WoodPig Press is an independent micro-press specialising in speculative fiction and non-fiction. We are a loose collective of creative freelancers – writers, illustrators, designers, editors – that share a belief that humans are more than machines, and there’s more to life than money.
It was set up by Gareth Southwell, a writer, illustrator and professional book designer from Wales, UK.
Why “Speculative”?
“Speculative” is a broad term that describes any piece of writing that explores alternatives to what is commonly regarded as “true” or “real”. It is anything that asks “What if…?”
In fiction, this can apply to the past, present or future, and includes (but is not limited to) sci-fi and fantasy, alternate history, horror and the supernatural, weird fiction, the dystopian and utopian, and magical realism.
In non-fiction, it is anything broadly philosophical that questions established beliefs and dogmas to do with what’s real, who and what we are, where we’ve come from, and where we’re headed.
If you are interested in publishing with us, please see our submissions policy.
Our Values
Non-Commercial Focus
As an independent micro-press, we believe that we have an opportunity to champion different values, perspectives and practices to those of the larger, mainstream publishing houses. As such, we are not solely concerned with commercial success, with chasing “what’s hot right now”, with serving this or that political or cultural agenda, or with how many followers an author has on TikTok. This is not to say that we do not care about any of these things – we may do – but our priority is the book itself. For this reason, our submissions process is very lightweight: we don’t ask for a synopsis, an elevator pitch, a list of competing titles, or a CV. Each submission is judged on its own merits and each book we publish is one that we believe has value in its own right, regardless of what “the market” might say.
Human Made
Technology is a wonderful thing. We hope one day to live in a world where robots clean our drains and mow our lawns, where computers monitor our health and do our taxes. Philosophers as diverse as Aristotle and Marx have shared this dream, but – even if they could have conceived of such a thing – neither would have thought that we might delegate our creativity to machines, for the whole point of automation was to liberate us from menial toil so that we could pursue our own artistic and spiritual interests.
We also believe that the current iteration of AI assistants and services embody dubious ethical practices that rely on the wholesale piracy and theft of intellectual property. However, even if there comes a time where writers, artists and musicians are fairly compensated for the use of their material in training AI, we still do not believe that AI has any legitimate role in the creative process. We want to hear your voice, your arguments, your ideas, not ChatGPT’s or Sudowrite’s, even if this means that your grammar is a bit wonky, your premises slightly creaky, or you don’t really know what a semi-colon is. We aim to see past all that, and to help you polish your work without losing its unique character.
We also believe that an increased reliance upon AI is having a harmful affect on culture and intellectual development. Generative AI homogenises, dumbs down, simplifies, distorts, and occasionally flat-out lies, and our over-reliance upon it risks the atrophy of those skills that foster creativity and independent thought.
So, for the above reasons, WoodPig Press does not accept any submission that has involved AI in any way. For a full explanation of our AI policy, please see the submissions page. Or, if you have any questions related to this subject, please get in touch.
Quality
As creative freelancers working in the publishing industry, we appreciate the time, skill and effort that goes into creating a book. We love our work, and we want the book to be the best it can be. We favour quality over quantity, and while WoodPig Press may not publish many titles, we aim for those we do to embody the highest aesthetic and professional values, whether in digital or print. In terms of its cover and interior design, formatting and typesetting, editing and proofreading, we aim to bring to each book an attention to detail and love of craft.
Ethics
As publishing professionals, we have experienced first-hand how unfairly the industry can sometimes treat its creatives. We therefore aim to remedy this by reimbursing everyone involved in a book in a fair and transparent way. All authors receive a 50-50 split of all profits with the production team, and each editor, designer, typesetter, etc, involved with the book receives an equitable fee.
In terms of production and distribution, we try to utilise only those companies with sound environmental and employment policies and practices. However, we live in an imperfect world where this isn’t always possible. If you are aware of how we might do things better, please let us know.
Publishing Services
If you are an indie author or publisher, WoodPig Press also has a pool of freelance publishing professionals that you can draw on for a range of services:
- cover design
- illustration
- formatting and typesetting
- developmental editing and copy editing
- proofreading
- production management and help with distribution
NOTE: This is separate from the press, and titles produced via these services are not “published by WoodPig Press”.
Message us to find out more and to tell us about your project.
Get in Touch…
If you are an author seeking publication, please see the submissions page.
If you are a book reviewer (book blog, magazine, social media), please contact us with the title you are interested in reviewing to arrange a complimentary copy, or to be added to our team of ARC and beta readers.
If you are an editor, copy editor, proofreader, illustrator, designer, typesetter, marketer, or anyone else with suitable skills, and would be interested in working with WoodPig Press on a freelance basis, please get in touch, stating your expertise, experience, and rates. We are always on the lookout for good people, and we charge you no commission rates or fees on any work we send your way.
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If you are a retailer, bookshop or library, all WoodPig Press titles are available through normal distribution channels. However, please get in touch if you experience any issues obtaining titles, or to arrange a custom discount.
The WoodPig Press logo design is by Eliot Southwell.