Tyler Byrne interviews Ashley Obscura, founder of Metatron. They discuss the challenges of sustaining a literary project, expanding the press, creating space for poets, collaborations, the intersection of VR and writing in video games, community support, and the importance of failure and learning from it.
Meditron Press aims to create a visually appealing and diverse collection of poems through their new multimedia magazine, Glyphoria.
Ashley Obscura emphasizes the importance of ethical practices and fair compensation for writers in indie publishing.
The speaker envisions a physical space for Glaforia, creating a supportive community for writers and poets to engage with each other and their work.
Deep dives
The journey of Meditron Press and the creation of Glaforia
Ashley Obscura discusses the evolution of Meditron Press, a space for readings and digital publishing. They also talk about the founding of Glaforia, a new multimedia magazine, highlighting its visually appealing design and diverse collection of poems. They express their passion for creating literary archives and their commitment to compensating writers for their labor.
Challenges and sustainability in indie publishing
Ashley acknowledges the financial and emotional challenges in sustaining Meditron Press. They compare the press's journey to the Sisyphean task of consistently pushing a rock uphill. Ashley emphasizes the importance of ethical practices, including fair compensation for contributors. They mention the labor-intensive process of rebuilding the website for Glaforia and their goal of creating a platform to honor and showcase the published work.
Future plans and aspirations for Meditron Press
Ashley discusses their vision for the future of Meditron Press, hoping for more sustainability and the ability to hire a larger team. They express their desire to uplift more voices and create space for emerging writers by exploring new art form poetic collaborations. Ashley also shares their hope for a more peaceful world and the challenges of indie publishing, including the need for financial sustainability and fair compensation for everyone involved.
The Vision for Glaforia and a Physical Space
The podcast episode discusses the speaker's vision for Glaforia, an online platform for contemporary poetry and literature. The speaker expresses a desire to take Glaforia off the screen and create a physical space for it, like a gallery with interactive elements and soundscapes. They also mention wanting to collaborate with other poets and create a community space for readings and workshops. This physical space would provide a supportive environment for writers and poets to engage with each other and their work.
Challenges in Review Culture and Future Directions
The podcast episode explores the changing landscape of review culture and the challenges associated with getting books reviewed. The speaker feels that the authenticity of reviews has diminished and expresses a preference for more genuine and organic conversations about books. They discuss the rise of platforms like TikTok for book discussions, but also mention the influence of influencers who may be paid to promote certain books. Furthermore, the speaker contemplates the potential of TikTok and other technology platforms for promoting poetry and literature in the future.
Today I spoke with the poet and founder of METATRON - Ashley Obscura.
Metatron is an experimental online space for poetry and art. and is an independent press as well. I was very interested in the new section of the site - GLYPHORIA which is an experimental take on literary magazines but feels different to me. I love the website and many of the new pieces. Anyways, we spoke about how she started out in Canada and her beginnings in publishing,. We ended up discussing video games, virtual reality, ethics, and the business of running an indie press.
