Dark Animus Information

Dark Animus is a small press publication created to support the work of emerging writers, poets and artists in Australia and overseas. The publication is A5-sized and each issue contains 80 pages of illustrated poetry and fiction. We do not publish interviews and our book reviews are only published online. The web space is used in support of people appearing in Dark Animus and in support of emerging and existing speculative talent. Our first issue came out in November 2002. The publication itself is a non-profit production. As a small press publication, our production costs are higher per issue than a professionally produced publication, but this is the only way we can get the publication produced at this point in time. Hopefully this will change in the future. If and when it does, any profit will be channelled back into building Dark Animus and increasing/giving remuneration to all contributors. Why do you produce the publication if it simply doesn't pay? I feel that Dark Animus is profitable but not yet, in terms of money. It's contribution is cultural and its worth is in encouraging emerging writers, poets and artists to persevere and develop their talent. In my mind, the next Ernest Hemmingway is out there working in K-Mart but his/her work and worth hasn't been realised. They're not financially viable for a mainstream publisher the list of whom is dictated primarily by marketing concerns. If he/she does not go on to produce their life's work, then that's a tragedy. The loss to human cultural is immeasurable. Beyond that, I believe one day the publication will build itself into a profitable production. We have a solid and often loyal readership base. I just have to hold onto the dream. Where are your readers? Our readers come from all over the world. About 50% are within Australia, and our readership base there is increasing. The rest are international, and we have readers as far away as Ireland, The Netherlands, Germany and of course, the USA. Most of our international readers are in the USA. How many ...