Welcome!
Shar Simpson (they/she) is a narrative designer, author, and educator. They specialize in the crafting and mapping of compelling immersive stories and interactive experiences for all ages. Their work has presented at festivals internationally, including Tribeca, CPH:DOX, Slamdance, Mozilla Fest, SITGES, Cannes XR, and others.
Shar currently teaches Digital Storytelling and World Building at Columbia University and the School of Visual Arts. Their classes focus on creative process, generative storytelling, and hands-on labs to jump-start collaboration and spark new ideas. Shar has taught intensive World Building workshops for Meow Wolf’s Experience Design team, Yale University, and others.
Their interactive novel “Eighth Grade Witch” was the first Choose Your Own Adventure book to be adapted into a graphic novel. Shar has a dual MFA in Creative Writing and Interactive Media from CalArts. Shar is a Sundance Storytelling Lab fellow, a resident of the POV Spark Lab, and a member of the Columbia University Digital Storytelling Lab.
Interviews
Writing and Syllabi
Download CV
New Stuff
Talks and Panels
Columbia DSL: Emerging Trends in Media, Guest Speaker, 2025
Columbia DSL: World Building and Co-Creation, Guest Lecturer, 2024
Yale University, Advanced Topics in Projection Design, Guest speaker, 2024
Columbia DSL’s Break-Through in Storytelling Awards, Speaker, 2024
Indie Wire presents: Human After All, the Surreal Matrix of AI, Art, and the Motion Picture, Speaker, 2023
Columbia DSL presents: Breakthroughs in Storytelling Symposium, Moderator, 2023
Columbia University’s School of the Arts: New Media Art, Guest speaker, 2023, 2022 and 2021
Columbia DSL at Lincoln Center: AI and Creative Disruption with Mike Monelle and Steve Coulson, Moderator, 2023
Story Comic Presents: C.E. Simpson, Keynote speaker, 2023
Columbia DSL presents: Decentralized Futures, Keynote speaker, 2022
World Building & Co-Creation Workshop, Meow Wolf Experience Design Team, Keynote speaker and Facilitator, 2022
Savannah College of Art and Design: World Building and Immersive Storytelling, Guest speaker, 2021
SLJ Teen Live! Eighth Grade Witch Graphic Novel, Keynote speaker, 2021
Columbia DSL presents: Crafting Stories for Artificial Intelligence, Keynote speaker, 2021
Concordia University: Branching Narrative and AI, Guest speaker, 2020
Cannes XR: Adapting Your Work for an At-Home Audience, Keynote speaker, 2020
A Halloween Choose Your Own Adventure with C.E. Simpson and Katherine Factor, Keynote speaker, 2020
IDFA DocLab Forum: Alexa, Call Mom! 2020
Sundance Storytelling Lab: Alexa, Call Mom! Keynote speaker, 2019
California Institute of the Arts, the F-Word Seminar, Guest speaker, 2018
The Schindler House: Shelter or Playground, Guest speaker and performer, 2018
Art Share LA, Faculty Lounge + Shar Simpson, Guest speaker and performer, 2018