What Stuff Does Blake even DO???
Now when people ask what I write on my Substack I can show them this and not stammer out a half answer.
I’ve done something that frankly surprises me.
I’ve been able to maintain this Substack for over two years! From February 9th, 2024, when I shared “Welcome to Plunkett, Virginia.” I have been putting stuff in my brain out into the internet. Over 100 posts, pretty much every week, all exploring different topics and somewhat different writing styles as I push myself to grow as a writer and (hopefully!) springboard this into finding a job in a creative field.
I began this Substack as a way to get myself to keep writing. I was unemployed at the time, applying for jobs and frustrated with previous work that had battered my mental and physical health. I wasn’t GMing or playing as much D&D as I wanted, and my creative energies had no outlet. So after a brief bit of research into how to share my writing, I opened a Substack and kicked things off.
In the two years I’ve been writing this substack I’ve tried out new humor styles, serialized fiction, sharing previous creative endeavors, and movie reviews. This post in particular is meant to serve as an introduction of what to expect from the Substack “Stuff Blake Does”. What I share here is likely what you’ll find going forward, plus any new articles I add to the rotation.
How’d I Miss That?
My movie review series where I do my best to make the review straightforward and cover what a reader needs to know: would they enjoy it? I don’t get into the themes of the film and what message the writers and director and actors are telling, unless it makes sense to review the movie. Hell, I don’t even get into if it’s good or not, because in most cases the quality is subjective.
In an internet where everyone writes their “reviews” in a way to ensure they piss off as many people as possible, I want to genuinely inform people if a movie would be something they’d want to see. We only have so much time on in this life, why waste it with a movie you won’t enjoy? I also try to watch movies at least ten years old and older. That’s why I title these reviews the “How’d I Miss That?”, as a fun joke about how I’ve not seen many movies that are considered classic cinema.
Bigfoot: Vampire Hunter
I did this based on a note I wrote in my notes app. I read it once, laughed really hard, then wrote the piece where vampires stalk a fictional town in the state of Washington. Then, bolstered by the joy of letting go of any set rules and just focusing on a few key points, I only wrote about Bigfoot hunting vampires for seven weeks. It was a blast.
My intent was to hit a pulp style, with a focus on big action, minimal dialogue, and one note villains. The story always starts in the middle and no idea is too silly to exist. That’s how we got Bigfoot smoking cigarettes, an office building filled with vampires, and a time traveling werewolf. Bigfoot: Vampire Hunter now has a lore that I can build upon, I would be thrilled to work with an artist who would work with me to bring Bigfoot to a comic book panel in the future.
Plunkett Tales
Plunkett is the fictional town I based on Winchester, Virginia. A place where the veil between our world and the other worlds with access to magic and monsters is incredibly thin. The small town hosts amicable magical beings living alongside mundane people of Plunkett. While my Monster of the Week games show horrors wandering from realms beyond our comprehension into Plunkett’s backyards, Plunkett Tales focus on the slices of life of those aware of the magical but sometimes live in the mundane.
This has become a way to world build that began as a setting for my Monster of the Week games. It’s also fun to imagine the day of a goblin that runs a 7/11 because they like running a retail business.
Sean Houston Entries
I love the Dresden Files book series. The Sean Houston Entries are fully inspired by (definitely not ripped off from) that series of books. Sean Houston is a PI who investigates standard and horror based mysteries. He also hates his job, but is very good at it. I have more lore that will explore Sean Houston and the city of Plunkett, but would like to eventually turn one of his adventures into a full novel.
I’m looking forward to what Sean gets into and how his gritty, Appalachian know-how will get him out of the latest scrape.
Boltran City Stories
This is my super hero setting I made up. during on the NaNoWriMo events many years ago. Boltran City is a fictional city with the largest population of Powered Individuals in the setting. The city is packed with villains, heroes, and random Powered Individuals that do gig jobs with the Supr app.
If I ever got to make this a comic book I would be beyond thrilled. Inspired by seeing Invincible animated, watching the DCU and MCU show off their deep benches of characters, I set to crafting heroes and villains I like to think about while listening to playlists,
Satire/Humor posts
I started this Substack out with a focus on comedy and satire. I fell into a long run of crafting comedic short articles and telling jokes through the medium of a newsletter delivered directly to up to seven inboxes. I’ve always been quick and able to wield humor without much effort, but it was a great opportunity to try out something that The Onion, Reductress, and The Stumptown Scallion do so much better.
I occasionally think of a great humor post to write, and sometimes I’ll whip something funny up when I’m behind on posting and have an hour before my self appointed deadline. Either way, I love comedy and love to make others laugh. Hopefully the funny posts make you laugh!
The Conclusion of the Article
And there you have it. That’s a perfect example of what to expect from my Substack. Now that you’ve been wowed and feel the urge to consume more, make sure to subscribe and, if you’re able and willing, consider the paid subscription. I don’t paywall anything, but paying an independent writer helps me in a few ways.
It inspires me to make the best content I can. It reminds me my work is worth something. And the payment helps me buy fried chicken and Magic the Gathering cards. All good reasons to subscribe!