Stay Chill With Chill Subs Founders Karina Kupp & Ben Davis
Making change takes big effort, focus & determination.
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
Founders @chillsubs Ben Davis @_benjamin_davis & Karina Kupp @karinakupp know a little something about shaking things up. 🙌
Welcome, Ben & Karina! 🔥 Thanks for joining us today.https://t.co/ZaeeM9U1Fs
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Thank you @intrepidusink for inviting us to do this! Always happy to conduct our therapy sessions in public. https://t.co/XoutSH9RK0
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
@intrepidusink Hey, happy to be here! Can’t wait to be awkward! https://t.co/R1XAIUee8i
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
.@_benjamin_davis & @karinakupp you’ve made building @chillsubs look almost easy.
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
What obstacle(s) held you back initially? Who or what continues to challenge your success?
2 of 11#interview #writingcommunity
.@intrepidusink haha there were 0 initial obstacles really. I thought it would be fun to make a website out of my spreadsheet of lit mags, paid $6 for a domain and well here we are now! the challenging part came next: “oh my god so the website has to work for thousands of users?? https://t.co/HEJUh4tojC
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
We both tend to put Chill Subs before out mental, physical, and social well-being. That is, was, and until doctors step in, likely to be. @intrepidusink https://t.co/AsevxDqchN
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
.@karinakupp & @_benjamin_davis how should others block out the naysayers for projects like this—or anything, really—to achieve their goals?
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
3 of 11#authoradvice #intrepidculture
If your goal is to create something you believe in, fuck ‘em. If your goal is just to make money, pay a lot of attention to what they're saying. (90% of the time, they’re right). @intrepidusink https://t.co/oqDnPp8CXG
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
oof so my main enemy is usually ME. I often start questioning the idea, the format, everything. I find the best outcome happens when I don’t give myself time to overthink and roll with my initial impulse. that's how Chill Subs was born! @intrepidusink https://t.co/O8WCUZGxgs
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
.@karina & @_benjamin_davis you’ve talked openly about indy publishing & the arguments about making money (or not). Question: Should Hollywood writers, novelists & others get paid for their expertise? If so, why are short fiction expectations different (paywalls, etc)
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
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1) yeah they should 2) I don't know, I was too busy coding
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
Ben knows! @intrepidusink https://t.co/akmVKeSi1S
Because every thirteen-year-old was forced to read “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” It’s like if everyone were forced to eat bad shrimp as a kid, nobody would want to pay for shrimp. Even though shrimp is fantastic. @intrepidusink https://t.co/h4XRCpjTXt
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
.@karina & @_benjamin_davis I wrote an essay touching on the transactional mindset of the short fiction community—we get accepted, say thanks & head off for the next sub. That’s happened for many reasons. You’ve also discussed this phenomenon. Will you unpack it?
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
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In a tweet? No. But I can open it, maybe. Too many cooks, too many stews, not enough hungry people. Add that to an extremely fast-paced high pressure world of look-at-me and…well, it only changes if enough individuals make a choice. @intrepidusink https://t.co/bZVNMAGNjt
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
I think partially it's this mindset of chasing achievement that we're getting more influenced by with social media. I notice this in myself too. it's so easy to forget that just existing and interacting with the world and others is equally important for our growth @intrepidusink https://t.co/dnkgS60mkh
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
.@karinakupp how have you solved a problem #writers weren’t (consciously) aware they had? @_benjamin_davis
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
6 of 11#writingcommunity #submissions
oh I think everyone was aware, they just didn’t know any better, and well not many writers are also programmers or have money to hire one. so it’s this advantage of being able to combine both worlds and also hating boring cold websites @intrepidusink https://t.co/fGwQ9RGuoQ
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
.@_benjamin_davis with our world clamoring for information fast, fast, fast, how does taking care of customers define your core values? WHY is the human touch essential (anywhere)? @karinakupp
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
7 of 11#writersoftwitter #readers
Well, people want information fast. I can do that. The piece most folks miss is the listening slow. People want information fast, sure, but they need to be heard. I believe that is the key to building something sustainable. @intrepidusink https://t.co/R8fHh6EppZ
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
.@_benjamin_davis & @karinakupp on a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rank your feeling of personal risk for launching @chillsubs?
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
And…why take ANY risk, ever?
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10? I’ve spent two full-time years of my life and a significant amount of my savings to build it. So if it doesn’t work, I’m fucked. Kinda makes the decision for you. @intrepidusink https://t.co/Sefci0d51e
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
the initial risk was 0 cause I didn’t know what I was getting myself into haha. It's sticking to it that’s risky. and it’s a full-on 10 cause I can’t return to my home country, so a lot depends on me making a living. and I STILL prefer the fun of it over stability @intrepidusink https://t.co/aWWnHzLR2Z
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
.@_benjamin_davis & @karinakupp with that in mind, why do you keep going?
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
What practical advice can you give #writers to do the same?
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I don’t see things as risk vs. risk. Not doing something I believe in is far scarier than doing something risky. Because, I mean…what’s the point of being alive, then? @intrepidusink https://t.co/pQFbgndJM6
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
oh when so many people are here to check out your random ideas, there's no turning back really
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
advice? your ideas deserve to be out in the world. just keep trying new things. some will stick, some won't, and it's ok. Chill Subs is like my 6th project @intrepidusink https://t.co/y6LbmqVXd8
.@_benjamin_davis & @karinakupp innovation is important to you.
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
What ONE thing will YOU do in the next calendar year to reframe how the #writingcommunity thinks about publishing?
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More connective tissue between a writer’s work and those who’ve published them. Through new profiles, more robust listing pages, and open feeds for communication. @intrepidusink https://t.co/SPfpA5rUjC
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
I want to practice more of the things that are not big red ACTION based. Invest more in quiet patient growth over chaotically trying one thing after the other always horrified by how life is running out. Results will inevitably come when you’re good at what you do @intrepidusink https://t.co/Q78UNjKVkd
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
.@_benjamin_davis & @karinakupp we're profoundly grateful for your time & stunning insights. You’re fascinating! Your forward-thinking views will undoubtedly change the industry & we’ll be there to cheer you on.@RhondaSchlumpb @allisonrwrites @AmandaHurleyNet & Calie
— Intrepidus Ink (@intrepidusink) March 18, 2024
LAST/🧵
Thank you! Happy to be a part of everything you're building. It's all brilliant. @intrepidusink https://t.co/kVeFsmDDvZ
— Benjamin Davis (@_benjamin_davis) March 18, 2024
yay I really enjoyed doing these! the character limit soothed my brain. thanks for having us! <3 @intrepidusink https://t.co/Yp5LEVHRAc
— Karina Kupp (@karinakupp) March 18, 2024
Bio
Karina Kupp is a writer, musician, web developer, and the creator of Chill Subs. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in North Dakota Quarterly, BULLSHIT LIT, The Daily Drunk, and Corvus Review. She can often be found creating Spotify playlists, taking spontaneous trips to the other side of the world, or thinking about her next startup idea.
Benjamin Davis has stories and poems in over two dozen literary journals, including Booth, Hobart, Five on the Fifth, and Slippery Elm Press. His first book of poems, The King of FU (Nada Blank, 2018), was such a smashing success it shocked the indie press, who printed it into an early grave. He is now working on his first six novels. Find Benjamin at Chill Subs.
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