Stack Magazines

Magnus Rena is editor of Squinch, the new magazine that takes a literary approach to architecture. In this episode he speaks about the inspiration that led to starting the magazine, and why he thinks it's a good thing that he's not an architect.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Gem Nwannem is founder of magazine distribution startup Neesh. She has spent years working in logistics, and, she says, she wants to revolutionise the way that independent magazines reach readers. One part of that is the marketplace she is building to help publishers speak directly with retailers, making it easier to find new stockists, manage orders, and get paid. The other part is her mission to broaden the market for magazines, finding new places like spas, members' clubs, and barber shops, where magazines can be sold.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Simon and Julie Freeman started Like the Wind magazine in 2014, determined to give runners something more absorbing than Runner's World. Twelve years later they also have regional versions for readers in Japan and the United States, and they recently hosted the first instalment of Run Culture Live, a big, ambitious running event, held at the Truman Brewery here in London. It would be easy for them to hold up those achievements as evidence of the magazine's continued success, but as you'll hear, they're keen to stress the precarity of their position, and the continued sacrifice the magazine demands. I think that's something to do with their experience as runners – Simon talks about "type two fun", the sort of pain and discomfort a runner will put themselves through in pursuit of the pleasure that will come at the end of a race.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Tour the tables at this year's instalment of Indiecon, the independent publishing fair held in Hamburg. This episode features short conversations with the people behind Elastic, Die Quieter Please, The Gentleman, Supersonic Studio, Gerador, and Bog Bodies Press.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The independent magazine about climate crisis took a break after its last issue, but it's back, and editor Jackson Howarth shares what the team has been working on, and what's coming next.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

John Power Jr was working as a music PR and writer when the pandemic hit and his work suddenly dried up. Faced with the prospect of nothing to do for months on end, he began thinking about making a little zine about the tabletop games he loves playing. But, he says, "I got carried away, as you do, and suddenly it was a 112-page magazine." In this conversation he shares what he has learned from running Wyrd Science magazine, and explains why now is the time to take the next step up.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Nancy Heley is the editor and creative director of Sandweegies magazine, and she has a passionate love for print, and food, and her adopted home of Glasgow. In this episode she explains how one transcendent chicken sandwich led to a magazine idea, and how it's fast growing beyond its original remit.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Austė Skrupskytė Cullbrand is creative director and editor of Playground magazine, the independent publication that fills its pages with stories about creativity and the creative industries. Based between Lithuania and Sweden, the magazine has always had a Nordic / Baltic character, but it's evolving fast, and leaning further into its regional identity as a way to stand out on international newsstands. In this conversation, Austė shares her thoughts on the magazine's progress so far, and the creative community they are building.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Andy Crysell is editor of No Way Back, an archive publishing project that looks back at music and subcultures of the late 20th century, republishing stories from the music press to show how people experienced key turning points in the moment. It would be easy for No Way Back to slide into fond nostalgia, but instead of distant wistfulness, the magazine's main currency is the immediacy of its writing. Dipping into a story from The Face in 1986, or Rolling Stone in 1979, the reader is carried along on the energy and excitement of the moment, rather than ruminating on what it all means decades later. In this episode, Andy speaks about the ideas behind the project, and his ideas of where it will go next.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Editorial directors Kathryn Tann and Robert Harries share their thoughts on the first year of running Folding Rock, the literary magazine that publishes "new writing from Wales and beyond".Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Chris Hassell and Josh Jones created Ralph magazine to swim against the digital tide. In this conversation they explain how they were inspired by the chaotic fun of pop culture magazines from the 90s, and why they decided to make a magazine that's guided by creativity and joy.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The latest issue of Debris opens its editorial on an uncompromisingly negative note: "It's the time of no. No war, no genocide, no corporatism, no big business, no oligarchies, no neo-feudalism, no rapacious plunder of land, no capitulation, no phone, no imperialism, no capital, no future." Editors Cher Tan and Jon Tjhia, and founder Julia Flaster speak about their aims with the magazine, and how saying no, "could possibly mean yes to something else".Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Hear our independent magazine show, recorded live at St Bride Foundation on Thursday 5 February, and featuring stories from The Fence, Die Quieter Please, Dispatch and PiscineHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Hillary Brenhouse is editor-in-chief and publisher of Elastic magazine, and Meara Sharma is senior editor, and in this conversation they describe their new approach to psychedelic art and writing. Playing with time and space, and dissolving the conventional lines between genres, they have produced a magazine of, "the ordinary, only slightly, weirdly, off".Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Tom Parr is editor of Carrier, the magazine that tells, "the human stories behind the cargo bike". All the magazines we work with on Stack are niche to some extent, but Carrier digs in deeper than most, representing the cargo bike community to the wider world, and presenting them as altruistic innovators who are working to bring about positive change.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Chris Harrigan is editor of The Story, a publication that launched in 2025 as a literary magazine with a difference. As its name suggests, it’s fascinated by stories and storytelling, and in its pages writers and artists explore the meaning of what they do. They ask why we need to tell stories, how they manifest in such different ways, and why writing can be so bloody difficult sometimes. In this conversation, Chris speaks about the ideas and ideals that motivated him and his colleagues to launch the magazine in print.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

New Papers is the literary magazine that's meant to be performed as well as read. Each issue launches with a recital, in which the entire magazine is read in order on stage at the Rose Lipman Hall in Hackney. In this episode, editor Colton Karpman and art director Dilara Koz speak about the ideas behind their publishing and performance project.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Laura Frade is managing editor of Apartamento, one of the world's best known and most beloved independent magazines. As the publication turns 18 years old, I spoke to her about the secrets of its enduring success.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Hear from all the independent magazines we delivered from July to December this year, featuring Hotshoe, Troublemakers, Not Here to Make Friends, Cake Zine, Off Licence and Beneficial Shock!Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Rob Orchard is co-editor of Delayed Gratification, the magazine that launched 15 years ago with the bright idea of using the slowness of print as an advantage. Rather than racing to be first with the news, they dedicate each issue to a three-month period and reflect on events after the dust has settled. In this conversation he reflects on what he and the team have learned from publishing 60 issues of the magazine, including the constant battle with deadlines; the changing demands of social media; and the advantages of advertising on the Underground.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.