Flock is a place for lit mags, small presses, and indy writers to collaborate, improve their craft, and share their work with the audiences who love them.
Flock was created and is run by Mick Theebs. Mick is both an indy writer and of the age where he grew up right alongside the internet. As he watched the internet grow, he saw countless indy publications, presses, lit mags, and zines sharing all kinds of wonderful work pop in and out of existence. And he realized that one reason why some of these smaller independent outlets struggle and occasionally fold is because there are few ways for these organizations to connect with their peers to improve their skills, share work with their audiences in a quick and easy way that is seamlessly accessible both on desktop and mobile, nor is there a way for these outlets to be discovered by potential fans.
So he created a Mighty Network specifically for the purpose of Indy Presses, Zines, Lit Mags, and Authors to share their work with the readers who love them in a centralized location specifically curated for that express purpose. So that means new issues, articles, or stories won't be lost in a soup of memes, shitposts, and racist wine-aunt rants.
This website is for independent publications, presses, lit mags, zines, writers, and artists to share their work, and most importantly the audiences who want to access the work of these creators and discover new ones.
It is also a place for writers, editors, and publishers to connect with their peers and hone their skills, swap notes, and collaborate.
A flock is a gathering of many different individual birds. It's a place of safety. It's home. In a similar vein, Flock is meant to be home to many different individual presses, publications, creators, and readers.
Also, it was the name that everyone seemed to like best.
Nothing. This platform is free and open to the public. So long as they are not spamming, spreading hate speech, harassing people (especially editors/pubs about the status of their submissions), or otherwise engaging in general dumbfuckery they are welcome to participate.
No. Never. Mick is a staunch advocate of privacy and would never betray your trust by selling your information to bloodsucking companies who want to sell you more shit you don't need.
The truth is, it isn't meant to. Mick did not start this platform because he thought he'd be able to strike it rich in the famously lucrative world of indy publishing. He built it because he loves seeing small presses, lit mags, zines (and all of their respective artists, writers, and creators) succeed. Should this platform grow and become as successful as Mick hopes, it will become a legal non-profit to continue its mission of supporting indy writers, artists, and publications.
If you're really worried about the financial status of Flock, you are more than welcome to become a supporting member for 5 bucks a month, which doesn't get you anything extra except for a warm feeling in your heart.