Welcome!
a discount code to join The Hyphen community
Sometimes I feel the pressure to make this newsletter into a proper ‘outlet’, comparing myself with organisations that hire hundreds of people. I run The Hyphen on my own, with a little help from an assistant and various proofreaders, but really, it is just my little newsletter. It is growing, but I don’t want that to change how I see it, or how I engage with it/you.
Substack is growing and morphing. I guess that’s what happens on the Internet. But I’m still adamant to make this particular corner joyful and snuggly. Substack continues to grab interesting headlines: having a strong presence at various Fashion Weeks, and the cool kids at I-D magazine are now here and even Kamala Harris just joined. When I started this little newsletter three-and-a-half years ago, I didn’t quite realise how much the media industry was changing.
And the publishing industry. As I announced last week, I’m self-publishing my first book (an exciting re-release of my memoir A Year of Nothing) after EIGHT traditionally published books, mainly because I just need a change—so I’ve been experimenting outside of the system.
wrote an interesting piece called “Why Top Substack Writers Are Skipping the Book Deal.” Getting to write directly for readers has opened up so many exciting options.I recently uploaded an advanced press copy of A Year of Nothing onto Netgalley (a place where publishers/authors connect with book professionals and media) and I paid around £500 to list it. I can look on a spreadsheet and see a bunch of interesting people downloading my book: Someone from NPR, Disney, Google, Barnes&Noble, Apple, the list goes on. Publishing my book myself has been fun for so many reasons, but I’m really enjoying being up close and personal to see who’s discovering my books. Thank you to anyone who is spreading the word. The book is available to pre-order now :)
AND btw! I have ten tickets available for a very special event I’m doing with Whitefox Publishing in London at The Century Club in November to discuss new ways of publishing. (You’ll also have a chance to get a copy of the book two months early…) It’s expected to sell out so grab your ticket asap >> link here.
If you want to follow more of my ‘journey’ as I venture into experimenting with new ways of publishing and how I continue to share my writing, being a paid subscriber is the best bet. You can read everything, comment and be part of the Hyphen community.
I’m also offering a special discount to help more people join the fold and access my posts. Having a paywall really matters to me — it means I’m writing for a dedicated community of readers, not just broadcasting into the endless void of the internet. It’s totally changed my life and I love it. I’d love to make it easier for you to be part of it.
So, for today, I’m offering a year’s membership for £15 (that’s the lowest I’ve ever offered), instead of £65, for the next few hours.
All this to say: if you’re interested in change, creativity and culture — come and join The Hyphen. There’s 500+ posts in the archive, and I’ll pop into your inbox regularly with things to read, explore, be curious about.
And if you fancy it, why not come and introduce yourself here! xoxo
Last week The Hyphen was the #1 ‘rising’ publication on Substack! That’s why I’ve decided to extend this offer again to keep the momentum going and continue growing the core community. If you’ve been thinking about it, now’s a great time to become a paid subscriber. (It works out as £1 a month.)