Understanding the Indies Unlimited Mission

Congratulations you have just been drafted. You are now a private in the army of the ‘Evil Empire.’ I think I know the Evil Empire is better than it sounds, because Stephen Hise is the Evil Mastermind, and I have come to respect him.

A little history might help you understand how I got here. Many times I used the Indies Unlimited site to educate myself and to learn what the world of writing was all about. There were many terms used which I never fully understood, and incorrectly assumed what they meant.

Like good drill instructors K.S. Brooks and other members of the Indies Unlimited team would educate me very tactfully. I didn’t even know I was in basic training, but I guess I was. I had no idea what I was doing or where I was going. However every once in a while I would see some light at the end of the tunnel and it would keep me going.

I guess I was trying to find myself. I liked what I was doing, but soon learned there were many of us spinning in place and not going anywhere you could really measure.

Periodically I would see something that made sense and thought others could benefit from it. So, like a good soldier I would document it and submit it to the head instructors. My hope was it made sense and that others could actually benefit. Many times to my surprise they liked it and would post it. In one way, it felt good to know I was on the right track and had made some progress. I felt I was documenting the trail for the other newbies behind and around me.

In addition, there were times when the picture for the weekly Flash Fiction Challenge along with the scenario would strike a nerve, and a story would quickly come to mind. Writing it down was pretty easy, but getting it into the 250 word limit required taking some fat off the body. After enough repetition and exercise there was still a meaningful story, told in precise words. I have to thank my support group for making many of them winners. Without their support my entries would only be submissions.

I guess I need to add that the Evil Empire was created ‘…to take over the world, one word at a time…because they are doing it wrong.’ That’s good, I guess, but who are they? I don’t see them. However, looking at some bruises, I guess I bumped into them along the way. How do I know, because I felt the pain when my mind, or worse, my wallet hurt? So, what is the right way? I’m in basic training and will either be told or shown the right way.

Maybe my background will help me, won’t it? One of the things I’ve learned is to measure progress. You decide what you would be doing if you were doing it correctly. Then you ask yourself where you are today and compare it to that goal. Then you establish a plan for things you could do to get to the desired goal, and measure your progress. Many times some correction to the plan was required to get to the end result. Trying to jump to the final result was not practical, and small steps worked best. Consistent ten percent improvement not only provides the result you want over time, but it gives you the feedback you’re headed in the right direction.

So, here I am drafted in the army of the Evil Empire. What have I done, and am I going to be arrested next week? There are some very interesting and intelligent people connected with this elite force already. I have to assume they know what they are doing. I read the Mission statement of Indies Unlimited. I can really understand that. So, what did it tell me?

Until someone explains it differently, the Evil Empire I now belong to must be an acronym for;

Educate w/
Valuable
Information &
Learning

Engage
Many
People
Improving
Results &
Expertise

I’ve been told to pop my head up once a month with an article, and hopefully I won’t get shot in the process.

Author: Dick C. Waters

Dick C Waters is a Contributing Author for Indies Unlimited and author of the Scott Tucker mystery novels; Branded for Murder, Serial Separation, Scent of Gardenia and Fragrance of Revenge (soon to be published). For more information please see his Author Central Page View all posts by Dick C. Waters