National Mosaic of Award Winning Literature, Determination, Passion and Vision

MEET RON KAVANAUGH:  Ron Kavanaugh is the executive director at Literary Freedom Project. A true literary leader, Ron is also the publisher of Mosaic Literary Magazine and the founder of MosaicBooks.com. He has previously worked as a consultant with the Bronx Council on the Arts, the Bronx Writers Center and as Director of Marketing and Public Programs at the Bronx Museum of the Arts.

WMI:   Mosaic magazine is one of the few periodicals that takes an honest, critical and in-depth look at literature created by members of the African Diaspora. Did you set out to examine literature from a more in-depth yet balanced perspective?

RK:       The original idea was to launch a new-book preview guide. The guide would list new books supplied by the publisher. I made a sample, sent it to publishers to see if they would be interested, and received no response. This was in 1995. After that I decided to start a similar idea but this time I focused on the internet, which was just beginning to reach the public. After I started what became MosaicBooks.com, I went back to the original idea, and in 1998 I launched Mosaic Literary Magazine.

WMI:   Why do you give voice to writers who are obviously gifted and talented but not household name authors in Mosaic as opposed to solely focusing on established writers?

RK:       I think it’s important we take our arts, culture and work and elevate them. The fact that the arts by people of European descent receive more publicity has nothing to do with talent or merit. It’s about advocacy for what you believe in. If you want to place your culture on a higher plain you have to advocate for it by any means necessary.

WMI:   Operating a successful magazine takes business savvy. Where did you gain your business training (e.g. college business degree, solely by experience)?

RK:       Above all else I have patience and intelligence. I might take exception that Mosaic is “successful.” Of course it is on one level, longevity, but it also continues to be a struggle. The magazine has never covered its expenses, hasn’t been published consistently, and PR has lagged. But my patience –knowing this is not a dash but a marathon– has benefited us most. And every day I learn something new about printing and publishing, which benefits the magazine. We recently launched digital editions of Mosaic and I hope that helps the bottom line.

WMI:   Have you ever worked with a mentor in order to grow your business ventures? If so, please tell us about that experience. If not, looking back would you partner with a mentor if you had to do it all over again?  Why or why not?

RK:       I’ve never had a mentor, but I’ve been fortunate to work for several arts organizations, including the Bronx Council of the Arts and the Bronx Museum. Both organizations have helped me by example. Even though their budgets are much larger than Mosaic‘s they both are relatively small organizations. Bill Aguado, who led the Bronx Council for over 30 years, before he retired in 2010, continues to be a “guiding light” for Mosaic and my mission. He really instills that if you believe in it you have to find a way to get it done.

WMI:   When was the Literary Freedom Project founded and what is the purpose of the Project?

RK:       LFPwas founded in 2004. It’s a 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit arts organization that seeks to restore the importance of reading books as an essential tool for creating intelligent, productive, and engaged young people. Towards this goal, LFP publishes Mosaic; develops literature-based lesson plans; and hosts the Mosaic Literary Conference, an annual literature-education event. We invite educators, community organizers, and parents to take part in our programs.

WMI:   Tell us about the Mosaic Literary Conference.  When did it launch and who are some of the speakers and panelists planned for upcoming conferences?  Also share with our readers the types of workshops offered at the conference.

RK:       Originally MLC was called The ReVerse Festival, and was launched in 2003 to connect the community to literature and technology –using blogs and websites as a platform to share and disseminate information. Technology, moving at a breakneck pace, quickly caught up with the idea and my target community adopted many of the ideas and became empowered on its own.

Then in 2006, we rebranded ReVerse to the Mosaic Literary Conference, and morphed into a professional-development-education event that invites teachers and counselors to participate in workshops that will connect their students to books and reading. It’s been fairly successful; smaller and more focused than it had been in the past, which is good for the participants.

WMI:   Since you launched Mosaic in 1998 much as changed in the literary and business world, a great deal of the change being driven by technology. For example, e-books have taken off, more newspapers and magazines have gone digital and electronic mobile devices have allowed consumers to digest information at rapid speeds from anywhere in the world. How have these changes reshaped the magazine industry and Mosaic in particular?

RK:       The technology really hasn’t affected us much. A book is basically the same regardless of how it’s consumed. It still must be written, edited, and marketed for it to be successful. In a way eReader technology has benefited Mosaic because there are far more writers who have the ability to self publish books –and books still need marketing.

WMI:   In addition to the aforementioned changes the literary industry and business worlds have experienced over the last decade, what changes do you see impacting your industry over the next three to five years? 

RK:       The biggest impact has less to do with technology and more to do with the demise of the Black imprints. In the 90s most of the large publishers started small publishing divisions that produced books specifically for the Black reader. Unfortunately, many of those imprints were discontinued after a few years. It created a void in the literary book genre that hasn’t been filled.

WMI:   In order to remain viable, a magazine has to generate income. What strategies, action steps, does Mosaic incorporate to increase subscribers and generate ongoing income?

RK:       This has always been a weak point for Mosaic. We mainly engage new subscribers through our website, MosaicMagazine.org. We also use third-party subscription services such as Ebsco and WT Cox to expand or institutional subscriber base. Because we’re a nonprofit we also write grants, which account for about half the money raised.

WMI:   Who are some authors we should be aware of, authors who create material that can possibly influence personal and collective thought processes?

RK:       I’m not a big fan of “personal power” books but there are two books that I refer to regularly: Invitation to the Party: Building Bridges to the Arts, Culture and Community by Donna Walker-Khune and There’s No Business Like Your Own Business: Six Practical and Holistic Steps to Entrepreneurial Success by Gladys Edmunds. I think the titles explain my fascination.

WMI:   What did the closing of Borders mean to you?  Do you think it signaled a decline in an appreciation for literature at national and local levels or do you think it was merely an indication of poor business decisions and management?

RK:       I think the closing of Borders did not mean much to the reading public. No matter your opinion on the electronic book, it continues to be a force that relegates the traditional bookstore to a secondary option when purchasing new books. I do think bookstores serve a purpose in the community –book signings and hand selling– but the internet has become such an integral part of how consumers shop. Remember the record store?

WMI:   If you met the man you were 20 years ago, what advice would you give him to help him be better prepared as a business leader today?

RK:       Never stop learning and adopt new technology as quickly as it comes at you.

WMI:   Are you accepting work from writers?  If so, how can writers contact you to submit material to Mosaic?

RK:       Mosaic accepts essays, interviews, and literary-focused articles. Before submitting the full work, send a brief summary to info@mosaicmagazine.org. If you are interested in reviewing books for Mosaic forward a writing sample and bio. We offer an honorarium of $50/700-word review. Honoraria for essays, interviews, and articles vary ($100+) depending on word count. We will consider previously published work.  We are not accepting creative writing submissions at this time.

WMI:   What last words of encouragement or advice would you like to leave with Write Money Inc. visitors?

RK:       What amazes me every day is how technology and social media have leveled the playing field to enter the market. It still takes a lot of work to grow and succeed, but the point of entry is so low and accessible that there’s no reason not to get started today.

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