Are you a craft publisher wannabe? Or maybe you just need an affordable, quiet environment to write? Well if you’re either, or both of these people, you’re in luck – up-and-coming local publishing company
The Head & The Hand Press has officially signed a lease at
2031 Frankford Avenue to open a workshop dedicated to providing a space for those who appreciate literary aesthetics.
“The space is for anyone who wants to come and write,” says Nic Esposito, founder of The Head &The Hand. “If you are a freelancer who needs a quiet getaway or you’re a story teller looking to get a book published, the work shop is for you.”
Nic, a writer himself, says the new space will be for two general purposes. First, it will provide a membership driven collaborative and creative space for local writers. Second, the workshop will be home to the Press' publishing operations to support novelists and story tellers.
“We’re particularly excited about attracting that person who has a story to tell but doesn’t have the means to do it,” explains Esposito, who recently
wrote his own book on urban farming. “The workshop offers all the traditional aspects of publishing – everything from writing, editing, graphic layout, but will involve the writer in a hands-on approach in a way big publishing companies can’t.”
Esposito decided to start The Head & The Hand primarily because of the difficulties he saw in the publishing world when he wrote his book. “I saw the upside of having a publisher help market your material,” explains Esposito. “When I was searching for a publisher, I quickly saw there weren’t many local publishing companies in Philly.”
So he started his own. After a year of a lot of research and pulling together a committed team, The Head & The Hand was born. The company officially bills itself as a craft publisher that treats writing as a craft and considers writers to be artisans. Esposito and the new company is influenced and inspired by the movement in Philadelphia and beyond to revitalize the manufacturing sector into locally based, handcrafted industries.
The new work shop will share be sharing the space with Sarah Anderson, proprietor of the eclectic vintage shop
Two Percent to Glory and join other recent Frankford Ave. favorites such as Pizza Brain, Little Baby’s Ice Cream, The Rocket Cat Café, and The Pickled Heron.
“We’re very excited about the location,” says Esposito, “there are a lot of positive things happening along Frankford Ave. and being in the heart of Kensington fits the artisanal manufacturing aesthetic we’re going for.”
Esposito and his friend Jim Zeppieri are currently in the process of building the desks for the workshop, hoping to have most, if not all of the work shop built out by November’s First Friday on the Avenue. From there, expect a lot of events catered to the writing and publishing communities. “The workshop won’t be static. We’re going to be involved in the community,” says Esposito, “anything from the basics of writing to lectures on influential writers should be expected.”
Esposito and company will definitely be done by Nov, 16 when they hold an
official launch party for The Head & The Hand at Johnny Brenda’s at 8 pm.
Source: Nic Esposito, founder of The Head + The Hand Press
Writer:
Greg Meckstroth