The AK FAQ
Q: How do you decide what books to publish?
A: We conduct an in-depth profit and loss analysis and then have a private consultation with our Amazon rep. Just kidding. A couple of us screen the many submissions we get to filter out everything that’s off-topic. When the full collective decides to consider a submission, at least two collective members read through each manuscript and report back to the rest of us. At that point, we ALL sit down and discuss the strengths/weaknesses of the project. We sometimes accept proposals without seeing a complete manuscript, but usually only from folks we've worked with before or who have published previous books we’re familiar with.
Q: I wrote an amazing book that AK Press just has to publish. Who do I contact?
A: Click HERE for our submission guidelines, and thanks for writing such a great book!
Q: Hey, I’ve published a book and am interested in having AK Press help distribute it. How can I learn more about the process?
A: Click HERE to go to our page outlining how to send distribution submissions.
Q: Do you send books into prisons and jails?
A: Every day. In solidarity with any individual locked up by the State, we'll sell you, or your friends or family members, books at a 30% discount as long as it is being shipped to a “correctional facility.” It's always up to the person ordering to be aware of restrictions for the institution (specifically around shipping methods, explicit materials, hardcovers, etc.).
Q: I'm a distinguished professor who would like to request one of your publications to help indoctrinate my students against capitalism and the State. How do I request a desk copy?
A: Great news. First, make sure the book was published by AK Press (if it was not, you can still contact us and we'll help you get in touch with the publisher). Secondly, send a request on letterhead with complete contact information, course name, and enrollment to deskcopy@akpress.org. Of, if you’re old school, fax it to (510) 208-1701
Q: I write for the New York Times Review of Books and Drunk and Disorderly Quarterly, how do I request a review copy of one of your books?
A: Send your contact information along with publication name and expected date of review to publicity@akpress.org.
Q: I have a highly rarefied, comprehensible-only-to-me take on anarchism and I want to argue with you about it. Who shall I send my query to?
A: Please don’t.
Q: How cool is it to work at AK Press!?
A: It's the coolest thing in the world if you are aware of all it entails. Being a part of a collective means constant vigilance—both to grow as an individual and as one part of a greater whole. There's no clear blueprint for working with people on a libertarian political project (and don’t trust anyone who says they have one). In addition, it’s a lot of work—and that work is mostly extremely tedious (from packing boxes to proofreading). Combine that with having to do it all within a capitalist economy—that we seek to transcend—and you have something that takes a lot of stamina to handle. But, despite all the frustrations and limitations, what could be more exhilarating than distributing and publishing materials that encourage everyday people to rebuild society from the ground up?