The Loneliness of the Long Distance Right-Wing Writer, By James Reed
In the hallowed halls of publishing, where manuscripts pile higher than a bureaucrat's inbox, Right-wing writers face a gauntlet tougher than a Dickensian workhouse. As Emily Schroeder laments in her June 2025 Artillery Row piece, the industry is a fortress guarded by Left-leaning gatekeepers who demand stories of "disabled, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, ethnically diverse, or feminist voices" while dismissing anything that smells remotely conservative, like her podgy, posh, wannabe-centurion protagonist, as insufficiently "diverse." With literary agents drowning in queer query letters and publishers clutching their woke pearls, how can Right-wing writers break through a regime that seems to view their work as heresy? It's a brutal landscape, but survival is possible with cunning, grit, and a few subversive strategies. Here's how to storm the castle and get your words into the world, from someone still banging their head against this wall.
First, let's face the grim reality: the publishing world is a monoculture, and it's not your imagination. Schroeder's experience at the New Culture Forum's Literary Festival, billed as a lifeline for non-woke writers but delivering little more than recycled anti-woke rants, underscores the problem. Agents and publishers, as she notes, are "overwhelmingly Left-wing," and even well-meaning events can devolve into "talking shops" with no fiction publishers in sight. A 2022 report from The Bookseller confirms this, revealing that 80% of UK publishing professionals identify as Left-leaning, with similar trends in the U.S. The X Platform buzzes with frustration from conservative authors, one user (@LitRebel) lamenting, "Sent my novel to 50 agents. Got 40 rejections, 10 ghostings. Too 'traditional' for their tastes." The gatekeepers aren't just rejecting subpar writing, they're enforcing ideological conformity, prioritising narratives that check diversity boxes over those that challenge the zeitgeist.
So, how do you survive? One path is to play their game without selling your soul. Schroeder highlights a publisher skilled at "speaking liberal," slipping conservative ideas past progressive gatekeepers by framing them in palatable terms. This isn't betrayal, it's strategy. Craft a query letter that emphasise universal themes, freedom, family, resilience, while sidestepping red flags like overt political jabs. For example, a novel about a small-town farmer resisting corporate overreach could be pitched as a "heartfelt exploration of community and autonomy," not a screed against globalism. Workshops on this art, as Schroeder suggests, could teach writers to cloak their convictions in language that doesn't trigger instant rejection. Think of it as smuggling contraband through customs: the goods get through, even if the packaging looks innocent.
Self-publishing is another lifeline, and it's no longer the vanity press of yesteryear. Platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing and IngramSpark let you bypass gatekeepers entirely, with authors like Brandon Sanderson and Hugh Howey proving you can build empires without traditional publishers. Schroeder's idea for a self-publishing workshop is spot-on: learn the ropes, formatting, cover design, marketing, and you're in control. The catch? It's a grind. You'll need to master social media, build a newsletter, and hustle for reviews. X posts from self-published authors like @IndieScribe show success stories, with one claiming, "Sold 10k copies in a year by targeting niche conservative readers." The pros outweigh the cons: full creative control, higher royalties (up to 70% on Amazon), and no editor demanding you add a non-binary astronaut to your historical drama.
Community is your secret weapon. Schroeder's call for writing groups and beta readers is a rallying cry for Right-wing writers to band together. The Left has its MFA programs and literary cliques; conservatives need their own networks. Her proposed festival, complete with writing competitions, live readings, and one-on-one agent pitches, could be a game-changer. Imagine a space where you swap manuscripts with like-minded scribes, get feedback from non-woke beta readers, and pitch to publishers who don't faint at the word "tradition." Online platforms like Substack or Patreon can amplify this, letting you serialise novels, crowdfund projects, or build a fanbase. X user @WriteFree suggests, "Start a Discord for conservative writers. Share resources, vent, collaborate." Such networks could also feed into Schroeder's "Writers Helping Writers" database, compiling a list of sympathetic agents and publishers to cut through the noise.
Rejection stings, but it's not always about your politics. Schroeder's suggestion to learn whether it's your beliefs or your craft getting the boot is critical. Self-editing workshops, as she proposes, can sharpen your prose to the point where gatekeepers can't ignore you. Read craft books like Stephen King's On Writing or join online courses from platforms like MasterClass, focusing on structure, pacing, and character. If your manuscript still gets rejected, analyse the feedback. A form letter citing "fit" might scream ideology; a detailed critique of your plot's pacing is a chance to improve. X user @NovelCrusader advises, "Keep a rejection log. Spot patterns. If it's all 'not our vibe,' find new agents." Persistence is your armour, J.K. Rowling's 12 rejections didn't stop her, and they shouldn't stop you. That did not stop me, even though I am a failure to date, but still trying. Be relentless and "carry on regardless," is my family motto.
Satire, a favourite of Right-wing writers, is a minefield. Schroeder warns of the danger of becoming as "hectoring" as woke novels, and she's right. A heavy-handed anti-PC screed risks alienating readers who crave nuance, not propaganda. A workshop on satire's balance, humour over preaching, art over agenda, could guide writers to craft stories that sting without shouting. Think Swift, not soapbox. Your goal is to entertain first, provoke second. A novel about a bumbling bureaucrat in a dystopian woke utopia could hit harder than a 300-page rant about cancel culture.
The Left's grip on publishing isn't eternal. Schroeder's vision of a young writers' fellowship, modelled on programs like The London Library's, could nurture a conservative literary renaissance. Picture a cohort of Right-wing novelists meeting monthly, mentored by established authors, sharing contacts, and promoting each other's work. Funding might be a hurdle, her festival raffle idea, with prizes like writers' retreats or London Library memberships, could raise cash, but crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter make it feasible. The Prosperity Institute's Edington Fellowship, cited by Schroeder, shows how targeted support can elevate voices. Even without big backing, grassroots efforts, local meetups, online forums, or X-driven campaigns, can build momentum.
The regime may dominate, but it's not invincible. Right-wing writers can thrive by outsmarting gatekeepers, embracing self-publishing, building communities, and honing their craft. Schroeder's frustration at the NCF's festival flop is a call to action: don't wait for saviours. Organise your own events, pitch boldly, and write stories so good they can't be ignored. The Left may hold the keys to the castle, but the walls are crumbling. Keep writing, keep fighting, and soon enough, our books will find their readers, without a single trans-girl astronaut in sight!
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