Creativity, I’ve learned, thrives in the most unexpected circumstances.
My first foray into comedy, Rubbish, is a prime example. My friend and co-author, Chris Barfoot, kickstarted the project by teasing me.
After I’d published Ripples of Revenge, he sent me the opening chapter of Rubbish and dared me to continue.
How could I resist?
What followed was a playful back-and-forth collaboration. Whenever one of us hit a creative block, we’d send the manuscript back across the email ether, resurrecting ideas and keeping the momentum alive.
By the time we finished, the manuscript was so seamlessly integrated that there were entire sections where neither of us could recall who had written what. That kind of synchronicity made the process deeply satisfying—and fun.
The result? A comedic story that resonated with many readers, especially younger males.
It taught me that writing doesn’t always have to be solitary. Sometimes, collaboration injects an energy and perspective that elevates the work in unexpected ways.
