8 Questions for... Jon T

Spotlight on Ferns of Columbo

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Jon T is a designer, writer and musician. He writes Ferns of Columbo

1. Why Substack?

There aren't a lot of ready-made places to find creative people doing interesting things in an accessible and community-powered framework like Substack. Maybe there are—please let me know. I am relatively new to the platform and have stumbled into it after following some writers here. I've always looked for ways to share my work with an audience and this is working out well so far. I appreciate that there is a hungry constituent of readers and writers here and love the idea of connecting and collaborating with them. This is what I'm after. Though, far from perfect as far as searching and organizing goes, Substack is working for me right now. Also, I like the name.

2. How long did it take you to find your groove?

I suppose I'm always wondering if I am in the groove or careening on the edge ready to fly off the turntable at any moment. I have an extensive archive of writing from past lives and dimensions, so a lot of work was available to populate my sad empty stack when I started here. However, I didn't publish much of that work and felt it was a good opportunity to start anew. The more I get involved with other writers and projects here, the more I feel like I'm moving in a good direction. Truth is, I'm making it up as I go. This groove will lead me to the next. *Cue Deee-Lite

3. How has it changed you?

Having a consistent and active place to publish and play has made me a more disciplined writer. Reading short fiction from other writers like me has been the inspiration for to try new things and challenge myself creatively. The feedback is nice too, but I mostly appreciate feeling like I'm part of a cohort of creatives that are doing what I'm doing, but differently. I'm also a better reader. Well, I'm trying at least. There's just so much out there, it's hard to stay focused and not jump around.

4. What mistakes have you made?

I'm not running a business here, so they aren't mistakes as much as they are experiments that don't work as expected or impulsive posts that I'm still editing long after they're published. Perhaps the biggest mistake is to be discouraged. And though, I don't feel like I've made this blunder, I understand the insidious nature of platforms like this that encourage social competition and the perceived need for gratification and attention. I'm just going to keep doing my thing and I hope I make some mistakes along the way to keep my honest. 

5. To pay or not to pay?

It would be cool to make some money, but I'm not interested in the hustle at the moment. My stories will stay free and accessible to anyone interested in reading them. That said, I am toying with the idea of merchandising in other ways. I may produce some physical artifacts this year and sell them in a Ferns of Columbo shop. Think art-book-short-fiction anthology meets analogue tech gadget.

6. What artistic choices have you made?

I am so excited about creating rich and immersive experiences with short fiction on this platform. And while I don't think you have to use imagery and other media to create a good story, I say, if you can and it moves the needle on a good experience, then why not? I use music, audio, and imagery frequently. Being a creative director, graphic designer and musician doesn't hurt either. Art directing character-driven narratives is burned into me. I'd choreograph a ballet for a story if it made sense. And sometimes even if it didn't.

7. What's been the effect on your writing?

My voice is stronger. It's more confident and self-aware. I don't try and emulate and follow other writers like I used to. I understand myself stylistically and can play that out along a spectrum of tone, color, and POV in different ways. I'm also a more curious researcher, a more ruthless editor, and a more generous reader.

8. In it for the long haul?

I can't imagine not writing, not producing something creative. I've been very fortunate to have had a career as a creative professional outside of my personal artistic pursuits. Creation is a life force for me. I need it to breathe. It's not so much a long haul as it is an eclectic winding train crossing an ever-changing landscape fuelled by imagination and an audience that wants me to keep going.

Thanks to Jon T for joining this conversation.