WELCOME TO AKAN BOOKS
About Akan Books
Led by author, broadcaster and diversity advocate June Sarpong OBE, Akan Books seeks to remove barriers and make space for voices and stories that have been overlooked.
The imprint name is inspired by Sarpong’s own heritage. Sarpong’s ancestors descended from the West African Ashanti people, Akan. Drawing on the oral storytelling traditions of African and Caribbean folklore, the imprint colophon depicts Anansi the spider, a master storyteller, who revelled in creative resistance and liberation: the perfect character to spin a great story.
With the imprint’s identity and ethos firmly rooted in the origins of storytelling, its aim will be to find writers from underrepresented communities, with a focus on giving a voice to unpublished authors from ethnic minority backgrounds, those who identify as working-class, and authors with disabilities.
This new publishing imprint aims to break down barriers for writers and make our industry more accessible. Seeking new talent across fiction and non-fiction, Akan Books will provide a platform for writers who have compelling stories to tell but lack the resources or industry know-how to get published. We specifically target three key demographics:
- Authors from ethnic minority backgrounds
- Authors who identify as working class
- Authors with disabilities
Traditional publishing routes can be daunting and exclusionary, often putting up barriers that discourage talented storytellers from marginalised communities. Akan Books seeks to remove these obstacles by offering not just a publishing contract, but a full suite of support services designed to demystify the publishing process.
- Navigating the Publishing Industry: From understanding contracts to knowing how to market a book, Akan Books demystifies the complexities and provides invaluable educational resources.
- Finding a Literary Agent: One of the most challenging aspects of becoming a published author is securing a literary agent. Akan Books helps its authors find agents who understand their unique voices and can advocate for them effectively.
- Career Development: Beyond the first book, Akan Books is committed to helping its authors build long-term careers, with ongoing support in writing, publishing, and marketing future works.
A message from June Sarpong
How to submit your writing to us
Our submissions are always open! Right now we are focusing on the following genres. In fiction: crime and thriller, psychological suspense, romance, historical, contemporary/book club and family drama. In non-fiction: self-help, smart thinking, memoir and parenting.
It’s important you please read our submission guidelines and FAQs before submitting.
If your manuscript has us engaged, one of our editors will get in touch to ask for the rest of your manuscript and beyond that, to talk further about the prospect of publishing your book. While we will read every submission we receive, we unfortunately cannot provide personalised feedback.
Good luck!
For publicity enquiries, please contact HQPressOffice@HarperCollins.co.uk