Publishing & Editorial Process

PUBLISHING & EDITORIAL PROCESS

What happens when two writers take turns crafting the next chapters of a single story or poem, as “equals in imagination”, and with their identities kept hidden from one another until the end? How far can two writers take a story worth sharing, and with whom? Where might it take all of us in the end?

A Literary Innovation

Launched in 2024, the Switch-Lit platform aims to evolve the ancient human practice of collaborative storytelling in the age of social media and artificial intelligence. Through an innovative and cognitively responsible use of technology, Switch-Lit represents a shift in how literary voices may interact within an ecosystem designed to sustain creative experimentation, cross-pollination, and the aliveness of surprise.

Here, the role of the editor also evolves into an alchemist of literary styles, an architect of digital encounters, and a custodian of the collective imagination.

Publishing Criteria

What is “good” collaborative fiction, poetry, or prose? What are the “best” works co-authored by writers of different generations, cultures, and genres? What those written by family members, neighbors, childhood friends, or total strangers?

Switch-Lit editors evaluate submissions based on the following criteria, by which to develop new cross-cultural genres and relational categories unlocked by the unique dynamics of collaborative storytelling:

• Creative Experimentation: Does the work’s overall use of language explore begin to codify the craft of collaborative fiction, poetry, and prose?
• Individual Craft: Are the individual chapters composed with technical skill, artistic intention, and attention to narrative rhythm?
• Collaborative Spirit: Whether through a blending or interplay of voices, is there a cohesion across chapters to reveal a “third” voice or new style?
• Relational Weight: Does the pairing itself represent a provocative or symbolic bridging of “distance” – geographic, cultural, or interpersonal – between writers?
• Multimedia Adaptability: How adaptable is this work into other multimedia and/or online forms for the cultivation of an “arthouse Internet” genre?

Editorial Cycle (2026–)

As both provider of the digital tools for collaborative storytelling and publisher of resulting works, Switch-Lit’s general editorial cycle consists of the following phases:

1. Writing Prompts: Switch-Lit releases a set of five (5) original writing prompts (i.e. “Prompts” page) inspired by a new monthly theme to help writers start new collaborative works.
2. Writer Pairings: Switch-Lit launches original “Subrosa” rounds for individual writers to join and get anonymously paired with one another on a weekly basis by Switch-Lit editors. New Subrosa rounds are released on a quarterly basis by Switch-Lit and/or partners. 
3. Story Production: Writers use their free Switch-Lit account and custom text editor for collaborative storytelling to write, read, edit, title, and self-publish their Switch-Lit story with a partner.
4. Story Completion: Once a Switch-Lit story is finished, writers receive a private link to their published work for personal sharing and archiving in their own Switch-Lit Library.
5. Story Submission: Writers may additionally choose to submit their work to Switch-Lit editors for consideration in the public Switch-Lit Library on an open and rolling basis.
6. Submission Review: Switch-Lit editors review submissions according to our publishing criteria on a monthly basis.
7. Accepted Story Editing: If selected, stories are copy-edited by our team for writers’ final approval on a monthly basis.
8. Story Publishing: Final, edited stories are published in the public Switch-Lit Library and promoted across our channels on a monthly basis.
9. Story Anthologies (TBD): Published Switch-Lit stories may be included in future anthologies curated by Switch-Lit.
10. Story Adaptations (TBD): Published Switch-Lit stories may be selected for multimedia adaptations produced by Switch-Lit. 

Writer Compensation & Rights

• Writer Compensation: Individual writers who submit their work to Switch-Lit are currently not compensated unless directly commissioned by Switch-Lit editors. Instead, Switch-Lit provides writers with the custom digital tools, partner matchmaking, and overall infrastructure for collaborative storytelling as a free service.
• Joint Ownership: Writers retain joint and equal copyright of their shared creative work.
• Archival Rights: Both writers and Switch-Lit retain permanent non-exclusive archival rights to feature the work in future anthologies or retrospective presentations.
• “First Look” Rights: Published writers grant Studio Esmé (creators of Switch-Lit) a “First Look” right of negotiation to develop the work(s) into a commercial narrative adaptation, subject to a future and separate agreement on Writer royalties or licensing fees.

Member Tiers (In Development)

Switch-Lit is currently developing paid membership tiers as an investment in the sustainability of the platform and community around collaborative storytelling.

• The Collaborator: Individual access to sessions and library tools. Premium members receive priority pairing and advanced archival features.

• The Curator: A partnership tier for literary editors and presses to host special collaborative series or digital issues.

• The Programmer: A scalable solution for libraries and cultural institutions to host community-based storytelling events.

• The Educator: A custom hosting tier for writing teachers to run private Subrosa-based workshops.