Micropublisher 3 of Cups proposes initiative to help out writers with coronavirus-hit incomes

Indie micropublisher and not-for-profit 3 of Cups has announced a new initiative to help writers and artists who might have reduced incomes during the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the press' founder, Clare Bogen, membership platform Patreon will act as a way for writers and artists to create work and be paid for it. The idea is that every week 3 of Cups will publish exclusive content for patrons and the creators will be paid with the income made from those patrons.

The two tiers of membership offered include free e-books and physical books and start at $1. (Patreon only allows payment in USD.) According to 3 of Cups, the aim is that enough people subscribe so that writers and artists can be paid a fair fee for their work.

3 of Cups is open for pitches. Writers already commissioned include Camilla Grudova, Pema Monaghan, So Mayer, Stephanie Boland, Eliza Clarke, Alice Slater and Maz Hedgehog.

Bogen said: "A lot of writers and artists have seen a drastic cut in their incomes as gigs and contracts are cancelled in light of the current health crisis. Many depend on jobs in hospitality, in arts organisations and in shops for their rent and food. While the government fails to protect its citizens from loss of income, we thought we could at least try and help by providing a platform to both publish work and to pay for that work."

3 of Cups Press launched in July 2017 to promote inclusivity in publishing and has published three anthologies so far: On Anxiety, On Bodies and On Relationships. Outsiders, a short story anthology edited by Alice Slater, will publish in May 2020.