Simon, your tips were extremely helpful when I started here in December, which has led to my own serial's modest success. I made the mistake of not subscribing back when I found you, and a note from Eleanor pointed me back to you. Now I'm subscribed and won't lose track again!
Simon and Eleanor, your two different approaches are super inspiring to me. My book was published in 2023, so I've been more like Eleanor in that I'm breaking up a finished book into weekly posts (without chapter numbers—thank you, Simon!).
I'm past halfway through the serial now, and have finally landed on what I think will be my next novel. My writing, confidence, and motivation greatly benefit from initial secret exploration drafts. I've had so many story/novel attempts die on the vine because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. My wife is my first reader, but she didn't see a word of my first novel until draft three, and I'm convinced that's the prime reason I finished it.
The thing is, given the timing of when my current book will finish posting, and the supportive energy around "practicing art in public," I'm considering a happy medium between the extremes of Eleanor <—> Simon. Get a couple drafts in to where I feel it's ready for outside eyes, and then use Substack as a beta run. Sounds like you had some luck with that, Eleanor, with the novel that became "more digestible" from serialization.
I appreciate all the candid shop talk from you both, it makes everything seem more possible. We're all just groping in the dark. Every book is a different beast.
Thanks for this encouraging and inspiring discussion. I'm excited for more from both of you.
PS: Eleanor, I love the Nick Cave tee. That's a very important album for me.
Hello Zachary! You’d be amazed (or maybe not) at how many doors have been opened to me when wearing that t-shirt. I should tell him. I’m always hoping he’ll move the Red Hand Files over to Substack… So glad you found the conversation inspiring, and that somewhere between our two modals lies the sweet spot for you. That’s great to hear, and supports the fact that putting such disparate artists as ourselves up on stage together reaps rewards; this is the beauty of substack - where a literary festival might not take that chance, we can and curate the conversations we really want to have, which by no coincidence at all are the ones people find most useful.
I can't say I'm surprised about that shirt. Cave's fandom has a strange and beautiful sort of solidarity to it. I will say I was surprised by the shirt itself, because I didn't know it existed, and I'll admit it took me a moment to figure out why the image was so familiar. I almost (almost!) thought it was Susan Sontag—but please don't tell Nick Cave that part!
[quickly searches "Red Hand Files"] Oh, wow! Thank you for mentioning this, it's so cool! It would be great to have him on Substack.
Yes, I knew your conversation would be interesting, but I learned so much more from your compared and contrasted approaches than I would have if you were similar. I could never do what Simon does, writing directly to the page. But while working on my novel I did put out a flash story every week on my personal site (before Substack) just to stay sharp and prove to myself that I had more stories in me. During each week I did multiple drafts to find and hone the story, but it was also liberating to have such a quick deadline forcing me to release it as-is into the wild when the bell rang.
I'm just discovering your work, so I'm excited to read your books. I've only read a few of your 8 Questions series, but they're fantastic, and speak to this open-door curation you champion, which I find so inspiring.
Writing—and discussion of writing—is such a stone soup. Thanks to you and Simon for bringing the meat.
Wait, we’re not supposed to cross the streams! I remember that from Ghostbusters. Although I also vaguely recall it was the only way to beat the Big Bad. Looking forward to giving this a listen later, as I write serials the way Eleanor does, but I write fantasy.
Absolutely - and as someone who has always loved science fiction, clearly that genre definition (however loose) has been successful at helping me find writing that matters to me.
I love Optimus Prime! That is one toy that definitely needs an instruction panel. I bought a collector edition as an adult, lost the manual, and he is forever robot now
Oh yeah there is! I'm pretty sure there must be a word in autobot for the condition of being unable to change forms. Knowing Transformers, it is something right on the nose. Like "transparalysis" or something
I think you'll find the main impact of the US election outcome, which was nearly instantly apparent after the inauguration, was exchange rates. The Australian exchange rate was already bad for every currency, but it became a whole lot worse with the chaos of the US economy.
Thus, paid Substacks are more of a luxury item for many readers.
Fantastic conversation.
Simon, your tips were extremely helpful when I started here in December, which has led to my own serial's modest success. I made the mistake of not subscribing back when I found you, and a note from Eleanor pointed me back to you. Now I'm subscribed and won't lose track again!
Simon and Eleanor, your two different approaches are super inspiring to me. My book was published in 2023, so I've been more like Eleanor in that I'm breaking up a finished book into weekly posts (without chapter numbers—thank you, Simon!).
I'm past halfway through the serial now, and have finally landed on what I think will be my next novel. My writing, confidence, and motivation greatly benefit from initial secret exploration drafts. I've had so many story/novel attempts die on the vine because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. My wife is my first reader, but she didn't see a word of my first novel until draft three, and I'm convinced that's the prime reason I finished it.
The thing is, given the timing of when my current book will finish posting, and the supportive energy around "practicing art in public," I'm considering a happy medium between the extremes of Eleanor <—> Simon. Get a couple drafts in to where I feel it's ready for outside eyes, and then use Substack as a beta run. Sounds like you had some luck with that, Eleanor, with the novel that became "more digestible" from serialization.
I appreciate all the candid shop talk from you both, it makes everything seem more possible. We're all just groping in the dark. Every book is a different beast.
Thanks for this encouraging and inspiring discussion. I'm excited for more from both of you.
PS: Eleanor, I love the Nick Cave tee. That's a very important album for me.
Thanks, Zachary! Finding somewhere comfortable along the spectrum of Eleanor <-> Simon sounds like a sensible approach.
Something like a "Simonor" or "Eleamon"…
Ha!
Hello Zachary! You’d be amazed (or maybe not) at how many doors have been opened to me when wearing that t-shirt. I should tell him. I’m always hoping he’ll move the Red Hand Files over to Substack… So glad you found the conversation inspiring, and that somewhere between our two modals lies the sweet spot for you. That’s great to hear, and supports the fact that putting such disparate artists as ourselves up on stage together reaps rewards; this is the beauty of substack - where a literary festival might not take that chance, we can and curate the conversations we really want to have, which by no coincidence at all are the ones people find most useful.
I can't say I'm surprised about that shirt. Cave's fandom has a strange and beautiful sort of solidarity to it. I will say I was surprised by the shirt itself, because I didn't know it existed, and I'll admit it took me a moment to figure out why the image was so familiar. I almost (almost!) thought it was Susan Sontag—but please don't tell Nick Cave that part!
[quickly searches "Red Hand Files"] Oh, wow! Thank you for mentioning this, it's so cool! It would be great to have him on Substack.
Yes, I knew your conversation would be interesting, but I learned so much more from your compared and contrasted approaches than I would have if you were similar. I could never do what Simon does, writing directly to the page. But while working on my novel I did put out a flash story every week on my personal site (before Substack) just to stay sharp and prove to myself that I had more stories in me. During each week I did multiple drafts to find and hone the story, but it was also liberating to have such a quick deadline forcing me to release it as-is into the wild when the bell rang.
I'm just discovering your work, so I'm excited to read your books. I've only read a few of your 8 Questions series, but they're fantastic, and speak to this open-door curation you champion, which I find so inspiring.
Writing—and discussion of writing—is such a stone soup. Thanks to you and Simon for bringing the meat.
Bringing the Meat with Eleanor Anstruther & Simon K Jones.
New podcast?
Ha! Let’s chat on Tuesday…
I can guarantee you at least one listener!
🙌🏻
Lots in the 8Q archive…!
Wait, we’re not supposed to cross the streams! I remember that from Ghostbusters. Although I also vaguely recall it was the only way to beat the Big Bad. Looking forward to giving this a listen later, as I write serials the way Eleanor does, but I write fantasy.
That film gives very conflicting advice.
There has to be some trade-off between silos and the blunt reality that not everyone enjoys the same works.
Absolutely - and as someone who has always loved science fiction, clearly that genre definition (however loose) has been successful at helping me find writing that matters to me.
I love Optimus Prime! That is one toy that definitely needs an instruction panel. I bought a collector edition as an adult, lost the manual, and he is forever robot now
Pretty sure there's an episode where he gets stuck in one form. Maybe this is why.
Oh yeah there is! I'm pretty sure there must be a word in autobot for the condition of being unable to change forms. Knowing Transformers, it is something right on the nose. Like "transparalysis" or something
I think you'll find the main impact of the US election outcome, which was nearly instantly apparent after the inauguration, was exchange rates. The Australian exchange rate was already bad for every currency, but it became a whole lot worse with the chaos of the US economy.
Thus, paid Substacks are more of a luxury item for many readers.