”Jag har både gråtit och varit förtviflad för ’nejbrefvet’”

Amanda Hammarlund som redaktör och förlagschef betraktad genom Saga-arkivets brevsamling

Abstract

^{Theme: The Children’s Library Saga and the Swedish Teachers’ Magazine’s Publishing House. Logo: The Swedish Institute for Children's Books}

“I have both cried and been in despair over the ‘rejection letter’”: Amanda Hammarlund as Editor and Publishing Director Viewed through the Saga Archive’s Letter Collection

Amanda Hammarlund was one of the first female publishers in Swedish history and served as editor of the influential book series Barnbiblioteket Saga from 1899 to 1935. As head of the publishing house Svensk läraretidnings förlag, she played a pivotal role in shaping Swedish children’s literature in the early 20th century. Hammarlund collaborated with many of the most prominent authors and illustrators of her time. This article examines letters preserved in the Saga archive, which contains the publishing house’s surviving papers. Analyzing a selection of letters from authors and illustrators addressed to Hammarlund, the study sheds light on her editorial practices and the inner workings of the publishing process. The letters reveal the complex negotiations between Hammarlund and her collaborators and provide a new understanding of how she acted to achieve her goals. They offer evidence of her strategies, confirming but also adding nuance to her reputation as a tough negotiator. The letters also reflect her insistence on maintaining the highest possible quality in the publisher’s output. She was particularly attentive to the composition of illustrations and, as part of her vision for the finished books, often took liberties with the material that drew criticism from the authors and illustrators involved. Her high standards can be seen as an expression of a desire to protect and refine what she regarded as her life’s work. Hammarlund’s efforts constitute a significant chapter in the history of Swedish children’s literature – she helped shape it, quite literally, down to the smallest detail.