“Not only are books inherently political, but the industry that produces them is politically corrupt. The publishing industry works against the marginalized in every conceivable way.”

That quote was the opening hook of a video I posted several months ago. Before America handed the future over to Donald Trump. Before massive corporations began rescinding their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Before a billionaire from South Africa began invading government agencies. And before the department of education began its death throes. 

I don’t share that as some kind of “gotchya”. I share it because those words rang true before we got here. At the height of America’s commitment to fighting for progress, the publishing industry was falling short in conspicuous and dangerous ways. Even as they unloaded more Black and brown books and opened the door for more identity-based representation, they did so while prioritizing the advancement of stories and authors that reinforced—rather than challenged—the interests of the straight white men at the top.

And look, I get it. We’re used to it. That is the way of America. Promises of progress backed by systems fighting tooth and nail to maintain power. But here’s the thing: art doesn’t just reflect culture. It also drives it forward…or backward. And I can’t help but wonder if that is exactly why the industry continues to gatekeep its marketing power. Black culture has been a bedrock for western art and yet this industry—which heavily relies on the culture, joy and pain of Black people to tell its stories—refuses to create space for actual Black people. It would rather pull inspiration from our stories (steal), than actually empower us to tell them.

I think it is time for us to be honest about what publishing, as an industry, is--and isn’t--willing to do for progress. And I also think it is time for us to be honest about exactly what direction this industry is about to go as our nation co-sign’s Trump’s campaign to restore white supremacy as the central tenant of American culture. 

Which is why you have seen me advocating so hard for this community and for bookish spaces to recognize the legitimacy of independent publishing. Because while I think there are many incredible people in traditional publishing who are genuinely fighting for change, I do not believe that true change in this industry will be packaged in a massive corporation that has historically fought to empower the voices of the privileged and silence voices that dissent. 

In other words… I am not convinced that traditional publishing can be reformed.

Continuing to fight for Black and brown authors who have made it in the traditional space is as important as it ever was. We have to do it. It matters. But it is equally important that we begin to approach the future of publishing through a more honest lens. Centering the efforts of companies that have spent decades compromising art that could have moved our society forward has brought us as far as it can. If publishing is going to truly progress, we have to throw our support behind Black and brown authors who are writing from platforms built by our own communities. 

What does that look like? 

It looks like getting over our hatred of indies (both indie authors and small presses). It looks like us fighting hard for the stories that need to be told and for the voices that threaten the status quo. It looks like reading books that we’ve been told aren’t good enough and letting go of some that we’ve been tricked into believing are foundational. It looks like reexamining our standards for how we engage with literature and learning how to critically approach art. And it looks like putting our trust in the taste and efforts of the marginalized people whose stories have always been at the center of the industry anyway.

So what now?

I have a lot of actionable steps I want to put in front of you. Including books I think you should read, authors I think you should support, and publishers I think you should start shopping from. I want to talk about ideologies I want to encourage you to unpack and ideas I want to challenge you to adopt. I have IDEAS. But today, what I want to ask you to do is to take an active role in this community. That is my immediate goal. To build this space so that as I engage in those conversations and present those tools, they can impact as many people as possible.

The entire reason I partnered with Bindery Books to start this imprint was to continue the fight for change in this industry with actual resources and community. I want to fight for Black and brown authors, both through my publishing efforts, and by mobilizing this community on behalf of indie authors, small businesses and in opposition to systemic barriers in the industry as a whole. So come be a part of that. Because the truth is, this industry is not going to give us any ground. We are going to fight for it, and that fight is going to take a thriving community of people who are dedicated to fighting for authors. 

So here is the ask: If you are not already subscribed, please take thirty seconds out of your day to do so right now. And if you have the resources to comfortably do so, consider doing so at the $5 or $12 tier. And here is what you can expect in return:

I am going to challenge you. I am going to put thoughts, ideas, information and people in front of you that will help you to question everything that you believe about the world. We are going to read books together that will force you to reexamine your worldview, your faith…your identity. And I am going to do my absolute best to continue exposing all of us to ideas that consistently radicalize us. I want to expose you to dreams that will reshape the way you approach literature itself. And most importantly: I am going to ask you to help me fight for authors and stories again and again and again and again. I am going to point you toward books you never would have found otherwise and ask you to fight for authors you have never heard of before. And if we are diligent, and forceful…and lucky enough…we will create change together.

That is what you can expect if you really engage with this community. You can expect to be a part of a genuine and exhausting effort to change the world.

And then there is the part you already knew about: we are going to publish books together. 

This October, our debut book—Cry, Voidbringer—will hit shelves. I have massive ambitions with that book. I truly believe it is going to challenge people to ask questions that many of us have been terrified to ask before. And my hope is that we can collectively work together to help Elaine Ho become the next breakout success. And it is not too late to throw your support behind that project. In fact, if you upgrade to the $12 tier by next month, your name will even go into the book on a dedicated thank-you page, as well as in every book we publish while you are still subscribed at that tier. Additionally, you will get an early physical copy of the finished book (or an e-copy at the $5 tier).

So yeah. My hope is that those of you reading this will consider investing in this work with the understanding that I will do my best to make sure that your investment is helping to do something meaningful.

I know my dreams are big. But I think they are more than achievable if we work together. 

So welcome to the fight.

And if you want to get more involved in the community aspect: Join the Discord. If you are subscribing today, it will provide you an option to sync your discord. If you are already subscribed, head over to "my account" in the top right corner. Or use this link: leftunreadbooks.binderybooks.com/account Alot of our more in-depth community happens in the discord, so I highly encourage you to join if you want easier access to me and everyone else in this community.