Sunday 24 May 2015

Wayleavepress.co.uk

A new independent publisher started in Lancaster last December by the name of WayleavePress. Founded by Mike Barlow who is also one of the founders of April poets and first prize winner in the National Poetry Competition 2006.

In the Welcome page of the press website it’s clearly explained that Wayleave is the ‘permission granted to cross or enter territory from which one has previously been excluded.’ which refers to both the founder and the poets published. Mike himself said in an interview with Helena Nelson of Happenstance press, that he self-published a pamphlet that he felt would be rejected by many editors, though he had been widely published in the past. Then he did the same for the poets he admired, as he knew they had a good bunch of poems waiting to be published as well. It’s such a hard time for publishing, especially poetry, therefore it’s very generous of Mr Barlow to allow access to this ‘denied territory’.
Wayleave press can be proud of its poets (well known in Lancaster area and beyond): Elizabeth Burns, Carole Coates, William Gilson, Pauline Keith, Jane Routh and Ron Scowcroft. The pamphlets published have from ten to fifteen poems each, with an intriguing picture by Mike on the cover. The books look elegant, spare and dense.
But how can you be published by Wayleave? I’m afraid unsolicited submissions are not welcome, Mike publishes the poets he knows whose poems he likes and, above all, whose work is coherent and good. His main aim is to get high quality work out so that it can be read and appreciated by the public. And he is having great fun in his new role of editor/publisher.
Mike also keeps a blog (everybody can subscribe to on the website) where he posts insightful reflections on his fellow poets’ work and on publishing which is definitely worth the read. And the pictures on the covers are works of art in themselves.
Watch out Wayleave poets readings in Lancaster and nearby areas for the future.

More about them and their work on my next piece.

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