State of the Journal III
News and reflections on Futurist Letters.
It's been a roaring year to date for this journal, and we are pushing into summer with incredible momentum. Thank you all for your patronage and support. I get so happy every time I see one of our debut authors get a like!
Here’s a brief news roundup.
4:3 Art
Futurist Letters recently transitioned from 16:9 to 4:3 aspect ratio for key art. 4:3 is closer to the way human vision works. It looks better on a vertical device. It’s Lindy and it’s kino.
We have also engaged multimedia artist Rod Glaser as our primary illustrator, and we are very happy with his work. His style will carry the journal into the post-1,000-subscriber era, which is rapidly approaching.
The Futurist Letters Show
Huge news. Huge! Starting this summer there will be a regular Futurist Letters talk and interview show featuring guests from all corners. The Futurist Letters Show will be hosted by me, Cairo Smith, with rotating colorful co-hosts Kenny White (economist and startup founder), Nathan Eitingon (neo-gonzo), and AnnaClare Hicks (actress, writer, producer).
Yes, it will be (4:3) video, so you can see all our beautiful faces. It will also be available on the usual audio platforms. We are actively assembling our guest list and we are very excited to share when the time is right.
The Futurist Letters Discord
We now have an official Discord a.k.a. chat room. You can join here. Do as you will.
Print Futurist II
We have started work on the second print compilation of Futurist stories. You can expect it in August. The title is Futurist Letters: Halcyonics, the themes are nostalgia and self-doubt, and the color scheme is 2007 orange.
The contributors in order of appearance are: Rachel Haywire, Ross Barkan, Rhyme Henry Davis, Maren English, Katie Scruggs Galloway, Chuck Strange, Cairo Smith, Simpulacra, Prairie Fawkes, Benjamin Bond West, Tom Barrie, and Aaron Sunshine.
Essay Pitches
We want more timely essays! In this spirit we are now open to essay pitches without a full draft. Please include estimated word count and a link to an existing sample of your nonfiction writing if you are sending a pitch. Pitches should be 2-5 paragraphs and otherwise follow all the standard submission rules.
We are particularly hungry for timely discourse, things like reviews and rebuttals that engage with either legacy media or the X/Substack ecosystem. ‘Timely’ ideally means a response to something fewer than two months old. General submission guidelines are here.
Askari Blog
If you want release announcements and event invites you should subscribe to the new blog of my company, Askari Productions.
Awards
We might do some kind of awards ceremony at the end of the year for the most liked Futurist stories of 2025. If you are a contributor, get your friends to hit the like button on your story. It’s free and it boosts our exposure. Onward and upward. Keep party rocking.