Looking Ahead: The Long-Term Future of Carson Kelly Publishing

There’s something about reaching the end of a year that makes you look both ways at once.

You look back at how far you’ve come, at the projects that nearly broke you and the ones that made you feel more alive than you expected. And you look forward at the stuff that isn’t here yet, but keeps tapping at the back of your mind like, “Hey, don’t forget about me. I’m part of this story too.”

Today, I want to discuss the second part.

This isn’t a flashy announcement or some big “surprise drop.” It’s more like opening my journal and letting you read one of the pages about the future of Carson Kelly Publishing where it is now, where it’s heading, and what I quietly want it to become over the long haul.

Where Carson Kelly Publishing Is Right Now

Right now, Carson Kelly Publishing is still very personal.

It’s the home base for my stories.
The universes I’ve built, the characters who won’t leave me alone, the ideas that turn into books, series, spin–offs, and whatever else my brain decides to cook up next.

CKP is where I experiment.
It’s where I learn.
It’s where I fail in private and try again.
It’s where I release the work that matters to me and hope that somewhere out there, it matters to you too.

Nothing about that is going away.

I still have a lot of books to write. Some arcs haven’t reached their endings yet, worlds that are only on chapter one, and entire projects that haven’t even been properly announced. The next few years are going to be full of writing, revising, building, and releasing. That’s the core of what CKP is right now, and I’m not done with that phase yet.

The Quiet Dream: Opening the Door for Other Voices

At the same time, there’s a quiet dream that’s been growing behind the scenes.

For a while now, I’ve had this thought that keeps coming back:

What if, someday, Carson Kelly Publishing wasn’t just my house,
but also a house for other writers too?

Not a giant corporation.
Not a cold, faceless machine.
But a small, focused, intentional home for stories from young and upcoming authors who need structure, honesty, and someone who actually understands what it feels like to start from nothing.

That idea means a lot to me.

I know what it feels like to be on the outside looking in.
I know how confusing, overwhelming, and lonely the process can be.
So the thought of one day being able to say, “Hey, I’ve built something solid enough that I can give another writer a safe place to stand,” that’s a big part of my long-term vision.

But here’s the important part:

We’re not there yet.

This Is Not an Announcement (Yet)

To be crystal clear:

This is not a call for submissions.
This is not a “DM me your manuscript” moment.
This is not me saying, “I’m ready to publish other authors tomorrow.”

This is me saying:

I’m thinking about it seriously.
I care about doing it the right way, not the fast way.
I know I need more time, more experience, and more structure in place before I even think about taking on someone else’s work.

Before I ever open that door to another writer, I want to make sure:

My own systems are solid.
I understand the business side well enough to protect both of us.
I have the bandwidth to actually be present as a publisher, not just slap a logo on a cover and walk away.

So if you’re reading this as a writer:
Take this as a promise in progress, not a launch announcement.

The Long Game I’m Playing

I’m not building for just this year, or even just this decade.
I’m building for the long game.

In that long game, I see a version of Carson Kelly Publishing that:

Still releases my own books and series.
Has a clear, thoughtful process for how stories are developed, edited, designed, and launched.
Slowly, carefully, begins to bring in other writers whose work fits the kind of stories I love: emotional, character-driven, high-concept, genre-twisted, heartfelt, dark, hopeful, or all of the above.

I don’t want to rush that into existence just because it sounds cool.
I want to grow into it.

Every book I put out now, every messed-up draft I fix, every launch I learn from—that’s all part of laying the foundation so that one day, if and when I do publish someone else, I can look them in the eye (or in the inbox) and say:

“I know what this feels like.
I’ve been where you are.
And I will treat your story with the same care I treat my own.”

Why I’m Sharing This Now

If nothing changes publicly tomorrow, why talk about this at all?

Because I value transparency.
Because I think it matters for you to know not just what I’m doing right now, but what I’m aiming for.

And honestly?
Because saying it out loud makes it real.

There’s power in naming a direction, even if you’re still far away from the destination.

Telling you this doesn’t lock me into rigid timelines, but it does anchor my intentions. It reminds me that the work I’m doing now isn’t just for current releases. It’s slowly shaping the kind of creative house I want to run in the future.

What Happens Next

In the short term?

I keep writing.
I keep releasing.
I keep refining how I handle my own projects through Carson Kelly Publishing.
I keep learning the business side contracts, formats, marketing, production, all that unsexy but vital stuff.

In the long term?

When the time feels right and when the foundation is solid enough, I’ll start exploring what it really looks like to work with other authors under the Carson Kelly Publishing banner.
When that day comes, it’ll be clear. There will be details, guidelines, expectations, and a structure that respects everyone involved.

Until then, this post is just a waypoint.
A little marker in the road that says:

“We’re not there yet.
But we’re walking in that direction.”

Thank You

If you’ve been reading my work, watching my videos, or just quietly cheering from the sidelines, thank you.

You’re the reason any of this even makes sense to pursue.
You’re the proof that stories matter, that worlds are worth building, that late-night writing sessions and long-term plans are worth the effort.

Carson Kelly Publishing started as one person trying to get his stories out into the world.
The fact that I can even think about someday helping other writers do the same is something I don’t take lightly.

For now, I’ll keep doing what I do best:
building worlds, writing stories, and laying bricks for a future that we’ll reach slowly, one project at a time.

Thanks for walking with me this far. We’re just getting started.

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