Howdy Fictionistas! We’re almost 100 strong, so it seems about time for us to find out what everyone’s writing these days.
In this discussion thread, tell us about yourself and your work on Substack. Why should we check it out? Give us your best pitch, and point us to your favorite work. (Fiction only, please).
Hey, everyone! Over at "The Tidewater Papers" I am currently finishing up serial novel (a short one, anyway). It's the sequel to another short alternate history novel that I published serially last spring and summer. I also have a fair number of my short stories there, most of which are historical fiction or sci-fi. My story "Allegiance Owed" is pinned to the top right now; it was published in a little anthology and is one of the works I'm definitely most proud of.
I'm an American short story writer living in Japan. Some reviewers of my stories have said, "Anyone not following Bill Adler is missing a dip into the wonders of short prose" and "Great storytelling. Shades of Stephen King."
One of my favorite stories is Gerald Gray's To-Do List. Gerald Gray was an average guy working an average job. He died with one item left undone on his to-do list.
Hey everyone! I write publish short fiction and currently working on a novella.
In my work, I explore contemporary and near-future problems often dissecting them from whimsical and darkly comical angles.
I love Russian literature, cinema, descriptive and stylised prose, allegories, absurd and satire, weirdo characters talking and thinking out loud, a mixture of real and surreal. These things have been influencing me a lot and perhaps some of them could be traced in my work, too. But this will be up to you to decide.
One of my stories to start with is Brainlephant (https://lifeboat.substack.com/p/brainlephant), a short story about a guy obsessed with elephants, mythology and... fortune cookies. Rest of my stories are in Fiction section on my Substack.
I'm a fantasy author and comics writer from NYC. I'm serializing book 1 of my epic urban fantasy series, Guild of Tokens, for free on Substack, and am releasing weekly chapters of book 2 in the series for paid subscribers.
What if, while browsing on Craigslist one day for concert tickets or a corner bookshelf, you came across a section called Quests? And then you clicked on it because you were curious and you found a list of video game/Dungeons & Dragons-like Quests, except asking for real-world items? That's the flash fiction prompt that started my series and which now acts as the prologue to book 1. If you like Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and wish you could go off on an adventure to find the secrets hiding in your city, then you'll love Guild of Tokens.
The novel I am currently serializing on Substack is a coming of age story about a young woman in 8th century Northumbria who must choose between the Saxon lord she is promised to marry and the Norse trader she is falling in love with, and what happens when she makes a choice and fails to stick with it. Oh, an historical novel, you say. Well, yes, technically, but that is not really the point. The point is to take this universal conflict and see it through the lens of a different set of circumstances and mores. https://gmbaker.substack.com/p/wag1
I've finished serializing the novel. It is now published in full here: http://mybook.to/thewistfulandthegood. I'm undecided about the experience. The novel posts got a decent number of reads, but not usually as many as my non-fiction posts. I don't know how many readers actually followed the novel all the way through in the newsletter. I wish I did. I've asked my readers, but very few respond, which I guess is typical. What I may do in the future is write something as a serial, rather than trying to serialize a finished novel. Not that a conventional novel can't work in this format, but I think the serial is a different art form, just as a movie and a tv series are different art forms.
These sites sound interesting and I'm going to look them all up when I get a chance.
I'm providing an interesting look at science, 'Real Science Fiction', which explore current connections to happenings that are just around the corner, hidden from sight.
For instance, in a serial, Misty gets recruited by an AI having our best interest in mind. Married with a little girl, she now lives in the moon encountering aliens as a kinetic ambassador on Earth's behalf.
Singular stories expand on technologies in topical, sometimes political context.
There are starships and other cutting-edge gizmos but no imaginary star gates or warp drives or matter transmitters or anything that can be done with 'infinite energy'.
Hope you give them a read and add your email - there's no downside.
I write Fantasy and Science-Fiction short stories, and just launched yesterday a weekly Space Opera serial.
Picking a favorite is difficult, as I'm rather proud of all the stuff I've published! Perhaps I have a soft spot for "To Tame a Wild Sea." However, my most popular so far seems to be "The Waystation."
Hi everyone! I write in a few different genres, but what ties my work together is that my stories are comedies. I'm mostly focused on writing crime capers (think Carl Hiaasen or Tim Dorsey, but set in Southern California). Over on Wattpad, I write humorous YA. As for my Substack, Situation Normal is a place for true(ish) humorous essays and other slice-of-life stories. I don't know if this one is my favorite story, but it's a recent one that blends a lot of fiction into a true story. https://michaelestrin.substack.com/p/spoiler-alert-i-wasnt-murdered
Hey folks! I'm Geoffrey, co-founder of Fictionistas. For over 15 years I've been a narrative designer for video games. I write plots, dialogue, quests, and figure out how players interact with the story. Past clients include Capcom, Square Enix, Disney, and indie studios around the world.
On Substack, I write Adventure Snack: bite-size interactive fiction to play on your lunch break. These are short, funny "choose your own" type stories delivered to your inbox twice a month. This is one of my favorite Adventure Snack quests...
Trying to find the right voice for my new paid subscriber tier, it became suddenly obvious that I could be writing from a fictional place - giving me much more scope - plus I could have more fun with it, too! I'd planned to include regular excerpts from my novel in progress, but now I see I can really expand from this liminal space to essays written in fictional locations. For February, much of it happens in a small wood-heated cottage that I've named Moy Mell.
Howdy all! It's so great hearing from everyone and seeing what you're working on. As one of the co-founders of Fictionistas, it warms my heart to see everyone participating!
I currently have two Substacks in addition to this one — Unseen St. Louis (https://unseenstlouis.substack.com), my brand-new Substack for my history articles (thanks to Geoffrey for pushing me off the ledge on that one!) as well as the OG Substack, Story Cauldron (https://storycauldron.substack.com), where I will be focusing more of my content on my fiction work and questions about storytelling. On Story Cauldron I publish short stories and articles for free members and serializing my Favor Faeries novels for paid members.
Hello! I've been writing serial fiction since 2015. I work primarily in the science fiction and fantasy genres and have published three novels on Wattpad.
My latest I'm sending out every Friday on Substack and is called Tales from the Triverse: a mash-up of crime fiction, SF and fantasy about a department of the Metropolitan Police in London set up to handle portal-related crimes: https://simonkjones.substack.com/s/tales-from-the-triverse
I also send out writing tips, and am hoping to start a podcast soon. I used to produce and host The Writing Life podcast for the National Centre for Writing. I have a new job but still have a podcast itch to scratch! My new podcast will be focusing on writers who are pushing at the edges of form and publishing (ie, most of us here!).
Looking forward to checking out the other replies here and following some new writers.
I write The FLARE, a collection of personal essays where I explore my history, identity and nostalgia, multi-genre short fiction from romance to horror, and poetry which is similarly varied.
My latest newsletter explores releasing unfinished fiction and getting audience participation on the next installment. I’m dabbling with both structure and fluidity. The next installment is in process for the next newsletter. https://theflare.substack.com/p/of-dust-and-dreams
Also in the shop is a short story I’m working on called “Ithaka”, where a detective awakens a planetary conflict during a murder investigation. Fingers crossed, I can get that to my readers later this year. There’s lots of angles to it. I’m excited!
Hi all! I'm Emily and I write Through the Fogg, weekly vignettes that tend to straddle the line between fiction and non-fiction. I subscribed to Fictionistas as I'm interested in seeing how others are using Substack to publish fiction, especially long-form.
One of my pieces that falls more on the fiction side of the line is this one, On Swimming:
Hey all! I write Quick as a Flash, a micro and flash fiction newsletter. I really enjoy the challenge and advantages that come with writing such short works and have enjoyed reading them as well. My goal is to spread the enjoyment to others and to give those that feel they don't have much time to read something they can down on their breaks.
Usually, I post five microfiction pieces and one flash fiction piece. In the Wish-Granting Issue, I threaded the five micro pieces into one bigger narrative, which I usually don't do. I'm quite happy with the result: https://anthonylora.substack.com/p/the-wish-granting-issue
I've also recently released an announcement that I'll be trying to generate prompts for myself and allow my subscribers to vote and influence which ones I use. I'm really looking forward to the extra level of interactivity: https://anthonylora.substack.com/p/an-announcement
Hello to all! It's interesting to look through the responses and see what everyone is doing - it's quite varied.
I've been posting my fiction on Substack now for about 7-8 months. I've just finished serializing my first work here, The Water Is So Wide, and am now starting my second, Beautiful but Unlikely. I like to raise philosophical questions using a fiction format. For example, questions about the persistence of love and art, or what it means to be a "good" person. The first novel I serialized had short chapters, so was easy and straightforward to post. Beautiful but Unlikely has much longer chapters, so I plan to break them up into several posts, which is an interesting exercise.
Can't believe I haven't jumped on this yet! Hey everyone, I'm Stephen. I'm currently serialising a YA fantasy novel over at "Underland and the Forehidden Kingdom." (https://underland.substack.com).
The story follows young Keon Wesley, a prolific bookworm from East London who's found himself on the wrong side of the rails since his dad left five weeks ago. When a schoolyard fight drives the rift between him and his dad even further apart, he discovers the entrance to a parallel world beneath his bed where words are weapons, ideas can hurt you and one's thoughts, feelings and beliefs taking physical form.
I'm trying to write literary jamais vu; taking something familiar and placing it in the frame of the unfamiliar. In this case, the concepts of the supernatural, spirituality, and faith in the vein of Narnia, His Dark Materials and A Wrinkle in Time, with some anime influences.
Hi everyone. I write fiction, humor, and other creative writing. I have a weekly newsletter with humor, fiction, and whatever other creative writing I feel like including (comic, poem, song parody, etc.) It is a surprise every week. I am also writing a serial space sitcom and my second novel. I can’t possibly choose a favorite. I have too many. So I will link to my Monday Morning Mark newsletter index. Any of those will serve as my favorite.
Hey everyone, I just started my newsletter called "Serial Smithery". It's a place where I can feature my writing in the genres of crime fiction and true-crime. I've started the process of serializing some of my short fiction with the goal of building toward a serialized novel sometime in the summer. I'm also exploring true-crime events that have occurred in my rural part of Indiana that have remained unexplored or lost to time. I love how supportive this community has been and I'm looking forward to seeing what others are working on!
Hi all, I am a newbie to substack, so I'm happy to find this page for advice and guidance. I've just set up my substack, so I'm still working on it. DianeT's Vignettes. I've only posted 2 so far. I would say they are short fiction and dark. Lesbian/gay content. https://dianet.substack.com/p/a-subway-story
Thank you to anyone who takes time to read either of them.
Howdy, peeps - I'm posting at The Quotidian Worry Club. I'm tracking creative growth by learning songs, posting about books, writing, music and other stuff.
But what will interest you Fictionistas, specifically? I'm about to begin serializing my techno-thriller here. I'm hoping to find some fans for my scrappy, hacker friend Kwynn out in the big bad world.
Hey all! I am producing a new 100-word story each day this month. I've had several themes over the past year, so I'm trying this one as well. In other news, I moves ahead to round 2 of the NYC Midnight short story contest (you can read my entry here https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic46470_post489077.html#489077) as well as banging away at my novel.
I've had a number of short stories published here and there. This is one I have a link for:
Hi all! I write mainly historical fiction and am serializing the first novel in a trilogy set on the ancient Pontic Steppe (present-day Ukraine), as well as essays, short fiction, poetry, and more.
If you're looking for the kind of unique historical fiction you can't find in bookstores, check out Of Wind and Wolves:
With her arranged marriage pending, an independent young Amazon is sent on a final mission to make her first kill and must attempt to reconcile herself to the cruel duties of both a warrior and wife.
Hi there! I just started serialising my novel here on Substack. But, as it is in German probably no one on this board can read it. 😂 Nevertheless, it would be fun if you could ever do a round-up of the fiction writers that are not writing in English one day. I think that would be interesting!
Interesting, Mona. My second novel that I'm bringing out in May or June has German characters and chapters that unfold in Berlin and Frankfurt. What do you write about?
I like speculative fiction that focuses less on how the future will be achieved and more on what it will feel like. Kazuo Ishiguro's recent novels, such as NEVER LET ME GO and KLARA AND THE SUN, are touchstones.
I'm promoting myself the same way everyone else. I write stories to entertain myself first, hoping that others will like them. I'm currently putting my novella THE BASHFUL COURTESAN up one chapter at a time. It's all about marketing and finding an audience, hoping that you can find readers who like your writing and want to follow you. I'm new at this. I started last week, so it may take me a little while to figure things out...
I'm the fresh fawn standing in the woods on wobbly legs, afraid to take a step, unsure how any of this works. I write personal essays and fiction. Since I imagine that any effort to join the writing community is best built on honesty, I'll admit that I've never finished one of my stories. I am here for connection, education, and lessons on the importance of sharing. https://jillbuckland.substack.com
“Report No.13” follows two airmen sent out on an assignment in the New Mexico desert and their encounter with the Fourth-Kind. 🛸🌵👽
If you enjoy fiction, I have previous works available on my Medium. Links can be found on my instagram:@jacobj.graham , that is also where I post updates on my uploads and promote my work. If you are a fan of my content follow and subscribe. Any podcasting fans can also find a link to my personal podcast there as well. Check it out! 🤙🏻🖤
Greetings, My novel, The Useful Stranger is set in East Africa, 1992. Weekly episodes are posted on Substack every Thursday. I look forward to being a part of this conversation.
I write traditional fairytales in short story and novella format for adults. You might find the occassional verse too but that's not my main focus. Having been born into the wrong century then abducted by the fey later in life I find it hard to get along with a techno-centric world. Reviving lost arts is a habit of mine and really no-ones touched this one in a good long while. .All stories, involving mythical folk or not, are about people (oh and cats, definately cats coming up) and my stories are character driven.
If you are after gentle fiction littered with light humour and folklore then I will probably have some quick and enjoyable reads for you.
Hi all! I write short fiction which sits on the border of genre, delving into the fantastic and surreal with a literary sensibility: looking for the moments where difficult and subtle emotions crystallize, where it's possible to come at ideas sideways when it's hard to understand them head-on. Often funny, often strange, always trying something that hasn't been seen before.
Starting this Wednesday, June 22nd, I'm going to be serializing my experimental novel, "Faster on My Own"! It's about a man tired of waiting for a revolution to come, so he takes matters into his own hands and tries to make the world worse so that the conditions for the revolution come sooner, but as he succeeds not only does society start to degrade, but so too does the structure of the novel.
Hi I am Sam i am. I write dystopian fiction and non fiction. I am currently writing 3 Substacks. The first one is called Campaigning for Truth in a Web of Lies, which looks at how we can get our message heard with all the noise we interact with online, as well as explores the technology and techniques used within those digital ecosystems of marketing. The second is called Shut Up and Listen which is exploring how we can have better communication and conversations: And the third one, which is also my fiction I am most proud of is called ... and the devil died screaming. It is a dystopian future where the gaps between reality, the virtual world and something other become very blurred and how we descended there right from where we are here and now.
I've been writing for a long time, but I hopped around different genres (fantasy, sci-fi, drama). For the last several months, I think I've found the genre that's best suited for me--horror! I haven't written an actual novel. I've written several short stories that were published here and there in small magazines. I'm working on three novelettes that'll be grouped together as a collection under a theme. I haven't decided yet whether to serialize them on here or seek an indie publication.
I'm a journalism graduate who ended up writing code instead of news, but after a 20+ year absence I've finally returned to writing. On my Substack Future Thief https://brianreindel.substack.com you can read speculative fiction and slice of life essays for free. I send once a week, and I love writing and reading a good low fantasy story. I would love to have you along for the ride!
Hello. I've been publishing serialized fiction and blog posts on my substack "The Warthog Report."
My current fiction project there is "Battles Beneath the Stars," which is styled as a script and walkthrough for a fighting game that only exists in my head. It's set in a fantasy world I've been developing for years, covering an international tournament full of political maneuvering and personal advancement. Each of the 'playable' characters has their own story where readers get to see how they change as they progress through the tournament.
If you like unconventional written works and video game storytelling, as well as ensemble casts, you'll enjoy Battles Beneath the Stars. Currently I'm on the first story, which stars Aodh, the red dragon of fire. But you should start with the introduction/prologue to the work as a whole.
Howdy folks. I’m loving the energy here! I’m new to Substack and to novel writing - I am a serializing a story:
Zag Kunde discovers as a boy that he can hear his mother's thoughts. The story is set in the fictional African village of Namanga, and chronicles his coming of age. As he comes to terms with his superpower he also discovers that it is the thing he has to overcome.
You will like this if you like magical realism in the vein of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Aimee Bender, or Toni Morrison. The story is firmly set in a village in sub-Saharan Africa. The village is fictional, but the traditions, lifestyles and stories are based on reality.
Looking forward to meeting other writers and learning from everyone here
Hi everyone! New to Fictionistas. I have just published my third novel, Slade (Evolved Publishing). My publisher also just released a collection of my short stories in book form, June Bug Gothic: Tales from the South. Next novel is slated for release this fall/winter 2022 (in final revisions/editing stage now). I also edit other fiction writers, something I've been doing for the past 15 years or so. I just joined Substack a few months back, and you can find me at 'A Writer's Block' https://robbgrindstaff.substack.com/, where I've posted a couple of short stories and some articles on writing tips/techniques. Looking forward to this group -- sound exciting to connect with other writers.
Hi everyone, I'm a novelist, poet and non-fiction writer who has published seven books to date. I started "The Only Gaijin in the Village" (named after my memoir) as a repository for 20+ years worth of writing that has been dispersed to the winds, and as a place to publish new writing that doesn't fit within the current industry model.
I cycle through poems, short stories, extracts and non-fiction pieces (essays and reviews mostly) on a weekly basis and I have a couple of serialisation projects in the works. Stop by if that sounds like your kind of things: https://iainmaloney.substack.com/
Hi! I've been on Substack for a couple of months, but I'm new to Fictionistas. I write Young Adult fantasy and my current serialised story here is an urban fantasy called Secret Angels.
Hi everyone! I‘m Caroline Donahue, an American writer living in Berlin since 2018. I finished a literary novel last year, and decided to start a substack to explore my other passion: mystery.
I have a pen name for mystery, M.C. Williams, and I‘m writing about the process of creating a mystery series over at Oh! Murder. I‘ll release the book serially as it‘s written- still sorting out the paywall choices at this point.
Wonderful to be here. I love what Fictionistas is doing and am excited to explore everyone‘s work.
Hi Caroline. I'm writing my second novel, which I plan to bring out in May or June. Has several German characters and some of the chapters take place in Berlin and especially Frankfurt. What are you doing in Berlin? Do you like it there?
How fun! I haven’t been to Frankfurt, other than to travel through it, but I always love stories set in Berlin. We‘ve lived here nearly five years. I‘m a writer and teach writing classes online. My husband works for a gaming company here- we moved in 2018 because we were tired of the expensive rat race in LA. I learned German in school and it‘s been the perfect city for us. ❤️ Where are you based?
I'm in Albuquerque. Have traveled in 44 states and lived in 13, but I'm most at home in my hometown. I lived in L.A. for 3 years in my twenties. Technically, only one chapter of this novel is set in Berlin, with four set in Frankfurt or nearby -- in the late 1950s. The story transpires almost entirely in Denver. But there are nine German characters out of about thirty total, six of the Germans come over to Denver, and two of them are major characters.
Well, I'm writing five novels that focus on five generations from the Jazz Generation to GenX. The second novel focuses on the World War II Generation, and I realized / concluded a couple years ago that what we can most learn from them now was how Germans put the Third Reich behind them. That's the main theme, and what the characters are still wrestling with in 1958, and so it ends up delving into German culture (and psychology).
I am an author who tells interesting and unusual stories about growing up in a small town, the great outdoors, hiking, camping, and motorcycles. I also post scenes from my upcoming book Motorcycle Stories - Finding forgiveness on the open road that I plan to publish this fall. Have a look and see if it is something that interests you. https://scottocamb.substack.com/
Hi everyone! I just started exploring the substack community and I can’t wait to dive into your stories! I started writing fiction to build a creative habit and to share some of these funny ideas that swirl around in my head. I don’t have a set genre yet I suppose, since I tend to just vomit out whatever is on my mind ( drives my structured story screenwriter husband crazy). My stories do tend to run a little on the more modern, fantastical sort of themes. It’s a little on the weird, ghost story-ish side of things. Currently I am writing a serialized story about people building a “ social dictionary” since in the near future we will only know each other through screens ( not really hopefully).
Hi! I'm new to the party. On my substack, I share timed short-form fiction. I also tease what's going on with my two Kindle Vellas: "Doe, a ripped-from-the-headlines romantic horror thriller about Doe Santiago, a Chicago EMT with a gift for healing, whose brother has been detained at the Mexican border. It's set in the midst of a viral outbreak that is turning victims into flesh-eating creatures. I also have "Sixty," a mystery thriller about a former crime reporter who is called back to the scene of her biggest story and is faced with secrets, lies and betrayals. Both feature strong, ethnic female protagonists. You can find out more about them here: https://www.flowcode.com/page/yvettewalker
Hi everyone! I’m new to Substack and decided to make the leap here with a WIP that I’ve been pursuing for 10 years. It’s a sci-fi fantasy novel journeying through 9 lifetimes on different worlds and civilizations. My work is for anyone looking to read something different, philosophical and imaginative. Thank you so much for making this community, I look forward to reading your work.
Hi all! Well this is exciting to find...! So, on "mostly made up" I'm publishing one new short-story every Friday for a year, plus some writing / writing-life related stuff on Sundays. Ray Bradbury said it's impossible to write 52 bad stories. I'm about to find out.
Much of my Substack so far is essay writing but I’m proud of my autobiographical fiction. My story ‘Do or Die’ particularly. I generally write auto-fiction and essays. I’ve lived in Santa Barbara for the past year after leaving Manhattan. For a decade I’ve also been a developmental book editor. http://www.michaelmohrwriter.com
I’m an ex-pat (from the U.S.) living in a small town in Mexico. I recently started "Dynamic Creed", a place for my odd fiction that challenges you – and me – to think about the world and the empire of beautiful contradictions that make up the human spirit. My work varies quite a bit: darkly humorous, irreverent, serious, spiritual, poetic and philosophical. I only have two pieces up at the moment, but I’ll be adding another every Tuesday. Hope you’ll check it out. Here’s the latest one:
Hi, everyone. I'm new here. My novel MOVIELAND is about Hitchcock, Hollywood, and the Occult. If you're a fan of Vertigo, Psycho, and the Birds -- all of which feature in my book (under different names, of course) -- you might enjoy this book. Book 1 will be offered free in its entirety. A new chapter, every Wednesday. I devoted a section page to it, with the chapters in their correct order. You can find it here...
Hey! I just serialized a novel. It's a dark comedy about OCD, anxiety, and a guy who's world is falling apart while he tries to grasp, ever-tighter, at some sort of control. OK, it might be semi-autobiographical :). It's also a first draft, but I loved writing it and publishing it every week. What a way to beat perfectionism (and...control?). Check it out, tell me what you think!
Hey, everyone! Over at "The Tidewater Papers" I am currently finishing up serial novel (a short one, anyway). It's the sequel to another short alternate history novel that I published serially last spring and summer. I also have a fair number of my short stories there, most of which are historical fiction or sci-fi. My story "Allegiance Owed" is pinned to the top right now; it was published in a little anthology and is one of the works I'm definitely most proud of.
I'm an American short story writer living in Japan. Some reviewers of my stories have said, "Anyone not following Bill Adler is missing a dip into the wonders of short prose" and "Great storytelling. Shades of Stephen King."
One of my favorite stories is Gerald Gray's To-Do List. Gerald Gray was an average guy working an average job. He died with one item left undone on his to-do list.
https://billadler.substack.com/p/gerald-grays-to-do-list
I lived in Japan for five years. What a wonderful place.
I think so, too. The people, culture, community, food, and views are wonderful.
Hey everyone! I write publish short fiction and currently working on a novella.
In my work, I explore contemporary and near-future problems often dissecting them from whimsical and darkly comical angles.
I love Russian literature, cinema, descriptive and stylised prose, allegories, absurd and satire, weirdo characters talking and thinking out loud, a mixture of real and surreal. These things have been influencing me a lot and perhaps some of them could be traced in my work, too. But this will be up to you to decide.
One of my stories to start with is Brainlephant (https://lifeboat.substack.com/p/brainlephant), a short story about a guy obsessed with elephants, mythology and... fortune cookies. Rest of my stories are in Fiction section on my Substack.
Agreed, love Russian literature as well!
I’ll jump on the Russ Lit train! Love me some Dostoevsky!
Hi everyone!
I'm a fantasy author and comics writer from NYC. I'm serializing book 1 of my epic urban fantasy series, Guild of Tokens, for free on Substack, and am releasing weekly chapters of book 2 in the series for paid subscribers.
What if, while browsing on Craigslist one day for concert tickets or a corner bookshelf, you came across a section called Quests? And then you clicked on it because you were curious and you found a list of video game/Dungeons & Dragons-like Quests, except asking for real-world items? That's the flash fiction prompt that started my series and which now acts as the prologue to book 1. If you like Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere and wish you could go off on an adventure to find the secrets hiding in your city, then you'll love Guild of Tokens.
You can start your Quest by reading the prologue here: https://jonauerbach.substack.com/p/prologue.
I'm also writing behind-the-scenes posts on being an author (and will be doing a similar series about comics writing). My latest is on building a readership: https://jonauerbach.substack.com/p/building-a-readership
We're peas in a pod, Jon! Look forward to reading your work
Thank you!
The novel I am currently serializing on Substack is a coming of age story about a young woman in 8th century Northumbria who must choose between the Saxon lord she is promised to marry and the Norse trader she is falling in love with, and what happens when she makes a choice and fails to stick with it. Oh, an historical novel, you say. Well, yes, technically, but that is not really the point. The point is to take this universal conflict and see it through the lens of a different set of circumstances and mores. https://gmbaker.substack.com/p/wag1
Wow, cool setting and story, plus timeless conflict!
Ohhhh cool! How’s the serializing going? I want to do that a little later down the line
I've finished serializing the novel. It is now published in full here: http://mybook.to/thewistfulandthegood. I'm undecided about the experience. The novel posts got a decent number of reads, but not usually as many as my non-fiction posts. I don't know how many readers actually followed the novel all the way through in the newsletter. I wish I did. I've asked my readers, but very few respond, which I guess is typical. What I may do in the future is write something as a serial, rather than trying to serialize a finished novel. Not that a conventional novel can't work in this format, but I think the serial is a different art form, just as a movie and a tv series are different art forms.
Hello,
These sites sound interesting and I'm going to look them all up when I get a chance.
I'm providing an interesting look at science, 'Real Science Fiction', which explore current connections to happenings that are just around the corner, hidden from sight.
For instance, in a serial, Misty gets recruited by an AI having our best interest in mind. Married with a little girl, she now lives in the moon encountering aliens as a kinetic ambassador on Earth's behalf.
Singular stories expand on technologies in topical, sometimes political context.
There are starships and other cutting-edge gizmos but no imaginary star gates or warp drives or matter transmitters or anything that can be done with 'infinite energy'.
Hope you give them a read and add your email - there's no downside.
I write Fantasy and Science-Fiction short stories, and just launched yesterday a weekly Space Opera serial.
Picking a favorite is difficult, as I'm rather proud of all the stuff I've published! Perhaps I have a soft spot for "To Tame a Wild Sea." However, my most popular so far seems to be "The Waystation."
https://xenin.substack.com/p/waystation
Hi everyone! I write in a few different genres, but what ties my work together is that my stories are comedies. I'm mostly focused on writing crime capers (think Carl Hiaasen or Tim Dorsey, but set in Southern California). Over on Wattpad, I write humorous YA. As for my Substack, Situation Normal is a place for true(ish) humorous essays and other slice-of-life stories. I don't know if this one is my favorite story, but it's a recent one that blends a lot of fiction into a true story. https://michaelestrin.substack.com/p/spoiler-alert-i-wasnt-murdered
Funny, you say? Subscribed :)
Hey folks! I'm Geoffrey, co-founder of Fictionistas. For over 15 years I've been a narrative designer for video games. I write plots, dialogue, quests, and figure out how players interact with the story. Past clients include Capcom, Square Enix, Disney, and indie studios around the world.
On Substack, I write Adventure Snack: bite-size interactive fiction to play on your lunch break. These are short, funny "choose your own" type stories delivered to your inbox twice a month. This is one of my favorite Adventure Snack quests...
Your Godbox Needs More Space
https://adventuresnack.substack.com/p/your-godbox-needs-more-space
I do actually play it on my lunch breaks. 🤣
And that’s why you’ve got the…
https://bit.ly/35GCaF9
Haha!
Trying to find the right voice for my new paid subscriber tier, it became suddenly obvious that I could be writing from a fictional place - giving me much more scope - plus I could have more fun with it, too! I'd planned to include regular excerpts from my novel in progress, but now I see I can really expand from this liminal space to essays written in fictional locations. For February, much of it happens in a small wood-heated cottage that I've named Moy Mell.
That sounds interesting.
Howdy all! It's so great hearing from everyone and seeing what you're working on. As one of the co-founders of Fictionistas, it warms my heart to see everyone participating!
I currently have two Substacks in addition to this one — Unseen St. Louis (https://unseenstlouis.substack.com), my brand-new Substack for my history articles (thanks to Geoffrey for pushing me off the ledge on that one!) as well as the OG Substack, Story Cauldron (https://storycauldron.substack.com), where I will be focusing more of my content on my fiction work and questions about storytelling. On Story Cauldron I publish short stories and articles for free members and serializing my Favor Faeries novels for paid members.
One of my favorite stories that I've shared is My Heart's Desire, a story about a woman who nearly gets trapped when she tries unraveling a family mystery. https://storycauldron.substack.com/p/my-hearts-desire
I love Story Cauldron, and always appreciate when you comment on my work as well.
Hello! I've been writing serial fiction since 2015. I work primarily in the science fiction and fantasy genres and have published three novels on Wattpad.
My latest I'm sending out every Friday on Substack and is called Tales from the Triverse: a mash-up of crime fiction, SF and fantasy about a department of the Metropolitan Police in London set up to handle portal-related crimes: https://simonkjones.substack.com/s/tales-from-the-triverse
My biggest project to date was The Mechanical Crown, a 240k+ fantasy epic that I serialised over three years. I think it turned out pretty well! It can be read here: https://www.wattpad.com/story/88905112-the-mechanical-crown-complete-novel
I also send out writing tips, and am hoping to start a podcast soon. I used to produce and host The Writing Life podcast for the National Centre for Writing. I have a new job but still have a podcast itch to scratch! My new podcast will be focusing on writers who are pushing at the edges of form and publishing (ie, most of us here!).
Looking forward to checking out the other replies here and following some new writers.
Hello! Nice to meet everyone!
I write The FLARE, a collection of personal essays where I explore my history, identity and nostalgia, multi-genre short fiction from romance to horror, and poetry which is similarly varied.
My latest newsletter explores releasing unfinished fiction and getting audience participation on the next installment. I’m dabbling with both structure and fluidity. The next installment is in process for the next newsletter. https://theflare.substack.com/p/of-dust-and-dreams
Also in the shop is a short story I’m working on called “Ithaka”, where a detective awakens a planetary conflict during a murder investigation. Fingers crossed, I can get that to my readers later this year. There’s lots of angles to it. I’m excited!
Hi all! I'm Emily and I write Through the Fogg, weekly vignettes that tend to straddle the line between fiction and non-fiction. I subscribed to Fictionistas as I'm interested in seeing how others are using Substack to publish fiction, especially long-form.
One of my pieces that falls more on the fiction side of the line is this one, On Swimming:
https://throughthefogg.substack.com/p/letter-9-on-swimming
Hey all! I write Quick as a Flash, a micro and flash fiction newsletter. I really enjoy the challenge and advantages that come with writing such short works and have enjoyed reading them as well. My goal is to spread the enjoyment to others and to give those that feel they don't have much time to read something they can down on their breaks.
Usually, I post five microfiction pieces and one flash fiction piece. In the Wish-Granting Issue, I threaded the five micro pieces into one bigger narrative, which I usually don't do. I'm quite happy with the result: https://anthonylora.substack.com/p/the-wish-granting-issue
I've also recently released an announcement that I'll be trying to generate prompts for myself and allow my subscribers to vote and influence which ones I use. I'm really looking forward to the extra level of interactivity: https://anthonylora.substack.com/p/an-announcement
Hello to all! It's interesting to look through the responses and see what everyone is doing - it's quite varied.
I've been posting my fiction on Substack now for about 7-8 months. I've just finished serializing my first work here, The Water Is So Wide, and am now starting my second, Beautiful but Unlikely. I like to raise philosophical questions using a fiction format. For example, questions about the persistence of love and art, or what it means to be a "good" person. The first novel I serialized had short chapters, so was easy and straightforward to post. Beautiful but Unlikely has much longer chapters, so I plan to break them up into several posts, which is an interesting exercise.
Best wishes to everyone in the year ahead.
Can't believe I haven't jumped on this yet! Hey everyone, I'm Stephen. I'm currently serialising a YA fantasy novel over at "Underland and the Forehidden Kingdom." (https://underland.substack.com).
The story follows young Keon Wesley, a prolific bookworm from East London who's found himself on the wrong side of the rails since his dad left five weeks ago. When a schoolyard fight drives the rift between him and his dad even further apart, he discovers the entrance to a parallel world beneath his bed where words are weapons, ideas can hurt you and one's thoughts, feelings and beliefs taking physical form.
I'm trying to write literary jamais vu; taking something familiar and placing it in the frame of the unfamiliar. In this case, the concepts of the supernatural, spirituality, and faith in the vein of Narnia, His Dark Materials and A Wrinkle in Time, with some anime influences.
Hi everyone. I write fiction, humor, and other creative writing. I have a weekly newsletter with humor, fiction, and whatever other creative writing I feel like including (comic, poem, song parody, etc.) It is a surprise every week. I am also writing a serial space sitcom and my second novel. I can’t possibly choose a favorite. I have too many. So I will link to my Monday Morning Mark newsletter index. Any of those will serve as my favorite.
https://markstarlinwrites.substack.com/s/monday-morning-mark-magazine
I write a fairy tale, a martial arts romance, a philosophical adventure, toggling between Cathay and the Baltic Sea.
https://feikayser.substack.com/p/when-a-girl-is-seventeen
Hey everyone, I just started my newsletter called "Serial Smithery". It's a place where I can feature my writing in the genres of crime fiction and true-crime. I've started the process of serializing some of my short fiction with the goal of building toward a serialized novel sometime in the summer. I'm also exploring true-crime events that have occurred in my rural part of Indiana that have remained unexplored or lost to time. I love how supportive this community has been and I'm looking forward to seeing what others are working on!
Hi all, I am a newbie to substack, so I'm happy to find this page for advice and guidance. I've just set up my substack, so I'm still working on it. DianeT's Vignettes. I've only posted 2 so far. I would say they are short fiction and dark. Lesbian/gay content. https://dianet.substack.com/p/a-subway-story
Thank you to anyone who takes time to read either of them.
Howdy, peeps - I'm posting at The Quotidian Worry Club. I'm tracking creative growth by learning songs, posting about books, writing, music and other stuff.
But what will interest you Fictionistas, specifically? I'm about to begin serializing my techno-thriller here. I'm hoping to find some fans for my scrappy, hacker friend Kwynn out in the big bad world.
Here's my substack home: I hope you'll take a peek: https://jeffreymessineo.substack.com/
Hey all! I am producing a new 100-word story each day this month. I've had several themes over the past year, so I'm trying this one as well. In other news, I moves ahead to round 2 of the NYC Midnight short story contest (you can read my entry here https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic46470_post489077.html#489077) as well as banging away at my novel.
I've had a number of short stories published here and there. This is one I have a link for:
https://www.slushpilemag.com/book-of-joshua
I also have three novels and no agent. Maybe someday!
I'm glad to join this community and look forward to reading everyone's work.
Hi all! I write mainly historical fiction and am serializing the first novel in a trilogy set on the ancient Pontic Steppe (present-day Ukraine), as well as essays, short fiction, poetry, and more.
If you're looking for the kind of unique historical fiction you can't find in bookstores, check out Of Wind and Wolves:
With her arranged marriage pending, an independent young Amazon is sent on a final mission to make her first kill and must attempt to reconcile herself to the cruel duties of both a warrior and wife.
Learn more: https://jmelliott.substack.com/p/table-of-contents
Hi there! I just started serialising my novel here on Substack. But, as it is in German probably no one on this board can read it. 😂 Nevertheless, it would be fun if you could ever do a round-up of the fiction writers that are not writing in English one day. I think that would be interesting!
Interesting, Mona. My second novel that I'm bringing out in May or June has German characters and chapters that unfold in Berlin and Frankfurt. What do you write about?
Hello! I'm writing weekly speculative literary/experimental fiction here:
https://whatwillitbelike.substack.com/
I like speculative fiction that focuses less on how the future will be achieved and more on what it will feel like. Kazuo Ishiguro's recent novels, such as NEVER LET ME GO and KLARA AND THE SUN, are touchstones.
Here's a sample story:
https://whatwillitbelike.substack.com/p/sometimes-behave-so-strangely?s=w
I'm promoting myself the same way everyone else. I write stories to entertain myself first, hoping that others will like them. I'm currently putting my novella THE BASHFUL COURTESAN up one chapter at a time. It's all about marketing and finding an audience, hoping that you can find readers who like your writing and want to follow you. I'm new at this. I started last week, so it may take me a little while to figure things out...
I'm the fresh fawn standing in the woods on wobbly legs, afraid to take a step, unsure how any of this works. I write personal essays and fiction. Since I imagine that any effort to join the writing community is best built on honesty, I'll admit that I've never finished one of my stories. I am here for connection, education, and lessons on the importance of sharing. https://jillbuckland.substack.com
just uploaded a short horror fiction on my page. Go and check it out: https://jacobjgraham.substack.com
“Report No.13” follows two airmen sent out on an assignment in the New Mexico desert and their encounter with the Fourth-Kind. 🛸🌵👽
If you enjoy fiction, I have previous works available on my Medium. Links can be found on my instagram:@jacobj.graham , that is also where I post updates on my uploads and promote my work. If you are a fan of my content follow and subscribe. Any podcasting fans can also find a link to my personal podcast there as well. Check it out! 🤙🏻🖤
Greetings, My novel, The Useful Stranger is set in East Africa, 1992. Weekly episodes are posted on Substack every Thursday. I look forward to being a part of this conversation.
I write traditional fairytales in short story and novella format for adults. You might find the occassional verse too but that's not my main focus. Having been born into the wrong century then abducted by the fey later in life I find it hard to get along with a techno-centric world. Reviving lost arts is a habit of mine and really no-ones touched this one in a good long while. .All stories, involving mythical folk or not, are about people (oh and cats, definately cats coming up) and my stories are character driven.
If you are after gentle fiction littered with light humour and folklore then I will probably have some quick and enjoyable reads for you.
Hi all! I write short fiction which sits on the border of genre, delving into the fantastic and surreal with a literary sensibility: looking for the moments where difficult and subtle emotions crystallize, where it's possible to come at ideas sideways when it's hard to understand them head-on. Often funny, often strange, always trying something that hasn't been seen before.
Starting this Wednesday, June 22nd, I'm going to be serializing my experimental novel, "Faster on My Own"! It's about a man tired of waiting for a revolution to come, so he takes matters into his own hands and tries to make the world worse so that the conditions for the revolution come sooner, but as he succeeds not only does society start to degrade, but so too does the structure of the novel.
Read here: https://junefiction.substack.com/
Hi I am Sam i am. I write dystopian fiction and non fiction. I am currently writing 3 Substacks. The first one is called Campaigning for Truth in a Web of Lies, which looks at how we can get our message heard with all the noise we interact with online, as well as explores the technology and techniques used within those digital ecosystems of marketing. The second is called Shut Up and Listen which is exploring how we can have better communication and conversations: And the third one, which is also my fiction I am most proud of is called ... and the devil died screaming. It is a dystopian future where the gaps between reality, the virtual world and something other become very blurred and how we descended there right from where we are here and now.
I've been writing for a long time, but I hopped around different genres (fantasy, sci-fi, drama). For the last several months, I think I've found the genre that's best suited for me--horror! I haven't written an actual novel. I've written several short stories that were published here and there in small magazines. I'm working on three novelettes that'll be grouped together as a collection under a theme. I haven't decided yet whether to serialize them on here or seek an indie publication.
I'm a journalism graduate who ended up writing code instead of news, but after a 20+ year absence I've finally returned to writing. On my Substack Future Thief https://brianreindel.substack.com you can read speculative fiction and slice of life essays for free. I send once a week, and I love writing and reading a good low fantasy story. I would love to have you along for the ride!
The Pacifier Tree is one of my recent essays:
https://brianreindel.substack.com/p/the-pacifier-tree
Address Unknown is one my more popular short stories:
https://brianreindel.substack.com/p/address-unknown
My personal favorite is Alistair Moon's Mysterious Book of Magic:
https://brianreindel.substack.com/p/alistair-moons-mysterious-book-of
Hello. I've been publishing serialized fiction and blog posts on my substack "The Warthog Report."
My current fiction project there is "Battles Beneath the Stars," which is styled as a script and walkthrough for a fighting game that only exists in my head. It's set in a fantasy world I've been developing for years, covering an international tournament full of political maneuvering and personal advancement. Each of the 'playable' characters has their own story where readers get to see how they change as they progress through the tournament.
If you like unconventional written works and video game storytelling, as well as ensemble casts, you'll enjoy Battles Beneath the Stars. Currently I'm on the first story, which stars Aodh, the red dragon of fire. But you should start with the introduction/prologue to the work as a whole.
https://warthogreport.substack.com/p/introduction-and-prologue
Howdy folks. I’m loving the energy here! I’m new to Substack and to novel writing - I am a serializing a story:
Zag Kunde discovers as a boy that he can hear his mother's thoughts. The story is set in the fictional African village of Namanga, and chronicles his coming of age. As he comes to terms with his superpower he also discovers that it is the thing he has to overcome.
You will like this if you like magical realism in the vein of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Aimee Bender, or Toni Morrison. The story is firmly set in a village in sub-Saharan Africa. The village is fictional, but the traditions, lifestyles and stories are based on reality.
Looking forward to meeting other writers and learning from everyone here
https://zagkunde.substack.com
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area in case anyone’s local 😁
Hi everyone! New to Fictionistas. I have just published my third novel, Slade (Evolved Publishing). My publisher also just released a collection of my short stories in book form, June Bug Gothic: Tales from the South. Next novel is slated for release this fall/winter 2022 (in final revisions/editing stage now). I also edit other fiction writers, something I've been doing for the past 15 years or so. I just joined Substack a few months back, and you can find me at 'A Writer's Block' https://robbgrindstaff.substack.com/, where I've posted a couple of short stories and some articles on writing tips/techniques. Looking forward to this group -- sound exciting to connect with other writers.
Hi everyone, I'm a novelist, poet and non-fiction writer who has published seven books to date. I started "The Only Gaijin in the Village" (named after my memoir) as a repository for 20+ years worth of writing that has been dispersed to the winds, and as a place to publish new writing that doesn't fit within the current industry model.
I cycle through poems, short stories, extracts and non-fiction pieces (essays and reviews mostly) on a weekly basis and I have a couple of serialisation projects in the works. Stop by if that sounds like your kind of things: https://iainmaloney.substack.com/
Hi! I've been on Substack for a couple of months, but I'm new to Fictionistas. I write Young Adult fantasy and my current serialised story here is an urban fantasy called Secret Angels.
https://lucywinton.substack.com/
Looking forward to meeting you!
Hi everyone! I‘m Caroline Donahue, an American writer living in Berlin since 2018. I finished a literary novel last year, and decided to start a substack to explore my other passion: mystery.
I have a pen name for mystery, M.C. Williams, and I‘m writing about the process of creating a mystery series over at Oh! Murder. I‘ll release the book serially as it‘s written- still sorting out the paywall choices at this point.
Wonderful to be here. I love what Fictionistas is doing and am excited to explore everyone‘s work.
Hi Caroline. I'm writing my second novel, which I plan to bring out in May or June. Has several German characters and some of the chapters take place in Berlin and especially Frankfurt. What are you doing in Berlin? Do you like it there?
How fun! I haven’t been to Frankfurt, other than to travel through it, but I always love stories set in Berlin. We‘ve lived here nearly five years. I‘m a writer and teach writing classes online. My husband works for a gaming company here- we moved in 2018 because we were tired of the expensive rat race in LA. I learned German in school and it‘s been the perfect city for us. ❤️ Where are you based?
I'm in Albuquerque. Have traveled in 44 states and lived in 13, but I'm most at home in my hometown. I lived in L.A. for 3 years in my twenties. Technically, only one chapter of this novel is set in Berlin, with four set in Frankfurt or nearby -- in the late 1950s. The story transpires almost entirely in Denver. But there are nine German characters out of about thirty total, six of the Germans come over to Denver, and two of them are major characters.
Cool- what inspired you to include Germany? There's certainly a lot to dive into here.
Well, I'm writing five novels that focus on five generations from the Jazz Generation to GenX. The second novel focuses on the World War II Generation, and I realized / concluded a couple years ago that what we can most learn from them now was how Germans put the Third Reich behind them. That's the main theme, and what the characters are still wrestling with in 1958, and so it ends up delving into German culture (and psychology).
Wow- that‘s a huge project- sounds very cool!
Hello everyone.
I am an author who tells interesting and unusual stories about growing up in a small town, the great outdoors, hiking, camping, and motorcycles. I also post scenes from my upcoming book Motorcycle Stories - Finding forgiveness on the open road that I plan to publish this fall. Have a look and see if it is something that interests you. https://scottocamb.substack.com/
Hi everyone! I just started exploring the substack community and I can’t wait to dive into your stories! I started writing fiction to build a creative habit and to share some of these funny ideas that swirl around in my head. I don’t have a set genre yet I suppose, since I tend to just vomit out whatever is on my mind ( drives my structured story screenwriter husband crazy). My stories do tend to run a little on the more modern, fantastical sort of themes. It’s a little on the weird, ghost story-ish side of things. Currently I am writing a serialized story about people building a “ social dictionary” since in the near future we will only know each other through screens ( not really hopefully).
Hi! I'm new to the party. On my substack, I share timed short-form fiction. I also tease what's going on with my two Kindle Vellas: "Doe, a ripped-from-the-headlines romantic horror thriller about Doe Santiago, a Chicago EMT with a gift for healing, whose brother has been detained at the Mexican border. It's set in the midst of a viral outbreak that is turning victims into flesh-eating creatures. I also have "Sixty," a mystery thriller about a former crime reporter who is called back to the scene of her biggest story and is faced with secrets, lies and betrayals. Both feature strong, ethnic female protagonists. You can find out more about them here: https://www.flowcode.com/page/yvettewalker
Hi everyone! I’m new to Substack and decided to make the leap here with a WIP that I’ve been pursuing for 10 years. It’s a sci-fi fantasy novel journeying through 9 lifetimes on different worlds and civilizations. My work is for anyone looking to read something different, philosophical and imaginative. Thank you so much for making this community, I look forward to reading your work.
Hi all! Well this is exciting to find...! So, on "mostly made up" I'm publishing one new short-story every Friday for a year, plus some writing / writing-life related stuff on Sundays. Ray Bradbury said it's impossible to write 52 bad stories. I'm about to find out.
Much of my Substack so far is essay writing but I’m proud of my autobiographical fiction. My story ‘Do or Die’ particularly. I generally write auto-fiction and essays. I’ve lived in Santa Barbara for the past year after leaving Manhattan. For a decade I’ve also been a developmental book editor. http://www.michaelmohrwriter.com
Hello Everybody,
I’m an ex-pat (from the U.S.) living in a small town in Mexico. I recently started "Dynamic Creed", a place for my odd fiction that challenges you – and me – to think about the world and the empire of beautiful contradictions that make up the human spirit. My work varies quite a bit: darkly humorous, irreverent, serious, spiritual, poetic and philosophical. I only have two pieces up at the moment, but I’ll be adding another every Tuesday. Hope you’ll check it out. Here’s the latest one:
https://dcreed.substack.com/p/the-crying-girl
I’m glad to be here and to be able to find others who enjoy and write fiction.
Victor David
Hi, everyone. I'm new here. My novel MOVIELAND is about Hitchcock, Hollywood, and the Occult. If you're a fan of Vertigo, Psycho, and the Birds -- all of which feature in my book (under different names, of course) -- you might enjoy this book. Book 1 will be offered free in its entirety. A new chapter, every Wednesday. I devoted a section page to it, with the chapters in their correct order. You can find it here...
https://movieland.substack.com/p/ca58c0b8-269c-46c3-82bb-745a919337c5
Hey! I just serialized a novel. It's a dark comedy about OCD, anxiety, and a guy who's world is falling apart while he tries to grasp, ever-tighter, at some sort of control. OK, it might be semi-autobiographical :). It's also a first draft, but I loved writing it and publishing it every week. What a way to beat perfectionism (and...control?). Check it out, tell me what you think!