Hi, it’s Josh. It’s been a while. March 1st, to be exact. This spring and summer, have been busy for me. BD/WD has stalled, again, like my first blog on my website (shoutout to you if you’ve been ported from that and still read to this day).
I’m having a hard year.
I am a naturally slow writer, and I’ve been focusing more on a specific genre that I want to read. It’s not polarizing, just hard to find those who can share this with me. This story in Bullshit Lit is a prime example. I haven’t published a book since 2022, and that novella, The Light to Never Be Snuffed, was turbocharged at first, then died slowly with subpar publishing standards. My chapbook concept died in 2024 when the so-called publisher went defunct after only publishing one title, so that was a huge shot to my morale. I’ve lost the meager yet appreciated paid subscribers here. I’ve been sitting on rejected story collections, chapbooks, and another novel, which sucks a lot that I’m so far removed from their creation. A milestone unreached makes your past seem like one continuous blur. All in all, it feels monumental to travel a mile with the line hovering over ‘Empty’.
There is a plus side to my writing; I’ve been locked into a novel since 2023. It is wild, it is tough to write, but I love it so much. The characters and I are becoming symbiotic and dependent. There are a few sprinklings of short stories getting published from 2024 to now. To top this off with running a small press, co-hosting a monthly reading series (Bring a Blanket 19 this Saturday at 2 PM), and a full-time job on top of it…this car has racked up tons of mileage.
75% of my post-work & weekend time goes into my press, TW. If you haven’t known this fact, I found this press in my 20s while in undergrad, nearly 10 years ago. I did this before my own writing career/book deal/university connections were even in sight. I started with nothing, compounding the proverbial interest repeatedly with every writer I sign. Every day, I contact authors, stores, editors, and readers, manage money in and out, create graphics, edit scores of diverse and unique writing, and read thousands of pages. Every page edited, typeset, and published for the masses means a lot to me, for it’s my seal of approval, my legacy. Yes, there are other editors I entrust with work now more than ever, but the mission has and always will be clear. I give authors what I always wanted: a publisher that cares.
In the short term, I really hope you subscribe to Afterimages. A branch of TW, this is an online journal that has been running for over 2 years now with 3-6 original works of fiction, nonfiction, reviews, and more. It also serves as an award-nominating hub with plans on becoming a paid market. I put a lot of pride into this, as well as the books/chapbooks. Our editors and interns enjoy it, too. See the button at the end.
So, what do I do next?
I’m not sure. You can imagine how much this takes away from my creative side. Occasional new publications or a revised work of prose every so often. I’ve been thinking of doing things with audio, like narrating my own stories, classics, and some contemporaries. Mini book reviews? I like to experiment. If you’re a fan of mine—Josh Dale, the writer—I thank you for reading my poems & stories throughout the years. I’d love to hear from you if you want to send me a message on my website: www.joshdale.co
Building and maintaining a platform in today’s era…comes down to optics and consistency. Have a high floor? You can take breaks and put out duds without worry. Low ceiling? Well, if you’re absent or unpredictable, you might as well be forgotten. I hate starting things with the intent of longevity…only to see them fizzle into obscurity. Yet here I am. I’ve managed to outlast the critics of my 20s, who would think my work and drive were idealistic, try-hard, and misguided. However, as I approach that age and stage in life, as said critics, I feel as if I am morphing into them slowly. I don’t want to become a punch-down asshole whose misery in their shortcomings is dished out onto others…I’ve been climbing this Sisyphean hill of meaning and drive for well over 10 years and wish to continue making waves, no matter how small.
Yeah, I have a lot of irons in the fire…burning out because of stress and unobtainable expectations. But to go back to those two points—optics and consistency—I think I need to see that I have been consistent and honest in my messaging and art. I’m my harshest critic, and that title can, and should, change.
Maybe I will figure it out now…reconnect some loose terminals or change the flat tire. A future version of me will come soon with a reassuring pat on the back. “This is a minor inconvenience,” future me will say to my current self, before unpacking jumper cables and a gallon of gas. “You’ll be ready to ride in short order.”