Folks, it’s been three whole years! I can’t believe the time has flown by this fast—uh, who am I kidding? Time flies when we’re having fun. And boys and girls, it’s been a blast.
I wish I could slow it down to cherish it with as much gratitude as it deserves. Unfortunately, that’s not possible. However, the ability to reflect on what matters is possible; in this case, it’s the people I’ve met along the way. Whether you’ve corresponded with me directly over email or in the comments—or a reader who hasn’t interacted but stays up-to-date—I consider you a friend.
Your time is precious currency, and spending it here is truly incredible and appreciated. So, dear reader, thank you first and foremost. And to the paying subscribers listed below, I’m your biggest fan. Massive shout-out for helping fund this indie publishing endeavor:
, , , Kent Bridgeman, , Danny O'Day, , , Peggy Boone, Yvonne, skiddlzninja, , Brylle Gaviola, Sarah Duck-Mayr, Richard Schultz, , , , , Joan Lass, , , Sandra Muzio, Pam Malone, Robert D. Malone Jr., Erica Astle.Now, let’s reflect on the people and events of the past year. (The order listed is loosely based on the date/timeframe of events)
In July 2023, I was afforded the opportunity to guest judge Season Three of the Lunar Awards after winning the second season’s First Chapter category for The Angel of War. The winner for S3 was
for her dark fantasy entry “Riding the Viper.” If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it.Later, in March 2024, I would join forces with the Lunar Awards again, this time as a sponsor for Season Six. To make it extra special, Brian let me reveal the cover of my anthology, Take Me There. The winner of S6’s Short Story category was
for “Illegal.” Go check it out!Brian has become a great friend and inspiration to me. I’m consistently impressed with his immense talent and professionalism in engaging the fiction community here on Substack. I admire his work, writing, and demeanor and wish the best for him and his ongoing projects. My engagement on this platform would not have been the same without Brian’s presence, and I’m so grateful to have met him and received his support over the past year.
Brian is the creator of the Future Thief Substack, and the author of The Stars Will Fall.
July of 2023 was a big month, apparently. C.R. Langille accepted my short story earlier that year called “Wrath of the Widowed” and published it in the Along Harrowed Trails western horror anthology by Timber Ghost Press. I’d never been published outside of my own self-publishing endeavors online, so this moment was very special to me.
I consider Sylvia a guiding figure in my publishing journey and am thankful to have met her IRL when I did. I wouldn’t be as far along as I am today without her help, and she motivates me to continue pushing the limits of what is possible in the industry. I wish her much more success with her publishing endeavors!
Check out TGP’s website for all things spooky!
I teamed up with J. M. Elliott on a project called The Library, where we accept submissions of completed works on Substack to archive all of the great books by indie authors here on the platform. In August of 2023, we reached 100 books and celebrated with this post. We’ll likely do so again with another major milestone soon to be in the bag. It’s an honor to help curate and host such a rapidly growing space for writers of all types.
But that’s not the sole reason I'm highlighting Jacquie. Since I joined the platform, she’s been one of my closest contacts and friends. Her support has been unwavering, and for that, I’m extremely grateful. Here’s hoping we have many more years of creative collaboration in front of us.
J. M. Elliott writes The Problematic Pen, and I can’t recommend her historical fiction novel Of Wind and Wolves enough.
Christmas Giveaway
This past December, SXP hosted a giveaway for free subscribers. The grand prize was a $150 manuscript formatting software called Atticus, which came with a $50 self-publishing course. The winner of that giveaway was
. Please check out Alison’s Historical Fiction Stack.Interviews
I didn’t get to interview as many creators this year due to juggling the anthology for the first time. But late last year, I learned more about two fellow indies. The first was a two-parter with
, the author of the Rock Gods & Messy Monsters. The second interview was with , creator of Battles Beneath the Stars and writer of The Warthog Report.These two writers are truly imaginative in their writing and world-building. I’ve coincidentally spoken with both of them one-on-one. I met Diane in Santa Fe, NM, at a cool coffee shop, and she gave me some insightful feedback and guidance. I also learned more about William and his writing process during a voice chat in the private SXP Discord. I am so glad to have met both of these fantastic writers.
Original Fiction
As with the interviews, I didn’t publish as much fiction on SXP as I’d wanted to this past year, but accepting and publishing submissions are mostly outside of my control. I did publish two pieces from other Substackers, one poem by
behind the paywall, and the other is a short story by , free to read.
My five short fiction works published last year are behind the paywall here.
In January 2024, I spoke with a great writer friend, Daniel, about the future of publishing on Substack. We brainstormed ideas about what this might look like, and he urged me to write a post about it. I followed his advice and proceeded to do so. The subsequent outpouring of support and enthusiasm for the ideas presented in that article was astonishing. It quickly became the most popular post on SXP by a huge margin.
I credit the virality of that post to Daniel and his invaluable direction in writing fiction and nonfiction. He’s been an incredible mentor to me since long before I created a Substack, so I cherish the opportunity to work and collaborate with him in this space.
Daniel writes Lamp Post in the Marsh. Please subscribe to him. You won’t regret it.
Matthew is another writer I’ve been so grateful to have met. We’ve had many insightful discussions, and his honest feedback has been invaluable. In March 2024, he introduced me to
, a sci-fi and fantasy writer who interviewed me on his YouTube channel. Both Matts are incredible humans, and I wish them much success in their projects and stories.M. S. Arthadian is the creator of Reborn in Power and writer of Disciple’s Prayers.
Nonfiction Essays
Nonfiction has been an enjoyable experiment here on SXP over the last year. Essays were never my strong suit, and I didn’t have a ton of interest in writing nonfiction until I began writing in public and experienced the full range of emotions that come with that. So, I’d like to highlight some of those once more since they helped frame the direction of my writing and might provide motivation for your journey.
Indie Publishing Series
I summarized my experience publishing my first book in a five-part series called To Build a Book. Paid subscribers get the revised ebook/PDF version, but the articles are still available for free in their original form here on Substack.
I’m currently writing a new series about Reedsy's functionality as a valuable tool for indie writers.
Big SXP News!
Two major developments occurred more recently this year. First, I curated and published my first anthology, Take Me There: A Speculative Anthology of Travel, featuring 24 authors from around the world. Second, I signed two authors to publish their books under the SXP banner.
I’ll be working with
to publish his historical horror novel The Werewolf of Mariahilf am Inn, and to publish his middle-grade fantasy adventure novel The Kefi. I'm excited to help bring these works to life for readers everywhere.I’ve also opened up submissions for publication as long as all guidelines are followed.
Charting the Path Forward
As one chapter ends, another one begins. The exciting story of Storyletter XPress Publishing is only getting started. Where do we go from here? Let’s discuss a few things I’d like to accomplish in the year ahead.
The main focus will be on perfecting the process of publishing novels under the SXP banner utilizing the XPress 6-month timeline.
I’ll open the submission window for our second anthology later in the year. The theme will be announced around that time. I have some ideas brewing already!
I want to attend local events as a vendor to promote and sell physical books.
Recording short videos on YouTube might be fun, but it will depend on my availability while juggling the other projects.
A renewed focus on interviews (again). It’s one of my favorite ways to get to know other writers and creators.
If you’ve read this far, thank you for your continued support. It wouldn’t be the same without you. I hope I’ve made it clear that this project isn’t a solo endeavor and that your participation has enabled all of the above accomplishments. It’s a community effort that I’m proud to cultivate and be a part of. Let’s continue this wonderful journey together, one chapter, one story at a time.
All the best,
WM
Incredible achievements in such a short space of time, Winston! Can you share your daily vits list.
Three years!!! That's wild to think about. I'm very thankful for your friendship and our collaborations and I know there will be many more to come. Congratulations on all your accomplishments, Winston!