First, let me thank my subscribers, who are likely only subscribed because they keep putting off unsubscribing. Well, stay. It will get better. Changes are brewing. Readers, I appreciate you, too. But quit lurking and subscribe already. It’s free, and I won’t inundate your inbox.
From here on, I will focus on fiction, poetry, and personal essays. Much of it will be fragments of stuff I am working on—occasionally, I will publish a full story. However, most will be brief, three- to four-minute reads. Essays will probably be a tad longer. I aim for a once-weekly email, perhaps two, whenever I’m feeling froggy, which is rare.
I thought it would be better for my readers, subscribers, and me to concentrate on what I’m best at and enjoy most. When I started this newsletter, I wanted to write lengthy, complex essays on various topics. But between cleaning toilets part-time and trying to gain momentum freelancing—sending out two or three proposals on Upwork each day and keeping my current clients happy—I don’t have the time to research, compile notes and turn them into fluent and comprehensive pieces with commentary. I’ll save that mess for when I’m being paid. Besides, I prefer to explore the human condition through fiction and its counterparts. That’s why I started writing.
I have a piece I will publish in a day or three, which I hope to shape into a poem after I’ve let it sit the mandatory two weeks, at least. I hope you enjoy it. Writing it has helped me flop back into a creative mindset and get through these last few days. It’ll make more sense when you read it. You will read it, won’t you?
Oh, and be aware: I’m changing my publication’s name and image. Both began as a joke, a dare from my daughter. I hadn’t intended to keep either for this long. Neither are welcoming. I hope to make these changes within the next week.
Until next time.
Update / Changes Ahead
With my podcast, I went through an Update/Changes Ahead period. Two of them, actually. I enjoy the burst of clarity you get from it.
And because you didn't ask, I'll share one observation I've learned along the way. The subscribers you want, the ones that will do your bidding (insert ominous cackle), they won't be bothered if you stuff their inbox.
Two emails a week won't scare them off. If you've ever subscribed to the Chuck Palahniuk feed, you'll quickly discover that hundreds of thousands of people actually pay that dude to send them between one and five emails a day. A DAY!!!
And as a gesture of hypocrisy, if you email me five emails a day, I will unsubscribe. Keep it below that, and I'll hang around. Looking forward to what's next for you, Corey.
You write well, I will wait for your further work!