Yewande Akinse

Yewande Akinse (née Adebowale) is a Nigerian poet, author and entrepreneur who co-founded, Salubata, Pap.earth and Plychain. Quotes I usually engage in self promotion after writing a body of work, not before and not during. This approach gives me time to focus on writing and creating. Promotion comes afterwards, for I have found that self-promotion is an art that demands both time and patience. The biggest obstacle I faced in publishing is with funding the entire process. For my most recent work, every contributor was paid for their services, from the illustrator to the cover designer to the editor and publisher. Publishing a book is not a walk in the park, it takes a village and some costs too. Therefore, it is important for a self-published author to adequately plan for the publishing process, marketing and distribution. I use social media to promote my published works, interviews and snippets of works in progress. I also use social media to engage and connect with other authors, I have found the Writing Community to be most supportive on X formerly Twitter. Additionally, I use X to search for writing opportunities, open calls and residencies. My dream publication is The New Yorker. I greatly admire how The New Yorker has stayed relevant for the past 100 years with a legacy etched on the sands of time. It would be a great privilege to be published with The New Yorker and to contribute my words and voice to their legacy. First, I would completely remove barriers to submission and access called submission fees. These fees pose a great challenge to writers who are trying to find their place in the industry. Imagine applying to 25 publications or contests and for each one to require a submission fee, can you imagine how much this drills a hole in the pockets of writers? This is the reality many poets face in entering their works for competitions and publications with an uncertain outcome. To the writer trying to find the words and their place in the world, I hope that you keep writing, I hope it sets you free.