I am just going to be direct. 

The reason that you have seen me focusing so heavily on building paid subscriptions over the last two weeks is because it’s important to this imprint that I build them. I have spent the last year primarily focusing on building a strong community here. Which is why 90% of the time you saw me talking about Bindery, I was inviting you to join for free. My first and most important focus was building a strong community that is ready to fight for authors. Because that is the point here. We are here to fight for authors.

But now it is time to talk about the fact that we are in an uphill battle. The cards are stacked against us. And I know that you hear Black creators talk about this all of the time, and it can be easy to overlook it or to think we are being dramatic. But we are not. Despite the fact that Black culture is the backbone of western art, Black people make up less than 5% of this industry. Less than FIVE percent. 

Yes, a handful of Black authors are put in front of you every year as proof that the industry is moving in the right direction. They see our value now. They believe in our stories. And yet, for every one Black author they put in front of you, there are a dozen they have given contracts and then left to rot. And hundreds that they have rejected simply because another Black person has already told that story and, well… there can’t be two. 

Here is what I need you to understand: change is going to take all of us. Me yelling and being loud and putting out a book or two a year is not going to be enough to bring actual change. It is going to take a wave of Black and brown people clawing our way into these rooms. Forcing people to take us seriously. Not just authors, but publishers, editors, graphic designers, PR reps, agents, and everything in between. Real change is going to look like us refusing to be left outside. And for THAT to happen, there needs to be a community of people refusing to let anyone turn us away.

That’s what this is about. I partnered with Bindery because they are willing to pour resources into a vision that I have been fighting tooth and nail for for YEARS. I have been killing myself, working tirelessly, to bring change. Sometimes it felt like I was screaming into the void. Pushing for progress only to get beaten back every other day. This work is HARD. And working with Bindery enables me to do that work with real resources and the experience and expertise of people who have access I don’t. 

That was step one.

Step two was building a community of people who care about the same vision I do, who are ready to fight for it with me. 

Now we are at step three… building the equity to warrant the aggressive publishing schedule I am asking for. 

Right now, Bindery’s model is to release one—sometimes two—books a year per imprint. That’s not gonna work for me. Not only do I intend to earn a more aggressive publishing schedule, but I intend to ensure that each and every one of the projects we slap the Left Unread logo onto is a massive success. And if you know anything about publishing, you know that is not an easy goal. That is going to take a massive community effort. It is going to be hard and it is going to be expensive. Which brings me back to… this is why I have been focusing on building our paid subscriptions.

I have said it from the beginning and I’m going to say it again. I have ridiculous dreams. I have unreasonable ambition. I want to change the freaking world. And I am delusional enough to truly believe we can do it. But I need your help. 

If you are able to invest in this work, I am asking—begging—you to do so right now. Subscribe at the $5 or $12 tier. Every single dollar makes a difference. As you know, 50% of subscription money goes right into our publishing budget. And as I committed early on, I intend to pour anything I make over my cost of living right back into authors. Because this fight isn’t just about the books WE publish. It is also about resourcing indie authors. Which is why, if you are in my discord or following me on socials, you see me still pushing indies and fighting for their voices. Because that is CRUCIAL TO THIS WORK. 

So just know, when I ask you to invest in the work, that is what you are investing in. I want to change the world and that is going to take massive effort. So, if you have it in you, buckle up. Let’s get to work!

And remember, if you commit at the $12 tier or higher, you not only get full access to the publishing process as well as all of my exclusive content, but you will also have your name printed in every single book we publish while you are subscribed. On a dedicated thank you page, we will make sure people know YOU contributed toward these projects. I know that is not everything, but it is really cool and I would love to see all of your names right there in these incredible books!

Now that I have said all of that, there is a second thing I need from you. Because like I said, for this vision to happen, it takes a lot of Black  people clawing our way into these rooms. And if there is one thing about me, it is that I let no doors close behind me. So here is what I want from you: go follow these two tastemakers and help them build a large enough following to warrant their own publishing imprints with Bindery. 

• Jahid: One of his favorite books is Parable of the Sower and his goal for 2025 is to: “continue to uplift, build, and empower marginalized voices and stories.”  You can find his community HERE: scribetribe.binderybooks.com

• Krystal: One of her favorite books is The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P Djeli Clark and in 2025 she plans to, “continue to focus on marginalized authors and stories, shedding light on those from commnuities that dont receive the same level of support in traditional publishing as well as continuing to work towards a publishing imprint to help bring these stories to life.” And you can find her imprint HERE: writtenreveries.binderybooks.com

I will be posting again about both of their imprints sometime this week with more information and some ideas on how you can continue to support Black people in this industry, but for now, please consider taking the steps I outlined above. (1) upgrade your subscription to Left Unread and (2) consider subscribing to these two incredible Black tastemakers who are in the exact same fight!

Thank you for everything you do for Black and brown authors!