As a writer, I frequently interview people. My methods have evolved over the years, but my goal remains simple: transferring their words as efficiently as possible into a story/article/press release/whatever. For a couple of years, I dragged along a laptop…. Read More ›
Last Wednesday, I drove the company vehicle to the Pine Ridge reservation to interview a high school student for our annual report. I’m working on a series of stories focusing on how individuals and businesses in rural South Dakota weathered… Read More ›
Writers love playing the “what-if?” game. It’s how we get our best ideas. Many years ago, I read a series of articles in The Oregonian about the growing problem of eco-terrorism in the western states. One line in particular grabbed… Read More ›
When most people think of South Dakota, I’d venture to guess they picture lots of cows and cornfields. Which isn’t exactly inaccurate. But did you know we rank as the #2 honey-producing state in the U.S.? That fact doesn’t receive… Read More ›
Two Things You Should Never Ask a Rancher I have long said that one of my favorite aspects of my job is talking with interesting people. I interviewed a rancher earlier this week and he definitely qualifies as interesting. That… Read More ›
English for Dummies The English language will be the bane of my existence. That’s saying a lot, considering I’m a professional writer.* *By professional, I mean, in job title only. It in no way denotes professionalism. After all, I’m the… Read More ›
Yesterday was the second anniversary of Doris’s death. You might recall, she was the previous owner of the home we bought in 2019. We learned later that she died in the middle of the kitchen. While that’s a little unsettling,… Read More ›
You might recall how thrilled I was to have Tara writing an article for the spring issue of Ye Olde Publishing Company’s parenting magazine. But when she had me look over a rough draft last night, my excitement turned to… Read More ›
Last week, South Dakota Magazine reached out to me, asking if I’d be interested in having a photo featured in their Photo Friday series. Umm, does a three-legged dog swim in circles?! I was both humbled and honored. I do… Read More ›
My boss gave me a nice compliment today. “You’re a solid writer,” she said. “And you make things interesting/entertaining.” I was touched, and thanked her profusely. But then I began to wonder just how complimentary the word solid actually is…. Read More ›
