It was a year...for this substack
Sean celebrates this substack's 1st birthday
Hello reader!
We did it: another year on Earth, another year older, and for this substack—a first birthday. Thank you for reading and liking and commenting all year. I’ve got a few things to look back on and some new projects, series, and release schedules for the coming year.
And we’ll end with a little writing prompt.
Thank you readers! We are almost at 200 subscribers
Where are you…?
We are legion! Here is where readers are from…
Here’s which poems you gave the most eyeballs and hearts.
MOST VIEWED POEMS
MOST ‘Liked’ POEMS
This is my 127th post of the year… here’s what I’ve learned.
TIPS FOR WRITERS (…substack optional)
YOU DON’T NEED A SUBSTACK
Writers need feedback and community. Writing is fundamentally communicative and we need a place we can be heard. It was Substack for me and Bluesky. This wasn’t just me needing a new place to be a user; I wanted a place full of writers and readers. YOU need a place you belong and feel heard because it will FUEL YOUR WRITING.
Some top reads were:
Mike Spry at Narrative Electric Co. — longform media thoughts that aren’t afraid to be personal
Deer Girl —lyrical and attentive poems
Joy Baglio at 'Alone in a Room' — a craft blog from the founder/director of Pioneer Valley Writers’ Workshop with good fuel and thoughts for your process. I like how Joy is down in the trenches with us.
I want to express gratitude for those that have fueled me:
Tim Jagodzinski at ‘Cerulean Hues’ for the signal boost
Eric’s Corner at ‘Reflections from the Spiral’ for the fun craft interview.
JUST PUSH POST (or submit or send)
The process of posting new poems three days a week has made my writing year. The goal was to put words in front of eyes. Once I found a place, I just needed to stop waiting and start posting.
And it lead to more interesting poem projects in new forms and media like my collab with Deep Local on a cinepoem based on my poem ‘Busy’
IF THAT MANY PEOPLE CAME TO A READING…
This was my mantra all year. If 10 people came to a reading, my mind would be blown. I would levitate out of the room. That started the grateful mindset and virtuous circle of good writing fuel. I write, I put it out, and it finds its readers—sometimes at least tens more than if it sat in my drafts.
SUBSTACK IS FOR EDITORS (and deadlines)
I gave myself deadlines and my audience gave me accountability. This substack has been the single greatest force for good in my poetry because it forced me to stop being so precious or hesitant to revise. This has to go out around 1pm, and it can be better.
COMING SOON…
NEW SERIES
INDEPENDENT PRESS Poetry Reviews
I’ll be posting longform reviews of poetry collections from presses and poets that caught my eye…
Beginning in Jan 2026 with ‘DESIGNATED STRANGER’ by GION DAVIS for THIRD HAND BOOKS
‘from the archives’ // putting a chapbook together
New old poems, new posts and curation. Those older poems that didn’t see the light of day will be made to stand in the sun as I build and document my own process of pulling together a new chapbook.
‘POEMS with SEAN’ will return…
See you all in late January 2026 with my first poetry collection review.
Thank you for a brilliant first year.
POEM PROMPT: Read your journals from the past twelve months. Notice and list 5-15 words or phrases that repeat or resonate or represent your year in some way.
WRITE a poem that must use all those words. Bonus points for strangeness.
Keep writing.
-Sean
Hello, let’s connect!
Kudos!