The odds were initially stacked against 19th Avenida Publishing House.
The Filipino publisher (or Avenida, for short) officially opened just as stores, companies, and borders began to close to fend off the COVID-19 pandemic. “Launching during a global shutdown is something I wouldn’t advise people to do,” Avenida founder Nida Ramirez told Rolling Stone Philippines jokingly while recalling the struggles of those early months.
Ramirez is no stranger to the inner workings of running a publishing house. In 2000, she stepped into the world of publishing at Visprint Inc., a now-defunct printing press that was once considered one of the major movers of independent publishing in the Philippines. As the press’s publishing manager, Ramirez worked directly with the likes of Bob Ong, Jessica Zafra, Chuckberry Pascual, Carlo Vergara, and Manix Abrera, helping them expand their reach as creators.
But after 18 years of “the bosses dabbling in publishing,” Visprint announced it would close in 2020. “Feeling ko… if Visprint closes down, paano ‘yung mga books ni Bob Ong, ni [Budjette Tan]?” Ramirez asked. “I had all of these authors who were publishing with us and who had such good relationships with us. I figured it would be good to continue what Visprint had started.”
From the Ground Up
So as Ramirez spent the first quarter of 2020 retiring authors’ contracts and clearing out all remaining stock, she was also in the midst of paving the way for a publishing house of her own.
“The difficulty lay in the fact that Visprint had its own printers,” said Ramirez. “So when we started Avenida, we had to think about capital, about finding a good printing press to partner with. That first year was this time of us trying different things out first and not being sure if they’d work.”
Despite the pandemic, Ramirez noted that it wasn’t necessarily a death knell for their fledgling enterprise. “‘Yung pandemic was such a game-changer talaga,” she said. “Prior to that, it was so difficult for an indie press to flourish. I’d seen a number of them na nag-start during the 2010s, but didn’t really make it after a few years. But sa pandemic, because people turned to online buying, mas na-expose itong mga books sa mga indie presses. Publishing became a matter of how well you market yourself.”
Over the course of six short years, Avenida has amassed an eclectic roster of titles across almost every genre. There are the crime thrillers of Ronaldo Vivo Jr., like Ang Bangin Sa Ilalim Ng Ating Mga Paa. There are genre-blending works of fiction, like Macky Cruz’s Hoy, Pong! (with illustrations by Rombutan) and Chuckberry J. Pascual’s Daddy. And there are the komiks of Manix Abrera, such as his KIKOMACHINE KOMIX series. From comedies to dramas to thrillers, Avenida has left no stone unturned when discovering what Filipino authors and komiks artists are capable of.
Ramirez emphasized that, while the Avenida publishing team makes a point of accepting submissions from all authors (whether they are firmly established names or aspiring writers), titles must fit Avenida’s own voice.
“I’d like to think that we’re quite in touch with the general public’s appreciation of books,” said Ramirez, “but we have to think about our brand. Recently, I received a novel from an author na napasahan niya naman… kaya lang it wasn’t the type of book we’d publish. Medyo high art ‘yung pagkakasulat niya. I felt it was better placed with other publishers who cater to that kind of market and reader. But we really don’t distinguish among authors… we just look at the story.”
A Changed Industry
This year, Ramirez celebrates 25 years working in the publishing industry. On the topic of what’s changed over the last quarter of a century, the seasoned publisher noted how much of the industry’s driving profitability has shifted from the physical to the digital.
“Bookstores used to be king,” recalled Ramirez. “But now… like even ‘yung presence ng Avenida sa bookstores, it’s more parang marketing. Bookstores take about 40 to 50 percent of your selling price, tapos you still have expenses for deliveries, gasoline. It’s not profitable. We rely on online shopping na, and it’s a blessing that we have such a strong online presence.”
Beyond maintaining its presence on Shopee and Lazada, Avenida has also shifted to hosting events that allow readers to interact directly with their authors. “‘Yung reading community is fast growing na rin,” said Ramirez. “We’re seeing in our recent events na may maraming attendees. They really stay because they love these books, these authors. Sometimes they’ll even walk up to you and say, ‘Ma’am, next time siguro, baka gusto niyo ganito ‘yung gawin!’”
It hasn’t been easy building its presence in the publishing industry from the ground up, but Avenida has steadily continued to spotlight the works of a range of Filipino authors. At this year’s Philippine Book Festival, the publishing house announced the release of five new titles: Julius Villanueva’s supernatural comic, Ella Arcangel: Lupa at Dugo; Yabes’ historical fiction; Radio Revolution; Siege Malvar’s corporate dark comedy, Strat Planning; Ronaldo S. Vivo Jr.’s thriller, Ang Lahat ng Hayop sa Ating mga Yapak; and Bloodlines Vol. 2, the latest in the Trese komik series.
There seems to be an emphasis on thrillers that runs through these new titles (Avenida’s own social media team has described them as “darker” and “grittier”), but Ramirez says that this was not intentional. “They were the ones that were ready. And for me personally, I enjoy these types of stories. As a private reader, the grittier the better.”
When asked if there is a common theme or identity that makes these titles distinctly Avenida, Ramirez takes a moment before responding. “Parang mahirap ‘yun, eh,” she said. “But… whenever we accept proposals, ang primary consideration lang namin is, ‘Is it about Filipinos, about the Philippines?’ That’s something we consider in all of our books, whether it’s komiks, literature, [or] poetry. It always needs to carry Filipino blood with it.”
