Hello friends,
It's been far too long. The Missive is back, and I owe you an explanation.
TL;DR:
I burned out.
Ironic, considering I started this Substack to escape the hamster-wheel of social media algorithms. But my inner perfectionist turned what should have been sustainable writing into deeply-researched weekly deep dives that consumed my working life.
Then, when I went through a difficult breakup and needed time to grieve, a short break spiraled into a long hiatus. The longer I stayed away, the more daunting it felt to return.
Furthermore, I watched engagement gradually drop off with the monthly book club Zoom calls. I still LOVE reading and want to share recommendations but hosting live meetings for a shrinking audience was disheartening and wasn't sustainable.
Looking Forward
As I relaunch this newsletter, I want your input on The Missive's future. What do you want me to cover? What's worth paying for? Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey and help shape what comes next.
For now, I'm making all my content free while I figure out a sustainable model. Paid subscriptions will stay on as "buy me a coffee" support.
If you paid during my hiatus, you'll receive a complimentary year of paid access once I relaunch premium features—plus special perks when my book comes out.
Reimagining Book Club
Looking back at our selections—from The End of the World is Just the Beginning to Homegoing—we've always explored how global forces shape our lives. I’m considering relaunching the book club with monthly recommendations and discussion threads (but no more live calls for now). I also want more fiction to balance the newsletter's heavy analysis.
There's something else on my mind: the “Vanishing Literary Man." As studies show men reading less and young men shifting rightward politically, I want The Missive to be a space where everyone—including men—can engage with books that help us understand this moment.
That means exploring masculinity, identity, and thoughtful living in polarized times.
The Silver Lining
My hiatus wasn't wasted. I've been writing offline like a man possessed.
When I finally collected all my finished stories, I had over 2,000 pages of material —enough for five books!
I'm now sorting through this mountain of material to create something meaningful. This creative explosion wouldn't have happened without stepping away from the weekly publishing grind.
Next Step: CDMX Gentrification Protests Pt. 2
There’s a second anti-gentrification protest scheduled for this weekend. I’m planning on going to check it out, maybe even conduct some interviews — and I want to ask some questions on your behalf.
If you could ask the anti-gentrification protestors anything, what would you ask?
Comment below and I will ask the best questions to protestors this weekend.
Thank you for your patience. I’m looking forward to continuing our conversations on The Missive together!
Best,
Marko
RE the CDMX gentrification protests, I'd be very interested to see what they would view as a positive relationship with expats, digital nomads, and tourists. I feel like there is a lot of potential for positive outcomes for everyone involved, and I think that your comments about corruption were telling about barriers to making that happen