K. Ibura
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K. Ibura is a writer, painter, and traveler from New Orleans, Louisiana. The middle child of five, she grew up in a hardscrabble neighborhood with oak and fig trees, locusts and mosquitoes, cousins and neighbors. K. Ibura's work delves into spheres of human liberation, human connection, and evolution. She employs speculative fiction and creative nonfiction to take readers through mind-bending journeys into the transcendent, the mystical, and the fantastic.
writing struggles
BlogKIS.listediting // editors and writers // K. Ibura // KIS.list // rejection/acceptance o'meter // the writing life // writing advice // writing struggles
Vol. 26, Editing: Going Within
Posted on 23 July 2002
Brooklyn, NY I am fascinated with the editing process. That should not come as a surprise as I am an editor and a copy editor as well as a writer. I look at the first draft of a story or an essay as a mass of raw material, a block of marble to be carved…. »
BlogKIS.listClarion West // craft of writing // rejection // rejection/acceptance o'meter // writing // writing life // writing struggles
Vol. 25, The Alchemy of Writing
Posted on 2 July 2002
A True Story She is a high-minded woman, and hates complaining, so she suffers the demands of her craft with little comment. She bows down to each of writing’s demands, barely stopping to consider the rationality of the requests. She works hard to save thousands, then blows it all on an intimate trip for two:… »
BlogKIS.listartist identity // comedy clubs // community // critiques // John Scott // Kalamu ya Salaam // Keturah Kendricks // MFA // Nommo // rejection // Rivers of Honey // sharing // stand-up // Tom Dent // Writer // writing life // writing struggles // writing workshops
Vol. 24, At Nommo Writing Workshop
Posted on 25 May 2002
New Orleans, LA Every time I come home to New Orleans I sit in on my father Kalamu ya Salaam’s writing workshop. It’s called Nommo and usually has a diverse group of six to eight active members at every meeting. The workshop is not for sissies. The evenings are long and the meetings are frequent…. »
BlogKIS.list9-to-5 // artist // H.G. Wells quote // K. Ibura // KIS.list // learning to write // paying the bills // structure // surviving // Thomas J. Watson // travel // work // writing life // writing struggles // writing trips
Vol. 15, 9-to-5
Posted on 23 December 2001
An ongoing conversation about j-o-b-s New York, NY Before I went away on the Thomas J. Watson fellowship (and before I’d worked an actual 9-to-5), I thought I had to work to feel settled in my life. These words from my student lips: “I can’t live without working. I’d go crazy.” Then I went away… »
BlogKIS.listartist life // artist philosophy // balance // Clarion West // difference between making art and making money // earning money // honesty // K. Ibura // KIS.list // living off art // mindset // money and art // pathway for income // success // supporting self // writing life // writing struggles
Vol. 13, Money and Art
Posted on 2 December 2001
Email Conversations with a Writer Friend New York, NY I’d noticed one writer friend constantly complaining about money. On stage, in private, whenever conversations about her work came up, one of her responses would be “Yeah, well, I ain’t got no money.” Her disgruntledness made me uncomfortable. I’ll have to excavate (as another friend says… »
BlogKIS.listaccolades // commitment // confidence // craft of writing // executing ideas // faith // insecurity // judging // outcome // process // quitting // rejection // rejection/acceptance o'meter // seeing it through // self acceptance // self confidence // success // the artist life // the writing life // trust // writing advice // writing struggles
Vol. 12, Process
Posted on 26 November 2001
Conversations on the F-train with a Writer Friend Manhattan, NY to Brooklyn, NY I hadn’t seen a friend of mine in a while so we decided to take the train home from work together. My friend had just finished her first professional short story and had it picked up for publication. She was so inspired… »
BlogKIS.listarticle // catcalling // editing // editorial process // editors // K. Ibura // KIS.list // magazine writing // polished writing // rape culture // revising // revision // rough drafts // sexual harrassment // traumatic // writing life // writing struggles
Vol. 8, Editors and Writers
Posted on 8 October 2001
Phone Call from an Editor Brooklyn to Manhattan, NY A friend of mine asked me to write a short bit of catalogue copy on catcalling. His organization is doing an exhibition attempting to stimulate the experience of walking down the street and having men yell at you. Men will have the opportunity to walk through… »
BlogKIS.listappearances // audience // Clarion West // embarrassment // erotica // fear // hiding out // K. Ibura // KIS.list // listeners // nerves // performance // practice // Promotion // pushing your career // Radio // reading // representing yourself // responsibility // Self-promotion // strippers // WBAI // writing // writing struggles
Vol. 4, A Conversation about Self Promotion
Posted on 2 September 2001
The Living Room of a Writer’s Apartment Brooklyn, NY I’ve been writing and publishing stories and essays since 1990. In the beginning I never read my work at all. When people were looking for writers to read at events, I’d refuse; when pushed, I’d be noncommittal. When I did promise to read, I would leave… »
BlogKIS.listbaby steps // Cave Canem // Clarion West // Growing as a writer // Jack Womack // K. Ibura // KIS.list // Nalo Hopkinson // novel structure // novel writing // poetry challenge // rejection // rejection/acceptance o'meter // the artist life // writer's groups // writing // writing advice // writing organization // writing struggles // writing trips
Vol. 3, Novel Writing
Posted on 22 August 2001
Femail Circle Cyberspace I’m on a cyber-circle with a group of women from college. We’re almost all writers. We talk about life and work and encourage each other to go beyond our comfort zones in lots of ways. Last summer, one member, upon return from Cave Canem challenged us all to write a poem a… »