Don’t apologize: advice from a female publisher in Frankfurt Book Fair! 🫶

At the Frankfurt Book Fair, I was wearing my Courgette Éditions hat but my L-Slam hat was tucked in my bag, never far.

I met extraordinary women who asked how Courgette Éditions came to be. Naturally, I spoke about L-Slam and how we support women in stepping onto the stage, claiming space, and speaking up. During the pandemic, when artists like me couldn’t perform, I felt the urge to help those same women access publishing, through a house officially recognized by the Belgian state (specially by the Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles).

Because in Belgium, if you want to apply for writing grants, being published by a recognized publisher isn’t just about legitimacy or visibility: it’s a non-negotiable requirement. Without it, your application is simply not eligible.

What struck me most was how hard it still is, for so many women, to speak in public. And yet, it’s so necessary. If we don’t speak about what we do, who will do it for us? We belong! We don’t apologize!

One of the panelists said it loud and clear: Don’t apologize! Don’t apologize for picking up your kids from school! Don’t apologize! Don’t justify!

It echoed deeply with what we tell participants in our workshops: Don’t apologize, for nothing! You speak from your rightful place. What you have to say is legitimate ! On ne s’excuse de rien!

Don’t apologize, for nothind! That’s not only our mantra : it’s the title of two books On ne s’excuse de rien, volume 1 and volume 2, published by MaelstrÖm RéEvolution Editions. Each volume brings together more than 50 women poets, some experienced, some unknown, some stepping onto the stage for the very first time, all of whom took part in our workshops.

They speak. They write. They take their place. And they don’t apologize for it.

That’s all for today but in the coming days, I’ll be introducing these incredible women I met at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Stay tuned: they are incredible 😍!!!!