Celebrating My 1,000th Email
Here's to the next 1,000 emails!
Dear Readers,
No one is more shocked about this number than I am, but it’s true. This is my 1,000th email in a little over 3 years. Since this is the first time I’ve ever achieved such a milestone I truly have no idea how, or if, I should celebrate. But I know there are many newsletters ahead of me, who probably remember their 1,000th email fondly, though it was likely long ago. And many newbie newsletters just starting out who might be wondering if they have it in them to write 100 emails, let along 1,000. Well, I am here as proof that it is not only possible, but easily achievable if you keep just one simple thing in mind: write (and share) what you love.
I’m going to share some facts and figures about the past 999 emails. Some of it might be interesting to you nerds out there who love numbers as much as I do. Some of you might not care or find any of this interesting. But I want to look back and reflect and appreciate all that I have written because if you had asked me four years ago where I would be today, I would never have even imagined it would be writing, and sending, my 1,000th email to you.
BY THE NUMBERS
Non-Fiction
These are the emails I’ve shared that are mostly updates about my writing, tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way, and my interests as well.
News and Updates 62 emails
Notes from a Writer 197 emails
Stardate 62 emails
Notes from a Gamer 10 emails
Murder Pen Society 33 emails
Community Writing 79 emails
Fiction
When it comes to my fiction, it wasn’t until I discovered Substack that I even considered sending my stories in an email. Which seems silly when I think about it now, but before Substack, when I used Mailchimp for my newsletter, all I sent was one email per month for updates. I housed my fiction on my Wordpress website or on my Patreon page. This was having too many baskets to keep track of. But since I’ve been able to do it all in one place, just see what a difference that kind of freedom to write makes!
100 Word Stories 490 emails
OWNB 22 emails
The 5th Compass 10 emails
Anatomy of Typewriters 13 emails
Wondermere 21 emails
THE BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD
But reaching this point would not have been possible without so many other people and factors that came into play. I forged friendships in the fiction community that encouraged me even when I didn’t realize I needed it. I found a new love for fiction and a desire to share it often. Now Substack and my newsletter is the first and only place I consider sharing my work the moment I come up with it.
Before, when I had a new idea I had to couch it in favor of whatever I was working on at the time. I just didn’t have the luxury of working on more than one project. Not with having to maintain so many social silos everywhere. But with this freedom to do it all in one place it means I can open my mind to new projects. Say ‘yes’ more than I realize and not feel overwhelmed by it all. And when I fail or feel like I have overreached my own expectations, I can take a step back and no one will think less of me.
In the next several years (5-year plan?) I’m fairly certain what I’ll be doing and publishing:
Two horror short story collections. Possibly a third, depending on how quickly I am able to complete Anatomy of Typewriters.
My 100 word stories will reach its 1,000th and there will undoubtedly be fanfare for it. But there will also be The Tenth 100 to think about as well as The Second 500, provided The First 500 Kickstarter goes off without a hitch.
In tandem with my daily 100 word stories, I am looking to implement reading each story as well. In order for this to happen I need to be able to shift when I write these stories from the evening to the morning. This will afford me the opportunity to record myself reading it prior to posting. I am still writing these after 10pm at night, when recording my voice is just not an option.
The Serial Hour Podcast should be wrapping up its first trilogy and forging ahead on the second.
Top in Fiction will be going strong with a rotating line-up of Ambassadors helping me carry the burden of selecting the featured stories as well as some other ideas/surprises I have in store.
MicroZine will continue to flourish with its monthly digital publications and hopefully the “do-it-yourself” publication will evolve into something more.
And, as always, in keeping with tradition of always looking to go beyond my own expectations, there are a few stragglers that, if possible, I’d also like to achieve in these next several years:
Complete the first series for Wondermere.
Rebrand and repackage The 5th Compass books as well as the 5 novellas.
Turn my longer fiction into audio books. This will take a lot of work and a heavy lift for me to figure out so I don’t hold out too much hope here, but it’s in the back of my mind.
Merch. This can be a hit or a miss, especially without a real idea/vision for what I want the merch to be and why.
Sell 100 copies of my first horror short story collection. Yes, very ambitious but it’s my goal. In order to accomplish this I need to boldly go where I have never gone before. Take chances. Make mistakes.
ONE MORE THING
Anyone, and I mean anyone, can do what I have just done. Writing 1,000 emails in any span of time is not some insurmountable thing. If I didn’t realize it was coming up, it likely would’ve passed by unnoticed. And that easily could’ve happened since I have 100+ emails in Draft and Scheduled mode already. But sometimes, celebrating the good milestones helps us get over the slow times. And while it might look on the surface like I’ve got things under control and I’m just a monster production machine, none of this is easy by any means.
I marvel at myself for getting it all done day-by-day with fairly little complaints. Really, it’s because I have no one to complain to! So, to you, I say, celebrate your accomplishments, however strange or niche they may seem to someone else. Cause, who else is gonna point these out to us? No one! I welcome you to share your accomplishments; be they today, last week, last year, next year!