Clap Out the Candles

26: Birthday Special

Jun 13, 2022

The first birthday is an important one. A baby goes from a clump of cells to a sprawling, screaming person with interests, and a growing capacity to learn. Maybe teeth have sprouted or they’re just learning to walk. It’s monumental.

In this celebratory newsletter, you’ll find:

Changes to the newsletter
Recipe recommendations
Lessons learned
Story fiction collaboration
What’s coming for future newsletters

As someone in healthcare, I think about all the things that could have gone wrong and might still in the first year. My children’s first birthdays were very much a “we made it” celebration.

So for The FLARE, I’m saying it too:

Created with Pocketbook; Image description: "Handwritten text saying “We made it!”

My first year nursing this baby Substack started from a few measly views on my first post to an audience of over 100 signups (which are growing by the day) and paid subscribers. It’s amazing!

And what birthday is complete without a new look and some sweets?! Let’s delve into a little bit of what you can expect this year.

What’s Changing

The FLARE is getting a few embellishments which include custom section dividers and some fancy templates for social media posts. There will also be more consistency to the look of each newsletter, with convenient links at the bottom to my social media accounts and one-time donation websites.

The first paid content was released earlier this year, but I am changing my mindset behind it. My paid subscribers are great and were supportive of the work before I had exclusive content, so I feel more comfortable backing off strict obligations to paid content monthly and reserving it for some longer compositions which will be advanced release. We’re obsessed with adding value but if I already feel valuable then there’s no need to keep looking for that validation. Lower pressure and a more sustainable cadence means better quality.

I’ve also thought about elements of style. The FLARE is very much about feeling seen, but one year on and I have a community, loyal supporters, and a growing list of collaborators. I am seen, so does the word “flare” still have to be capitalized? Well… no. If you’re writing about this newsletter and don’t capitalize it, it’s fine. But I will probably still do so, since I’m still a bit attached.

What won’t change is the commitment to good stories. I hope to be a better version of myself, to keep growing and experimenting, and seeing you back here every two weeks.

As you join me in clapping out the candles on this birthday cake (instead of blowing onto communal food), I’ll tell you something you don’t know: I used to do a lot of baking. From an impressive apple tart with with a hazelnut topping to duck fat cornbread to a rustic blueberry cobbler, I’ve collected a variety of recipes over the years. While I can claim to be no chef, I can make a decent meal, even if it’s thrown together after a long day at the office.

There was much more time years ago, and I’ve cycled through a few cake recipes, but my favorites are from Yolanda Gampp of How To Cake It. I highly recommend her recipes for buttercream and vanilla cake. They’re the only ones I use.

So what have I learned from this year-long sojourn? Here’s five things:

1. Get organized

This was a tough one. I had a small catalogue from Medium, which I reposted on Substack as an introduction to my work. In retrospect, I should have gone a lot more slowly since I was posting twice per week then sending out a newsletter every two weeks with a recap. That’s not exactly the model for Substack. I very well could have stretched work from June to October while I composed newer pieces, so I have some lingering regret over rushing into things. However, I recognize fear of scarcity drives those negative feelings as well. I have much more to give, so I’m letting go of those rough beginnings.

My Bond essay series was the height of organization with hours of research and concept development, custom art from my friend Harold, and pre-scheduled posts. I decided on a six-part series and had even done my rewatch of all the movies, brushing up on my notes. It was beautiful.

One thing is for sure: it’s better to outline a publishing schedule, even if it’s only a few newsletters ahead to keep some of the pressure off. Not everything has to be fleshed out, but jot down ideas and think a bit of the larger picture. There may be some paralysis when it feels like you have nothing to write. At the very least, a growing list of drafts are stepping stones to the next release. You can also look back to promises you made to readers for new material or as a push to finish a project.

For those times when I fall behind, however, I give myself a bit of grace. Maybe I don’t make my self-imposed Monday 11am posting deadline, but I show up. The key is setting achievable goals but realizing that plans may have to change.

2. Get Going

I don’t lurk, I jump in. While I could have done a better launch initially, as in promoting on social media or during Office Hours, the biggest hurdle is getting started. Paying attention to too much hesitation can leave you stuck. If I thought too long about what people might say or what they’d think, my mind would have conjured vivid nightmares of a faceless, jeering hoard. I would have fizzled out before long.

If there’s an ambitious project you’d like to try or a collaboration you’d like to initiate, go for it! The planning element still stands and there are many tools at our disposal. From Notion to Scrivener to even a shared Google Doc, one of the biggest steps is the first one. After that, making the commitment to complete that project is the second obstacle. It takes a bit of discipline to deliver, but it’s well worth the crappy draft, ruthless editing, and photo hunt. Once you’ve built on a small success, you can achieve others.

Although initially intimating to be part of the community, I have found nothing but support and encouragement here so I didn’t need to mull over an approach too long. I just had to keep going.

3. Get Involved

Office Hours is over a year old and has been a great forum to ask questions, share insight, and promote my work. I’ve collaborated with writers and artists, writing on a variety of subjects, done a podcast, and been interviewed. So many great opportunities have come my way from getting out there and just saying hello.

Collaboration has allowed me to challenge my skills, reach other audiences, and build my resume of published work. It’s been fulfilling and exciting. I have other collaborations on the horizon and look forward to more in the future. The community has been extraordinary in that respect.

But there’s other places to get involved! Twitter, Instagram, Reddit… I’m trying out more reels on Instagram and getting a bit more active on Reddit.

4. Get Steady

A consistent pace of newsletter releases is my main objective right now. I want to show up every two weeks for my audience and have something that will entertain, inform, or move them. That goal is a beacon I march toward, which is the only way I’ve found to have any success. I cannot worry about those with massive audiences or a slew of paid subscribers. I have to worry about me and what I’m doing.

The goal also sets me up to have greater long term success (and that always elusive “exposure”) as a byproduct of my efforts. Imagine going strong and consistently for two years and when the success hits, all your productive habits are in place? Then it’s not a matter of coping so much with the stage fright of deciding what’s next but having the freedom to keeping doing what you do best and pivoting to serve a changing audience.

5. Get Good

Above all, Substack readers love good writing. The brilliant people on this platform are putting a lot of time and research into their work and the commitment shows. They have honed their skills and learned what works. They’ve taken tips, tried, failed, had wild popularity for a split second, and still face the page with enthusiasm and finesse.

That‘s what I want: is to get good at what I do and find a formula that makes this newsletter an inviting space.

Another aspect is being reminded of your ethos. Who are you and what are you writing about? Geoffrey Golden of Adventure Snack and Fictionistas wrote about using a logline which helps summarize your Substack’s content with a pithy statement that hopefully hooks them in. The logline for The FLARE keeps me honed in on my purpose helped me zero in on the point of writing to you biweekly.

By Chance

A hard knock from the radiator startled him awake. His room was still shrouded in darkness as he unfurled his comforter.

She starts work at 3:00am. Maybe this time I’ll go inside.

He threw on the nearest pair of pants and tee shirt.

The lights in the kitchen flicked on as Anna set her bag down in the office. She put on an apron and passed the display case on the way down the hall to the fridge. Even across the parking lot, she could see him standing there. This was the tenth night he’d stood waiting in the dark. Her boss had brushed off her concerns. The man was probably a harmless vagrant waiting to fill his belly with the smell of brioche, he said.

Anna shivered as she opened up the fridge for eggs and butter. On her way back to the prep table, she looked out and saw he’d gone. Her body melted with relief.

He stood by the office door watching her knead dough, admiring the definition of her well toned forearms. Years of trained hands made her work look effortless. So beautiful, he thought. He inched forward and stepped on a dried noodle making a loud snap.

Their eyes met.

He had rehearsed different lines he would say when they met again.All the mentally scripted lines failed him.

“Hi,” he said, and even that word had to fight through his phlegmy, semi-sleepless throat.

“Can I help you?” she said in a tone that was anything but an offer of assistance.

Three knives were within her reach, but the man was huge, the arms hanging at his sides seemingly longer than normal.

“I pulled you from that station wagon.”

“Get the fuck out,” she said. She knew she was going to say it no matter what he said, then she froze.

“Wait, what?”

“I…I was the person who pulled you from the wreck. I…anyway…it’s nice to see you are doing well.”

Anna leaned back, slowly pulled a filet knife from the sheath on the counter. It was more security blanket than weapon.

She held it waist high.

Her voice was admirably measured, calm

“How do you know about the accident? Why have you been watching me through the window?”

“I was driving by. I pulled you out. Then your sister. I’m sorry I couldn’t save your mother.”

“They searched all over for the man who saved us. Why didn’t–”

“I was a fugitive. Wanted. Still am…

Thank you for joining me on this edition of The FLARE! My 100th subscriber will receive a special offer, so keep an eye on your inboxes. As always, you can email theflare@substack.com for comments, questions, suggestions, and collaborations.

What’s next?

Short fiction story “The Tell” for paid subscribers
A thread on disgraced heroes
My thoughts on the book Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton