What is Better Metaphors Studio?

June 20, 2025
New York City 

Dear you,

It's interesting that a blog post is basically a time capsule.

I'm writing this in a specific time and place, and you're reading it in your own time and place. It's a letter to the future.

At Better Metaphors Studio, we believe in playing with and expanding on the forms of e-commerce. That's why we always tell you our date and our place when we write to you.

Here in New York, on June 20, it's warm and humid, and I'm typing this on my phone while my toddler is asleep on my right arm. (Let's be more real about these things. Maybe you're reading this on the toilet?)

Better Metaphors Studio is an insomnia project I still liked in the light of day.

Yes, it's a little online shop, but its also a place for writers to finish small things.

Sometimes writers create hermit crab essays, where the essay borrows the form of another type of writing. (Here's an example) 

Maybe Better Metaphors Studio is its own sort of hermit crab essay, borrowing the forms of on online shop and email list to explore and expand on questions about how we as writers can share our work today.

That said, we are also definitely a real online store! You can buy from us and get a real thing in the mail, complete with a personal note!

I made Better Metaphors Studio because I was tired of having a book deal or a Substack be the two dominant ways to share their work.

The tagline for Better Metaphors Studio is finish small things.

I'm still distilling what this project is, but here are the four guiding principles Ive come up with:

Curate joy.
Finish small things.
Embrace desires.
Do this together.

I'll share more about each of these in the coming days.

Thanks for being here,
Finn