In 1974, five drunken men sat around together p*ssed off at the fact that they couldn’t get their literary works published. New York publishers were sell outs – money was their top priority. These outraged writers knew they had to do something. They decided to stop being told no, and start telling each other yes. They went out on a limb and created their own publishing company – Fiction Collective. Each threw in $1,000 and together they published books that no one else wanted. What they thought would be a couple years max project has become an amazing legacy lasting today…
Fiction Collective 2 (underwent a name change in 1989) is an “author-run, not-for-profit, publisher of artistically adventurous, non-traditional fiction.” Basically, this publishing company takes books that would probably be rejected by capitalistic publishers (because they are seriously out there –in weird, daring, exciting, and outrageous ways) and publishes them. And the Chair of FC2 is one of our very own weird, daring, exciting and outrageous professors in the University of Utah’s English Department: Lance Olsen.
Her Campus (HC): What is FC2 to you?
Lance Olsen: Oh FC2 is a labor of love to me! It’s hard work, but the pieces I read and the people I meet make it worth-while. FC2 is to the literary world what indie-music is to the music scene. It’s small, intimate – not about selling; it’s just about the fiction.
HC: You say ‘Labor of love,’ what do you mean by that?
LO: FC2’s goal is to try not to make money, but try to break even. It generates enough money to sustain itself. No one is in it for the profit.
HC: What are they in it for?
LO: The passion. FC2 knows that if the university is suffering financially it will go under. So we’ve split up the responsibilities all over the country. We want to keep it alive. Thankfully, everyone is in it for the right reasons. These people are mostly all teaching somewhere and that’s great. We meet about four times a year on the phone to discuss manuscripts – and we almost always disagree with each other – but it’s good spirited. We don’t have a typical top down structure. I’m just overseeing everything. Most importantly everyone understands that nothing is published based on how well it will sell. Everything is very democratic – unless someone is super passionate about a manuscript. We fall for each other’s passions.
HC: It’s great to hear that there are still people in it for the right reasons. How do you come across your authors?
LO: We have two competitions. The first is called Sukenick Innovative Fiction and is for writers in the beginning of their careers. Anyone can enter and the prize is being published and $1,500. The next one is the Catherine Doctorow Innovative Fiction and is for mid-career authors who have had pieces published elsewhere before. The prize is being published and $15,000. The prize money comes from the entrance fee and two private donors.
HC: FC2 sounds great. How did you become involved?
LO: Well, I’d been submitting to them for years but never got anything. I thought they didn’t care about me. I was getting a few of my books published elsewhere and it wasn’t until the late 90’s that FC2 wanted to publish a series of my short stories.
HC: And how did you become the Chair of the Board of Directors?
LO: The old chair, Sukenick, called me back in 2001 and asked if I would be interested in coming on board. He was sick and knew he needed a replacement. Before he died he’d saved enough money to be the sponsor of the competition for career beginning writers. I’ve probably done my time as chair, and I’ve tried to resign but things have been going so well!
(Author’s Note: Lance told Her Campus Utah that FC2 has really been growing. On the University of Utah campus they have many interns and grad students, plus one fellow that helps with running the press. FC2’s competitions bring in well over 500 entries every year! The board then has to narrow it down so that six books will be published.)
LO: It’s always a difficult decision, we get at least 500 qualified entries. But it’s fun and it’s so exciting to make literature happen!
HC: Wow, that’s incredible! You’re one of FC2’s authors then, how did you know this alternative fiction genre was for you?
LO: In high school I was a terrible student, but my junior year I had an amazing English teacher who would slip me books to read out of class. They were all really weird – like Kafka. She said I would love them though, and she was right. From then I was always interested in things that broke the mold. I went to a workshop once where I learned to write a really well done story. I discovered a ‘really well done story’ was so dull to read and write. My friends and I actually just started handing each other strange books to try. I’ve always been wired to like the weirder books. I love the classics too, but this is definitely what I’m wired for; the things that take chances, the things that make us think. I come out always thinking. That’s good!
Collegiettes – if you are a creative writer who’s itching take risks with your work, this is the publisher for you! Whether it’s your content, layout, narrative, anything, FC2 encourages all the “out there” moves. Or if you’re looking for a book that will leave your mind blown, pick up one of FC2’s authors. You won’t be disappointed.
Here’s the last thing we loved that Professor Olsen told us:
“It’s been a blast. Literary activism – if you want good literature you need to make it happen.” – Lance Olsen