Hector Saves His Dad

A boy amidst the Ruin

Pavel Vophira

“What the hell, John? You’re putting something behind a paywall? Aren’t you always talking about how you deliberately put things out there for free?”

Indeed, beloved reader, indeed. And I thought long and hard before doing this. But, to be honest, it’s been a constant source of guilt to me that I don’t do more for my supporters, and I’ve been trying to think of something that I could give them, some token of appreciation beyond ‘thank you’.

Fiction generally seems to do terribly on Substack, at least in terms of views and engagement. This has certainly been my experience, based on the one or two short vignettes that I’ve published. Other fiction writers tell me the same. They really struggle to build an audience. Fiction lacks the immediacy of political commentary, or the abstract appeal of philosophy. People just don’t seem to value it much. Which is deeply unfortunate, because it is amongst our highest art forms.

So, by putting my fiction behind a paywall, I’m hoping to do a few things at once: ensure that only those who really value it will read it; provide something tangible to my supporters, something which is just for you; and, at a selfish, base, and mercantile level, hopefully drive a few paid subscriptions.

This is an experiment; depending on the response, I might put more time into writing these, and then who knows, maybe put them together in a book.

Those who have been receiving these Postcards From Barsoom for a while may recognize some of the ideas herein from a couple of pieces I’ve written before. And if you haven’t read these essays, and aren’t yet a paid subscriber, perhaps you’ll enjoy them:

Don’t worry - my essays will stay free for everyone to read. The essays are part of a public conversation, and paywalling them defeats the purpose of that; stories, on the other hand, are far more personal. Intensely so. I’m inviting you into the recesses of my subconscious, here, and I don’t want just anyone to come in.

So gather round the atomic hearth, settle in, and relax. It is my fond hope that you will enjoy this wholesome and heartwarming tale about a young boy trying to get his family out of the hospital.

Heh.