Since 2017, Audrey Greenhall has nurtured FGC’s ministry of the word through our online bookstore, QuakerBooks. She is also the Editor of QuakerPress, FGC’s publishing division guided by the Publications and Distribution committee. Here, she shares her experiences as an editor, as well as tips for aspiring authors in the Quaker community.

1) What do you like most about your role as Editor of QuakerPress? 

It’s very interesting to hear how a person came to write on a particular subject, and where their research took them. Authors are passionate about their books; the exchanges I’ve had with authors reveal so much more than what’s on the pages.

2) You also serve as the Bookstore Manager of FGC’s QuakerBooks (an online store serving individual Friends and Quaker meetings of all sizes). How does your role as a bookseller inform your work with QuakerPress?

In many ways! Managing QuakerBooks allows me to see what individuals, meetings, and organizations are buying, and also what they are looking for but don’t see. Readers contact me to ask about specific books or books on a particular subject or for an event. Sometimes, I’m asked “Can you carry this title?” I like to chat with readers about what they’ve read and enjoyed (or not) and why.

3) What advice would you share with a Friend who wants to get their work published, through QuakerPress or via self-publishing?

Writing and publishing a book is a major undertaking. Have support, perhaps a clearness committee. Read information on publishing with FGC through QuakerPress can be found.

For self-publishing, we suggest IngramSpark. Ingram is the company that prints and distributes most of our books and we’re very pleased with them. 

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This article was created for the April 2021 issue of the Vital Friends eNewsletter.