“Like any capital, reader attention must be constantly nurtured”
The success of a book depends, first and foremost, on the author. If the text is good, it will — sooner or later — find its reader. A publisher is just a mediator in that process.
That said, there are nuances. We’ve been in the book market for years. The Janushkevich brand is now well recognized among Belarusian audiences. That makes it easier for us to circulate information about new releases and bestsellers. Reader attention is incredibly valuable — but it’s also fragile. It vanishes fast if a publisher stops releasing strong books.
Your recent reader meetups across Poland, the Baltics, and the Czech Republic — and the immediate success of Captain Flying Fish by Alhierd Bacharevič — what does that tell us?
This is a case where name recognition works. Every new book by Bacharevič becomes an event. He writes actively, consistently, and with quality. His latest — an adventurous summer novel — is easy to read yet full of meaning. It’s a perfect example of how reputation can carry a book far.
But it’s a different story for debut authors or those who haven’t been widely promoted. In their case, success depends entirely on the quality of the writing and the precision of the publishing work.
From the outside, it seems like well-calculated advertising would help debutants a lot.
I disagree with the idea that all you need is a smart marketing budget and any book will sell.
Books are products, yes — but highly specific ones. Each new title has its own subject, style, tone, and genre. That makes it a very individualized offering. Which means it’s incredibly hard to accurately predict its chances of success or failure. It’s a complex, often mysterious process.
Belarus’s book field is slowly being resown
I remember how you used to recommend Remarque or Hemingway to hesitant buyers, saying: “These books speak to our time — through the lens of the past.” It was like hearing not just a publisher, but a historian with political empathy. Was it a risk to launch your Polish venture with such literary classics?
The Black Obelisk, The Sun Also Rises…
The literature of the “lost generation” actually performed well in our early Polish days. I was very happy with the sales. Pocket-sized editions, affordable prices…
But just a year and a half ago, the Belarusian book landscape was nearly barren. The crisis in publishing had taken its toll. Some books still came out, but sporadically. That started to change around 2023. Every new release became a noteworthy event. And now it’s different again — the situation has improved. More publishers abroad are up and running. Readers finally have some choice.
We saw this at the Warsaw Book Fair in May. Belarusian publishers had a great stand in a prime location. Every press had space to display their books however they wanted. But the feverish energy of last year was gone. This time — it was just a regular event.
Popularity is built on branded books — but even they come with challenges
So what’s next? Does the literary and publishing process need to go deeper?
Absolutely. You can’t rely solely on strong titles or big names. Even books that seem like sure hits can underperform in unexpected ways. A truly healthy literary ecosystem — especially for a culture in exile — has to grow roots. It must invest in infrastructure, nurture debuts, support translations, diversify genres, and most of all, stay close to its readers.
It’s slow work, but it’s already happening. The Belarusian book field — exiled but not broken — is being planted again. And that means there’s real hope.
“New time — new challenges”
You can no longer coast on the momentum of 2020. Whoever doesn’t see this and continues to live in the inertia of the post-protest reading boom will either sink or stagnate. It’s critical to recognize that new times demand new responses.
No matter our ambitions or dedication, publishing new books purely from sales revenue is an illusion. The economics simply don’t allow for it. If turnover is slow, then the same old curse we faced in Belarus continues here: limited resources force you to keep hitting the brakes. You constantly have to restrain your creative drive.
For example, I promised Hanna Yankuta to release the next Cat Shprot book back in February. But we couldn’t make it happen, even though both the author and her young readers have long been waiting. We’re only now sending it to print (this interview took place in June 2024 — A.R.).
“Popularity is tied to branded books — but even those are struggling”
What are the biggest problems?
We lack advertising budgets. There’s no sustained collaboration with the media. Not a single media outlet has a consistent book review column.
In Germany and Poland, by contrast, this is a matter of pride — a marker of cultural prestige. Literary reviewers are fully integrated into the publishing and media landscape. No serious European publication can function without book criticism. In our case, not only are we not at that level — we’re not even seeing returns that would justify investing in it.
That’s why this year’s top-selling books are classics — titles readers already know and trust.
At the top of the rankings are global bestsellers: Andrzej Sapkowski’s “The Witcher” series, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” But remarkably, third place went to a book about the history of the white-red-white flag — a clear response to a collective demand for national identity and historical self-understanding.
“Our readers aren’t just in Poland — they’re all across Europe”
Thanks to modern logistics and shipping, our books are available far beyond Warsaw or Vilnius. We serve readers throughout Europe — and beyond.
And what are readers finding? Do you offer real choice — or is it like the empty shelves of Soviet stores?
There is choice — and real reasons to be optimistic.
We’re moving away from a crisis model of scarcity. The Belarusian publishing ecosystem in exile is still small, still fragile — but it exists. Books are being printed. New voices are emerging. And our most loyal readers know what they’re looking for: something meaningful, something rooted in shared language and experience.
But here’s the challenge: this isn’t a game of momentum anymore. It’s not enough to have survived the storm of 2020. What matters now is consistency, resilience — and the ability to keep delivering stories that speak directly to people’s lives today.
“Twenty books a year — though we have fifty in mind”
We currently release about twenty titles annually. But our portfolio easily holds ideas for fifty. The only reason we don’t realize more is simple: lack of resources.
In fact, to stay financially stable, we may need to scale back even further.
What’s your average print run?
Roughly 1,000 copies per title. That’s the sweet spot — the most cost-efficient print size per unit.
You now print your books in Poland. What advantages does that bring?
Several. First — high quality. Then, a wide choice of printing houses, thanks to strong market competition. There’s a broad variety of materials and finishing options. And most importantly — affordable pricing. This is all far superior to what we had access to in Belarus.
Are you satisfied with Poland’s book distribution system?
Absolutely. It’s easy to set up your own online store, and you can connect to popular platforms like Allegro — which we did from the beginning.
Allegro works for European customers. But what about orders from the U.S. or Australia?
For those, we rely on our own website. But honestly, it’s less convenient. Shipping to the U.S. — and to Belarus, for that matter — can take six to eight weeks. And postage is prohibitively expensive.
This year, you launched a physical bookstore in Warsaw — which has quickly become the main hub for Belarusian books outside the country. Are you proud?
Yes, very much so.
Opening our stationary bookstore in Warsaw was a huge step — and it’s become a real cultural center for Belarusian readers in exile. It’s not just a shop, it’s a place where people meet, connect, and discover new literature in their native language.
It’s one of our proudest accomplishments in recent years — and a vital part of keeping Belarusian culture alive abroad.
“Knihaŭka exists because readers need it”
Yes, Knihaŭka — our bookstore — is, above all, a response to public demand.
We opened it on our 10th anniversary, in Warsaw, at 4 Kłopotowskiego Street.
Is it exclusively Janushkevich publications?
No, we sell new releases from all Belarusian publishers working in exile. If you want a recent book in Belarusian — you’ll find it here. I constantly see new faces in the store, and that’s a great sign of growing visibility.
If someone walks in tomorrow, how many books will they see on the shelves?
About 150–200 titles.
And your average sale?
Most customers spend around 100–120 złoty, meaning at least two or three books per visit.
Can you share the store’s turnover?
Sure — our monthly turnover currently averages 25–30,000 złoty.
You’ve emphasized knowing your audience. So who’s buying your books?
For online sales, outside of Warsaw, our most active cities are Wrocław, Gdańsk, Kraków, and Białystok. In terms of countries — clearly Germany and Lithuania top the list.
That kind of geography pushes you toward new sales tech?
Yes. We have our own online bookstore, sell through marketplaces, and partner with trusted allies. You’ll find our titles on the Gutenberg publishing site and at the Hartaika bookstore in Vilnius.
“We don’t look back to 1913 — we took Amazon and started looking ahead”
I’m proud of another 2024 milestone: in April, we launched on Amazon.
It’s incredibly complex — designed for big business. There are commissions, subscription fees, endless fine print to access Amazon’s best tools. Thousands of tiny steps and technical hurdles.
We spent weeks negotiating just to clarify our ISBN — Who are you? What’s your language? Their support team and ours nearly drove each other mad, but we got there. Now, Janushkevich is officially a verified and trusted Amazon partner. They even sent us a fridge as a welcome gift!
What are the advantages of selling through Amazon?
-
Transparent ordering system
-
Fast shipping with high-quality packaging
-
Reliable distribution: unlike Allegro, which lets you handle delivery yourself, Amazon works better when you use their warehouses across Europe.
We’ve already sent several pallets — about 1.5 tons of books — to Amazon fulfillment centers.
Yes, it’s a lot of effort, but it pays off. Everyone in the West knows Amazon.
Now, our Amazon storefronts operate in nine European countries, as well as the US, Canada, and Mexico. If someone in Paris, Málaga, Palermo, or London orders a book, it’ll ship from our closest warehouse — usually in Germany. Order today, get it the day after tomorrow!
That’s speed and convenience. What about shipping costs?
Surprisingly low — just a few euros per delivery, and we’re working to make it completely free in the future. That’s a win-win. No wonder sales are rising visibly in Germany, France, and Spain.
But not in Sweden or Poland?
True. Swedish and Polish audiences are less fond of Amazon.
How will you respond to that?
By adapting flexibly. Amazon is just one tool — and not the only one. We’ll continue using local platforms, partner stores, direct sales, and in-person events. The point is: Belarusian books should be where Belarusians are. And today, that means being everywhere — physically and digitally.
Our mission hasn’t changed: to ensure Belarusian literature is alive, visible, and accessible — across borders and generations.
This final question isn’t just about future plans — it touches on the very strategy of the Janushkevich publishing house.
And my answer is this: despite all the challenges, big and small, our readership is expanding. More and more people are reading in Belarusian. That’s deeply encouraging — but also a responsibility. We try to respond to the needs of our time and the expectations of our readers.
“Our top priority is expanding our publishing catalog”
We see our core task as releasing more books.
Without a steady flow of new titles, it’s impossible to build a healthy literary market. But I’ll say it again: it’s still too early to claim we’re publishing enough Belarusian books. If we’re proud of where we are now, it’s only in comparison to 1913…
And even that — let’s be honest — would be self-deception.
We’re not interested in illusions.
We’re committed to the work.
We keep going — and we look forward.