How I became a cautionary tale
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Hi!
It’s Mat here. I hope all’s well with you and yours.
Last year, I pulled together a collection of my flash fiction stories. I sent the manuscript to a few places and (much to my surprise and delight) had an acceptance from a press called Naked Cat. I liked their attitude – their social channels were funny and irreverent, their website looked good. They were already working with writers I liked.
Things moved very fast. After a quickfire round of edits, Naked Cat scheduled a release date and listed the collection on their site. My head was spinning, but I was excited to see a print collection of my work making its way out in the world.
Just before release, I spotted some worrying tweets on the Naked Cat timeline. Turns out, the editor and designer who ran the show were living in a van, struggling at times for access to electricity and internet. Alarm bells were ringing loud and clear. I’m not a psychologist, but I reckon operating an indie press comes significantly higher up Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs than shelter and running water.
I was right to be concerned. If anything, I should have been far more worried. Over the coming weeks, Naked Cat released books at a bewildering rate, barely stopping to tweet about each title before moving onto the next release, and the next, and the next, and the next. My chapbook was lost amid the noise — an insignificant needle in their publishing haystack.
Then the fundraisers began. Naked Cat threw themselves on the mercy of the indie lit community, asking for money to help them get by. Stories of stock damaged by a naked cat (I know, right?), poor mental health, and hardship prompted writers, readers, and fellow editors to rally round and donate.
Things got worse. Although hundreds of dollars were raised, the store never reopened and purchasers were not getting their books. Writers were still not being paid. Authors and customers were justifiably angry. Before long, the original Naked Cat staff rage-quit social media, ghosted their writers, and left a new team trying to unpick the chaos.
In the months running up to this disappearing act, it now emerges that Naked Cat generated thousands of dollars in sales – most of which, it seems, were never delivered.
As far as I can tell, none of the writers has seen a penny. I certainly didn’t. Many of our books are still available on Amazon, and any funds they generate are still lining the pockets of the editor and designer who let us all down.
Why am I telling you this? I suppose I wanted to share a cautionary tale, attempting to pull something useful and beneficial from the wreckage — to share the lessons I learned.
In the endorphin-rush of acceptance, I forgot that my stories are worth something. They deserve to be treated with respect. Next time, I won’t be in such a hurry to sell them short. I’ll take my time, think more, hold out for a publisher who really cares. I’ll be more selective in my submissions.
Here are the warning signs I should have heeded:
The editorial process was hurried and careless – I felt rushed through the proofing/layout stages
The press was signing and releasing books in very rapid succession, barely pausing for breath
Chapbooks released by the press were not given the promotional time, space, and attention they deserved
Look, the vast majority of editors are wonderful, genuine people with a passion for sharing great writing. The last thing I’d want to do is scare anyone away from submitting stories. Letting your words loose in the world is a joy. But there are some rotten apples out there, so it’s worth being a little wary.
In a bid to regain some control, I’ve released my own chapbook as an instant download for the price of a cup of coffee. I still believe in this collection. It deserves to be read.
Writing tips, prompts and more follow this short message:
Top tip: Find your tribe
Writing can be an insular, isolated experience, and it can be hard to stay motivated in a vacuum. But if you find a group of writers you trust, who inspire you, who are happy to share their stories and their feedback — well that can change EVERYTHING.
It did for me. In January 2022, I joined Writers’ HQ, finding my way around the forums and joining in with a couple of their free courses. Their prompts got me writing daily — building a sustainable creative habit. But more than that — the chance to read other people’s work filled me with ideas and inspiration. The act of offering feedback to others taught me more about my own writing — what works, what doesn’t, where a reader might become snagged on my words.
The community I’d stumbled upon was kind, funny, nurturing, and creative. The impact it had on my own stories was nothing short of magical.
As time went on, I made a small group of like-minded writing buddies, we chatted outside the forum — trusted one another with drafts, shared constructive criticisms, ideas, and input. Oh, and lots of stupid jokes.
I’d never have achieved the wins I’ve enjoyed over the last two years without WHQ and the friends I made through that site.
So that’s my writing tip this month. Find your tribe. You’ll never look back.
What am I writing?
Right now, I’m working on a collaborative story with one of my writer buds. It’s shaping up to be one of the longest pieces I’ve ever written — a heady blend of angels, demons, espionage, cults, and problematic parenting. After an initial sprint, both of us have lost a bit of momentum, but I know we’ll come back to it with renewed energy at some point and all the ingredients are in place to make it something very special indeed.
I’ve had a story rattling about in my head for a while about a scammer, deceiving marks with cheap tricks. Of course, there’s a sting in the tail, a comeuppance just waiting for the charlatan. This one is still at a very sketchy, “bare bones” kind of stage. I know where it’s headed, I’ve got the beats of it in my head, and some scraps down on paper. But there’s a lot of writing still to be done.
What am I reading?
This month, I really enjoyed The Interloper by Maureen O’Leary over on DarkWinter Lit. It’s one of those stories that creeps up on you. The sense of voice and rhythm drew me in like a powerful undertow, leaving me stranded, somewhere entirely unexpected, far from shore, by the end.
I also really enjoyed revisiting the first story in this issue of The Quiet Ones. Miss Tika’s Fates and Fortunes, by Katharine Gripp uses a second-person, present-tense perspective to deeply unsettling effect.
Open calls
A couple of sub opportunities that caught my eye this month:
7th Circle Pyrite
This online mag accepts “poetry, short fiction, essays, and visual art whose content explores spirituality, the arcane and macabre, horror, paranormality, magic, religion, occultism, or whose style embraces dark and/or gothic imagery”. They’re currently closed for fiction subs, but reopen on April 1st, so mark up your calendars.
Sans Press
Until March 12, Sans Press is reading short story submissions for a new collection, on the theme of “Stranger”. “We are looking for stories of all genres that respond to our title and/or cover art, and selected writers will receive a flat rate of €175 for accepted submissions.”
Writing Prompt
This street art by Foka Wolf sparked loads of ideas in my mind. I hope it does the same for you.
Signing off
That’s probably enough from me for now. I hope you enjoyed the newsletter. If you like it, why not recommend it to a writer friend? You can share this link, or hit the button below:
Next month, I’ll make time to share news about forthcoming projects, alongside writing tips, prompts, stories I’ve enjoyed, and lots more groovy things.
Until then, take care and have fun with your writing.
Best wishes,
Mat