Topic for the 9/2/12 #storyappchat: The Networking Chat

OK, app community, it’s time to get acquainted! If you are doing work in the children’s app space and want to do more of this sort of stuff in the future, Sunday’s chat is for you. This means if you are:

• a writer or editor
• an illustrator or production artist
• a programmer
• an app publisher
• creator of a DIY app-making tool
• a writer or reviewer for an app review site
• a journalist or technology columnist
• someone who specializes in app marketing
• or anyone else connected with the world of ebooks/apps for kids

…then this chat will be a great way for you to meet others who may be interested in collaborating with you on their next project! Have links of your recent stuff and war stories ready to share, and COME ONE, COME ALL! We will kick it off at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/ 6:00 p.m. Pacific Sunday evening, September 2.

Transcript for the 8/26/12 #storyappchat: Kid Testing

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We enjoyed a lively hour, full of great links, opinions and shared experiences, all about getting actual kids to test apps. Get it all in the transcript above, and don’t miss a thing!

Remember: we host our chat each week at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/6:00 p.m. Pacific every Sunday night, so make plans to join us for the next one, OK?

Topic for the 8/26/12 #storyappchat: Kid Testing

I’ll go out on a limb here and say: I bet most of us like kids. Otherwise, why develop for them? I also predict that most of us have access to children, either as parents, teachers or caregivers. And: I’ve got a strong hunch that most of us did at least some informal testing of our storybook app content with the kids in our lives. Did you assemble a group of children in a formal focus group/testing environment, or did you simply run through your creation with your own kid(s) in your lap at bedtime and gauge their response?

If you aren’t a writer, illustrator or developer, which currently-available apps or ebooks are favorites with your kids (either at home or in the classroom)?

Let’s chat about our experiences in sharing our own development process with actual age-appropriate audiences during the next #storyappchat, this Sunday (August 26) at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/6:00 p.m. Pacific. And just for fun: if it’s been a while since you got the original feedback from your kids, how about revisiting your app with them before the chat, and be prepared to share the new feedback with us. Just use the #storyappchat hashtag on Twitter to take part in the chat–see you then!

Transcript for the 8.19.12 #storyappchat: Alex from @Kwiksher

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Alex Souza from @Kwiksher served as the guest host for this one, and he brought a crowd with him! Several current users of Kwik popped in to share experiences, ask questions and otherwise spice up an excellent chat.

According to Alex, the release date for Kwik 2.0 is officially September 18, so get ready! For those of you new to Kwik, this is a fancy Photoshop plug-in that works with Corona and allows the do-it-yourselfers to create storybook apps without the need to learn (much) code. Several nice apps have been built with it, including Sparky the Shark and Floating Fun, which is the first app built with a beta version of Kwik 2.0.

Remember, we do this chat thing every Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/6:00 p.m. Pacific time, so make some room in your weekly planner for a little story app talk!

Guest Host for the 8/19/12 #storyappchat: Alex from Kwiksher

We are pleased to welcome back Alex Souza from @Kwiksher, who will be our guest host for Sunday’s #storyappchat. Alex last joined us back in November, and a lot has changed since then! Kwik is a Photoshop plug-in that allows you to build your own interactive apps. It requires the Corona SDK and is a truly do-it-yourself solution for content creators.

Alex will be sharing some of the new features in Kwik 2, the soon-to-be-released new version, and will be discussing changes in the mobile app market. Join us at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT this Sunday, August 19—just start using the #storyappchat hashtag on Twitter to participate!

Transcript for the 8/12/12 #storyappchat: Open Mic!

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We had originally planned to discuss getting on Apple’s New and Noteworthy and What’s Hot categories as the topic tonight, but ended up having a general discussion about creativity, writing code, and the importance of balancing the skills needed to write and draw for kids with the realities of daily life. In particular, we were thrilled to have Will Terry drop by and share some of his recent experiences as he works to complete three, yes three, new apps. Always a pleasure, Will!

I think we’ll revisit the idea of the original topic sometime soon. In the meantime, don’t miss Alex from Kwiksher next week (August 19)—he’s coming back to guest host and share how user requests and market demands have helped drive the new version of their tool for content creators. We will look for you around 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT–be there or be square!

Topic for the 8/12/12 #storyappchat: New and Hot

Ever wondered just what has to happen for your app to be chosen by Apple to be featured in their “New and Noteworthy” or “What’s Hot” categories? Yeah, me too. And I’m sure I’d feel as though I’d died and gone to heaven if my app ever ends up in “Editors’ Choice” or “App Essentials.” Being chosen to appear in one or more of Apple’s featured categories is a surefire ticket to sales success.

I speculate that a erudite and playful person on Apple’s team of app curators must take an app for a spin, become duly delighted in the process, and then place it into one or more of these cream-of-the-crop categories on the home page of the App Store. But all I can do is speculate, since there is no information on the criteria Apple uses to make selections, and nobody seems to know exactly how it happens. Sort of reminds me of the Oompa-Loompas behind the gates at Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Until we all get lucky with Golden Tickets, the process will likely remain shrouded in mystery.

Have you ever had an app featured in one or more of Apple’s curated categories? How much did your sales increase as a result? Or perhaps you have some insider information or rumors to share. Let’s discuss this issue during this week’s #storyappchat–this Sunday (August 12) at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. Just begin using the #storyappchat hashtag on Twitter to take part. See you then!

Transcript for the 8/5/12 #storyappchat: Back to School

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Thanks to all the educators who popped in to this week’s #storyappchat to weigh in on the Common Core standards, how apps are and could be used in the classroom, and technology challenges and triumphs.

Go ahead and plan to join us next Sunday night (August 12) at 9:00 p.m. Eastern/6:00 p.m. Pacific. We will look forward to seeing you then!