Our History

Publishing Workshop History

In 2016, the Los Angeles Review of Books founded the Publishing Workshop in response to the well-documented lack of diversity in the industry and New York City’s dominance in publishing today. LARB sees this lack of diversity as at least partly the result of the high financial bar of entry the industry has traditionally presented to those hoping to gain a foothold in the form of unpaid internships, expensive workshops, and legacy connections. With the “Big Five” publishers all based in New York City, a large sector of the industry has historically limited its geographic and cultural diversity to those already in or able to afford relocation to New York.

To increase access and innovation within the publishing industry, we prioritize financial aid and spotlight the exciting work of trade, independent, and university presses; print and digital magazines; and new media production across the country. While comparable workshops charge high tuition fees and often reinforce the homogeneity of the publishing industry at large (in 2016, the leading publishing course in the country at the time was 85% white), the LARB Publishing Workshop is committed to recruiting underrepresented students and to accepting all qualified candidates, regardless of their ability to pay. In order to maintain this commitment, the Publishing Workshop depends in large part on the support of donors, grants, and institutional partnerships.

Publishing Workshop History

In 2016, the Los Angeles Review of Books founded the Publishing Workshop in response to the well-documented lack of diversity in the industry and New York City’s dominance in publishing today. LARB sees this lack of diversity as at least partly the result of the high financial bar of entry the industry has traditionally presented to those hoping to gain a foothold in the form of unpaid internships, expensive workshops, and legacy connections. With the “Big Five” publishers all based in New York City, a large sector of the industry has historically limited its geographic and cultural diversity to those already in or able to afford relocation to New York.

To increase access and innovation within the publishing industry, we prioritize financial aid and spotlight the exciting work of trade, independent, and university presses; print and digital magazines; and new media production across the country. While comparable workshops charge high tuition fees and often reinforce the homogeneity of the publishing industry at large (in 2016, the leading publishing course in the country at the time was 85% white), the LARB Publishing Workshop is committed to recruiting underrepresented students and to accepting all qualified candidates, regardless of their ability to pay. In order to maintain this commitment, the Publishing Workshop depends in large part on the support of donors, grants, and institutional partnerships.