Some, but not all. Depends on the book and the author. Some manuscripts are ready to go, others comprise numerous single-poem Word files and need more work. Some of our writers work with Chris Edwards, others have worked with Liz Allen and Jane Gibian. We’ve also worked with excellent guest editors, such as Pam Brown, Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, Michelle Cahill, and others, through the deciBels series. 

How many titles do you publish each year?

Varies. Last year the press did seventeen titles. This year it will be eight, while there are already several lined up for next year. After fifteen years in Japan, this year I resigned from my university job to return to Australia and focus on writing and publishing. Later this year the press will accept manuscript submissions for the first time. Hopefully over 2020–22 we will start to grow sustainable, while exploring new trajectories, such as novellas and essays. Recent funding from the Australia Council for the Arts has given us hope for the future, and there’s always the hope of securing a home for the press with a university in Australia or elsewhere.

What qualities do you look for in an author?

Shared commitment. We don’t have the resources that bigger publishers enjoy. It helps when authors understand this.

In your dealings with authors, what is the greatest pleasure – and challenge?

Having the opportunity to work with a diverse range of extremely talented writers and bring their books into the world is a gift. The greatest challenge isn’t with authors, but covering rent and surviving.

Do you write yourself? If so, has it informed your work as a publisher?

Yes, and yes. Stricter with deadlines.

Who are the editors/publishers you most admire?

Christopher MacLehose, especially at Harvill. He opened up whole new horizons for English-language readers. Saramago, Sebald, Murakami, later Larsson.

In a highly competitive market, is individuality one of the casualties?

No. The market is irrelevant. Books are a good, not goods. 

On publication, which is more gratifying – a brilliant launch, a satisfied author, encomiastic reviews, or rapid sales?

Melissa Swann, who runs our events, has put together some excellent launches in the last couple of years at our home base in Marrickville.As a publisher, the books finding readers near and far and over time is the most gratifying part of the process. Recently, the Lincoln Centre in New York wanted to republish a poem from a collection we published in 2007. That randomness and accretion is a joy – the way it all travels. 

What’s the outlook for new writing of quality?

Diverse and abundant.

Michael Brennan is a writer and the founder of Vagabond Press. His books include Autoethnographic (2012) and the earth here (2018).