So, what to do now, eh? Well, there's one definitive takeaway from the little side-by-side experiment I ran with 'A True Representative', which involved posting the text version of each Part here on Substack, then posting the audiobook versions I recorded and uploaded to Bitchute- video/audio performs better than text, even for niche folks like myself. Now, this might be an unfair comparison, sure, since I have nearly 200 videos over 2 years on Bitchute, and nowhere near that time or bulk of material here on Substack. It's not the same audience at all in some cases, I'm sure.
This doesn't mean that I'm going to pack up shop here, though. I still enjoy using Substack as a publication method, even though it seems a different 'controversy' swirls up around it every couple of months. I've read many of the criticisms of Substack, and hey, I'll cop to the idea that some few of them are very valid. For instance, it seems strikingly disingenuous of Substack to tout how much income writers on the platform earn from subscriptions when the VAST majority of that money only goes to a tiny handful of contributors. Why isn't that examined? Additionally, there's the hiccup that I personally am dealing with in regards to Stripe, who, despite having my banking information on file, claims to be unable to release funds to me. There's some kind of technical bug making it not work properly, but not to worry, I'll get it figured out. Eventually.
And who can forget all the rage that was inspired when it was announced that certain prominent persons were going to get enormous advances for using the platform? A lot of Substackers wanted to know why they weren't being offered a chance at that money.
I did not, and will not, consider myself among that crowd. I know EXACTLY why I won't; I don't command a huge audience. My readers are fellow genre fiction wonks coming by to indulge in some fiction, maybe read the occasional observational or 'slice of life' piece that I put out here. We aren't an enormous crowd, so we aren't too notable to the folks who crunch the numbers.
I'm okay with that. You see, I have an amazing wife, energetic and loving kids, a decent job that I'm growing in as a line cook (presently learning Asian culinary techniques and dishes), a modest house that my wife and I bought last year, two running vehicles (mine is an '01 Dodge Intrepid that still works well, my wife's is a 2014 Chevy Traverse we bought at a dealership a month after the house), and a back catalog of 26 novels to my name. We've got food in the house, Christmas shopping all done, and our friends, though few in number, are always gracious with us in dialogue.
My faith in God is still somewhat damaged, but slowly getting better with time.
In short, I've got a great life going here, so why should I have complaints about how Substack goes about making its business decisions? They allow me to post these things, so why gripe?
Anyway, that's a lot of filler, if I'm honest with you, because right now, I'm torn about what to present next in this space. I have plenty of options; another Amelia City short, a Tamalarian Tales short, the third Kathy Potts novel, or even a full Tamalarian Tales novel. The question is, what should I start presenting next?
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