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Stephanie Thomas Montero's avatar

Y'all best mind your Uncle Junot. He knows what he's talkinbout. And take money and fame out of the equation of your writing or you will risk imperiling it with a curse. And remember, the venomous squid doesn't even know how to write.

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Nolan Yuma's avatar

What helps you put the capitalist vampire-squid to sleep? For me, lack of recognition and success wakes it up. Many people here on Substack (and elsewhere) selling their services start their sessions by praising my work and then go into the marketing, networking, and formatting side of things–I assume they do this with most people. They say nothing negative about your craft (this makes the writer who's consuming their services feel good enough to come back) and launch into the "secrets in how they've helped hundreds of writers achieve their goals" that involve formatting, networking, funnelling strategies, or whatever the fuck else. This not only wakes up the capitalist vampire-squid but turns you into it.

I always tell myself that once (if?) I ever achieve success (a liveable income from writing), I will no longer need to give into the vampire-squid. Aside from book signings, lectures, and interviews, I can focus on my craft. This is a dream and possibly not a realistic one. So, what is the reality of an esteemed author's relationship with the capitalist vampire-squid? Do the tentacles reach further, or do you have the sword to cut them off?

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