ONE YEAR: A special message
A new beginning and a few gifts for you
Dear readers, one year has passed since I launched Tokyo Calling. Well, okay, it’s actually a little bit more than that but, you know, I’ve never been good with numbers and anniversaries.
Where was I? Ah, yes.
When writers and creators (on Substack or elsewhere) celebrate an anniversary, they usually spend one paragraph or five to look back at how their newsletter was born, their vision and ideas, the initial slow growth and hard times, and on and on.
Well, don’t worry, I’m going to skip that bit.
I only want to thank you for your loyalty and interest in my newsletter. It really means a lot to me. It’s true I write because I like it, but if nobody read my pieces it would be less satisfying.
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I also have big news to share: I’m finally launching paid subscriptions.
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Before you start worrying, let me assure you that Tokyo Calling is and will always be free. I’ll be adding extra content for paid subscribers but the basic newsletter (i.e. the 3-4 monthly posts you have received so far) are still free.
But let me explain a couple of things.
When I created Tokyo Calling, one of my stated goals - in a sense, the main reason for starting this newsletter - was to find an outlet for some of my more personal writing.
There was a time when writers were rewarded for being daring and pushing the envelope (think about Hunter S. Thompson’s “gonzo journalism” or Joan Didion’s books). Unfortunately, in the last few years (decades?) the world of publishing and the press have become increasingly homogenized, and all too often prefer to play it safe.
In the constantly changing publishing climate, where books are treated more than ever like merchandise and originality is sacrificed to sales, it’s getting increasingly difficult to find publishers eager to bet on interesting but not hugely popular ideas.
That’s why I started this newsletter.
Tokyo Calling is meant to be a safe place where I can experiment and share the kind of personal work that could never find an outlet in the present writing market.
This work is one of the things that I’m going to pursue and share with all subscribers, starting with local stories (e.g. things happening in my neighborhood) that shed a new light on Japanese society and culture. Think about it as a way to know me better and experience firsthand the world where I live.
I’m also working on bigger book-sized projects. It’s the kind of research-heavy and travel-based work that takes time, energy and money to develop.
Again, Tokyo Calling will be my privileged outlet for sharing those works in a truly independent way.
What does becoming a paid subscriber mean? Let’s say that for the cost of a coffee a month, you will support my work and get the full experience.
Also, if you decide to become a paid subscriber, your generosity will be rewarded with a few gifts in the form of free downloadable PDFs. Here’s the list of available titles:
My works:
On Japan:
Otaku Special:
Tokyo Geek’s Guide (by Gianni Simone)
If you opt for a monthly subscription (USD 5.00) you can choose two books.
A yearly subscription (still USD 5.00) will be worth four books.
Special Supporters (USD 50.00 or more - you decide) will get seven books.
Finally, if a paid subscription is not your thing but you still want to show your appreciation for what I do (e.g. a post you particularly enjoyed), you can just make a one-time donation here: paypal.me/giannisimone64
As always, thanks for reading.
At the end of the day, Tokyo Calling remains a labor of love, something I do because I love to tell stories, research interesting subjects and write about them, and I’m going to do it for whoever is interested in my writing, both free and paid subscribers.
Happy One Year Anniversary!!! :D