“Vyhodnye dannye” (“Imprint”): A Groundbreaking Russian-Language Project on Women in the Book Industry

"Who prints the books we read? Who lays out the pages and designs the covers? Who makes sure books reach shelves in stores and libraries? Who promotes them in the media and on social platforms? Writers, editors, and publishers—often men—are named in the official imprint. But what about the women whose invisible labor keeps the publishing world running?"

The first issue of Vyhodnye dannye features thirty personal texts from women working behind the scenes of the book industry: editors, proofreaders, booksellers, librarians, PR managers, marketers, designers, and more. These contributions speak to the daily experience of labor shaped by exhaustion, invisibility, and unpaid work, but also by solidarity, passion, and care for books.

"The zine launched a much-needed conversation around the systemic issues women* in publishing face—ranging from inequality and devaluation to harassment and burnout."

The second issue gathered twenty-two contributions through an open online call, featuring voices of book bloggers, layout designers, chain bookstore employees, museum editorial staff, and writers. Alongside autofictional essays, the zine introduced interviews, a play, and expanded visual content. While women’s* stories remain central, the focus widened, offering a more complex portrait of the literary field.

Contributors reflect on how they entered—and why many are leaving—the industry. They write about what sustains book spaces and the people within them, documenting both the cracks and the care that make up this essential yet often invisible labor.