Essay in the Indigo Newsletter

Now that I’m part of Team Indigo, I get to write for their newsletter (much to the relief of my fellow editors, who are glad to have another writer in the rotation). For the December issue, I was asked to write about community, a subject that, as a freelance writer who is happiest with furry, four-footed coworkers, I felt completely unqualified to tell other people about.

But, as it turned out, I had 500 words to say about community. It helped that I had a recent Indigo retreat and an upcoming holiday party to draw on, but I also realized as I wrote that community is important even for those of us who generally prefer to wear hoodies and hide behind screens. As it says in the essay, “sometimes you and your work have to see the light of day if either of you are to survive.”

 

I’m an Indigo Girl

It is now official. Last night, co-owners Ali McCart and Kristin Thiel plied me with two whiskey and ginger beers to get me to sign the Indigo Editing contractor agreement. (I would have done it without the drinks, but I never look a drink horse in the mouth.)

This means that if you’ve got a non-fiction book that needs editing at any level — and that includes memoir, how-to, self-help, spiritual, and creative non-fiction — I’ll be happy to work on it through Indigo. The upside for everyone is having an established editing firm with a stellar reputation involved to make the process smooth and professional. There’s even an office in downtown Portland! We can put on fancy office clothes and have author-editor meetings, like adults!

My contract with Indigo is definitely not exclusive, and they made very clear that they do not expect to put a lock on my time or my projects or my freelancing heart. I’ll still work on other book projects and write articles and blog posts and far too many tweets. I’m still working on automotive topics and keeping a hand in at the New York Times. This is just another basket to put my freelancing eggs in. A lovely indigo-colored basket.

If you want to contact me via Indigo, you certainly can:

khallgeisler [at] indigoediting [dot] com

503-629-9216

www.indigoediting.com

Visit Me at Wordstock This Weekend

I am joining forces with Indigo Editing, and my first official act as associate editor is to work the Indigo booth at Wordstock, October 13 and 14. I’ll be in booth #812 Saturday from 1-4 and Sunday 4-close.

On Saturday, from 3-4, I’ll be doing free 15-minute consults for anyone who wants to talk about their non-fiction book project, from memoir to how-to. It’s all good. Or, if it’s not good, I’ll tell you how to make it better, as much as I can in 15 minutes.

I’m still freelancing at home and writing books, but working with Indigo gives me something I haven’t had in years: coworkers! They’ll even give me a desk in the office downtown! Not that I’ll got there very often, but it’s nice to know it’s there. I’m a happy solo worker most of the time, but once in a while I really nail an outfit and I want to make sure someone sees it besides the dog.