Introduction: What Does It Mean to Publish?
Publishing is more than just getting a book onto shelves—it is about shaping ideas, crafting identity, and finding an audience. In the Publishing module I run as part of the MA Creative Writing and Education at Goldsmiths, University of London, we explore this concept not just in terms of external publication—editors, marketing, distribution, booksellers—but also as an internal process. Before we send our work into the world, we must navigate the many voices within ourselves: the Writer, Publisher, Researcher, Healer, Reflective Practitioner, and Teacher. These different facets of identity play a crucial role in shaping how and why we write, and ultimately, how we share our work.
A key part of the module has been using objects as a creative tool. Each student brings an object that represents an aspect of themselves or their writing. These objects act as a bridge between the personal and the public, allowing us to explore the tensions and connections between different aspects of the self. This method draws inspiration from Gillie Bolton’s (2011) work, which explores how writing—particularly in therapeutic settings—helps individuals articulate and understand different parts of themselves. In our case, these objects have sparked creative scripting exercises, where students allow their various creative identities to “speak” to one another.
The Publishing Community Within
To build an effective publishing community, we must first build an internal one, a world withing. As writers, we often feel torn between different instincts:
- The Writer wants to tell a compelling, perhaps deeply personal, story.
- The Publisher is concerned with marketability—will this book sell?
- The Healer sees writing as a form of self-discovery and personal growth.
- The Reflective Practitioner considers what can be learned from the process of writing itself.
- The Teacher thinks about how the work might inform and inspire others.
This internal conversation mirrors the real-world publishing industry, where a book is shaped by multiple perspectives: editors refine it, designers craft its visual identity, marketing teams position it, booksellers decide whether to stock it, and readers ultimately determine its success.
As explored in Beyond Craft (Westbrook & Ryan, 2020), creative writing does not exist in isolation. Writers must understand how publishing functions, from navigating literary marketplaces to considering the advantages and pitfalls of small presses and self-publishing. The chapters Commercial Publishing: Cumulative Advantage and Marketing Magic and Self-Publishing in the Internet Age highlight the complex networks of visibility, prestige, and strategic positioning that shape literary success.
Publishing as a Pedagogical Tool
Beyond individual success, publishing plays a crucial role in creative writing education. It is not just about output but about process—how we shape, refine, and share our voices. In the Publishing module, we explore different ways of bringing work into the public sphere, from collaborative projects to personal storytelling.
This approach resonates with case studies such as Bolton’s work with cancer patients, where writing became a therapeutic tool, allowing individuals to process difficult experiences (Bolton, 2011, p. 87). Likewise, her work with refugee writers in South Yorkshire demonstrated how publishing can be an act of empowerment, providing a platform for voices that are often marginalised (Bolton, 2011, p. 157). Their book—a 100-page collection of poems, memories, and emotional narratives—demonstrated how publishing can create community and challenge public misconceptions.
Fan Websites and Online Book Communities as Publishing Networks
Publishing does not end when a book is printed—it continues through the communities that form around stories. Online book communities, fan websites, and digital platforms such as Goodreads, Archive of Our Own (AO3), and fan forums allow readers to engage with texts beyond traditional publishing structures. These spaces foster critical discussion, creative reinterpretation through fanfiction, and deep reader engagement that extends the life of a book well beyond its initial release.
Fan websites act as reader-driven publishing spaces, where stories evolve through collective interpretation and shared creativity. Readers become co-creators of meaning, responding to books with reviews, analyses, adaptations, and even writing their own extensions of published works. These platforms also allow emerging writers to develop their voices, find an audience, and gain confidence in their writing before pursuing traditional or independent publication. For educators and creative writers, these communities illustrate how publishing can be more than a one-way process—it can be interactive, fluid, and deeply social.
Publishing in the Widest Sense: The GlobalGRACE Project
The GlobalGRACE project redefines publishing in the widest sense of the word, using multiple creative modes to make people’s struggles public and visible. Publishing here is not simply about books—it is about bringing marginalised voices into the open through theatre, film, murals, participatory art, creative writing, and performance. Central to GlobalGRACE’s purpose and drive is the belief that making injustice and lived experiences public—in whatever form best serves the community—is an essential act of empowerment and resistance.
From a Sex Workers Theatre Group in Cape Town challenging systems of sexual violence to creative writing workshops in the Philippines addressing LGBTQ+ discrimination, and participatory filmmaking in Bangladesh amplifying women’s struggles in male-dominated industries, the project embraces publishing as a form of social action. Whether through street murals, films, books, or performances, the project ensures that these voices are not only heard but also shape public discourse.
This expansive definition of publishing aligns with what we explore in the Publishing module: who gets to publish, in what form, and for what purpose? It challenges traditional notions of the literary marketplace and pushes us to think about how storytelling—across multiple platforms—can be a force for change.
Creative Voices as Activist Voices
Like GlobalGRACE, other projects demonstrate how publishing and storytelling can serve as activism. An article in Arts Professional (2025) explores how sensory storytelling, creative writing, and visual arts have been used to capture the lived experiences of marginalised communities, particularly refugees and migrants. These projects—often led by those with lived experience—blend personal testimony with artistic expression to challenge dominant narratives and bring new perspectives into the public domain.
One of the key takeaways from this work is that publishing is not just about the written word—it is about making stories felt, seen, and heard in multiple ways. The arts can create embodied experiences that go beyond the page, helping audiences connect emotionally and politically with the material.
Conclusion: Publishing as an Ongoing Conversation
Publishing is a dynamic process, both internally and externally. It is about balancing different voices—within ourselves and within the industry—and finding meaningful ways to connect with readers. Whether through traditional publishing, independent presses, self-publishing, or alternative storytelling platforms like those championed by GlobalGRACE and the Creative Voices project, the goal remains the same: to create work that resonates, challenges, and inspires.
By engaging with publishing as a pedagogical tool, we are not just preparing students for the marketplace—we are fostering creative communities where writing is valued not only as a product but as a process of discovery, dialogue, and transformation.
References
Bolton, G. (2011). Write Yourself: Creative Writing and Personal Development. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Pilcher & Taylor (2025). Creative voices, activist voices: Stories of creative communities. Arts Professional. Available at: https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/feature/creative-voices-activist-voices-sensory-stories-of-creative-communities
Gilbert, F. (2017). The Time Devil: A Time-Travelling Fantasy Set in the National Maritime Museum. Available at: https://www.francisgilbert.co.uk/2017/10/the-time-devil-a-time-travelling-fantasy-set-in-the-national-maritime-museum/
GlobalGRACE (n.d.). Projects on creative practices and social justice. Available at: https://www.globalgrace.net/
Westbrook, S., & Ryan, J. (2020). Beyond Craft: An Anti-Handbook for Creative Writers. London: Bloomsbury Academic.