Free Shit: Chapter Twenty Three
Don't Read This
Enjoy The Weather Instead
This title would have been more applicable within the last couple days because frankly the clouds today are looking a little shiesty... But today is the FIFTEENTH, and Free Shit always hits your inbox on the FIFTEENTH. Nevertheless-
Today is a shrimp of a newsletter, nothing substantial. I’ve been working on some short stories over the last few months which just never seem to end, reaching 5,000, 6,000, 7,000 words. They’ve been enjoyable to write, so I hope they’ll be enjoyable to read (for both our sakes), and I hope you’ll be able to decide next month, on Free Shit’s second birthday.
Another small (but personally significant) update: a couple weeks ago I finished my first draft of the novel I’ve been working on since September. It’s difficult to summarize what finishing that stage has felt like. A big part of it is relief; like running a marathon, it’s difficult to argue that the part when it stops is not the best part. While I’m not exactly confident I even like what I’ve created, I feel no sense of disappointment. I honestly didn’t expect to create anything good (not that I don’t expect myself to write a good novel in the future [quite the opposite, in the future I’m going to write the best novel you’ve ever read]). I’m going to put the file away and look at it again sometime this coming July and decide whether it’s worth working more on. Whether I do or not, I’m proud I did it. I learned a lot, and without a doubt it will make writing the next one easier.
One last thing! In the previous chapter of Free Shit, I wrote about some of my favourite films and a lot of you shared some very kind words about how much you enjoyed those. I was quite happy with how those blurbs turned out. What I’d like to do in the next month’s Free Shit (the big two year anniversary) is highlight some favourites of yours! We’ll call it ‘Free Shit’s Favourite Shit’. In the spirit of Free Shit, where we talk about more than just movies, let’s open it up to albums, books, shows, artworks, etc. Ideally something that those reading could feasibly pick up and enjoy themselves. If you have a favourite ‘piece’ that you would like to see get more attention and publicly express your love for and go through the process of putting into words what exactly it is you love about said piece, please please please send it forward to me! You can message me through Substack or email it to me at lucsalvadormandl@gmail.com. And feel free to send more than one as well!
You can send it anytime before May 15th and let me know in the email if you’d like your name attached, initials attached, something else or nothing at all.
Thanks gang! I look forward to seeing what you choose to write about! Now get out there and soak up some well-needed sunlight!
You can check out my previous newsletters HERE!
The Banner Art was made by my talented mother who would really appreciate a follow on Instagram @jackiebestemanart. Or visit her website! www.jackiebesteman.com
Free Shit will return with (I can’t believe it) Chapter 24 on May 15th! Submit your Favourite Shit!