New indie launches to tackle 'galling inequality'

A new independent publisher called 3 of Cups Press, dedicated to promoting and championing marginalised voices, is launching this month.

Founder and editorial director Clare Bogen said that she founded the press in response to the current situation in the industry which she says is "dominated by a culture of something for nothing, working for little or no pay", suffers from a lack of women in "positions of power" and a lack of diversity. She said: "Despite there being so many women in publishing, there are few women in positions of power or who have control over what is being published. On top of this galling inequality, in which people with privilege have an advantage, there is also very little diversity. While there have been a lot of pushes to increase diversity, we think more can be done.”

3 of Cups Press therefore aims to contribute towards a "more equal, more peaceful and more inclusive [publishing industry]" by championing marginalised voices and paying all contributors for their work.

The name of the press comes from the tarot card, which usually depicts three women holding up goblets and dancing. “This image is one of celebration and of community,” Bogen said. “That’s exactly what our press is about - raising up the voices of those around us that deserve to be recognised and heard.”

The first publications from 3 of Cups Press are a series of themed anthologies, released quarterly throughout 2018 and covering topics including anxiety, relationships and bodies. These anthologies contain a mixture of short fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry and art, exploring these themes. The first publication, On Anxiety, which features contributions from Marianne Tatepo, Sharlene Teo and Eley Williams, launches on Kickstarter today. The campaign will run until the 30th August, with the book publishing in paperback and e-book in January 2018.

Lizzie Huxley-Jones, editorial and communications director, said: “We chose to go with Kickstarter as our funding platform due to the success independent publishing has had there recently. Dead Ink and 404 Ink have both used Kickstarter to fund their anthologies and help launch their presses. We hope that Kickstarter will do the same for us.”