A Spotlight: The Publishing Issue
The Publishing Issue is an online publishing platform that supports rising creatives and fosters the creation of quality content. “It started with the thought to amplify the voices of promising poets, authors and writers by helping them publish their work. We intend to make publishing more accessible and open to all – readers and writers alike.”
We spoke to the team at The Publishing Issue, who told us that “in looking for the most feasible and accessible model to achieve our goal, we came up with a bi-monthly digital publication that brings promising poets and writers to the forefront. The anthology will focus on a collection of literary works including poems, short stories, personal essays and excerpts from larger works of fiction and non-fiction. As we gain more traction, we aim to increase the frequency of publications and hopefully, even introduce print versions.”
“We aim to serve as the bridge between the creation and expression of content by helping creatives reach an audience that recognizes their talent. What hits home is the fact that there is no dearth of talent in the industry. However, between the content that is created and the tiny percentage that is actually published, a majority of quality content goes unnoticed. With this thought in mind, we curated a team of talented professionals from around the world who not only excel in their respective functions, but also share the vision to support rising creatives from the industry.”
Want to get to know the team behind the project? We found out more about their careers, aspirations and what each of them are interested in, here’s what they said:
Preetika Sihag, Founder and Editor: Having worked as a lawyer, Preetika changed directions to pursue her interests in books and publishing. She started The Publishing Issue with the hope to build a community that supports and appreciates the talent of rising creatives from around the world. Preetika is always on the lookout for innovative skills and projects to add to her repertoire.
Vaidehi Tikekar, Graphic Designer: With major interests in book design and production, Vaidehi is intrigued by the different facets of engagement that define a reader’s relationship and experience with books. Vaidehi is a perfectionist and takes design very seriously. You can view her work on Instagram at @of.lines.and.grids
Sofie de Linde, Editor and Writer: Sofie possesses a deep-set passion for art history and literature, which she later combined with her interests in books. Sofie is inclined towards the editorial and writing functions. She is very easy-going and you can see her stressing out – practically never.
Ana Martinez de Soto, Editor: Ana always knew she was meant for the publishing industry because of her undying love for books. Her major interests also lie towards the editorial functions. Ana is a happy soul and a lover of fiction, there’s never a dull day with her around.
We chatted about what makes The Publishing Issue different, “what sets us apart is that despite being culturally diverse in our origin, we all share a similar goal – to encourage more and more budding creatives to express themselves through their content. We are of the opinion that age and experience should never pose a hindrance to someone's growth.
The team at The Publishing Issue are currently accepting submissions for their first ever anthology. Head over to their website if you want to make a submission.
“We are strong believers of equality of opportunity that is why we encourage submissions from all writers and poets, irrespective of experience and age. In doing so, we aspire to foster the growth of the already existent community that focuses on uplifting independent publishers and rising creatives, to ensure variety and diversity in the kind of content that our current and future audience reads. We hope to establish The Publishing Issue as a standalone platform and as a publisher that brings creatives together as one and encourages them to grow as a community. You can find more about The Publishing Issue on Instagram and Twitter.