FAQ
Is this the first press specializing in computer-generated literature?
No, it’s not. A major inspiration for Aleator Press is Nick Montfort’s Bad Quarto, an unconventional small press whose primary focus is computer-generated literature. Montfort, who has authored several works in this area, also edits the Using Electricity series of computer-generated books, published by Counterpath. This series was featured, along with several works from Montfort’s personal collection, in his Author Function exhibit of computer-generated literature. Though now defunct, the publisher Traumawien (2010–2016) specialized in print editions of born-digital works, including examples of computer-generated literature. Also worth mentioning here is the delightful tiny press Artifact x Surplus, which publishes computer-generated zines. Though it qualifies more as a project than a press, another connection is Booksby.ai, a wild effort by Andreas Refsgaard and Mikkel Thybo Loose. Along the same lines are The Library of Nonhuman Books, by Atomic Activity Books, the stunningly prolific Anonymous Press, Dead Alive Press’s New Sight imprint, and the Castle Freak residency program of Inside the Castle. Of course, many other presses (and individuals) have published works in this area, without specializing in the form. Publishing houses who have released multiple computer-generated books include Anteism Books, Spacecraft Press, Unknown Unknowns, Penteract Press, The Blasted Tree, Propolis Press, RRose Editions, and Troll Thread.
Is computer-generated literature new?
It’s about as old as the computer, actually. Writing about Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine in 1843, Ada Lovelace noted that the machine “might act upon other things besides number,” such as a musical notation. In 1949, just as general-purpose electronic computers (or “giant brains”) were entering the public consciousness, Alan Turing postulated that one could in principle write poetry. Three years later, Turing assisted his friend Christopher Strachey in producing computer-generated love letters, two of which appeared in the literary journal Encounter in 1954. The earliest known computer poetry, Theo Lutz’s “Stochastische Texte” (1959) appeared in augenblick soon after. Dozens more published examples appeared the following decade, along with a series of computer-generated books, such as Jean A. Baudot’s La machine à écrire (1964). Of course, this work was prefigured by aleatoric methods for text generation employed at various points in the last millennium. While there is a (spotty) historical record of this area emerging in contemporary scholarship, Aleator Press aims to shine light on its material culture, and in particular the tradition of computer-generated printed matter.
what sets aleator press apart?
Aleator is unique in its emphasis on the history of computer-generated literature, which manifests in our Regenerators series, as well as the inventory of rare printed matter included in our collection and web shop. To our knowledge, Aleator Press is the only rare book dealer specializing in computer-generated literature. We hope this is not the case for long!
what are all your focus areas?
Our primary focus is computer-generated literature, broadly construed. This most often means published examples of computer poetry or other generated text, but we’re also interested in early machine-generated books containing numerical tables or literary concordances. Printed matter pertaining to computer art likewise finds a home in our collection. Also in our purview are early scholarly works in this area, especially offprints of articles by important practitioners. We are especially keen to obtain archival materials by such practitioners, such as original computer printouts. Beyond computer-generated literature, we also take an interest in early interactive branching narrative, like Consider the Consequences! (1930), and combinatorial writing, such as Cent mille milliards de poèmes (1961). This is what is meant by “the intersection of print and procedure.”
How do you compensate the authors of your releases?
We work this out on a case-by-case basis. Whenever possible, we work with the authors of historical works (or their estates) to obtain permission to publish a facsimile or speculative edition. In these cases, we offer generous royalties. In the case of new works by contemporary practitioners, the revenue sharing is such that the creator is treated more like an artist than an author.
do you hope to profit off this enterprise?
Our dream is to become a not-for-loss enterprise. We hope to produce a handful of releases each year, and to carry out our ongoing curatorial mission. Our revenue stream will fund new releases and new additions to our collection, along with operating costs and curatorial equipment (e.g., a book scanner). Over time, we will photograph, scan, and otherwise document all of the materials in our collection, to enable scholarship and generally stimulate greater interest in computer-generated literature.
I’d like to donate to Aleator Press. How can I do that?
That is very kind of you! You can donate to us through our donation page. Your donation will help us to produce new publications and to maintain our curatorial activities by collecting and documenting more materials for our archive.
what do you plan to do with your collection?
Ultimately, we plan to offer it en bloc to a cultural institution. We are currently researching potential partners.
do you want to add my computer-generated literature to your collection?
Yes, absolutely! If you would like to sell or donate your own work to the Aleator Press collection, drop us a line. We will consider purchasing your work and will almost certainly accept any donation, pending relevance of the material.
do you want to buy rare computer-generated literature?
We certainly do. Please email us if you are interested in selling any rare items that may be of interest to us.
Why are your international shipping rates so high?
This is an unfortunate ramification of the pandemic. We’re currently charging a few dollars less than the actual cost to ship internationally, to spur international sales. Hopefully postage costs worldwide will revert sometime soon, in which case we will lower our rates.
are you interested in publishing my work?
Potentially! We currently have several new releases in the works, but we are always eager to hear from practitioners of computer-generated literature. Drop us a line anytime, to send a pitch or to just say hi.
do you offer a courtesy to the book trade?
Yes, we do. Reach out directly and we’ll work out the details.
do you want to add my computer-generated literature to your collection?
Yes, absolutely! If you would like to sell or donate your own work to the Aleator Press collection, drop us a line. We will consider purchasing your work and will almost certainly accept any donation, pending relevance of the material.
do you want to buy rare computer-generated literature?
We certainly do. Please email us if you are interested in selling any rare items that may be of interest to us.
do you accept bank transfers or other forms of payment not currently listed?
We can accept bank transfers and will consider other options, too, if the available methods don’t work for you. Please reach out via email and we can figure out the details.
Can you send an invoice for my purchase? Or can I pay with a purchase order?
Sure, we’re happy to accommodate institutions who must follow particular procedures in purchasing items from us. Send us an email a) indicating which items you would like to purchase, and b) outlining the procedure you must follow to complete the purchases. We’ll work with you from there and mark the items as sold, so that they aren’t sold to anyone else in the meantime.
do you do trades?
Yes, often, and we’re always happy to consider exchanges involving both our own releases and the out-of-print titles listed in our web shop. Send an email to let us know what you’re offering!
Can I use your images or Writing for something?
Yes, you can use the images and/or writing on this website for any purpose, commercial or otherwise. We only ask that you credit “Aleator Press” when doing so, ideally with a link to this website, if reasonable.
who is behind aleator press?
It’s currently just one person, proprietor James Ryan; we employ the royal ‘we.’