My Wish for the New Year: Prioritizing People and the Planet Over Profit
As the founder, editor, and designer of Sunday Mornings at the River, I have dedicated a significant amount of time and effort to creating books that are both beautiful and thought-provoking. However, despite my hard work, I have struggled to pay myself a wage for my efforts. To fund the press, I rely on my day job as a caregiver.
One of the challenges I face is the financial burden of paying poets for their work. If I were to pay every poet in an anthology, I would actually lose money before the book was even released. This is a common problem for small presses and independent publishers, as we often don't have the resources to compete with larger publishing houses.
This issue is elaborated upon in our website's FAQ section, and it is appreciated when people take the time to do their research before reaching out. It can be frustrating to constantly be asked about pay, as if that is the only thing that matters. I understand that people need to make a living, but there is so much more to life than money. I believe in supporting and promoting independent literary magazines, and I am willing to put in the work to do so, even if it doesn't pay off financially.
I am also committed to supporting my individually published poets. I offer a 35/65 royalties split in their favor, and more often than not, I donate my royalties entirely to them. Some of my poets are chronically ill, or broke because of medical treatments necessary for their body transformations or simply just born on the wrong side of the postcode lottery. I believe in their talent and I want to do what I can to help them succeed.
This focus on money is a product of capitalism, which prioritizes profit above all else. It can be disheartening to see that our society often values financial success over other forms of achievement and fulfillment. However, I believe that we can work towards a more equitable and sustainable future.
One of the ways we can work towards a more equitable and sustainable future is by supporting small businesses and creative projects that align with our values. Small businesses and independent projects often struggle to compete with larger, more established organizations, and they often rely on the support of their communities to thrive. By choosing to support these businesses and projects, we can help to create a more diverse and vibrant economy that values people and the planet over profit. Additionally, supporting small businesses and creative projects allows us to invest in our values and contribute to causes and initiatives that we believe in.
As Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The world has enough for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed." By supporting and promoting alternative economic models that value people and the planet over profit, and by choosing to support independent, small businesses and creative projects that align with our values, we can create a world that is truly prosperous for all.
This is my wish for the upcoming year and the years beyond it. Now, I hope you have a lovely start of the new year and that you are safe and healthy.
With all my love for you and our creativity,
Becks
REBECCA RIJSDIJK is the author of several poetry collections, including Portraits of Girls I Never Met and The Lady from across the Sea. Besides writing poetry, Rebecca works in healthcare and lives in Eindhoven with her partner and a bandit dachshund called Bobbie. She is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sunday Mornings at the River.