I'm One Hundred!
We’ve done this 100 times?
Can you believe it? I started this newsletter so long ago, back when blogs went the way of AOL, Myspace, and saxophones.
Are you still enjoying it?
I am! I always say this, but it’s hard to find a promotional approach to writing that you actually enjoy, and I don’t mean that to sound so soulless. I’m talking about promoting yourself in the way of, say, an active, popular but personally satisfying presence on social media, something more organic than calculated. That’s how this newsletter is for me. As I’m writing this, my lips are currently pursed in duck face pose.
I don’t think anyone does duck face anymore? Also, and not to be rude, but…after 100 of these, if you were better at newslettering, shouldn’t you have monetized this approach and bought a pet panther or a Labubu or something?
I’m happy to financially support my favorite newsletters. They provide good, researched information, or support causes I believe in. Often, the writers have a background in journalism or publishing and provide researched analysis to their writing.
That’s, um, not what this is.
Crime Fiction Revolution offers a look (my look) at how the world affects crime fiction and writing/publishing in general, and vice versa. Whether I’m talking about problematic men in publishing, problematic men in crime fiction, problematic men in general, neato technology that can’t possibly go wrong, or even crappy reviews, I’m just telling you how I feel about issues bigger than me, and hoping it resonates. Feelings based off facts.
I still think writers should get paid for their writing, so I did add a tip jar option. But that’s mainly because my phone dings when I get a PayPal notice and I think it’s cute. Look at my phone over there, all trying to get my attention!
Do you have a hard time finding things to talk about?
I’ve settled on a schedule of once every three weeks or so, and that’s more than enough time for someone to try to break crime fiction and for me to write about it. Or, occasionally, I’m moved to write about a war or an election gone wrong and my readers have been cool with these occasional departures. Usually that’s when I transition awkwardly, something like, “But enough about the Trump administration outlawing shorts, here are five thrillers to keep you cozy this winter!”
Has the readership grown? And if so, how’d you do it?
CFR has just under 5,000 subscribers, which is a nice number, although my goal is to hit at least five times that number and maintain a 30% minimum open rate. And, listen, I can do this, but I need your help. All you have to do is ask five friends or family members to sign up! Or, even better, just sign them up without their knowledge; it’s fine.
Aside from such minor acts of illegality, there’s an organic growth, which would be increased A LOT if I’d stayed on Substack, but I abandoned Substack a while ago because, well, I’m stupid. But Substack has one of the best approaches to newsletters out there, even if you have brush past crowds of neo-Nazis as you make your way down the hallway of Substack HQ.
I also have a day job, and it’s in marketing. Marketing has given me a good understanding of advertising for leads, so I do occasionally run targeted ads online that produce a narrowed, engaged audience and result in a fairly low churn rate. Wow, what a boring sentence. Let’s not continue this paragraph.
How are you celebrating our 100th newsletter? Will there be a cake?
Yes, but I’m not sharing the cake. Instead, since you all like newsletters, I’ll share some of my favorites. These are the emails I never immediately delete, unlike the ones from those fuckers at CitiBank VISA (why would you ever let a sophomore in college get a credit card, that’s on you, you’re never getting that money lolz).
On publishing:
Audacious Roundup (by Roxane Gay) - Gay’s newsletter falls outside of crime fiction, and really touches more on politics and culture, but I love Roxane Gay and you should too.
Book Club (by Ron Charles) - This might be my favorite newsletter in the writing/publishing space (shh, don’t tell the others). Charles, the lead reviewer for the Washington Post, offers a comprehensive rundown every Friday of what’s happening in publishing, and how it affects politics, culture, and more.
Get It Write (by Andi Bartz) - Bartz does several things with her newsletter that make it perfect for anyone interested in her work or publishing. She alternates between unflinching examinations of her publishing highs and lows, and also publishes essays from other authors that offer a behind-the-scenes look at how their work came about.
Publishing Confidential (by Kathleen Schmidt) - This is one of the most-read newsletters in writing and publishing, and for good reason - Schmidt knows the industry inside and out and can offer a more complex, nuanced perspective on its ever-changing nature than anyone else.
On writing:
Craft (by Vera Kurian) - Kurian has the best newsletter on craft I’ve come across, and I genuinely learn something new every time it sails into my inbox. It’s funny and insightful and honest and perfect for aspiring or experienced writers. Also, she just signed a new deal with Bantam Dell for two new books!
Off-Duty Novelist (by Kathleen Barber) - I love this newsletter even if I don’t understand the title, because I know Kathleen Barber and she’s never off-duty. This newsletter offers an honest view into her life and her writing. Oh, and her newest novel (Both Things Are True) is an Amazon First Reads book for August, which means you can order it FOR FREE!
Paul Tremblay’s Newsletter - Celebrated horror writer Paul Tremblay’s newsletter is, like some of the others on this list, more about his own writing and career than the industry (although one often illuminates the other), but it’s a delightful read and Tremblay has such an engaging voice that I have to add it to my recommendations.
Shaved Meats, Piled High (by Laura Lippman) - Lippman offers a candid, often vulnerable view of her career and life. She does a good job of sharing the lows without ever trying to evoke pity, which is a hard thing to do, and comes across as honest and resilient. You couldn’t be more Baltimore.
Sian Gilbert’s Newsletter. Okay, yes, she has to work on the name, but Sian Gilbert has a delightful newsletter about her experiences in writing and publishing. I’ll always swear by her voice - often funny, always heartfelt. Also, speaking of her voice, you should definitely check out her latest novel, I Did Warn Her.
That Noise at 2 AM (by James DF Hannah) - Hannah’s newsletter consists of interviews with other authors in crime fiction, in the format of five questions about their work and one off-hand, off-beat question. It’s a great way to learn more about your favorite writers, and his questions do a good job of giving a fully realized view of a writer and their work.
The Twisted Plot (by John Copenhaver) - Copenhaver offers a thorough analysis of writing as an art and, much like his novels, you get a sense of his studied, insightful approach to his work.
Too Many Tabs (by Halley Sutton) - This was absolutely one of my favorites, because Sutton is such an engaging writer, but it hasn’t been active for a few months (glares). Sutton would run through her open tabs on her computer, and then ask a guest to do the same. I miss it! Everyone go subscribe and yell at Sutton for not catering to our needs. V. selfish IMHO.
On miscellaneous:
Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (by Alma Katsu) - Katsu uses her background as a CIA intel analyst to discuss issues in writing or publishing (AI, social media, trends), which offers a different window than most of us provide. More on Katsu below…
How Things Work (by Hamilton Nolan) – Since I do occasionally touch on politics, I’m going to throw this one in there. Not only does it speak to my shamelessly bleeding heart, it’s also wonderfully written and utterly fearless.
Ink-Stained Wretch (by Nick Kolakowski) - I never know what Kolakowski is going to write about, but it’s usually tied to movies or history through a crime fiction lens. Kolakowski has always struck me as a bit of a restless writer, in the best way and, happily, his newsletter follows that description.
What to Read If (by Elizabeth Held). A fellow DMV-based writer and voracious reader, whose non-fiction is widely published, Held’s fun newsletter offers reading suggestions based on current events or random interests – for example, three books if you’re bummed that the Knicks lost.
Is that all of them?
I definitely forgot to include a few but, no worries, I’ll remember them when I hit SEND. Very excited for that moment.
Anything else on the 100th?
It’s nice to celebrate 100 of anything. I’ve published four books in something like eight years, so there’s probably no chance of writing 100 novels unless I live another one hundred and ninety-two years. But given that I just ate a celebratory chocolate cake for breakfast, that’s not happening.
So a quick moment to celebrate this newsletter’s milestone is nice. CFR has been fun and you all have been so good to me over the years.
As always, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.
I mentioned this before, but I’m going to mention it again because it’s so cool that I get to chat with Alma Katsu at One More Page on Monday, September 15, about her latest novel, Fiend! Katsu excels in so many different genres and has such an impressive understanding of the industry. I’m looking forward to talking with her about her latest, and she’s also assured me that she’s willing to share several national security-level secrets from her days as a CIA analyst with the audience (no cell phones please).
Learn more about what really goes on at Comet Ping Pong on September 15!
It's giveaway time, and I didn’t highlight a specific book or author. Oh wait! I did. Like I said, you can get Kathleen Barber’s Both Things Are True for free, but I’ll buy this month’s winner a copy of Sian Gilbert’s I Did Warn Her:
lorrai________4@hotmail.com
Congrats, and I'll send you an email with more information soon!
You know what? I just recounted and this is actually my 102nd newsletter.
But I typed all that stuff at the beginning and I don’t feel like retyping it, so let’s just celebrate anyway. HAPPY 102ND NEWSLETTER!
Ugh, that’s not the same at all. And I can’t eat any more cake. Just kidding, I can.