TiF - Where Fiction Lives!

A "Start Here" Guide

Upd. 10/28/24

Hello Readers and Writers of Fiction!

You are here because, like me, you are looking for one of two things:

1. A place to find great fiction stories to read.

2. A place to share the fiction you’ve written/read with others.

In truth, those two statements encapsulate what Top in Fiction is all about!

We deal in 100% fiction and we keep it VERY simple!

As much as we love fiction writers and want to highlight them in more ways than just our curated weekly lists, we bow down to the other places you can go to find interviews and get deeper insights into the large fiction community of writers (more on where those places are later).

Here at Top in Fiction you can expect TWO things:

1. A weekly list (in no particular order) of fiction stories written within the previous week.

2. A weekly meet-up where we ask you, our subscribers, for recommendations on who should be featured.

That’s it! We guarantee it! But that’s not all! What compelled me to create Top in Fiction was a clear outcry from the fiction community on Substack to do more about their algorithm. They have their own “explore” area for Fiction, however, it is lacking in one thing: FICTION!

I’m from the school of thought that “if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself” and thus, Top in Fiction was born! But without you there would be no need for it. So, if you want to continue to receive amazing stories to read and writers to discover every week then we ask two things of you:

1. Subscribe if you haven’t already!

2. Share our Publication whenever and wherever you can to help us grow. The more readers of fiction we have to tell us about great fiction they’ve read, the better!

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THE SECTIONS DEFINED

We try to keep things as simple and helpful and informative as possible at Top in Fiction. And one thing you can rely upon is, if it’s not fiction then you won’t find it here. But, we also need to be as organized as possible as well. Here is an easy navigation guide for our Menu Bar:

Weekly TiF - The Archive of every past week’s issues.

Monthly Recap - The Archive of every past month’s issues.

Recommendations - The Archive of every Friday post where anyone can recommend themselves or others fiction for inclusion in Weekly TiF or Monthly Recap. This is only open for 48hrs but you can always look in the Comments section for stories worth discovering.

Off the Stack - A directory of fiction that originally appeared on Substack first, either short stories or serials, that are then available for purchase elsewhere (ex. Amazon, B&N, Waterstones, Blackwell’s, etc.) in digital or print form. Must have link where it can be ordered (or pre-ordered).

Stories Off the Stack - A directory of fiction currently being written and shared on Substack that take the Pledge to eventually publish it either digitally or in print at a later date and time.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

I never think small or in the moment. When I put my mind to something it’s always with a 5-year plan in mind. And for Top in Fiction this is where I’d love to see it in the next 5 years:

• Updated Medallions - With help from the community in its design and now its colors, this will be something we can expect to update annually.

• More Featured Stories Each Week! 15 featured stories + 5 honorable mentions just isn’t enough. There are hundreds of fiction writers in this community and more are coming in all the time! Look for 20 featured stories + 5 honorable mentions beginning 2025.

• Monthly Recap Expansion - Just like the weekly issues, the monthly recap needs to grow to accommodate as well. If you aren’t aware, the monthly recap is a way to bring back some featured stories from previous weeks in the month as well as additional new stories from the month that may have been missed. This now increases from 16 to 24. Additionally, Monthly Recap will also get its own downloadable PDF.

OTHER FICTION COMMUNITIES

Lunar Awards

created by

Brian Reindel 👾⚔️

of

Future Thief

is recognizing and sharing the best fantasy and science fiction on Substack. Periodically posting essays, interviews and reviews.

Storyletter XPress Publishing

created by

Winston Malone

is a place where readers, writers, artists, and creators can coexist. It’s a community-driven initiative that breaks away from traditional publishing norms to return attention to writers and their stories.

The Library

created by

J. M. Elliott

of

The Problematic Pen

is a free resource for finding original literature.

MicroZine

created by

Erica Drayton

of

Erica Drayton Writes

is a digital (and print) publication of micro fiction stories written by amazing storytellers.

Fictionistas

run by

Meg Oolders

of

Stock Fiction

is a deeply supportive network for fiction writers. A place to discover and get to know new people. A platform for sharing our wins, our frustrations, and our goals. A space for commiseration, encouragement, and creative problem solving.

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Thank you for making Top in Fiction such an amazing place of discovery and building up a community that is ALL ABOUT FICTION!

Any donations made will go towards the “domain fund” and other costs.