Dear Reader, Issue 11, Volume 1
Year in review and a paaaaaaaartay!
Dear Reader:
The Future Thief 2022 year in review is finally here, and it’s one of celebration! Thank you for sticking with me through this adventure. I’ve met so many wonderful, talented writers who are finding their voice on Substack and I’m finally connecting with an audience of readers who enjoy speculative fiction. I love the mix and I hope to continue growing this merry band into 2023 and beyond. If you know a group of writers or readers that enjoy speculative fiction, please recommend Future Thief. Word of mouth is the most productive means of growth for aspiring writers.
On Wednesday, December 7, I will post my last short story for this year. The story, called Ashes to Ashes, won an honorable mention within the pages of Elegant Literature’s Haunted Hideaway issue (#013). I haven’t broken through the ranks yet, but the honorable mentions I’ve received give me hope that I’m improving as a writer. I submitted one story for November, and I will know the status on January 1 — quite an auspicious start to 2023 if it involves my first paid to publish short story!
I will spend the remainder of December putting the finishing touches on my fantasy and science fiction short story collection to be released in January. That includes final formatting, front and back cover design, submission to the U.S. Copyright Office, an author website and a video introduction. When I’m not working on the book, I’ll be eating lots of Christmas cookies, spending time with family and sleeping in late!
Stats, Stats and More Stats
I submitted more short stories for publication in the last six months than I have in the previous 20 years. That trend will continue into 2023, although I may refine my list as more publications re-open for submissions in January. I submitted 11 short stories to 5 different publications and received 3 honorable mentions. Several of those stories, which did not make it onto Substack, will appear in my collection.
I made the decision to stick with fiction on Future Thief this past July. I get my non-fiction kicks by writing guest posts for
, two of which are published and a third that will be coming soon. This was a critical decision and the right one for my development as a writer of speculative fiction. I’m trying to find a consistent voice, at times with a healthy dose of frustration, but it’s getting a little easier. Since July 13, the emails I sent have a 52% Average Open Rate.
As you can see from the subscriber count screenshot, I have 185 subscribers and 2 paid subscribers. In the interest of transparency, since going paid is a hot topic, one of those is my wife so that she can read my paid posts. For the other subscriber I have paused billing. You may remember that I said I would give it a year, but I’m rethinking my strategy. Pages could be written on this topic, weighing the pros and cons, a nauseating analysis, but I’ll spare you the details.
The next chart is Network Effect. One of the obvious benefits to using Substack is that they drive traffic, and a lot of it. No social media has as many built-in mechanisms to help writers build an audience. The fiction community is smaller on Substack, but very active, and after a few months of exploration and effort it’s paid off tremendously. Imports were a primary source when I used The Sample. The service is well designed, however, it does not favor fiction. My views to subscriber ratio diminished to nothing and it slanted the readership numbers.
The final chart is recommendations. I hope I’m not embarrassing anyone by posting this because I really want to give a shout out to these amazing Substacks. Apologies for not catching that second page. You’re all appreciated! The fact that 52 subscriptions have come through recommendations is phenomenal.
Virtual Eggnog
Alright, enough with those pesky numbers. It’s time to party! Every couple of weeks on Thursday, Substack opens up a thread where writers can post recommendations, talk about projects they’re working on, and ask questions. It’s a giant roundtable that gets a billion comments. Let’s sit by the fire, drink eggnog (or some other festive beverage), listen to Christmas music and enjoy a similar experience.
If you’re a reader, and don’t consider yourself a writer, please stick around for the fun! Recommend a favorite book, author or get to know some new writers. For writers, do you have a project that you’re working on that you want to share? Did you just publish a book? What’s your Substack? Any end of the year goals? What about goals for next year? A little joy is only one comment away.
Happy Reading,
Brian Reindel
It’s a little early here for egg nog, so I’ll just stick with the coffee. Congrats on the year and the growth but maybe most of all on the focus, which is to say on doing what you enjoy most and find most valuable: the fiction. I’ve really enjoyed reading your stuff (hell, you taught me that I can like speculative fiction after all) and can see the growth that has come out of your focus. I’m in transition on my book project: finished the first draft, have followed Matt Bell’s advice to thoroughly outline that draft, and am now reaping the benefits of seeing with my own two eyes that I need a pretty substantive revision. So, I’m revising! And reading, of course. Just finished a really interesting book by Russ Roberts called “How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life” that I would recommend highly and am now into Marilynn’s Robinson’s “Gilead.”
Congratulations on all of your achievements and for gaining such awesome momentum, Brian! It has been an absolute pleasure reading your work. You’re an incredible writer. I wish you all the best in 2023 and beyond!