Unlicensed Publishing House is a modern literary press that supports authors that create unique and fascinating art. eBooks published on this cutting edge platform are unusual yet tantalizing. Our mission is to promote experimentation in the world of literature to produce thought-provoking content from unique young voices. Our goal in doing this is to discover what the next generation of readers crave in literature and shape the future of the medium. 

It’s time to face the truth, the modern reader has changed. Young people don’t read. They digest sub-10 second Tik Toks and call it a day. And I don’t blame you, young people. I blame the state of literature. It’s fucking boring. Literature fails to push the envelope the way it did in the past, for it has been transformed into a cash cow for ghost written tell-alls about B- celebrities propagated by the Oprah book club. Authors don’t confront humanity’s vulnerabilities or cleavages because publishers market to the masses. Which makes sense economically yet betrays the very purpose of literature. Which is to question, explore and discover our humanity. To ask questions about death to live a life. This is why people picked up 1,400+ page War and Peace again and again, literature has always had the power to go a level deeper. The reason no one reads is because the big screen is just so much better at entertainment. It’s a much easier to digest and a more efficient medium for mainstream storytelling, gorgeous people get us to watch it and awesome explosions keep us coming back. What else could you ask for?

So my question is this: why try to do what television does so much better? For literature to thrive again, it must rediscover its purpose.

I am a modern reader, and I want the words on the page to slap me in the fucking face. I want to question my identity and learn about alternative theories on how to live my life. I want attempt to understand death and question the very fabric of reality. I want to feel like I am having a human experience and believe that you are too. I want to be interested in life and excited for what could miraculously be in store for me. I want to see and feel vibrant colors, not just the black and white I was promised on the paper. I want a book to house my imagination and let it run free. I want reading to be fucking exciting, and I know I am not alone. 

We coined the term “Unlicensed Literature” to be a form of unadulterated, experimental writing devoted to discovering what young people actually want to read. The rules of the game are entirely up to the author. Except that the subjects and language must be colorful, imaginative, and powerful. There are no limits, the possibilities are inexhaustible. Only literature can create the beautiful, internal explosions that reach the core of who you are and what you represent, something the big screen just can’t. Books like this can be found on our catalogue, for free!