I think I've got it.
You see, lately I've been mulling over what to do with this newsletter in order to unify the posts and tie it in to my fiction life at the same time. And now I think I've got it.
First order of business is to arrange a posting schedule that doesn't run me into the ground or work to the detriment of every other writing and life obligation. It may seem strange, but it takes a lot to craft one of these nonfiction posts. Same with Agony Rats. But if I had the choice which one ought to be a weekly thing, the choice is Rats every time.
The elegant solution is to continue Agony Rats episodes every week and spend a little more time crafting these nonfiction posts, which will now appear in your inbox every other week.
(And my sincere apologies to those following the serial, as Life would not permit me to deliver Episode 8 on schedule. We will return this Friday with our regularly scheduled program. And you won't want to miss it, because it is The Episode That Explains Everything.)
Second, I want these posts to be fun, informative, and creative. So I'm trying out a thing. Suffice it to say it will combine the aforementioned three traits I've been looking to incorporate.
Now, the big news. Beginning April 1st (no foolin'), I will be offering both a free plan and a paid plan.
Free Subscribers
You will get:
This newsletter. Delivered to your inbox every other Sunday.
Access to all episodes of Agony Rats, every week. (see above apology)
In other words, virtually nothing changes.
Paid Subscribers
You will get:
Everything in the free subscription. Self-explanatory.
News From Real Life. Every first Sunday of the month. A peek into what's going on behind the scenes in the form of a monthly roundup. Will there be pictures of cats? Likely. App recommendations? Personal anecdotes? Writing advice disguised as confessions of an emotional crisis and vice versa? Yes, yes, and yes! All the flotsam from the nautical disaster that is my working brain. It'll be a fun email, I promise.
The East Metoac Herald. Every third Sunday of the month. I’m very excited about this. Readers of my fiction know that East Metoac is the fictional town that appears in some of the stories I’ve written. Long Islanders may recognize some of its features, but it is, all in all, a fictional construct--a liminal space in which strange things happen without too many questions from its residents. I love this town, and so I intend to visit once a month and report back what I find.
I'll give free previews of the above on March 3 and March 17 respectively and put the rest behind the paywall starting April 1. This will keep the weekly schedule of delivery intact. Make sense?
The Ability to Like, Restack, and Comment on All Posts. This may seem like a small thing, but it's huge for me. I've been looking for a way to gather my people into one place where they can engage in thoughtful, fun discussions. I want you to think of my Substack as a cross between a Facebook comment section and an Enlightenment-era coffee house, only without the wigs and less pooping in the fireplaces.
I'll often start conversations with a prompt. All are welcome to join in.
Except dicks. I don't want anyone acting like a dick. You act like a dick, you lose this privilege. (I get to decide who's acting like a dick.)
If you decide to opt out of a paid subscription…
You can still support me by recommending this publication to friends. That's it. Easy stuff. And I hear word of mouth works (eh-heh, get it?)
So there you have it. I think I’ve figured it out. I think I’ve got it.
As the Buddhists say, we’ll see…