The State of Unstacked
A look back at the first year of Unstacked, plus a special offer.
This week Unstacked turned ONE! My very first newsletter baby is growing up so fast. And like every parent of a one year old I am getting out my phone and scrolling through a year’s worth of cute things my baby did and making you look at every single moment with me. Kidding, sort of.
I’m calling it The State of Unstacked, sorta like The State of the Union. Except unlike the other State of the Union this week, mine will not be complete and total bullshit masquerading as democracy or leadership
It will instead be a quick trip down memory lane, a review of what you all were most (and least) into, and a few plans for year two.
I gotta give credit where it is due, this entire post is inspired by the annual year end posts
writes. I tried to put my own spin on it, but what Virginia does each year is so good, I didn’t improve on it1. So, thank you Virginia. Also, worth noting here, her book Fat Talk is incredibly good, you should 100% read it.One more thing before we dive into The State of Unstacked.
I’m offering 20% off new annual memberships of Unstacked from now through Sunday, March 9th. This will be the only sale for the year until the holiday sale in December. So if you’ve been thinking about subscribing, now is your time. This offer is good for new subscribers and gift memberships.
Some Reflections
Overall, writing Unstacked has been beyond challenging for me. I am not a writer. I do not like writing. I do not like having written. And yet, here I am doing what writers do, writing publicly, for a whole year. Strange.
There were many many many weeks where I wanted to throw in the towel. I couldn’t figure out why I was giving myself more homework. Or if people were reading or caring about anything I had to say. Did I have a unique enough perspective? But then, a newsletter would drop, and I’d hear back from someone about a specific sentence they appreciated, a joke that made them laugh, or a moment when I was wrong2 and that felt like a little extra encouragement to keep going.
Thank you.
As far as any joy I’ve felt writing Unstacked? Well that comes from my favorite thing to write each week, Grown-Up Show & Tell (shout out to
for the brilliant name). These weekly installments have always felt the most true to me and what it is like to be in my brain. A lot of shouting about things I love and a a sprinkling of shit talk.Of all the Grown-Up Show & Tells this year, this is one is my favorite.
Show & Tell: I Saw Wicked. I Have Notes.
This is Show & Tell where I tell you some things I loved from the week and the one thing I hated, plus round up everything else going on around these parts. The first half of Show & Tell is free to all. The adoration and hateration are for paid subscribers only.
What writing did you all respond to most?
I looked back at the data, and these are the pieces you liked most.
Most email opens
I’m shocked by this one, since I didn’t get around to sharing my reading goals for the year until February. The question is, will I achieve them? And as of now, I am behind on basically all of them. Go me!
2025 Reading Goals
I usually share my reading goals with folks in January. This year, as I was sitting down to write my goals, the fires broke out in LA. I didn’t write the goals. I did, and this is pretty embarrassing actually, think and stress about how I wasn’t going to post anything on the appointed day, while I was evacuated. I am actually ashamed to admit that, but …
Runners-up: Show & Tell: Kendrick is Super(Bowl) | Show & Tell: The Grammy's aka Fucking Finally!
Most paid and free subscribers
You all love a reading guide. And to be honest, so do I. I have to give a huge thank you to
for saying I should throw together a quick nonfiction reading guide3 because so many wonderful people (duh, ) make fantastic summer fiction reading guides, but no one focuses solely on nonfiction.My First Ever Nonfiction Reading Guide
Let’s start with some real talk. I had no plans to make a summer reading guide because so many other folks have done them, and done them well (shout out to Sara Hildreth for her gorgeous guide). But, friend of the pod, MJ told me I should make a nonfiction reading guide, and honestly, it was a brilliant idea. Also, who doesn’t like to give themselves a huge project to execute in six days?
Runners-up free: Welcome to Unstacked. | The Nonfiction Files 1: Nonfiction Taxonomy
Runners-up paid: All 139 of My 2024 Reads Ranked | Books on Deck: March 2024
Most comments
My big new project The Nonfiction Files got you all talking in the comments. I have been eager to get the comments section of Unstacked going and I hope this means we’re going to be having some active discussions and debates there this around nonfiction.
Runners-up: 2025 Reading Goals | Help: Pick a Book for me to Read!
Most shares
You all are a bunch of do-gooders, it’s what I love most about you. Sharing a gift guide with hardly any actual gifts is just so unserious, and yet, it worked. I’m grateful to know a bunch of people who are down to give money instead of gifts and support so many important organizations.
The Stacks 2024 Gift Guide
In the past, I have made gift guides for the book lovers in your life that aren’t books, and this year I was planning to do the same thing, but after the election, I just felt like I couldn’t. But, after a good talk with my pal Ashley Garland, I decided to remix the gift guide into something actionable and bookish.
Runners-up: Show & Tell: LA Fires and Ways to Help | The Nonfiction Files 1: Nonfiction Taxonomy
How about the bonus episodes you all were streaming?
These numbers are a little harder to quantify because many folks listen to the bonus episodes through Patreon and not Substack. So take this all with a grain of salt.
Bonus episode with the most listens
That NYT list had us all in tizzy, and getting to discuss it with Gilbert Cruz, the editor of the Book Review, and friends of the pod
,, and proved to be a bonus episode that folks were very into.Unabridged: That New York Times List Discussed and Debated
This edition of The Stacks Unabridged is dedicated to the New York Times’ 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. First we talk with Gilbert Cruz, the editor of the NYT Book Review, about the creation of the list and all the excitement it generated. Then, we welcome a panel of readers - Sara Hildreth, Hunter McClendon and Lupita Aquino - to discuss and debate the list, sharing our biggest takeaways, what we loved and hated, and which books we would add. We also try to figure out what the list says about US culture at large.
Runners-up: Our Most Anticipated Books of 2025 with Sara Hildreth and Cree Myles | The Best Books of 2024…So Far with Cree Myles and Sara Hildreth4
Bonus episode with the most shares
For the last two years we’ve done this bonus episode about most anticipated books with
and and you all tell me again and again it is your favorite bonus episode. I will do this annually for as long as Cree and Sara keep showing up.Unabridged: Our Most Anticipated Books of 2025 with Sara Hildreth and Cree Myles
In this episode of The Stacks Unabridged, I’m joined by Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters) to reflect on 2024 as a year in books and share the titles we’re most excited to read in the first half of 2025. From last year’s standouts to exciting new releases, this conversation is a must-listen for book lovers updating their TBRs.
Runners-up: That New York Times List Discussed and Debated | What Makes a Book Cover Pop with Luvvie Ajayi Jones
Bonus episodes that converted the most paid subscriptions in the first day
This one again!
Unabridged: That New York Times List Discussed and Debated
This edition of The Stacks Unabridged is dedicated to the New York Times’ 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. First we talk with Gilbert Cruz, the editor of the NYT Book Review, about the creation of the list and all the excitement it generated. Then, we welcome a panel of readers - Sara Hildreth, Hunter McClendon and Lupita Aquino - to discuss and debate the list, sharing our biggest takeaways, what we loved and hated, and which books we would add. We also try to figure out what the list says about US culture at large.
Runners-up: The Best Books of 2024…So Far with Cree Myles and Sara Hildreth | Ask Me Anything, Hosted by Mr. Stacks
What were you out on last year?
Now, the fun part. All the things you didn’t like. I am not giving you runners-up because walking through this Unstacked graveyard is hard enough.
Least email opens
Read to Know Basis, my interview series with authors was a big old flop. All of my lowest performing posts were RTKB. I want to make clear, this is no fault to any of the authors5 who spoke with me for this series. Of the ten posts with the lowest number of opens, nine were RTKB. That is tells me that was my failure and has nothing to do with the guests.
It makes total sense, why this series didn’t work, in retrospect. I already interview authors on the podcast every week, so why come here for that? I have discontinued the series, at least for now (even though I hate to lose the name).
Read to Know Basis: Jasmin Graham
Read to Know Basis is a weekly interview series with authors. It features debut authors and established writers talking about reading, writing, and of course snacks. This series is free to all. If you like what you read considering subscribing to support the work of Unstacked, and of course go out and buy the book!
Least free subs
There were a whole bunch of posts this past year that brought in exactly zero free subs. Most of them were early Show & Tells, plenty of the Read to Know Basis interviews, and The Stacks episode pairings6, too. I hope in this second year of Unstacked to bring more folks into the fold. You can help with that by sharing this newsletter with folks in your life, and if they subscribe (free or paid) you’ll earn free months for yourself.
Show & Tell: Scathing Reviews, Punctuation, and BBQ
I went to San Antonio for the first time this weekend to be part of the San Antonio Book Festival and was so impressed by the festival. The lineup was fantastic (Hanif Abdurraqib, Lauren Groff, R. Eric Thomas, Tim O’Brien, Jenny Lawson, Justin Torres), and the event itself was well organized and easy to navigate. Plus San Antonio is cute, I strolled on the riverwalk, I saw friends, and I ate large amounts of queso and BBQ.
Least paid subs
For this one, because I don’t see a lot of paid conversion on free posts, I only pulled from posts that are behind the paywall. I love Show & Tell, but it hasn’t been a big money maker. I will say though, I hear from many of you paid subs, that you love Show & Tell the most. So, I guess everyone else is missing out, and it will be our little secret.
Show & Tell: Simone Is Excellent at Everything, Plus More on the Olympics.
Welcome to another edition of Show & Tell where I tell you some things I loved from the week and the one thing I hated, plus round up everything else going on around these parts. The first half of Show & Tell is free to all. The adoration and hateration are for paid subscribers only.
Lowest Performing Podcast Episodes
I’m not sharing the exact lowest performing bonus episodes because I don’t want any guests to feel like they were bad guests or people weren’t interested in their work. Mostly it looks like the bonus episodes you all like least are straight up book interviews. Which tracks with why Read to Know Basis also didn’t perform well.
I few things I hope to work on in year two.
I introduced The Nonfiction Files and I plan to really explore that space in this second year. I still don’t know exactly what it will be, but look forward to your feed back and suggestions as I try to figure it out.
I hope to be more flexible in this second year. Both in an effort to make changes when things aren’t working, and to write about things that excite me even if they feel a little outside of my wheelhouse.
I want to interact with all of you more. Please don’t be shy. Use the comments as a place to connect with one another. I always want to be talking about things with folks7. It is what keeps me going. And in the spirit of transparency8, that has been a huge struggle on Substack. I hope by encouraging you all to participate we can make Unstacked a place to dig into books and culture together. And also, to gossip. Duh.
As always, I am taking suggestions of things you want to see more or less of around these parts. So please, sound off in the comments!
Thank you again for being here. For taking the time to read my words. I am a better reader, thinkers, and yes, writer because of you.
Don’t forget to get 20% off new memberships to Unstacked for yourself or as a gift. This offer is good through end of day March 9, 2025.
If you want more of me and my nonsense be sure to listen to The Stacks podcast every Wednesday and follow me over on Instagram for a lot more book content.
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I actually made it worse. Sorry.
Always my favorite energy people bring to my work.
She said like 10-15 books, I cannot be chill, not even when it is last minute so I did something like 30 books in six days. This year, I’ll be planning ahead, in fact I’m already reading for it.
I get it, you guys really like Cree and Sara. Me too!
We had a range of authors from NYT bestsellers to debut authors.
RIP to The Stacks Episode Pairings. We are leaving those in year one.
Usually gossiping, but I am trying to keep it classy here.
Which is the whole point on The State of Unstacked.
Congrats on a year of Unstacked! I have to say, your Grown-Up Show & Tell posts are such a delight. I read them first thing in the morning while I’m still in bed and it is the best way to kick off the week! Can’t wait to see what the next year brings!
Whoop, whoop!! Oh, to be alive in Time of Unstacked. TY for the footnote acknowledging that I did not request you kill yourself on the NF guide, you just come by that naturally.