Small Business Spotlight: Folkways Press T
his month, we spoke to Hannah Fields, up and speaking out about inequality, political founder of Folkways Press about their debut issues, and the realities of their everyday lives, anthology, ‘We Are Not Shadows’. many still go unheard. So I wanted to take these issues and give women from all ages and Folkways Press is an independent publishing backgrounds a platform to speak about their company dedicated to giving a voice to the own experiences or observations. The anthology unconventional, the extraordinary, and the covers issues of race, gender, sexuality, trauma, voices who’ve been too long unheard. adversity, disability, and more. It is my hope that readers are both inspired and moved by the Why did you start Folkways Press? words within and feel empowered to speak up about their own experiences. The path to Folkways Press is complicated when I really dig into it. The idea to start my own What are your future plans for Folkways publishing company was put into my head by Press – are there other books you’re in the my mother. I’ve always loved books and one day process of publishing further down the line? she asked me, ‘Well, why not start a company Or has the pandemic put a halt on that at the and publish them?’ From there I pursued a MLitt moment? in Publishing at the University of Stirling and my resolve to start my own company grew, but I’m currently brainstorming new books from I wasn’t sure what ‘my’ company should look Folkways. The mission of the press is to like. After a lot of thought about what I’d like to represent all people, especially those who have change in publishing through my contributions been treated unjustly for decades. Their lives as a publisher, I decided that I wanted Folkways and backgrounds are important and should be Press to be a platform for those who go unheard. treated as so. I’d love to publish some poetry The industry overlooks marginalised voices and I collections along with essay and/or short story want to be a positive change within the industry, collections from solo authors, but that may even if my contribution is small. Folkways Press come later in the year. My goal is a series that will forever be dedicated to the unconventional, focuses on one topic per book, such as mental the extraordinary, and the voices of those who’ve health or race or folklore. These would also be been buried within the margins for far too long. anthologies, but that remains to be seen. My biggest challenge is funding. I work full-time and run Folkways in my free time. I’d love to get Despite living in a time where to the point where I’m focusing on Folkways fulltime, but I don’t see that happening any time more women are speaking soon, especially with this pandemic going on. up and speaking out about Despite that, I remain hopeful for the future of the press! inequality, political issues, and
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the realities of their everyday lives, many still go unheard.
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‘We Are Not Shadows’ is your first book – what’s it all about? ‘We Are Not Shadows’ is a feminist anthology featuring poetry, prose, and essays from 34 women writers from around the globe. Despite living in a time where more women are speaking 44
What do you think is the biggest issue the publishing industry is facing today? It’s difficult to pick just one when the publishing industry has quite a few things to improve. Its inability to stop doing things the way they’ve always been done would be my first choice. You still have companies expecting publishing hopefuls to live in expensive cities for a salary that barely covers the cost of living. These are the same companies who only address diversity
