Category: Staff Articles

Writing advice and insights from the staff of Indies Unlimited.

Collaboration and Cooperation

Cooperative, Award-winning and Multi-published Author K. S. Brooks
Cooperative, Award-winning and Multi-published Author K. S. Brooks

As you may have heard, I’ve been accused of participating in a recent book collaboration with two other Indies Unlimited authors: Stephen Hise and JD Mader. I’m not prepared to confirm or deny that at this time. What I will say, though, is that one would think collaborating would be a natural thing for writers to do. In my case, when I was twelve-years-old, I received an award for cooperation in summer camp. It was a shiny green ribbon with gold letters on it. I still have it. Okay, perhaps I have issues. I’m a writer, so what did you expect?

Cooperative? Yeah, that’s me. But, I’m also highly opinionated. And impatient. And stubborn. But enough about me. Let’s talk about me some more. Because really, this collaboration thing was my idea. You’re welcome. Continue reading “Collaboration and Cooperation”

Write What You Know?

How many times have we all heard that old saw “write what you know”? What does that even mean?
Many take this as advice to write only about our areas of expertise, what we have studied, where we have been. The implication is that if we are not well versed in our subject matter that we will slip up somehow and that our ignorance cannot help but be revealed.

Continue reading “Write What You Know?”

Book Farmer

Modern society is vastly complex and so hyper-specialized that very few of us are in a position to be able to see the effect of our daily work processes rendered into an actual outcome. I have spent many a day in a cubicle in a fluorescent-lit hell, worrying whether I remembered to attach the cover sheet to my TPS report.

It is pretty much the same all over. Very few people are in a position to really be responsible for a product from conception to fruition. Most of the world just doesn’t work that way anymore.

One of the exceptions is farming. Farmers are intimately connected with their work and their product. They are in the rare position of being able to literally see the fruits of their labors. They till the soil, plant the crop, fertilize the crop, fight weeds and pests as best they are able. At the end of it all they harvest and sell what they wrought from the earth by the sweat of their own brows. They feed the world. Continue reading “Book Farmer”

Cactus is our friend

Came to my desk early in the afternoon, pulled up a fresh Word page, sat down, spat neatly on the palms of both hands and gave them a good rub. The sentences were clear in my head. This week’s blog was bubbling and brewing – boy, was I going to out-do myself, or what?

Then three things happened, and I can’t remember in which order. I remember talking on the phone long-distance with my daughter in Ireland. I remember cleaning out the rabbit hutch … lovely job, that. I remember making the most delicious roast chicken dinner you could possibly imagine. I remember picking my son up from work. I remember giving the place a bit of a tidy up.

Bunny-bun

Do I ever remember having dinner!

I also remember doing the kitchen (my daughter’s in Ireland, remember?), feeding the cat, and giving the rabbit the vegetable peelings (yes, that is one spoilt rabbit).

And the blog went the way of all else. Boy, is Hise going to be mad. Madder than last week when I forgot to insert my byline and mug. [Like you wouldn’t know it was me, with all those long sentences and crazy semicolons.] Continue reading “Cactus is our friend”