poetry / prose / interdisciplinary projects / anthologies

Creating new possibilities in the publishing of fiction and poetry through a flexible, interdisciplinary approach and the production of unique and beautiful books.

Fatherhood is the debut novel from award-winning poet Caleb Klaces, combining prose and poetry in a work of verse fiction.

Moving between history, memory and autobiography, its shifting form captures a life and language split open by fatherhood. An experiment in rewriting masculinity, it asks how bodies can share both a house and a planet.

‘A brilliant, charming, and weirdly alarming poem-novel about the time-bending strangeness of being a parent. I love Caleb Klaces’ writing.’ – Max Porter

Established in 2019 to continue and develop the work begun by Test Centre, Prototype is an independent publisher working across genres and disciplines, committed to discovering and sharing work that exists outside the mainstream. Each publication is unique in its form and presentation, and the aesthetic of each object is considered critical to its production. Test Centre’s back catalogue is the foundation of Prototype's future archive, with all past publications available here.

(type 1 // poetry)

Type 1 is the foundation upon which Prototype has been built. From debut collections to resurrected manuscripts and works in translation, our aim is to discover poetry which is ambitious, unafraid, expansive and free, and our books are liberated from formal restrictions.

(type 2 // prose)

Type 2 encompasses an evolving range of prose works, from novels to short story collections, and those works less easily defined by genre but using prose as their medium. It takes a broad and open-minded approach to the various forms taken by experimental fiction.

(type 3 // interdisciplinary projects)

Type 3 is the natural evolution of the flexible approach we take to poetry and prose. A response to the exciting and necessary demand for interdisciplinary and collaborative publications which require new and innovative ways of thinking about writing and publishing.

(type 4 // anthologies)

Type 4 is the home of prototype, an anthology of new work published once a year, capturing that year’s activity and looking ahead at what’s to come. It is also a space for commissioning and inviting anthologies of original works of prose, poetry and collaborative artforms.