Leaving Substack?
Returning To My Roots
Tori is a Drexel University MFA grad seeking traditional publication for her contemporary rom-com. She’s indie-published multiple novels and novellas. You can read more of her writing on her website.
I’ve been doing some thinking lately. And it’s been about where I want to be and how to reach readers. I’m out of the Submission Trenches for now, so my writing has shifted to producing and publishing fiction. I’ve concluded that my personal newsletter is best distributed by Mailerlite.
How It Started
A couple of years ago, I was in an MFA program and not regularly publishing. Starting a Substack gave me an outlet to keep the creative juices flowing and to publish without paying for a newsletter service. Substack is a place to discover new fiction voices (mainly by other writers, it seems), but it’s also a social media platform where authors must spend time posting Notes to tease the algorithm into showing their work to other writers (and some readers) to gain any traction. I thought about posting a “how to” series on indie publishing, but it wouldn’t be worth much without a unique angle to attract a readership—and it would take time away from writing (I have deadlines!)
How It’s Going
Since I’ve returned to indie publishing, I’ve been connecting to readers with a weekly, reader-focused newsletter. Readers found me via a reader magnet or by visiting my website—not by having a Substack account. Readers also aren’t particularly interested in my writing process, how to indie publish, yada yada yada. They want the next book. Mailerlite has cool features that will allow me to do so much more with a newsletter, and it aligns with how I want to run a publishing business.
What’s Next
Some of you were on my original Mailerlite fiction list and from Patreon. If that’s you, thank you for sticking around—I hope you join the Reader Newsletter. If you discovered my fiction through Substack and want to hear about the latest stories, then I’d like you to join the Reader Newsletter.
This is a great time to transition because next week I’m releasing the first novelette under my romantic women’s fiction pen name, Eliza Ellis. I hope you were able to pick up a free copy in one of the book giveaways I’ve posted about in the last couple of months. I’m releasing one novelette a month!
If you want to get the occasional (if I get a traditional publishing deal or have a take on the publishing landscape) writer-focused Substack post from me, you can stay subscribed here.
Thank you for following me on Substack. I love writing and am happy to return to a robust publishing schedule. Don’t miss the releases!