Passion for publishing
by Linda Hein
UniSA
graduate Leticia Supple is gearing up for a big challenge this year
as she launches into the world of publishing with her own "indie
press".
Accomplished music journalist, published fiction writer and salaried and freelance editor, Supple’s new business, Brascoe Publishing, is an independent publishing house designed to support young and emerging writers as well as provide editing services to the business community.
While she has always loved writing, this young entrepreneur says it was during her Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Professional Writing and Communication at UniSA that she discovered a real passion for editing.
"I really enjoyed the workshops where you helped other people with their work and I found that I was actually good at it. Then I realised I could do this as a job!" she said.
"I had been thinking about it for a couple of years and then figured that I couldn’t just wait for the opportunities to happen, I had to go out and create them myself."
Supple said the new business, which she is setting up with partner Foss, is about supporting people who are trying to get into the publishing industry or get to the next level of writing or communication in their business.
"So many writers give up because publishers just say no, without saying why.
"We want to work with these people, and provide feedback and education so they know how to improve. For me, that’s what editing is about.
"We also want to do it in an ethical and environmentally friendly way, so we’re web-based and use green printing processes and recycled paper wherever possible."
Supple’s dedication to publishing and developing new and talented writers also inspired her in 2006 to create Harbinger, an online literary journal.
Described by Supple as containing "engaging free writing that is simple and clear of adjectives, where the gaps are just as important", the journal is increasing in worldwide notoriety.
"We started off with work by other UniSA students to provide a platform to gain recognition and publicity," Supple said.
"Then it grew to include students at other Australian unis and now from all over the place. We have one writer who is a communications student from the University of Utah in the US."
As Harbinger goes from strength to strength and Brascoe finds its feet, Supple will also be working on completing her PhD in Social Science (Communication and Information Studies), also at UniSA.
Far from being daunted by balancing so many projects, Supple says she thrives from the pace and diversity of such challenges.
"It is a leap of faith starting your own business. We’re touching wood with fingers crossed, but it’s a risk we had to take.
"You can worry about it or you can do it, which to me is really living – it’s exciting!"