Why subscribe?

Hello! I am the Chronicler and writing has always been a dream of mine.

It is my hope to seek out an audience of people who are interested in my material.

1. My why

As a child, I used to tell stories to my younger siblings. We would play mermaids in the pool, put on plays, and I would spin tales to entertain them on long road-trips. Late at night, when our parents had gone to bed, we would hide beneath the sheets as I whispered about fairies and kingdoms far, far away. I would rarely finish these stories. They would go on and on until I was bored and wanted to tell them something else.

As I grew older and began to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys), these stories became my escape. The frigid winds of adolescence-turned-teenage angst blew unwaveringly during those years and I would race home after school to open my laptop and write. These first drafts were rife with Mary-Sues, cliches, and philosophical musings of a girl who had not lived very much life.

When I wasn’t writing, I would often neglect my homework to read beneath my bed: The Edge Chronicles, Fablehaven, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Sabriel, Lord of the Rings, Dracula, and more. These books greatly influenced my imagination and writing style.

These days, the world has become unrecognisable and as adults we are forced to face it. Even though we can’t hide from life, we can take breaks. I want my book to be a haven for people in the same way that those novels were for me.

2. Community

If you are the type of person who used to read the aforementioned books, you might seek that sense of wonder in the current adult fantasy genre. We are searching for an undefinable je ne sais quoi. We want something dark but not hopeless; something grand but not stuffy. We crave prose that is stylish but not purple and characters to love. I truly believe that my material can scratch that itch, if this is you.

My goal is to attract a community of people who are willing to take a chance on a debut author and to embark on this journey with me.

3. What you get

I post once a week, either Monday and/or Wednesday. I do my best to focus on one serial novel at a time and organise them according to the seasons.

This winter’s series is A Town Called Evening.

Once a month, I post updates. Generally, this will include updates about my WIP (work in progress) or reflections on writing.

As of now, free subscribers will have all of this!

4. If you’ve read this far, thank you

I intend to approach my SubStack with humility. I can’t wait to learn from you all and I’m so excited see where this path leads. As it is said in Spanish: “Poco a poco se anda lejos” or “little by little, we travel far.”

Subscribe to Work In Progress

Welcome! I write dark fiction, my favourite writers include Lovecraft, Stoker, and Tolkien. I invite you to explore my imagination and traverse the path of (possible) publishing. Currently building an anthology to my debut novel, "Shades of Night". Enjoy!

People

M.E. Beckley (The Chronicler) I write dark fiction. Currently building an audience for my debut novel, "Shades of Night". Welcome!