Give Me Some Truth: Discovering Independent Publishing - guest post by Max Rowan [10.09.2010]

My documentary, Independent Inkwell: Australian Small Publishing, started as a much grander concept, dealing with the ins and outs of large scale publishing conglomerates, and the hot topic of the moment, removing foreign book tariffs. As this original project slowly disintegrated, with few people taking the time to talk to a university film student, I took stock of what I was left with the independents, or at least those who would give me the time of day. I did not realise it straight away, but I eventually learned a lesson every documentarian should: the only thing better than someone willing to talk on film is someone who wants to.

It struck me that Australia seems full of independent publishers, most of whom you or I have never heard of. Their products take any number of forms, and often take years to complete. Contrary to popular stigma, small publishers don’t just produce underground anthologies of avant-garde existential literature, but find niches in every wavelength of the cultural spectrum. These niches are most often always motivated by the human behind the imprint, personal loves and hates channeled into the proliferation of art. The love is for a type of book (or digital representation, in this age of e-books and their ilk). Good writing is just that after all, and it seems more people than I realised have said “Well, someone’s got to publish this, because it’s too good not to."

Unlike other forms of art patronage however, publishing houses are not the vanity projects of the rich and aimless. In this industry money becomes the great equalizer because independent publishers have very little. I’m a naturally sympathetic compatriot (no money, no time, little help and low expectations), but the financial manoeuvring small publishers must undertake is an art of its own.

This is what separates the small and independent from the large and entrenched. Although everyone I spoke to bemoaned monetary restrictions, at some level, they understood that the work would not be the same had it not passed through the small publishing process. Or to put it simply: Is this book good enough to pour my own money into? Is it good enough to spend months and months struggling to get an arts grant? Is it good enough to spend every moment of my spare time working on?

The delicate balance small publishers manage between personal finances, arts grants, distributors, and the other “process” elements of creating a book, is carried over to their readers. Different publishers place different weight on the importance of sales. The modus operandi of a mainstream publisher seems often an afterthought in the world of small publishing. The time-honoured desire to “break-even” has not lost its lustre, and the odd poor soul still ventures into small publishing hoping to strike gold (or perhaps large deposits of black coal) with the next Twilight. Many of Inkwell’s contributors, however, viewed what they did as a service for readers like themselves; an altruistic venture. Hardly charitable, but in the service of cultural progression.

The nature of small publishing resulted in interviewees who were a highly talkative, passionate, informed, and reflective bunch. I hope that we created something that contains a sliver of honesty, right down to the concession that through the struggle and work, comes an ego boost that can only be found in a field as personal as independent publishing, where you are the CEO, secretary, designer and marketing department.

I feel mildly confident in this hope, because like the work of most small publishers, Independent Inkwell was produced in an environment in which no one has any reason to lie. There is no money, no publicity, no reputation, no sales figures to report, not for me or the contributors involved.

Or, as John Lennon pleaded, “just give me some truth!”

Max Rowan is a 22 year old communications student at the University of Western Sydney, majoring in media arts and currently completing his honours year. After a series of short films, Independent Inkwell is his first program length work, and his first to be broadcast. Head here to read more about Indepdendent Inkwell: Australian Small Publishing. The documentary will be shown on TVS, digital channel 44, Saturday 11th September at 7pm (with repeats on the following Tuesday 14th at 12.30pm and Friday 17th at 5pm).

Leave a Comment