I had the opportunity to chat for 10 minutes with Mattie, aka PewPewCat, to learn about her journey into the world of reviewing indie video games. A video game enthusiast herself, Mattie has pursued her passion and is turning it into her job. After just over a year, she has a thriving website and a growing following (over 16k Twitter followers at the time of this post).

I think she offered some really compelling points that are helpful to any young person who is looking to get started as a reviewer. A few of my key takeaways from what Mattie shared:

The PewPewCat.com logo

Be bold! When she wants to review a game on PewPewCat.com, she reaches out and asks the developer to give her a copy. The worst they can tell her is “No.”

When she wants to review a game on PewPewCat.com, she reaches out and asks the developer to give her a copy. The worst they can tell her is “No.” Be positive! Part of her brand is to stay positive or, at worst, offer some constructive criticism. But in a world of hot takes and put downs, avoiding the negative is one thing that sets PewPewCat apart from the rest.

Part of her brand is to stay positive or, at worst, offer some constructive criticism. But in a world of hot takes and put downs, avoiding the negative is one thing that sets PewPewCat apart from the rest. Be unique! Mattie’s passion has led her into a space that is not yet overcrowded. She is focusing on a niche in which perspective is scarce despite there being an audience hungry for perspective. This has helped hers to quickly become prominent and it continues to grow.

Mattie’s passion has led her into a space that is not yet overcrowded. She is focusing on a niche in which perspective is scarce despite there being an audience hungry for perspective. This has helped hers to quickly become prominent and it continues to grow. Be yourself! While PewPewCat is all about reviewing indie games, Mattie has noticed that her audience really connects with the moments in which she overcomes her own shyness and inserts more of herself in her blogs and social media posts. Even just a silly selfie or picture of her with her cat helps people feel more like they know her.

Check out the full interview above and be sure to follow Mattie on Twitter and check out her blog. You can find me on the Twitter @SenorG.

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