Welcome 2026!

I've got a lot in store.

I know there hasn’t been much in the way of fiction around these parts lately. I won’t apologize. Between the holidays and the general doldrums, it’s been hard. Hopefully, things are about to change for the better.

I have a few weekly goals for this year. I’ve already started. Here they are:

• Edit fifteen pages of The Harvest (5/day over three days)

• Write two thousand words in either “Half a Halfling” or “The Evil Phonebooth” until both are completed. (1000 words/day over two days)

• Write one piece of flash

• Record Creative Dynamos podcast episodes

• Edit and release previous week’s Creative Dynamos podcast episodes.

• Record audio fiction podcast episode

• Edit and release audio fiction podcast epiosode

• Write any book reviews for that week

“But, Scott,” I hear you say, “nothing on that list says anything about Substack.” And you’d be right. It doesn’t say anything about Substack or Vocal or anywhere else I might post my fiction. You can’t post what you don’t have.

It’s my belief that if I can get into this routine, I’ll have things to post here.

Now, the question becomes, will I post here?

Honestly? That’s up to you guys. Are you reading my fiction? Are you enjoying it? Is it motivating you to do anything beyond just what I post here for free?

I have an “audience” here. Some few of you respond favorably to what I post here. From most of you, I get nothing. I’m not looking to monetize my Substack. Not this one at least. That was never my intention. It does have to serve some purpose, though. And I hoped that purpose would be to encourage you to check out my books. As far as I can tell, that hasn’t happened.

Vocal, for what it’s worth, allows me to post things for free and gives at least the illusion of monetizing what I post there, without passing the buck to you guys. It has its own issues, for sure. I’d have to start over there, build an audience all over again. Or I can pour all of my energy and attention into Patreon.

I honestly haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet as far as posting short fiction anywhere other than my Patreon page. If you are one of my few die-hards on here, would you join my Patreon at the free or $1 level? Is that a bridge too far? Or are you all about that Substack ecosystem? If it’s the latter for you, would you miss me if I’m gone?

I guess I’m looking for someone to convince me to stick around.