commission to unbundle charges, allowing alternate energy suppliers to bill for a portion of customer’s bills.

Technology and Process Consultant

Executive Coach | Management Consultant | Entrepreneur | Investor

I've spent the last three decades as a highly-trusted advisor for organizations ranging from startups through Fortune 500 companies spanning multiple industries.

I've successfully negotiated and executed $100,000,000+ in consulting engagements, built many high-performance teams and helped transform numerous companies into profitable, effective and efficient organizations.

I use my experience, skills and insights as a High-Performance Executive Coach, Management Consultant, Advisor, Entrepreneur and Investor.

MY PHILOSOPHY 
I have a proven track record of delivering measurable results while empowering individuals and organizations to reach new heights of performance.

I believe with the right mindset, strategies, systems, and support, anything is possible.

With my extensive experience in leadership development, problem solving, strategic planning, team building, and performance optimization, I'm confident in my ability to help you take your career and business to new heights.

My goals are to empower you to:
• Achieve your goals.
• Identify your strengths.
• Overcome your challenges.
• Transform your performance.
• Optimize your leadership style.
• Thrive in both business and in life.

Whether you're an individual looking to take your career to the next level or a company seeking to enhance your performance and profitability, I'm here to help.

CORE COMPETENCIES
Account Management | Agile Methodologies & Transformation | Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) | Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Business Analysis | Business Development | Business & Technical Writing | Business Intelligence (BI) | Cloud Computing | Consultative & Solution Oriented Sales | Consulting | Content Management Systems (CMS) | Customer Information Systems (CIS) | Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | Custom Enterprise Software Development | Data Analytics | Digital Transformation | eCommerce | Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) | Engagement Leadership | Enterprise Billing Systems | Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) | Entrepreneurship | Executive Leadership | Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) | Interpersonal Communication | Marketing | Negotiating | Planning | Proposal Development | Partnership Development | Problem Solving | Process Optimization | Product Management | Program Management | Project Management | Recruiting | Sales Force Automation (SFA) | Scope Definition | Scrum | Software as a Service (SaaS) | Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) | Solution Planning | Strategic Partnership Development | Strategy Development & Execution | Team Building | Vendor Management

Intellivant is a leading provider of High-Performance Executive Coaching, Management Consulting, and Advisory Services for Entrepreneurs, Executives, and Businesses.

We specialize in helping our clients achieve sustainable success by providing guidance and support in the areas of strategic planning, organizational design and development, operations management, mentoring, technological guidance, systems, startup incubation, and funding.

Our unique approach combines hands-on experience, cutting-edge technologies, and proven business strategies to deliver measurable results.

We work in partnership with our clients to create custom-tailored solutions that guide them toward an even brighter tomorrow.

We are here to help you take your business to the next level.

Are you ready to achieve sustainable, long-term success?

Contact us today at https://intellivant.com to get started.

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Alena Lysiakova

Casey McCormick, MBA

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The Battle

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Casey McCormick, MBA

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