Just over two years ago, I hit publish on the first rendition of The End. At that time, The End was nothing more than a weekly newsletter, filled—crammed, frequently—with fiction podcasts that had reached at least a season finale. And… that was it, I thought.
But then things got complicated. Or, more accurately, I realized I needed to deal with the complexity inherent in presenting finished audio fiction shows to potential listeners—complexity that far exceeded the limitations of a simple email newsletter.
I’d need to evolve The End beyond its humble beginnings to do that. I’d need to make The End into a directory. A directory powered by a database so I could highlight the myriad differences and similarities between fiction podcasts. That database would need to power well-organized web pages to display the collected data about shows and the creators behind them. More web pages would be required—dynamic and capable of presenting listeners with a wide range of discovery options, allowing them to find shows tailored to their preferences. And it still needed a newsletter component!
I knew that if I could deliver on those items and obsessively focus on listeners' needs first, creators would see the value of The End and be excited to have their shows included in the most comprehensive and easy-to-use directory of finished audio fiction.
We're getting there. Our directory now has over 1,000 fiction podcasts, audio dramas, audiobooks, and other forms of audio fiction! 🥳 And I’m adding dozens of new and new-to-us shows every single week.
With our commitment to only listing completed audio fiction shows—either at a season or series level—The End will never be the biggest audio fiction directory on the internet. But I do hope you think it is one of the best.
Breaking into the 1,000 club is a big accomplishment, but there’s still much more to do with The End. I’m working on it. 😉
A huge thank you to everyone who encouraged me to share this idea with the world. There are far too many of you to mention for fear of leaving someone out. But know that you have my thanks.
Here’s to the next 1,000 shows added to The End!
- Evo