PhD candidate in small press business sustainability & diversity @stir.ac.uk / Publisher @404ink.bsky.social / Operations @charcopress.com / Substack: epitomeofvague.substack.com No DMs, email via lauraflojo.com 👋
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For a range of reasons I never thanked @theskinnymag.bsky.social for giving 404 Ink the [Organisational] Lifetime Achievement Award in their Besties awards, saying we were "absolutely pivotal to the development of new writing talent in Scotland"! We did try! thx www.theskinny.co.uk/festivals/ed...
Now it's September and there are still Fringe posters everywhere, us residents are allowed to tear them down ourselves, right? Right?!
I can
Sign of the times (literally)
Happy de minimis end day! Books are apparently exempt but costs are still increased anyway so who knows, really, it's all made up and nothing matters because who cares about small businesses anyway?!
Last few days to get your submissions in!
I considered writing a long carefully constructed argument laying out the harms and limitations of AI, but instead I wrote about being a hater. Only humans can be haters.
The numbers this post is doing is baffling to me on numerous levels. I don't understand social media anymore (if I ever did)
This morning's walk (I've never actually walked around my home village in the morning before, as a serial night owl that detests any movement before 11am but is trying to change that)
Hey fellow publishers: what are you/we doing about the end of de minimis next week? How fucked are we? Why am I finding it impossible to find any official documentation about this? Are we so numb to the current US administration's legislative terrorism that we don't even compute it anymore?
Bring back the "computer room"
One of the final straws pushing me out of day-to-day publishing and into academia was being asked to increase the font size while decreasing the page count at the same time and I think something broke in my brain at that moment
Seconded from the publishing biz to the rest of the publishing biz if you have anything to do with files for print whether marketing, editorial or otherwise: PLEASE LEARN WHAT BLEED AND DPI IS! PRODUCTION PEOPLE ARE NOT MAKING THIS UP, IT MATTERS, I'M SERIOUS, HELP US HELP YOU JFC
Two years since getting married, still looking awesome on the top floors of places
Straight person who hadn't heard of the Polari Prize until last week: the trans mob have ruined my favourite literary prize
This is absolutely beautiful. Social media makes us believe the world is full of vile people (and it is) but there’s so many more decent good people in the world that the bastards. This is just plain old fashioned human kindness and it’s lovely to see. Have a grand day!
Systemic bias in the publishing and pitching process? Likely, but I hope McGarvey checked with his, I assume, London-based publicist that they did indeed pitch his book to EIBF as if they didn't, that's a whole other conversation on internal bias. But I digress. We pitch, we win/lose, we move on.
...us publishers and publicists to improve where we can. I have few/no easy answers, but just wanted to suggest that while we obviously get to know the people at EIBF as we pitch to them every year, and we're mostly all of middle class standing, we're not 'lobbying' and it's not a 'stitch-up' IMO...
...has dozens if not hundreds of books to pitch at EIBF. As 404 Ink I think I pitched about 10 books, 2 were programmed. It's a balance for the programmers and for us as publishers to know what to pitch. Yes, there is a huge problem of the working class being underrepresented, and that's on both...
Publishers and publicists don't 'lobby' EIBF as much as have a short single meeting with a programmer to discuss the dozens of potential books of which they can only programme a few, if any. McGarvey is published by Ebury (Penguin) so his publicist probably... www.heraldscotland.com/news/2539325...
Finished Death Stranding 2 after almost exactly 100 hours and have decided that I will die for Dollman. He’s my homeboy, my rotten soldier. He’s my sweet cheese, my good time boy.
So pleased to see this letter from MPs in support of students in Gaza with offers at UK universities. It's been signed by over 100 MPs and is a real cross-party effort. I hope now that Starmer will respond to our requests.
Help me for a thing, please: Who are your favourite UK-based trade publishers that started up since 2017 and are still going today? Small and indie, preferably (imprints don't count).
noooooooooooo (Happy to do my part for society though this is my 4th call in 10 years) but also noooooooo
People plugging their entire skulls into A.I. makes me think of this old Believer interview with Harold Ramis
And the Fierce Salvage crew celebrate current LGBTI+ Scottish writing, from memoir to poetry, edited by @hrfmichael.bsky.social and @ryanvance.bsky.social: www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...
@edbookfest.bsky.social kicks off next week and we have a couple of events! @carriem.co.uk shares Small Town Joy, unpacking how LGBTQ+ artists changed Scotland's soundtrack and celebrating the music that opened minds: www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival...
As per, Jenny speaks sense: "I don’t think I’ve ever run a programme where somebody has not complained that they should have been in there. We are pitched literary thousands of books every year. We cannot cover every single subject. We wouldn’t intend to." www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536437...
This is fascinating. Has a publishing company ever been set up in haste to save the ruins of a collapsed one? www.thebookseller.com/news/new-pub...
This is funny / depressing / fucked up. It’s Elias Vance’s world now.
On my daily walk (when I'm on top of things which I am not right now) fully expecting to have 'my' lake swarmed with the fringe masses and yet, there is somehow peace and duck arses in the air as any day. All is as it should be.
Death Stranding 2 hit me harder than any Kojima game since MGS3. I think it's one of the most human games he's ever made, wildly goody, introspective, and the only direction it made sense to go in following COVID lock downs. For @aftermath.site aftermath.site/death-strand...
And it's finally official. Not so much as an email to authors to let them know. Literally not a word to the authors they built their business off / stole from.
Unsurprising but still hugely disappointing on so many fronts. "The Bookseller understands that both Boundless and Neem Tree Press will be closing down entirely, with no rescue. It is unknown whether Boundless authors have been informed of the administration." www.thebookseller.com/news/unbound...
I think about the Lost Experience approximately once a month
Feeling old. Seeing young 'uns on the tiktok excited by Hayley Williams "hacking marketing" by uploading her new solo album to her website temporarily via secret code. Thinking their minds would be blown by the Lost Experience marketing campaign of the mid 2000s. Now THAT was "hacking marketing".
Inklings submissions are now open via @saraband-books.bsky.social If you've been sitting on an Inkling pitch for a while, now is your time! Submission info: saraband.net/2025/07/11/i...
An excellent point here, and some great follow-up discussion in the replies. When I was head of buying at Waterstones, and subsequently as a consultant for some independent publishers, I always argued against the basic uniform cover approach. I had reasons...
My boring repetitive stance of why I'd always print with matte lamination over uncoated: the environmental savings from avoiding the cover plastic is immediately undone by the amount of damaged copies and extra shipping required to ferry replacement copies and returns! The admin! The pulping! Pain!
'tis the season for the Edinburgh resident to have to walk in the middle of the road to be able to get anywhere in the city centre Fringe grump mode ACTIVATE
Ed Zitron argues the AI boom is a bubble based on three arguments 1) Nvidia’s stock price hinges on FAANG’s endless GPU buying spree 2) Big Tech is spending 10x more on AI infrastructure than they earn 3) AI startups like OpenAI & Anthropic are making billions but are burning even more billions.
404 used this Futura PT across all branding from 2016, absolutely trend setters
Why I 🧡 the web. drawafish.com Just draw the fish. Trust me. 🐟
we're in the ________ timeline [insert as necessary]
Happy publication day to Wing Lam Tong and Speak Still! See her talk about her Inkling in @tintjournal.bsky.social: tintjournal.com/interview/so...
Shaimaa’s PhD will be funded by @sgsah.bsky.social (supervised by @hannahkateboast.bsky.social Will Tattersdill & me, in partnership with @commapress.bsky.social) - but she is currently trapped in Gaza unless the UK Gov relaxes its requirement for biometric data bsky.app/profile/comm...
I grew lillies! I am smug
I am thankful for the Gen Z stare discourse because I had the most confusing encounter trying to order coffee from a Gen Z employee a few weeks ago and thought I was losing the plot. Generational discourse is, of course, time wasting bollocks but, sometimes, it nails it
when there's a mangled body in a ditch
The fucking head of fucking XBox Graphics used a fucking "AI" slop image to hire new engineers but couldn't tell that the fucking screen on the fucking monitor is facing backwards.
A few brief personal words from me over on my own blog regarding @404ink.bsky.social's closure next year. There's going to be a lot to say and analyse over the coming months about the state of publishing so I'm trying to pace myself... epitomeofvague.substack.com/p/404-ink-pu...
(anyone who has followed 404 knows that we post publicly every time that we receive CS funding on top of the info already being available publicly on CS's website, so it's no "gotcha", and we'll be talking lots more about the balance of public funding the sustainability because it's *complicated*!)
someone on X managed to calculate that 404 received over £128k Creative Scotland funding in the last 9 years (for "gotcha" purposes, I assume) and I'm in awe of their speed at finding that info that I can't even calculate from our bank statements that only go back 7 years. the lengths for a CS moan!
Only the real ones have these
In case you miss it amongst the news, we're delighted that @saraband-books.bsky.social will be continuing the Inklings series and they open for submissions in August! The process is very similar to our own but check out the guidelines and get your pitches ready. saraband.net/2025/07/11/i...
A few brief personal words from me over on my own blog regarding @404ink.bsky.social's closure next year. There's going to be a lot to say and analyse over the coming months about the state of publishing so I'm trying to pace myself... epitomeofvague.substack.com/p/404-ink-pu...
Following the announcement of 404 Ink's closure, we're delighted to announce that we'll be taking forward a significant portion of the Inklings series! Read more here: saraband.net/news-events #Booksky 📚💙
The co-founders and publishers of 404 Ink, the reigning British Book Awards’ Small Press of the Year winner for Scotland, have exclusively revealed to us their decision to close the business as it reaches its 10th anniversary in July 2026 👇 #BookSky
Thank you for the kind words! We're still figuring out this unwinding thing (turns out it's FAR more complicated than starting something, who knew) but hopefully we'll show that closure can be done right 🤞
Thank you so much Alex, that is far too kind.
404 Ink: 2016 - 2026. Publisher not found. www.thebookseller.com/news/404-ink...
LFGGGGGGG
I’m no expert but I would’ve got a person to do it.
2 days of this left 🥵
In a similar way to Americans being amazed that they lose weight while on holiday in Europe, I'm amazed that getting my skinny-fat arse to do couch to 5k and 10k steps in the gym while on holiday is borderline *easy* compared to home. Is it being stress free? Is it daily alcohol? No one knows
every moment that I am not purchasing, downloading, and playing Death Stranding 2 is an outrage, imo
No, nothing, sadly!
Bluesky was supposed to be a kinder, gentler place - but ever since I arrived to promote my journalism, I have been viciously shunned. | Me for Thinking Man's Fascism Weekly (£)
Went to church last night. 🖤
ah yes, what all writers desperately seek for their manuscripts, "data-informed feedback" You have to wonder: if publishers are seeking ways to avoid reading manuscripts, if they even want to be publishers (I know they argue for efficiency and using editorial elsewhere, as they do here, but still)
Edinburgh's Cameo is a classic. Bit rough around the edges but grand and has charm. Loved the Filmhouse when it was open, hope to go back soon.
We had such a lovely time talking about literary journals and small press publishing at the @bacls.bsky.social conference in Stirling! Part of a dream team with @extrateethmag.bsky.social, @404ink.bsky.social, and @foldingrockmag.bsky.social! Buy and subscribe, and keep these shows on the road!
Also I think the new lead singer of Kasabian checked me out in Heathrow airport but I was also very jet lagged and probably didn't look very attractive so could've imagined that (I was wearing excellent heeled boots that didn't fit in my luggage, though, so, who knows)
Phill Jupitus refused a flyer for a Fringe show from me in Bristo Sq (very politely) when I had that horrible job for a season
Seeking advice: are there any good "green" merch options for creation these days? Tote bags have been proven overproduced and a problem so not an option, the endless water bottles make me want to die etc Is there any merch you've been genuinely valuing and enjoying? Help, please!
Seeking advice: are there any good "green" merch options for creation these days? Tote bags have been proven overproduced and a problem so not an option, the endless water bottles make me want to die etc Is there any merch you've been genuinely valuing and enjoying? Help, please!
Freelance work is slow at the mo, so a reminder that I'm available for all sorts of typesetting, ebook creation and general publishing/production assistance for those self-publishing & general publishers. Services: www.lauraflojo.com via Reedsy (though I prefer direct!): reedsy.com/jones-laura 🙏
Man Claims Ability to Differentiate Between Semisonic, Lit, Eve 6, and Tonic thehardtimes.net/music/man-cl...
(I think I know why, as revealing the specifics of past failures right now will not assist Boundless and their attempt to become stable, but I do hope we'll hear the full, honest story at some point)
"There will be speculation in coming weeks about how and why Unbound has failed. That is right and proper. There is, in particular, a great deal to be said about businesses that over-rely on external investors" My thought is why leave us to speculate and why not offer truthful insight now?
I've been typesetting this recently! Thankful to the poetry team for keeping me busy
A statement on my having left Unbound/Boundless.
Ahaaa, yes, that would make sense. Following this whole debacle, I have learned how many brands and businesses chose 'Unbound'...!
Appears the address associated with the donation was an Unbound address, though? Which is fascinating if it was in fact lied away as opposed to explained. And also hearing about the illegal office/flat usage they adopted, who knows if that is also at play 🤷♀️
It'd take some very careful, well-thought out marketing and messaging, that's for sure...
I understand that, but think it'd be a mistake to tar the whole crowdfunding model with that brush. I really, really think crowdfunding can work long term and ethically, but evidently, it needs the right people (and, crucially, accountants!) running it, and we're short on good examples now, sadly.
Remember: the crowdfunding model at Unbound wasn't the problem. The people behind it were.
There's this strange attitude in publishing (or business ownership in general?) that it's survival at any and all cost. Publishing is ~noble~ so any creditors must suck it up for the greater good. "But first, it must survive." Why? If you proved the business untenable, why must it limp on?
Not a shock considering their previous (failed) flirtation with AI according to the Private Eye, towards the end of the piece (credit to Tom Cox for the shot)
Appreciated! Obv 404 crowdfunding is on a miniscule basis comparatively but I hope at least some proof of concept that it can be done successfully with the right people/accountants at the helm! Some pre-existing copycats aren't yet convincing but I still have hope...
I'll be tackling it in my PhD hopefully (since I'm looking for evidence of good and bad business models in publishing) but the casual 'it didn't work' dismissal is so passive as opposed to 'we couldn't make it work, even though it had every reason to if we could just manage cash flow better'!!!
Describing the money you owe authors because you sold their books as 'historic goodwill payments' is nauseating and dishonest verbiage.
So many thoughts, so many questions www.thebookseller.com/news/unbound...
Touring Scotland March - May 2026 - it's Victor & Barry all grown up and in the skies! News: www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/events/the-h... The story of Victor & Barry that started it all: www.404ink.com/store/p/vict...
📢 Fancy being the new @sgsah.bsky.social Director when I finish up in December? It’s a brilliant role, please consider applying if you fit the criteria and drop me a line if you’d like a chat about it… Deadline 23 June - pls repost! bsky.app/profile/sgsa...
So, how many of us are massively undercharging? ✋️
Most of my clients would likely dump me at that raise. I only just recently pushed some to £350! I'm lucky that I typically charge well above that on Reedsy due to fees and, let's say, erratic clients, but it doesn't always shake out...
Huh, apparently I'm charging 2015 prices, woops lol smh etc
Could you be our new Managing Director? We're looking for a visionary leader to steer Inpress and the Poetry Book Society into an exciting new chapter. Join us to lead a unique, nationally recognised organisation rooted in creativity, diversity, and purpose. inpressbooks.co.uk/pages/work-f...