THE INDIE PRESS NETWORK GUIDE

Diversity in Small Press Publishing

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Diversity in Publishing Findings and Action Plan

In 2023, publisher Indie Novella and Inclusion and Diversity consultant Sula Graham collaborated to examine the current state of diversity in UK Publishing, particularly at a grassroots and community level. Part of a Diversity in Publishing Partnership that seeks to engage smaller independent publishers, booksellers and literary agencies to work together to encourage and promote opportunities for writers and those wanting to pursue a career in publishing from underrepresented backgrounds, Indie Novella and Sula Graham sought to open a narrative with various stakeholders across the different parts of publishing to understand what is happening on the ground, how we are doing as an industry and if progress is sustainable. The work was funded by Arts Council England.
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50+ participants were interviewed and a copy of the report can be requested through contacting Indie Novella at info@indienovella.co.uk.

The below summarises their findings in an action plan that publishers can put into place.

Diversity in Publishing Action Plan Summary

    1. Data Gathering and Sharing
      • Consolidate and group studies on UK Diversity in Publishing in one place. Use these as a baseline and for monitoring going forward seeking the opinions of those involved and asking if they feel progress has been made.
      • Increase Transparency and Granularity in Representation Date. Provide details of Roles and Seniority: Surveys should provide transparent and detailed breakdowns of representation data. This includes specifying roles (e.g. editorial, marketing, senior management), levels of seniority, and intersectionality within their workforce. Such granularity will help identify specific areas where diversity is lacking and allow for targeted interventions.
    2. Working with Minority Writers
      • Anti-Racism/Anti-Bias training and training for agents, publishers and creative writing course tutors to step out of that comfort zone of their own lived experience and be able to feel comfortable providing editorial advice to Black and Asian writers working on stories of their lived experience.
      • Be willing to listen to different people in different markets, understanding who their current customer is. Create spaces to listen to readers and aspiring writers especially from wide ranging and diverse backgrounds.
        • Look for gaps such as a lack of young British South Asian voices. Open representation out especially to disabled and Neurodiverse writers, older writers, and British Indian/South Asian/Chinese writers.
        • More books breaking down barriers on writing. PoC and LGBTQ+ authors writing on subjects not solely relating to their race or sexuality – books that share hope.
    3. Writer Development Schemes
      • Reconsider individual agency-led or publisher-led promotional writing development programmes and instead Collaborate with Literature Development Organisations to expand their existing schemes rather than creating multiple small individual schemes. Proactively offer support for bursaries, community writing programs, and writing groups that assist specific groups.
      • Create A Central Hub accessible to everyone that offers advice and support on everything from resources to developing writing technique, schemes and prizes and transparency on where the jobs are, in one place.
      • Videos from people in the industry to support writers. Free resources to enable people to learn about writing easier and understand more about the publishing industry. Tips and masterclasses on how to hone and plot. Provide knowledge on how to get into publishing, why you need to get an agent etc.
    4. Class and Race Interlinkages and Shared Barriers
      • Widening the lens and looking at the commonalities of ethnicity underrepresented writers and working-class writers, especially highlighting the barriers each face, is needed to enhance the sustainability and longevity of schemes
      • Leave No One Behind. Greater opportunities for all and creating spaces for writers from all lower income barriers to learn about publishing and wider reading
      • Consider meeting authors on an equal footing, making them comfortable, and offering mentoring or connections with more
        established writers from similar backgrounds.
      • Set up more targeted fairs, workshops and events to bring knowledge on publishing to diverse audiences who previously have been left behind. Consider pilot like the Alternative Book Fair, which widened the scope of its reach through collaborations with libraries, local councils, colleges and social media.
    5. Pay and Culture
      • Advocate for Improved Pay and Consider Unionising to Address Profit Distribution. Explore the potential for industrial action or unionising to advocate for better wages and pay structures.
      • Create Inclusive Cultures and develop office environments that are safe and comfortable for people from diverse backgrounds. Ensure that everyone can be their full self at work by addressing the cultural ‘mono-culture’ that currently exists.
    6. Education on Publishing – to bring publishing to underrepresented communities and classes
      • Replicate initiatives like Thinking Black, creating agent and publisher panels for underrepresented students.
      • School visits campaign – targeted schools in areas with large working-class and underrepresented populations. Agencies to support in a coordinated effort to avoid duplication and maximise outreach.
      • Leverage existing work by educators out there who have already developed a more diverse canon of literature i.e. This is the Canon – Decolonise your Bookshelf in 50 Books.
    7. Structural Issues and Marketing Departments
      • Hold Marketing and Sales departments to account over editorial decisions. More inclusive decision-making process that values editorial taste and diverse voices. Increasing diversity within Marketing and Sales, especially at director levels.
      • Look at what other media and entertainment organisations are doing to find innovative stories from authentic different cultures. Netflix example – willing to listen to different people in different markets, understanding who their current customer is.
      • Advocate for transparency and accountability in the Algorithms and practices of influential entities such as Nielsen and Amazon. Look into creating a more diverse wholesalers or put pressure on existing ones to be more part of the diversity conversation.

Resources

The Diversity in Publishing Partnership is a specifically designed partnership to bring the latest in Diversity and Inclusion best-practice to publishers and literary agencies and discuss how we can together develop and share resources and create a better environment for writers and colleagues which celebrates and encourages diverse talent and voices in publishing.

What the Partnership wants to demonstrate is that diversity and inclusion practices are an amazing way to better relate to more people, more cultures, more parts of our society, and unlock more stories. The Diversity in Publishing Partnership was set up in July 2023 and is in many ways just at the start of its journey. All the resources are co-created with a vast number of collaborators within the publishing industry and Diversity & Inclusion Consultancies, with work ongoing on how we can make publishing more inclusive.
Find more information and resources on Indie Novella’s website here.

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
Last updated: 13th October 2025
Author: Damien Mosley, Indie Novella