I’m building a cooperative media ecosystem

Owned by writers interested in a better future.

I want to build the next media empire, a cooperative media ecosystem owned and operated by the writers and podcasters who write and podcast for it. Think of it like a federated collective of independent writers.

Our focus will be coming up with innovative solutions for the future of humanity rather than reporting on all of the problems we’re facing. As we write about various themes together, we’ll publish them into print magazines and split the earnings among contributors.

As that media ecosystem becomes successful, eventually we’ll publish those writers’ work into longer-form nonfiction books and utopian fantasy and sci-fi novels. We’ll collectively promote these projects and pay for printing, while writers continue to own their own work and earn the bulk of profits.

If one of those books or novels becomes a runaway success, we could even create the next Hello Sunshine-like film studio that turns them into documentaries and fantasy and sci-fi films and series—funded by our collective media empire, but owned by filmmakers and the novelists who inspired them.

If one of those sci-fi films enters the mainstream, maybe we’ll go on to create the next Tomorrowland, but re-imagined from the standpoint of that popular film and novel—a future Disney Park that represents tomorrow from the standpoint of today, rather than the retro-futurist ideal of the 1960s.

In other words: I want to see our media ecosystem transformed from doomer sensationalism, partisan journalism, and dystopian thought, to creative, visionary, and generative brainstorming about how we can create something better. I’d love to see that media ecosystem owned and operated by independent writers and podcasters rather than rich media moguls with an agenda, an algorithm, and an ad-captured sensationalist bent.

I’m even optimistic enough to believe that by changing our media ecosystem, we could change our outlook on the world. And be inspired to create a better one.

These dreams have been at the top of my strategy document for a year now, but whenever I started to think seriously about working toward them, I told myself that no matter what I wanted to build I still had to start where I was: Building more of a following, earning more money. It was only once this work reached more people and earned more income that I could start to layer on the rest, I thought.

I am realizing now that that is wrong.

And actually, that I got it backward.

Perhaps it’s only as I start to layer on more writers, that we will attract a larger following and earn more money. Perhaps we have to build the collective together as we go.

That’s why I’ve decided to start layering on to my newsletter this year. Slowly. I’m going to reach out to writers I admire and invite them to write a piece on the various topics I’ll be researching this year, then I’ll publish their stories along with mine right here before printing the complete series as a magazine or book, selling it to subscribers, and splitting the earnings among contributors.

I already have several projects in mind, topics I’ve been wanting to write about but that I would also love to invite others to write about too—especially where they might be more versed in a topic than I am. Throughout the year, I’ll slowly invite more writers, publish more essays, print more projects, and split more earnings. As we go, I’ll learn more about creating a cooperative media ecosystem and share what I learn along the way.

This will be a slow unfolding, but if you want to join us you can subscribe or support what we’re doing here (see new logo!):

I don’t know how far any of this will go but it’s not the end goal that’s important to me. Writing, and specifically thinking, is my favorite thing to do every day. If I can collaborate with other incredible thinkers along the way, all the better! We can think through a better future together, explore various topics together, and maybe even earn money together as we work to create a better media ecosystem together.

Reach for the moon and you’ll land amidst the stars, they say.

This year I’m going to do just that.

Thanks for reading,

Happy New Year!

Elle Griffin

P.S. If you are interested in getting involved, I’m currently looking for pitches on the following topics:

• Terraforming the Earth

• The Blueprint for a Better Business

• A World of City States

• A Utopian Short Fiction Anthology

Don’t send me a complete essay, just send me a pitch about what you want to write about at elle@elysian.press. If I greenlight the post I’ll give you some content direction and a deadline.

I’m also open to limited podcast or video series ideas if you have them! Or if you’re just willing to help out with editing, scheduling, illustrating, graphic design, etc. We could use all the help we can get and you’ll get a cut of that projects earnings for your help! Send me an email at elle@elysian.press.