The book was written by a model-turned-entrepreneur, who just happened to have more than one million followers on TikTok. It was too late to make improvements. This was as good as it got. As I worked my way through the manuscript, I couldn’t help but wonder: was this the kind of work I had imagined when I dreamed of being an editor?
Another day, another manuscript. A media-ready, charismatic young lad with a bucket list. An actor who once rubbed shoulders with someone much more famous than him. A sports star who would not write – or even read – a single word of his own manuscript but was eager to have a book to his name.
As a child, I was a very early reader, hyperlexic. I devoured anything I could read, from cereal boxes to catalogues and eventually to books. Through my teenage and university years, I read often and widely, poring over some of Australian, American, English and French literature’s finest works. And finally, at the end of my honours arts degree, I decided I would pursue a career as an editor in book publishing. I envisaged that my days would be spent engrossed in manuscripts of literary merit. But once I was working in the industry, I noticed how commercial the world of trade publishing had become.
During the next 20 years I spent working as an editor in-house and freelance for some of the largest publishing companies in the world, I kept wondering: where were the quieter voices, the ones without a platform but with stories of extraordinary depth and craft? They certainly weren’t making it to my desk.
I should say clearly that I’m not against the idea of commercial success in publishing. Many bestsellers are finely written and have great literary merit, and the industry needs these books to thrive and sustain smaller, less profitable projects. But I began to worry that many publishing houses were becoming so focused on celebrity-led projects to meet commercial demands that there was less space for risk-taking with emerging voices. And if the industry continues to wait at the doors of celebrities for on-trend but short-lived success, how will good literature survive?
One day in April this year I was sitting with my mum, sipping tea and once again lamenting the state of the publishing industry. My mum, who had previously been an editor herself and shared my frustrations, asked me, “Why don’t you start your own publishing company, Gin?” Something clicked.
I realised I could continue working on other publishers’ projects, holding out for the rare literary gems, or I could curate my own boutique list. I could make space for those humble, emerging writers toiling away into the night honing their stories. I could represent diversity too: marginalised voices, disabled writers, queer and gender diverse writers, writers of colour.
By the end of the day, Bakers Lane Books was born. Within a few more days, I had conceived of a dedicated imprint for women in all their diversity – Fearless Press – and registered both businesses.
I started thinking big and bold. What would a more equitable literary landscape look like, one where marginalised voices are not filtered, sidelined or silenced? Could I play a part in ensuring their participation in literature? I took inspiration from the Stella Prize, which awards a significant prize each year to a published woman or non-binary author in an effort to tackle gender bias in the literary sector. In taking that inspiration, I decided to launch my own annual $10,000 award for an unpublished fiction manuscript by a woman writer: the Fearless Prize. It is my way of encouraging cultural change and celebrating the richness and diversity of Australian literature.
I’m thrilled to announce that the first book, The One Remaining, a debut novel, will be published by Fearless Press in October 2025. The Fearless Prize will open for submissions later this year. And we would love to hear from those humble, emerging writers toiling away into the night.
Ginny Grant is the founder and publisher of Bakers Lane Books, an independent Australian publishing house championing bold, inclusive storytelling and emerging voices. Learn more at www.bakerslane.com.au and follow along at @bakerslanebooks.
Top photo – Pictured: Ginnt Grant, Source: Supplied
