We were lucky to catch up with EDWARD VIDAURRE recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, EDWARD thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
FlowerSong Press plans to continue a full publishing schedule of 20+ titles per year for the foreseeable future, including anthologies and single author titles. One key challenge is the continuing rise in costs across the board, from production of books into print publication to associated costs such as marketing and promotion. In addition, there is an increasing necessity to support staff who work with the Press—as the organization has expanded, so have demands on their time and effort to work with authors through the publication process, produce high-quality books, and aggressively market FlowerSong’s activities and authors. In addition, the press continues to operate in an uncertain marketplace. Although we are confident that the place we’ve carved out for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) writers will continue to see recognition through sales and awards, the financial stress of ensuring that our plans are accomplished will be ongoing for at least the next two years.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Edward Vidaurre, I began my writing as a way to heal and reach out to others through the process. I took over FlowerSong Books which later became FlowerSong Press through the guidance and support of then owner David Bowles who believed in me. We started with publication of five books then 8 in two years and since 20+ publications every year after.
Our mission was to give voice to writers from the borderlands between Mexico and the US but soon realized that borders are set up throughout the world and opened up our submissions worldwide.
Being an author myself, I envision making voices that are relevant to the struggles of our times key to being a great press.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Many may think this is a side hustle since I am a career manager in the food industry. I hustle our press because it’s my passion. I can spend 55 plus hours weekly and not feel a bit fatigued, on the other hand it drives me.
I always thought we would publish emerging voices but since have been able to create something special with publication of award-winning authors established in our Latinx canon like Juan Felipe Herrera and Luis Alberto Urrea.
My goal is to leave my regular job and commit myself to my press. This will allow me more time to market and make us greater.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I wish I knew a bit more on distribution and how to crack into schools and universities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.flowersongpress.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowersongpress/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edward.vidaurre
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edward-vidaurre-a2257516b/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlowerSongPress
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrHbiI9ym2bEsJvm_Vt4uSA