Matwaala poets—poets who read for Matwaala festivals form the editorial pool. Poets of South Asian origin are welcome to submit their manuscripts to us.
A poet can invite or select two editors from the pool for review. The manuscript will also be read by the Directors to make a final decision for acceptance.
If a manuscript is accepted, the selected/invited editors will be responsible for the final editing and proof- reading stages.
The Matwaala collective will help with reviews, blurbs, readings motivated by mutual support and community.
Printing estimates will be requested by presses. Poets will then actively work toward publication of their manuscripts through grants provided by foundations, institutions, prizes, or individual donors.
Printing, page layout, design, cover illustration, ISBN, mailing are to be covered via fundraising. Matwaala poets will donate if interested. 100% of book sales go to the poet. Book publication is directly dependent on donations raised for the project.
Project donations will be made to Matwaala Press for payments to ensure no personal payments are made that qualify the book as a Vanity Printing project. Complete transparency with funds will be maintained with the poet per project.
Poets will partner with illustrators, artists and a printer of their choice. Mawaala Press will provide a list of potential printers, artists, illustrators for quotes. The poet is free to work with this list or with personal choices.
The poet can decide on print run and sale price of each copy. The poet will own the copyright to the publication.
Matwaala will shepherd the book through the editorial process, submit the final manuscript for printing, and oversee the final steps until the book is in the hands of the poet.