Self-Publishing 101

I'm sharing the full process of how I self-published my debut book, both the logistics and the emotional reality. We'll walk through the whole journey: manuscript, endorsement, design, format, ISBN, royalties, print-on-demand, distribution, launch, sales, and promotion. I'll be honest about what it cost (financially, emotionally, and creatively) and what I gained.

If you're thinking about self-publishing, or you're in the middle of it and want some confirmation, this is for you. Copies of my book will be available to browse or to take home :)

Part of the Antiuniversity Festival 2026.

Freya Shi (she/they) is a writer, poet, art practitioner, holistic wellbeing facilitator using astrology, tarot, meditation, and critical theory in service of collective liberation. Having lived across two oceans, three continents, and four languages as a neuroqueer migrant of ESEA heritage, Freya’s work centers care, transformation, and worldbuilding. A 2026 Barbican Young Poet and a 2024 British Council Venice Biennale Fellow, Freya's writing has appeared in Afterall and Moving Discourse, and they write the newsletter where critical and spiritual thoughts meet. Unlearning, to Love is Freya's self-published debut book.

Unlearning, to Love: An Academic's Memoir on Truth, Meaning, and Spirit is Freya's debut book exploring how we move from intellectual burnout to embodied, meaningful living. Part memoir, part cultural criticism, part spiritual guide, it weaves together critical theory, astrology, psychotherapy, somatics, and spirituality to show how personal healing is inseparable from collective liberation. Details here.

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