How I Choose to Write Does NOT Make Me a Lemming

Who are you calling a lemming?In this world of myriad people, personalities and tastes, it is anyone’s right to be offended by anything they read or see at any time.

Therefore, it is my choice to write in such a way that I am able to express myself without offending anyone. I’m told that means I’m dead as a writer. I think that just makes me smart. There is a time and a place for everything. Why does that make me dead? Frankly, that remark offends ME. What gives someone else the right to tell me how I write is wrong?

So, I choose not to push the envelope. That is my right. So I choose not to unleash all of my twisted thoughts on the public. That is also my right. So I’m not a renegade. So I’m not avant-garde. So. What.

I’ve gone head-to-head with Senators to save a rain forest in Hilo, Hawaii. I’ve gone toe-to-toe with a company CEO, on my second day on the job, who wanted me to buy faulty quality cabling. I’ve taken on thugs in a Boston transit station. I’ve done a lot more, and I don’t care to talk about that here. Again, that’s my choice. I’m not afraid of anything. And I always do what I believe is right. I choose my battles. I also know when a battle just isn’t necessary.

I run author interviews on one of my three blogs. One writer, when asked if he was self-published, responded No. Yet, his books were published by iUniverse – clearly a self-publishing house. He LIED. Do I want to be responsible for publishing that lie? Do I want such an evident untruth to possibly tarnish my reputation? No way in hell. I deleted that question and his answer. That was my right. He never said a word to me about the omission, and if he had, I’d have told him where he could stick his book. That is a battle I would fight. You want to lie? Do it on your own blog. Don’t do it on mine.

Write what you want. Write what you feel. Then choose the appropriate outlet for that writing, whether it be a blog, a newspaper or a book. Not all of them will be right for you, and not all of what you write will be a fit for them. I don’t think it’s wrong to adapt or adjust your writing depending on the outlet – not if you want your piece to be read there. I believe that would make you a chameleon, not a lemming.

Why is it a battle to write for a broad audience? Am I truly compromising my soul? I think not. It’s a choice. It’s MY choice. And it works for me. Does that make me DEAD? I don’t think so. I will not take my nine published books and go home. As Don Henley said “I will not lie down, I will not go quietly.”

Author: K.S. Brooks

K.S. Brooks is an award-winning novelist, photographer, and photo-journalist, author of over 30 titles, and executive director and administrator of Indies Unlimited. Brooks is currently a photo-journalist and chief copy editor for two NE Washington newspapers.  She teaches self-publishing and writing topics for the Community Colleges of Spokane, and served on the Indie Author Day advisory board. For more about K.S. Brooks, visit her website and her Amazon author page.

34 thoughts on “How I Choose to Write Does NOT Make Me a Lemming”

  3. There is a lot of talk in writing about finding your voice. Seems like everyone is trying to find their voice. A voice they feel people will listen. But people have different voices. Some people have trouble getting their voices heard. I think that has to do with so many people being really bad at listening. A soft spoken person with a real message to transmit will draw listeners to them. I think a writer with a different literary voice but a strong sense of truth and message can accomplish much. I've always felt there is an audience for everyone. They only need to find it and along the way develop their craft so that when it is discovered by a grateful reader, it is in a form that can be celebrated along with the content.

  4. That's my Rockin' author daughter. Man, am I proud of her!!! Wow! Rock on, Kat!!!

  5. I started writing because I must. And then the writing books told me that I had to write to an audience so I cleaned up my story structure. And then I found that I enjoyed going back and reading my own books. So am I my audience?

    Anyway, good luck.

    Cyn

    1. Hi Cyn, thanks for stopping by. I've been writing since I was 5 years old. I only know one way to write – the honest way. That's one reason I write faction. It is fun enjoying your own books, isn't it?

        1. It surprises me, too. Sometimes when I open one of my books to get an excerpt to quote, I'll find myself reading pages and pages before I know it. I love that!

  6. Squirrels, chipmunks and now lemmings? You starting a rodent farm there, Kat?

    My take on this is that I agree with you, but with one serious caveat: don't ever write with the worry you might offend someone, because chances are, you will always offend somebody somewhere. It can cripple you if you concern yourself with it. Writing is honesty. Whether that be rainbows and unicorns or slavering trolls under bridges, you write what you need to write and let the chips fall where they may!

    1. Well, that all depends on who your target audience is, David. I have written things I know will offend. I write those under a different name because I don't want to jeopardize my children's book following. Not everyone knows everything about everyone and what they write.

      1. Oh yeah, children's fiction is different, of course. And in the context of this discussion, is interesting in itself. But for adult fiction, I write the book or the story I would want to read. And if the context of a story or character demands I set light to a boxful of kittens, sadly I have to comply. Even if it breaks my heart. :/

        1. Actually, David, my children's books are educational and are used in elementary schools around the world. I need to be mindful and respectful of that. And if you would like to write about setting fire to a boxful of kittens, that is your right, but as I said, there is a time and a place for everything.

  7. You go, Kat! Write how you want to write and everyone else be damned. Someone, somewhere out there won't like your writing. But, for that single someone who hates/has a problem with it, five others are out there who think your writing is a gem.

  8. I'm with you 100%. That's what I do as well. Just one tiny maybe, though. It is possible that that person who said they were published with iUniverse misunderstood. My first book was published the first time with them. They billed themselves as 'assisted self-publishers'. While I never fooled myself into putting that in the same category as traditional publishing I did not think of it a really self-publishing either. I always explained that it was not traditional publishing when people asked but I really did not have a thorough understanding of the 'paid' self-publishers' or 'vanity publishers' were about at the time. I believed it was better than 'just self-publishing'. Now I know better, of course. That's what makes me so angry about these outfits.

    1. You're so sweet, Yvonne. I believe he knew quite well that he was self-published, because he's no beginner at publishing and has multiple books published with iUniverse. I'm not really certain why outfits like iUniverse are still in business. I haven't kept abreast of the packages they offer, but with the ability to self-publish for free with Kindle, Createspace and others, I would recommend authors instead put their money towards good editing, cover art and formatting. 🙂

      1. OK, if it was not a one-off I take it back. "There, and there, and there you … you… snake in the grass you." Whew, I feel all better now that's off my chest. 🙂

        Some say I am still naive, and in some ways perhaps I am, but I prefer that to totally cynical. You'd think with the horrid childhood I had it would not be that way, or even with my age. Maybe it's just my nature. But I hope I'm also no Pollyanna.

  9. 1) Great post. 2) Grammymoon, where in the everloving hell have you been??? 3) I am offended by armed rodents. 4) KAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  12. As writers of adult fiction I believe we have a responsibility to /ourselves/ but with children's books in general and educational children's books in particular I think the author's responsibility HAS to be to his/her audience.

    These books have a far greater influence on kids than we know, and at a time when their ability to discriminate between fact and fiction is still a work in progress. So good on you for taking your responsibilities seriously!

    1. Thank you, AC. I actually have a panel of educators review each children's book before release. I like to make certain they will be valuable and will reach kids before they go out the door. I also don't want to do anything to turn people off to those books since I do believe they have purpose. 🙂

  13. My stuff is very clean, but ask anyone, I have a filthy mind and mouth.

    Why is my writing so clean? Because like you, I know my readers, and they can tolerate a couple of curse words and then they're done. They're in it to solve puzzles, not find new ways to draw blood.

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