The event brought together Puerto Rican publishers and authors to connect students with the editorial process and foster new literary voices from the university.
By Brenda Figueroa Gómez
Journalism student
The School of Arts, Design, and Creative Industries (EADIC, per its Spanish acronym) held the fourth edition of Editorial Nights, an event that connects the university with Puerto Rico’s publishing industry.
Mara Pastor Rodríguez, Ph.D., Academic Leader for Creative Writing and Literature, explained that the purpose of the event is to bring students closer to the publishing world from a practical and educational perspective.
“Through these events, we aim for students to gain firsthand knowledge of publishing houses, their processes, and the book industry as a whole,” she said.
Pastor Rodríguez added that these initiatives are directly integrated into the academic curriculum through courses related to management, entrepreneurship, and the publishing landscape, helping bridge theory and practice. She also emphasized that these gatherings foster skills such as communication, critical thinking, and reflection on social justice within the literary field.
The event featured Sergio Gutiérrez Negrón and Juanluís Ramos, editors from the publishing house La Pequeña, who shared their experience managing independent publishing projects and their commitment to contemporary Puerto Rican literature.
“Independent publishing projects open pathways for emerging writers and sustain a literary conversation that engages with our reality,” said Gutiérrez Negrón, highlighting the importance of creating editorial spaces that amplify new voices.
Ramos, meanwhile, emphasized the value of collective work within the publishing ecosystem. “The editorial process is not individual; it is a collaborative effort that requires community, discipline, and a clear vision of what one wants to communicate,” he noted.
Writers Franco Félix and Lorena Franco also participated in the event, presenting their books Tito Rojas ha muerto and Del huerto una cicatriz, respectively.
“Writing is a way of observing the country from different angles, questioning it, and narrating it through everyday life,” Félix emphasized, underscoring the importance of writing as a tool for interpreting reality.
Franco, meanwhile, spoke about the connection between literature and personal experience: “My writing comes from the need to understand the dynamics around us and to give them a voice from an intimate and critical perspective.”
Students who attended highlighted the positive impact of these spaces on their academic and creative development, as they expose them to new ideas that enrich the literary creation process.
Aligned with EADIC’s mission to foster creative collaboration, Editorial Nights has become a space for exchanging experiences, knowledge, and voices that help bridge the gap between students and Puerto Rico’s literary sector.