Curious about Ink and Mist Society?? Check it out here! https://inkandmistsociety.com/
Find them on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/inkandmistsociety/
What if becoming a full-time writer didn’t mean waiting years for a book deal?
Less than a year ago, Tahnee Walters had an idea: write original fantasy short stories, package them into beautiful physical letters, and send them directly to readers through the mail.
Today, her Ink & Mist Society has grown to more than 900 subscribers, and Tahnee is figuring out what it means to build a writing career in a very unconventional (and very analog) way.
In this episode of No Mess, No Magic, Tahnee and Monica talk about the behind-the-scenes reality of running a short story mail club: writing a new 4,000–5,000 word story every month, printing and packing hundreds of letters, navigating viral growth, learning marketing through trial and error, and occasionally discovering the hard way that your envelopes are too thick for the postal system.
But they also dig into something even cooler: what happens to your writing when you actually let yourself write, finish, experiment, and move on.
Tahnee shares why some of her favorite stories were the ones she struggled with most, what she’s learned from scrapping thousands of words, how deadlines have changed her creative process, and why short stories have given her permission to play with her writing instead of trying to make every word perfect.
They also talk about the growing desire for analog experiences, creating genuine connection with readers, marketing creative work without overexplaining it, and the strange reality that your art may be affecting people who will never tell you.
If you've ever wondered whether there are unconventional ways to build a life around your writing (or needed permission to make something before you completely know what you're doing!) this episode is for you.
