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↳ Conversations

Conversations on Expanded Publishing

Originally published as a standalone publication, this section features a series of interviews conducted by the .xpub consortium (Lorenzo Micheli Gigotti, Marcela Okretič, Janez Fakin Janša, Ilan Manouach, Tommaso Campagna, Marta Ceccarelli, and Carolina Valente Pinto) at Nero Editions in Rome between July 2–4, 2024. It now serves as an archive and repository of these collective reflections.

Conversations on Expanded Publishing brings together a selection of practitioners we relate to, align with, and admire: Clusterduck, Lorusso, Thomas Spies, Irene de Craen, Geoff Cox, Gijs de Heij, Yancey Strickler, Kenneth Goldsmith, and Dušan Barok.

The conversations are structured around four key concepts:

>Why: Politics of Publishing.

Here we explored some theoretical underpinnings of publishing practices, exploring the values, missions, and motivations that drive participants’ work.

>How: Infrastructures of Publishing.

We discussed the practical aspects of publishing, from the tools and workflows used in content creation to the revenue models supporting sustainable practices, highlighting the importance of innovation in editorial processes and distribution channels, as well as the challenges of funding both print and digital publishing ventures.

>Who: Community of Publishing.

The focus here was on the role of community, exploring how publishers engage with their readers and collaborators, and how building strong communities can create social capital.

>What: Future of Publishing.

The final discussion centered on the trajectory of publishing, addressing urgent issues such as the need for more inclusive and innovative models, speculating on how publishing might evolve in the coming years, including the possibilities for new tools, mediums, and audience engagement strategies.

What is the future of writing, reading, and publishing? What lies ahead for expanded publishing as a practice?

Certain key issues emerged with dual perspectives, the binary that is often maintained between “alternative” and “traditional” publishing practices, which runs parallel to the dichotomous distinction between printed and digital objects. Despite technological promises of a richer hybrid mediaverse, the book as a stable container for knowledge shows no signs of becoming obsolete. How should we reinvent this container along the ridgelines of technological innovations in publishing? The question of dissemination also surfaced frequently, examining what shapes publishing can take when pushed through the limited communication pathways offered by social media platforms. How can co-publishing, co-releasing, and other community-first approaches be refitted to the current landscape of writing, distributing and promoting expanded publishing objects?

What appeared to concern experts across the spectrum of publishing were its politics, particularly the role of emotional labor in a field which is underpinned by independent and passion-led projects. Current business models may negatively impact working conditions within an industry that, discursively, often positions itself as ethically conscious. How can governance and ownership structures be reimagined to ensure more sustainable publishing workflows?

The conversations served not as answers, but as a way to understand the questions which continue to shape the discourse: What is the future of writing, reading, publishing? What lies ahead for expanded publishing as a practice?