Dahlia Publishing is a small independent publishing press based in Leicester. We publish contemporary, original fiction and champion regional and diverse voices. Established in 2010 by Farhana Shaikh, the press was run from the corner of the kitchen for the first ten years. Our legal structure as a not-for-profit publisher means that any profits are used for community good.
We publish 2-4 books each year and work across a number of projects, including Short Story September and The Asian Writer. Learn more about our projects.
Our diversity policy is at the heart of everything we do and we’re passionate about pushing for change. We recognise that the industry needs to be more reflective of the multicultural society we live in if it is to remain relevant.
Since our early beginnings we’ve worked alongside local universities to offer aspiring editors an opportunity to gain an insight into how publishing works. We’ve offered work-shadowing and mentoring opportunities to students at Loughborough University. More recently, we have been working alongside the English department at the University of Leicester, to offer e-placements for second-year students. We aim to build a supportive and inspiring community for writers where creativity can thrive. For a decade we ran the Leicester Writes Short Story Prize (2017-2026).
Dahlia Publishing Ltd is a Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales No. 07372134