I started a publishing gig outside my day job to see if a creative side hustle could break even

"It’s very, very rare that you can survive just by writing books. When I was a freelance writer, I taught writing workshops at schools and universities and did copywriting gigs. It tired me out, because client writing and creative writing used similar parts of my brain. Now, I work full time as a strategic foresight researcher. Earning a stable salary has removed the pressure to make money from my writing, allowing me to pursue many creative projects."

"The big gap I saw for emerging writers was that when they want to showcase their work, there are only a few avenues. They can either publish in a journal alongside many other writers, so it’s not their solo work, or amass enough stories to create their own manuscript, which has a much higher bar to entry. They would also need to print up to 1,000 copies for their first run, which is tricky to manage financially and inventory-wise."

"I noticed that Singapore didn’t have a flourishing independent zine culture like other countries do. So I came up with the idea for Paper Jam, a literary pamphlets publishing venture. I received funding from Sing Lit Station, a Singapore-based nonprofit that supports local writers, and launched in 2024."

A creative publishing project was started to spotlight emerging writers without losing money. The founder’s writing career included freelance work, teaching writing workshops, and copywriting, but a stable salary later reduced financial pressure and enabled more creative projects. Paper Jam was created after identifying limited avenues for emerging writers to showcase solo work, since journals bundle many voices and full manuscripts require a higher bar and upfront costs. Traditional self-publishing also involves printing large quantities, creating financial and inventory challenges. Paper Jam launched in 2024 with funding support and produces limited copies to maintain exclusivity.

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