Congratulations on the book, the expansion, and the paid tier!
Would you be interested in writing an article about flash fiction for Fictionistas (https://fictionistas.substack.com)? I think it would be good promotion for your Friday writing events.
Great ideas all around! I'd definitely participate in the fifty word story threads. And yes, you absolutely should self-publish a collection! I did one through Amazon as an experiment at the end of 2020, early 2021 and there's nothing quite like holding your own book!
Thanks so much, Claire! Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. Thank you for the encouragement regarding self-publishing, too! I’m both nervous and excited for the journey ahead. Would you recommend publishing through Amazon? What was your experience like? Congrats on your own book - I never knew! I’d love to check it out!
It's really easy to self-publish through Amazon KDP, and I love that they do print on demand paperbacks, so I don't have to worry about printing or distribution. The hardest part is the marketing, of course! I sold quite a few copies right off the bat, mostly to family and friends, but since the initial release, I've not done much (or any...) marketing, which has left the book languishing in the depths of Amazon. It was also hard to decide on a title and cover image, since I have no experience in those areas. I need to do more research and try harder to tweak my book as I learn things, but that seems to always fall off the list of things I have time to do. As a result the cover image is sized incorrectly, and my title is not unique enough to drive traffic.
Long story short: it's definitely a learning experience, and I would absolutely do things differently if I did it again, including searching out multiple platforms to put the book on.
And now, since I'm struggling with linking in a comment, you can check out the book for yourself by typing "Little Bit of Everything by Claire Walster" into Amazon. It should be the first result, with an exciting purple cover.
Publishing through Amazon is a serious consideration of mine for the print on demand option. I’m not sure if I want to order/distribute copies of the book on my own. Time will tell! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me.
Your book looks great! Expect an order from me sometime soon. 😀
I am so excited (stoked!) for this new community. And thanks for sharing your writing/publishing journey. It gives me hope for the flash chapbook I just finished, a writing project that sharpened both my writing and commitment skills. Finishing for me is often a challenge...
Yes! That makes me so happy, Amie! Me too. It will be a fun way to cap off each month. Congrats on finishing your chapbook! Keep me posted when you decide to release it. I’m a big fan of your writing. I’m right there with you in terms of finishing anything. It’s a part of the reason I had to send this news out into the universe. Now I’m forced to tackle the project and follow through!
Also, I can’t remember if I’ve already said this, but thank you so much for the recent recommendation. I’m grateful and humbled! 🙏
I’m stoked to hear that! Thanks, Jimmy. It will obviously be a little different because not all stories will appear at once, but I’m hoping the essence of what we used to do can live on! It should be a fun time.
Thanks for the advice! I’ll definitely keep it in mind. I am likely the world’s worst marketer, so I’m going to need all the help I can get. 🤣
This is all great news, Justin! I'm looking forward to seeing the continued evolution of Along the Hudson, and getting a copy of your book! My next Dear Reader post this Sunday covers almost identical ground as your post here 😁
Thank you, Brian! I really appreciate that. I’m excited to roll out the next chapter here and see what comes of it. And oh my gosh, too funny! It seems like we are on very similar trajectories with our writing!
This is all super exciting! I'm looking forward to these new directions for Along the Hudson, and Fifties by the Fire sounds really fun!
As you know, I'm also happy to talk self-publishing. I loved getting to design my book exactly the way I wanted and I was so happy with how it came out. But managing a book shipping operation out of my living room was more stressful than I anticipated, so I might consider a print-on-demand/print-and-ship service next time, if it allowed me the same flexibility with design. At a minimum, I wouldn't ship my own books again without first planning my infrastructure around it in terms of click-and-print labels, blocking regular time in my routine for shipping, etc.
Thank you so much, Finn! I’m excited for the changes. (By the way, congratulations to you!)
I really appreciate the advice, especially from someone who has had firsthand experience. That’s one of my biggest dilemmas, I think. I’m starting to lean in the direction of a print-on-demand option, but time will tell! I will most likely continue to pick your brain - as long as you don’t mind! 😄 Thank you again.
Justin, if you want to look for a publisher, subscribe to AuthorsPublish.com. They send you weekly lists of publishers who are seeking manuscripts and no agent is required. Some of the publishers have online books, and some make hard copies. They are all very specific in what they are looking for and all have specific time lines. Good luck!.
Thank you so much for this suggestion! This is great. I’m definitely going to subscribe and keep an eye out for any publishers willing to take on a flash collection like mine! Very much appreciated! 🙏
I would be delighted to buy your Birdsong book, and I would be honored to join your community of writers of fifty-word stories ( or any stories.) I'm in! For a title, I suggest "FIRESIDE FICTION" or just "THE FIRESIDE". But By the Fire is nice, too. You may not want to pin the title down to 50-word stories, as ideas may expand. I look forward to all this creative work. And I loved "Inhaling Her." Wonderful!
Ah, this is wonderful news! Thanks so much for your kind words and everything stated above, Sharron. I think it will be a lot of fun once the idea gets rolling. I’m excited about it! I love the name Fireside Fiction, but sadly it already belongs to a publisher. The Fireside is great, too! Hmm...more suggestions to consider! I’m going to struggle with naming this, ha! Thank you again! 😀
Congratulations on your two years, Justin! Kudos to you on your book project. Looking forward to your updates.
I treasure the times we all had with the “The Friday Fix” community. I’ll apologize, again, for sending you my submissions at midnight my time (3 hours time difference), that you had to approve and publish at 5 AM your time.
Many times, after dinner, I’d sit down to rest, and then…”Oh, crap!! I gotta think up a story to send to Justin!!”
I enjoyed the challenge, and look forward to your new publication for tiny stories on Substack.
Hahaha! I remember those times well, and whenever it happened it always gave me a good chuckle. 🤣 (By the way, thank you so much for recently recommending Along the Hudson. I really appreciate it!)
My plan is to simply include the space for fifties here at Along the Hudson. I’ll create a thread post for the month’s challenge, and then whoever wrote something for it can share their story in the thread. It’s the same concept as Friday Fix, except it will happen monthly (and it saves me hours and hours of time! 😅). I think it will still be a lot of fun for anyone who likes to read and write the short stuff!
This a great direction for you to be moving in, Justin. I was trying to think of some additional titles and came up with Campfire Conversations or Campfire Community or Stories by the Campfire or maybe just By the Campfire. Well, those are a few. I am excited that you are publishing your stories and I love the title for the collection!!
Thank you so much, Andrea! I’ve always enjoyed sharing my stories with you, and I’m happy to be able to continue that through this platform. (Hey....now that you may have a little extra time on your hands...you should totally join in and write a fifty-word story next month! It would be so much fun to see your name mixed in with the other writers.) 😀😉
Thank you for the name suggestions! Hmm...now I’m going to have to consider even more options! 😄
Congratulations on the book, the expansion, and the paid tier!
Would you be interested in writing an article about flash fiction for Fictionistas (https://fictionistas.substack.com)? I think it would be good promotion for your Friday writing events.
Thank you so much, Geoffrey! And yes, absolutely! I’d love to write an article for Fictionistas. Is there a best way for me to send a draft your way?
Yay! Email it to fictionistas at substack.com, addressed to me and Jackie, my co-founder. Can’t wait to read it!
Great ideas all around! I'd definitely participate in the fifty word story threads. And yes, you absolutely should self-publish a collection! I did one through Amazon as an experiment at the end of 2020, early 2021 and there's nothing quite like holding your own book!
Thanks so much, Claire! Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. Thank you for the encouragement regarding self-publishing, too! I’m both nervous and excited for the journey ahead. Would you recommend publishing through Amazon? What was your experience like? Congrats on your own book - I never knew! I’d love to check it out!
It's really easy to self-publish through Amazon KDP, and I love that they do print on demand paperbacks, so I don't have to worry about printing or distribution. The hardest part is the marketing, of course! I sold quite a few copies right off the bat, mostly to family and friends, but since the initial release, I've not done much (or any...) marketing, which has left the book languishing in the depths of Amazon. It was also hard to decide on a title and cover image, since I have no experience in those areas. I need to do more research and try harder to tweak my book as I learn things, but that seems to always fall off the list of things I have time to do. As a result the cover image is sized incorrectly, and my title is not unique enough to drive traffic.
Long story short: it's definitely a learning experience, and I would absolutely do things differently if I did it again, including searching out multiple platforms to put the book on.
And now, since I'm struggling with linking in a comment, you can check out the book for yourself by typing "Little Bit of Everything by Claire Walster" into Amazon. It should be the first result, with an exciting purple cover.
Publishing through Amazon is a serious consideration of mine for the print on demand option. I’m not sure if I want to order/distribute copies of the book on my own. Time will tell! Thanks so much for sharing your experience with me.
Your book looks great! Expect an order from me sometime soon. 😀
I am so excited (stoked!) for this new community. And thanks for sharing your writing/publishing journey. It gives me hope for the flash chapbook I just finished, a writing project that sharpened both my writing and commitment skills. Finishing for me is often a challenge...
Yes! That makes me so happy, Amie! Me too. It will be a fun way to cap off each month. Congrats on finishing your chapbook! Keep me posted when you decide to release it. I’m a big fan of your writing. I’m right there with you in terms of finishing anything. It’s a part of the reason I had to send this news out into the universe. Now I’m forced to tackle the project and follow through!
Also, I can’t remember if I’ve already said this, but thank you so much for the recent recommendation. I’m grateful and humbled! 🙏
I'm stoked to do this again. And pro tip: release your collection as close to Black Friday as possible and ride the holiday shopping momentum.
I’m stoked to hear that! Thanks, Jimmy. It will obviously be a little different because not all stories will appear at once, but I’m hoping the essence of what we used to do can live on! It should be a fun time.
Thanks for the advice! I’ll definitely keep it in mind. I am likely the world’s worst marketer, so I’m going to need all the help I can get. 🤣
This is all great news, Justin! I'm looking forward to seeing the continued evolution of Along the Hudson, and getting a copy of your book! My next Dear Reader post this Sunday covers almost identical ground as your post here 😁
Thank you, Brian! I really appreciate that. I’m excited to roll out the next chapter here and see what comes of it. And oh my gosh, too funny! It seems like we are on very similar trajectories with our writing!
Congrats! I can't wait to buy and read your collection!
Thank you so much, Jason!
So many great things coming for you, Justin! Congratulations. 🙂
Thank you, Dascha! 😀
This is all super exciting! I'm looking forward to these new directions for Along the Hudson, and Fifties by the Fire sounds really fun!
As you know, I'm also happy to talk self-publishing. I loved getting to design my book exactly the way I wanted and I was so happy with how it came out. But managing a book shipping operation out of my living room was more stressful than I anticipated, so I might consider a print-on-demand/print-and-ship service next time, if it allowed me the same flexibility with design. At a minimum, I wouldn't ship my own books again without first planning my infrastructure around it in terms of click-and-print labels, blocking regular time in my routine for shipping, etc.
Thank you so much, Finn! I’m excited for the changes. (By the way, congratulations to you!)
I really appreciate the advice, especially from someone who has had firsthand experience. That’s one of my biggest dilemmas, I think. I’m starting to lean in the direction of a print-on-demand option, but time will tell! I will most likely continue to pick your brain - as long as you don’t mind! 😄 Thank you again.
Justin, if you want to look for a publisher, subscribe to AuthorsPublish.com. They send you weekly lists of publishers who are seeking manuscripts and no agent is required. Some of the publishers have online books, and some make hard copies. They are all very specific in what they are looking for and all have specific time lines. Good luck!.
Thank you so much for this suggestion! This is great. I’m definitely going to subscribe and keep an eye out for any publishers willing to take on a flash collection like mine! Very much appreciated! 🙏
I would be delighted to buy your Birdsong book, and I would be honored to join your community of writers of fifty-word stories ( or any stories.) I'm in! For a title, I suggest "FIRESIDE FICTION" or just "THE FIRESIDE". But By the Fire is nice, too. You may not want to pin the title down to 50-word stories, as ideas may expand. I look forward to all this creative work. And I loved "Inhaling Her." Wonderful!
Ah, this is wonderful news! Thanks so much for your kind words and everything stated above, Sharron. I think it will be a lot of fun once the idea gets rolling. I’m excited about it! I love the name Fireside Fiction, but sadly it already belongs to a publisher. The Fireside is great, too! Hmm...more suggestions to consider! I’m going to struggle with naming this, ha! Thank you again! 😀
Congratulations on your two years, Justin! Kudos to you on your book project. Looking forward to your updates.
I treasure the times we all had with the “The Friday Fix” community. I’ll apologize, again, for sending you my submissions at midnight my time (3 hours time difference), that you had to approve and publish at 5 AM your time.
Many times, after dinner, I’d sit down to rest, and then…”Oh, crap!! I gotta think up a story to send to Justin!!”
I enjoyed the challenge, and look forward to your new publication for tiny stories on Substack.
Hahaha! I remember those times well, and whenever it happened it always gave me a good chuckle. 🤣 (By the way, thank you so much for recently recommending Along the Hudson. I really appreciate it!)
My plan is to simply include the space for fifties here at Along the Hudson. I’ll create a thread post for the month’s challenge, and then whoever wrote something for it can share their story in the thread. It’s the same concept as Friday Fix, except it will happen monthly (and it saves me hours and hours of time! 😅). I think it will still be a lot of fun for anyone who likes to read and write the short stuff!
This a great direction for you to be moving in, Justin. I was trying to think of some additional titles and came up with Campfire Conversations or Campfire Community or Stories by the Campfire or maybe just By the Campfire. Well, those are a few. I am excited that you are publishing your stories and I love the title for the collection!!
Thank you so much, Andrea! I’ve always enjoyed sharing my stories with you, and I’m happy to be able to continue that through this platform. (Hey....now that you may have a little extra time on your hands...you should totally join in and write a fifty-word story next month! It would be so much fun to see your name mixed in with the other writers.) 😀😉
Thank you for the name suggestions! Hmm...now I’m going to have to consider even more options! 😄
I might give it a try next month, Justin... I will practice writing fifty-word stories and let you know how it goes!!