Julianne Ingles is the founder of Guts Publishing, a publisher, editor, and artist with a passion for real stories. After completing her MA in Modern Literature at Goldsmiths, she launched Guts as an experimental project, which has since flourished. Her leadership in the publishing sector has been recognised by Arts Council England, endorsing her with a Global Talent visa for her exceptional talent and contribution to the industry. Julianne’s dedication to promoting independent publishing as the heart and soul of the sector is reflected in the success of Guts Publishing, which continues to champion bold voices and unconventional narratives.
Guts Publishing was founded in 2019. Known for their bold and authentic approach, focusing on publishing "ballsy books about life," Guts produce and edit their books in-house with the support of freelance editors, designers, and proof-readers. Guts Publishing’s titles have featured in major outlets like The Guardian, BBC Culture, and Stylist, receiving recognition with a nomination for the National Diversity Awards in 2023.
I was utterly engrossed by The Peanut Factory by Deborah Price. A fascinating memoir that immerses readers in the rebellious and gritty world of 1970s South London squatting culture. Deborah candidly recounts her experiences living in a derelict peanut factory, surrounded by the punk movement and eccentric, nonconformist figures. “She booked The Damned's first show, served pints to Johnny Rotten, and attended a backyard gig from King Kurt.” Blending personal anecdotes and historical facts about the times political upheaval, Deborah offers a rare look into a life on the fringes of society and a vivid, unflinching account of rebellion, resistance and survival.
I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with Julianne about her passion for independent publishing and what it means to be a trailblazer in the industry.
Lucy (L): What led you to establish your own independent publishing house? Was taking it from concept to reality what you expected it would be?
Julianne (J): It was a huge learning curve. I think most people that go into independent publishing do so with a lot of optimism and naïveté. They think, 'I really want to do this, so I'm going to do it,' and that's exactly what happened to me. I’m originally from Chicago, but I came to London and earned two master’s degrees from Goldsmiths College in South London. I finished my second one, in Modern Literature, in 2018. I knew I wanted to publish, so I self-published a book. I remember once doing an interview for Writing Magazine, and I was almost embarrassed to admit the truth about my self-publishing experience—it was horrible. However, it made me want to become a book publisher because I learned so much—first how to do things wrong and then how to do them right.
In our first two anthologies I included some of my short stories, but I quickly decided I wanted to focus on publishing other people’s work, and that’s all I’ve done since. The whole thing grew out of my own bad self-publishing experience, but also out of my love for literature—especially short stories and memoir. There was a lot of experimenting before I published the first book. I had to figure out what I wanted to focus on, which can be overwhelming because it feels so broad. Just saying 'literary fiction' is so vague; I knew I needed to stand out. So, we started with Stories About Penises, our debut anthology. It felt like a good idea because no one had done anything quite like it before, and no one else would have had the balls to! That's how we gained a bit of a 'rebel publisher' reputation. Honestly, I didn't think it would work, or that it would last. I never imagined that five years later, I’d still be doing this. I didn’t really set out to be a 'rebel publisher.' It just sort of happened. Everything we did felt like an experiment, and it worked out well.
L: As you are mainly interested in memoirs and autobiographies, you publish 'ballsy books about life,' what makes a personal narrative or life story stand out to you?
J: The Peanut Factory is a great example of a story that I found fascinating because it’s about something rarely explored in publishing and something I wanted to learn about. Squatting is a compelling topic, especially in the 70’s London punk rock scene, which was a huge at the time. The whole squatting community in South London was vibrant, bands like The Damned and artists like Johnny Rotten lived in that area. Deborah Price, the author, said she researched it and couldn’t find any books about squatting in South London. It felt like a story that needed to be told.
Something I realised early on is that we’re not trying to sell 50,000 books. I’d love to, but we don’t have the marketing budget or distribution for that. Bigger publishers have to be more commercial and often quite conservative. They make practical decisions and look to independent publishers like us to see what’s working. They sometimes take our ideas, not that I like it,but that’s just how it is. We’re the trailblazers, doing exciting, edgy work, while the big commercial publishers tend to play it safe. They’re a snoozefest. I love what independent publishers do, we’re shaping the literary world.
L: What qualities or characteristics do you look for in an author beyond just their writing?
J: I like to have a phone or Zoom chat before we move to the contract stage. It helps to get a sense of the person’s attitude—whether they’re respectful, kind, and someone I’d want to work with. I want to know: Do they have a network? Do they know how to promote their book, or are they willing to learn? Those are the basics. It really helps if someone has a positive attitude and is willing to do whatever it takes to promote their book.
L: Would you say that having a large social media following helps an author to get published?
J: It's definitely not a primary factor for me. I’ve taken on authors who had no social media presence but showed a lot of ambition. Aidan Martin is one example—Euphoric Recall and The Lost Boys of Ladywell—he didn’t have any social media accounts when I made the decision to work with him. I focus more on the potential of the book. That’s what indie publishers do. I don’t know about the bigger publishers, they probably do consider social media and follower counts. Sure, it helps, and it's a good sign, but it’s not a deciding factor.
L: What are some things that authors say or do in their submissions or manuscripts that are an immediate turn off for you?
J: When I review submissions and manuscripts, the main thing I focus on is the writing itself, not necessarily the exact sentence structure, grammar, or commas. While those are important, what I really care about is that the writing is concise. Most publishers want writers to get to the point quickly. Overwritten manuscripts are a big red flag. The same is true of long query letters. It suggests to me that there will be a lot of editing needed, which often indicates the writer is still honing their skills.
I’ve worked with writers who weren’t quite there yet, and while I’ve edited and trimmed back their work, it’s a huge amount of effort. There might be a good idea buried in the text, but finding it takes time—and in this business, time is crucial. One thing I think new writers can do is hire an editor who will be honest about what works and what doesn’t. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s worth it. Crowdfunding or finding a way to hire a professional editor can really help. I feel like some writers are pitching their work without ever having had someone tell them, 'This is working, and this isn’t.' It’s crucial to have that feedback to improve. For those who go on creative writing courses and develop their skills — that’s also worth it.
Another way to improve your writing is by evaluating other people’s work. Read a classic, like The Catcher in the Rye, and analyse why it works. Study literature—whether it's Moby Dick or another book in a genre you love. Find the best book in the world and really dive into it, figure out what makes it effective. When I was studying creative writing, I once spent a week retyping The Turn of the Screw by Henry James because I loved his writing so much. I wanted to get his style, sentence structure, and vocabulary into my brain. It was a great way to internalise his style. If you have a book you love and don’t quite know how the author did it, try retyping it. You’ll find yourself absorbing the techniques.
If you don’t want to take a creative writing course, do your own self-study, but make sure you’re reading good literature. Don’t waste time on crappy books, focus on the ones that truly work. I get excited about great literature.
L: Could you walk me through the process from acquiring a manuscript to bringing a book to market?
J: The process for acquiring a manuscript and bringing it to market takes anywhere from three to six months. I start with a lot of readers, and I make sure to get a range of opinions before making any decisions about which books to publish—at least two or three readers, sometimes more. I don’t just base it on my own opinion. I like to get input from men and women, younger and older people, and readers who like different genres. So, I go broad with my feedback and take my time until I’m absolutely sure. I don’t rush it. Once I’ve decided on a manuscript, we move forward with a contract. After that, the next step is editing and working on the book cover.
That’s when things really start moving, when we have the cover, we can promote the book on social media, things get more exciting and speed up. After the manuscript is edited, we send out the review copies, set up distribution, and focus on online marketing and interviews. It all happens quite fast, and before you know it, the book is out. Those are the basic steps.
Find out more about Julianne Ingles and Guts publishing on their website and follow Guts Publishing on Instagram for updates. Check out Guts Publishing’s online store to discover more daring memoirs and edgy anthologies of short stories and poetry.
If you enjoyed this glimpse into independent publishing and want to learn more to develop your work, Julianne also offers publishing coaching to help writers reach their goals, find out more about her 1-to1 Consultations, Book Editing, Manuscript Evaluations and more here.