Publishing Workshop

About

The Los Angeles Review of Books Publishing Workshop exists to revolutionize the publishing industry from the ground up by increasing access, facilitating change, and inspiring invention through the recruitment, training, and mentorship of early career talent.

Our History

In 2017, the Los Angeles Review of Books founded the Publishing Workshop in response to the well-documented lack of diversity in the industry and New York City’s dominance in publishing today. LARB sees this lack of diversity as at least partly the result of the high financial bar of entry the industry has traditionally presented to those hoping to gain a foothold in the form of unpaid internships, expensive workshops, and legacy connections. With the “Big Five” publishers all based in New York City, a large sector of the industry has historically limited its geographic and cultural diversity to those already in or able to afford relocation to New York.

To increase access and innovation within the publishing industry, we spotlight the exciting work of trade, independent, and university presses; print and digital magazines; and new media production across the country. While comparable workshops charge high tuition fees and often reinforce the homogeneity of the publishing industry at large (in 2016, the leading publishing course in the country at the time was 85% white), the LARB Publishing Workshop is committed to accepting all qualified candidates, regardless of their ability to pay. In order to maintain this commitment, the Publishing Workshop depends in large part on the support of donors, grants, and institutional partnerships.

The LARB Publishing Workshop began as an in-person program hosted on the campus of the University of Southern California. In 2020, the program transitioned to a digital format and now welcomes Fellows from all 50 states and internationally.

Our Staff

Lindsay Wright
Director of Educational Programs

Lindsay Wright is Director of Educational Programs, including the LARB Publishing Workshop. She holds a BA in Comparative Literature from Stanford University and an in English MA from the University of Virginia, where she worked as Director of the Writing Center, designed an online writing curriculum, taught seminars on English and academic writing, and trained incoming teaching assistants for the Center for Teaching Excellence. She taught as a lecturer on English and the American publishing industry for the University of Paris X, Center for the Profession of the Book. As Director of Development for The Music Circle, an Indian music non-profit, Lindsay helped produce 6-8 concerts per year and created new foundation and donor relationships.
Irene Yoon
Executive Director, LARB

Irene Yoon is the Executive Director of LARB, where she oversees the day-to-day operations and broader strategic vision and planning for the organization. Prior to her current role, she was Director of the LARB Publishing Workshop. Irene earned her doctorate in English from UC Berkeley, where she also managed an interdisciplinary writing program and trained new teachers as the English Department’s Assistant Pedagogy Chair. Irene has worked with several authors to prepare books and articles for publication, and her own writing has appeared in journals such as Twentieth Century Literature, Transition Magazine, and Los Angeles Review of Books.
Emily Thompson
Publishing Workshop Coordinator

Emily Thompson is a visual artist, writer, and educator from Long Beach, California. She is the Los Angeles Review of Books’ Publishing Workshop Coordinator and Publab journal’s Faculty Art Advisor. With over ten years of publishing experience, she has contributed to publications such as Berkeley Fiction Review, Saga Literary Journal, and PubLab. Her 35mm photography has been published in journals like Open Ceiling’s and UC Law SF Journal on Gender and Justice. She holds a BA in Film and Media Studies from UC Berkeley and is currently a doctoral student in UC Santa Cruz’s Film and Digital Media department. Emily first joined LARB in 2023 as a Summer Publishing Workshop intern. Publishing Workshop.