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We still have to listen to nonsense complaints about how it is impossible for white people to publish because all the book deals go to writers of color. We are still having to prove that yes, publishing is still very white. An essay about the whiteness of publishing that was written in 1995 could be and is being written today. Not only have I been talking about this for more than a decade, alongside my peers who have been doing the very same work, the conversation has not changed. I’d rather talk about pop culture or my puppy who weighs eight pounds but, undeterred by reality, thinks he is a guard dog. I would rather talk about my actual writing and the other work I do. I’ve been talking about diversity in publishing for more than a decade and it is not a subject I have a particular interest in talking about. These imprints are not evidence that publishing is evolving and they won’t be until the industry makes this kind of initiative the rule rather than the exception. But a couple of imprints led by black women will not change the character of publishing. I am thrilled to have an imprint and I am excited to see what other new imprints, like Phoebe Robinson’s Tiny Reparations Books are going to publish. They convey a real lack of interest in sustainable change. Temporary measures are just that… temporary.
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And it is telling that the industry still does so very little. It’s embarrassing how easy it would be to solve this problem once and for all. The solution is pay transparency so that pay is equitable across all demographics. The solution is a financial commitment from every major publisher to raise entry level salaries so people without the support of generational wealth can enter the industry. Frankly, the solution to this problem isn’t a fellowship, however well-intended. Entry-level pay is wildly inadequate, especially in New York, the seat of the industry. The barriers to entry in publishing are, largely, economic. It is the laziest possible explanation, one that shirks responsibility and reflects a resignation or commitment to the status quo. Pundits try to explain this whiteness and access to generational wealth as a pipeline problem, as if there are no people of color and/or working-class people who are interested in publishing or who have the necessary experience. While women dominate the industry, they don’t necessarily dominate executive positions. We this at every level, from writers to editors to production designers to publicists. The industry, as a whole, is incredibly white and populated by people from upper middle-class backgrounds. There are serious structural problems in publishing. It is, I hope, a small step in the right direction. We aren’t requiring a college degree or years of experience, so that hopefully, interesting candidates won’t face the normal barriers they might encounter when trying to break into publishing. The fellow will spend half their time working with me on the imprint and half of their time working, over time, with each of the departments at Grove Atlantic to learn the ins and outs of publishing. Grove Atlantic is also creating a fellowship. Roxane Gay Books is an imprint of Grove Atlantic. Last year, when I mentioned the idea to my agent Maria Massie, she immediately forged ahead and before I knew it, we had interest from a couple publishers and now, here we are. I started thinking about getting back into publishing books a few years ago. Publishing, finding an agent, submitting your work, preparing it for publication and publicity, that’s the business end of things. The craft, the work of writing is the creative part, the labor of love, the leap of faith. I could only do so much, and I always wondered what it would be like to run a press with meaningful resources.Īs I learned about publishing from the writer’s perspective, I came to understand how very different publishing is from writing. At the time, I was a junior faculty member making not a lot of money and funding the entire endeavor out of pocket. I learned a lot of painful lessons, many of them at the post office, but I published some incredible books from generous writers who entrusted their work with me, no small thing. There is the editing, and working with a printer, going over proofs, promotion and publicity and, of course, distribution. You’re responsible for everything! You acquire the books, draft the contracts, design the books and covers or find someone to do that work. There was a steep learning curve, because running a press is incredibly challenging, especially when you’re a one-person operation. I published small but mighty books that could fit in your pocket or purse. Many years ago, I had a micropress called Tiny Hardcore Press.