Help Expose Global New Writing

Help find undiscovered writers in India and Korea.

Since 2005,  Litro have bought their readers, alternative stories and viewpoints from around the world. One of the key ways they we do this is by discovering new literary talent. But in order to carry on providing a platform for new and emerging talent, they need your help. They have recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to extend their World Series into 2018, to help  to illuminate emerging literary talent from around the globe.

Over the past ten years, Litro has nurtured and supported literary talent in a variety of ways: by running competitions, offering prizes, and – most important of all – getting new work published. It’s a simple concept with an immense impact. Previously, Litro has provided a platform for some writers to emerge to global recognition, including Richard House (2013 Man Booker Longlist), Eleanor Catton (2013 Man Booker winner), Stuart Evers and Claire Wigfall. By promoting new writers, and putting their work in front of bookshops, publishers, and – above all – readers, we hope to discover a diverse range of styles, opinions, and ways of seeing.

In 2011 Litro launched our World Series Edition, challenging ourselves to shine a light on literature from one particular country per year. These special issues celebrate writers from diverse parts of the world, with varying styles and opinions, and try to encourage a cross-cultural conversation. So far we’ve published World Series Editions exploring literature from a range of countries, including Mexico, Cuba, Ghana, Nigeria, Brazil and Sweden. Last year, Issue 156 focused on India, highlighting South Asian writing in English and featuring young voices like Aatish Taseer as well as established writers like Shehan Karunatilaka. The end result was a bold collection of poetry, fiction, and essays, highlighting the power of literature across borders.

This year, they have  doubled the challenge, by aiming to publish not one but two World Series Editions. In January, issue 168 of Litro will revisit Indian fiction, but this time focusing on the lesser known languages of the more remote regions. This expanded edition will be guest edited by writer and politician Shashi Tharoor, featuring writers from Indian traditions of Bengali (Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay) Malayalam (Paul Zachariah, Benyamin), Tamil (Perumal Murugan, K.R Meera) and more.

In May the spotlight will be on female authors in South Korea, in an issue guest edited by Deborah Smith (2016 Man Booker winning translator (The Vegetarian). The work published will include writers from diaspora communities who write in languages other than Korean, such as Han Kang (2016 Man Booker winner), Krys Lee, and Janet Hong, to name a few. This is  also a plan to exhibit the writers and their work at a series of events at literary and cultural festivals, in London and across the globe.

Litro,  need you, in order to carry on providing a platform for new and emerging talent. By supporting our crowdfunder on Indiegogo you would be taking their World Series to the next level, by helping them to get these stories translated, published, and read. Support the campaign by visiting our crowdfunding page.