Good Press are inspirational and aspirational to us. We dream up things we'd like to do, ways in which we desire to operate and stuff we'd like to create and offer... Good Press actually do it.
This wonderful co-operative publish and distribute independent publications with an on-going, open submissions policy. They have a weekly printing service open to creating whatever you need as well as a subscription service to help readers navigate the sprawling print scene, too. They host events and they have a monthly printed newspaper produced entirely in-house (very cool). From creation to curation, Good Press do it all.
Let's take our jackets off and get into it...
Hey there! Let's start at the core of it all - please may you tell us about the ethos of Good Press?
We have a document, accessible via our website, called the Open Policy. In it, we outline our ethos so I don’t want to just regurgitate that BUT, in short, its this:
At Good Press, you will find projects which may not be given space in shops or galleries where the drive for profit dictates what is ‘marketable’ or ‘sellable’.
In this way, a scope of material and practice lives side by side. Sometimes it has been referred to as ‘the only place I can put my shitty zines’. Sometimes, a ‘living archive’ of self-published printed matter from around the world. Through this, we hope to build a participatory mechanism in opposition to capitalism & the inequitable pursuit of profit.
May you talk us through a typical week or month at Good Press? Every week, month, day is different. But it’s usually some concoction of emails, mail-order, organising the shop, hosting events, cleaning, ordering books, paying invoices and admin tasks.
Who are zines for?
Everyone and anyone!
You’re a small outfit, but with a big reach and a grand offering – bookshop, events, risograph and bookmaking – how do you manage organisation of everything. How does the collective work?
We all, to some extent, do everything. So we can kind of be interchangeable but obviously, within that, there are tasks or jobs that some people are gravitate to or excel at. So there is some degree focus but generally, things get taken care based on your work pattern - meaning, if you’re in today and there is x,y,z to do, then you do x,y,z. As far as collective decision making, we have monthly meetings in addition to bigger, quarterly meetings where we catch up on things and make choices based on what the group thinks. We don’t have interns or volunteers - everyone who works at Good Press is a Director and on a even keel with one another.
You have an ongoing open submissions policy, how do gatekeep the content – what makes it onto your shelves?
We don’t gate-keep at all! Essentially, we'll only refuse to stock something if it falls outside the focus of the space, or it is discriminatory or harmful.
Your subscription service is a fantastic way to get work into people’s hands – sending out curated zines and comics (and more) This must require constant oversight and management – what is the driving principle that keeps it going for you?
I think we recognise that the breadth of titles we have in the shop and online can be overwhelming so we’re happy to offer a sort of expedited/tailored version of that for folks.
What other presses and producers are creating work that you love? Who should be checking out?
Ohhh, there is far too many to list but the first five that pop into my head are Cutt Press, Talker, GenderFail, and Mouse Press.
Distribution – may you talk to us about that? How does one get their work out there? Any tips or tricks?
All the advice I have is pretty basic stuff - just keep making things! Send lots of emails to shops and other makers, engage with a/the/your community. Enjoy and embrace the control and autonomy that zines afford you.
How does one get into making zines?
Folding a piece of paper :) The longer answer is you could maybe get into it because you want a tactical, physical way to disseminate your own or others ideas. It’s communication!
This series is constantly open for submissions - we would love to create a directory of national independent bookshops; a network of book lovers keeping that independent spirit alive. So, if you have a local shop you love and want to nominate, or if you run your own shop, please contact us and let's chat!
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