đ The Sonders Experiment
Why âSonderâ Matters
Sonder is the realization that each person you pass has a life as rich and complex as your own. Itâs the acknowledgment that we are all living out intricate, interwoven stories full of triumphs, struggles, doubts, and moments of clarity. This concept has always resonated deeply with me, and I want to bring it to life through my work. Sonders Rising is about recognizing our shared humanity and challenging the narratives we tell ourselves about others.
What I Want to Achieve
With Sonders Rising, I aim to create a living, evolving literary experience that not only tells a compelling story but also sparks meaningful conversations about the world we live in. Through this experiment, I want to explore how fiction can serve as a lens through which we examine political, religious, and cultural divides in America. More importantly, I want to create a space where readers engage, reflect, and contribute to the storyâs development.
How Iâm Doing It
The Sonders Rising project is divided into two communication channels:
Sonders Rising Series â This section includes the two serialized books, Sonders Rising: Awakenings and Sonders Rising: Together We Rise. Chapters will be published regularly, allowing readers to follow the story as it unfolds in real time.
Companion Articlesâ This content, written by myself along with others on the team, connects to the chapters being written. These articles explore the themes, cultural reflections, and real-world parallels present in the story, offering a space for deeper engagement and discussion.
By structuring it this way, readers can immerse themselves in the fiction while also participating in thoughtful, real-world conversations with each chapter.
Monetization & The Experiment
This is an experiment, not a business. Iâm not charging for accessâŠall of my work will be published for free. While Substack requires a standard membership model, Iâve chosen to leave my content open, with an optional one-time donation for those who wish to support my work.
The purpose of this experiment is to learn what works and what doesnât in speculative fiction, audience engagement, and community-building around literature. I also believe in gathering as much feedback as possible, and I want to make it easy for anyone interested to participate. This model will change, though, when we move into the second seriesâŠbut that time is a ways off đ.
What Comes Next
Once both books are complete, they will be published as full novels. The final editions will align with the serialized versions but may include updates and changes based on community feedback. In that way, my readers will serve as beta readers, helping to shape the final published works.
This is an ongoing journey, and I invite you to be a part of it. Read, engage, share your thoughts, and help shape the future of Sonders Rising.
