That's nice about it being pretty self-selecting! Thought Thinkers has definitely faced some obstacles being so all-inclusive. But starting publications from scratch isn't anything easy! I admire how well you've done with yours in so little time. Truthfully, Thought Thinkers was a publication I took over from a different author back when it was a lot smaller. I changed the name and direction of the publication and owe myself some credit, but I don't think it would be quite where it is today if the previous owner hadn't cultivated some fairly regular submissions, even if they weren't all terrific.

Realizing the all-inclusive approach was a little problematic, I actually tried opening a few other pubs under my name from scratch, none of which have picked up all that much momentum yet. I'm nominating for each and have had some luck in the others, but have mostly kept my focus on where the bulk of my submissions are at TT. The other publications are The Music That Moves Us, Consciousness Corner, and For the Love of Language (the last of which I never even made submission guidelines for, but am still open to adding writers to.)

As far as my experience with the nominating in general, I certainly have my complaints (most of which I've already heard raised elsewhere.) I wouldn't mind being able to get feedback on my submissions, and I can't quite get past the feeling of some personal bias coloring what's going on behind the scenes, but I think it's by and large a pretty good system that it wouldn't be all that easy for me to propose fixes to myself.

I had an unusually good first month with 19/20 of the pieces I nominated going through. But I think I partially misinterpreted the function of the unlimited cap I have this month. I felt like it was an opportunity to take more risks, but I suspect that one of the more politically contentious pieces I submitted rubbed a curator the wrong way and I've subsequently taken a pretty significant hit to my average. It's a bit too soon to say for certain whether the two are related, though. Has this month been worse for you so far than last? And what are some of your own thoughts?

So any of my own stories from travel within Latin American countries would be welcome at your publication? Or stories about learning Spanish? I'd love to be added as a writer! Although I don't have an enormous amount of experience traveling, I've got at least a few stories left I could probably send your way.