Exploring New Avenues for Writers

Okay, book people – I need to share something that's been keeping me up at night.

I stumbled down a rabbit hole last month reading this incredible serial story on Substack, and it got me thinking: are we witnessing a whole new way stories get told and discovered? Or am I just getting distracted by shiny new platforms?

Here's the thing: I've found some of my favorite reads this year through newsletters and platforms I'd never heard of six months ago.

There's this writer, Dale Mahfood, who posts segments of his short story NEVERLAND every Wednesday, and I'm literally refreshing my inbox like it's the next episode of my favorite show.

Another author is doing this experimental thing where readers vote on plot directions. It's wild.

But here's what's bugging me:
How do I find the good stuff without drowning in mediocre content? My bookstore has staff picks and displays that guide me to great reads. These platforms? It's like wandering through an infinite library with no librarian.

And for the writers I know trying this:
Some are thriving, building these amazing communities where readers actually comment and engage with their work. But others are exhausted from trying to be writers AND marketers AND community managers all at once.

One friend told me she spends more time promoting than writing now.

Here's my real question:
Are we discovering genuinely different voices this way, or just hearing from people who are good at self-promotion? Because I've found some incredible writers who'd never get past traditional gatekeepers, but I've also waded through a lot of... well, let's just say not everything deserves an audience.

Have you found any gems through these platforms? And writers, are you actually connecting with readers, or does it feel like performing in an empty theater sometimes?

Actually, I'm putting my money where my mouth is, I just launched a 7-part series on Substack to experience this firsthand. Three episodes in and I'm already seeing how different it is from traditional publishing. The immediate reader response is both thrilling and terrifying.

https://lyndaredwards.substack.com/p/...

What's the best thing you've discovered outside traditional publishing lately?