The Future of Independent Publishing: A Conversation with Wanderer

Independent magazines often begin as a spark of curiosity, and Wanderer is no exception. Born from a school project and fuelled by a lifelong love of making, experimenting, and storytelling, Wanderer has grown into a publication that captures creativity in motion. Each issue is designed to inspire, sometimes even prompting readers to pause mid-page and chase their own ideas. We spoke with the founder about roots, print’s quiet power, and the joy of building something that encourages people to slow down and engage with stories that matter.

Read on for our conversation with Amber, the founder and creative mind behind Wanderer magazine.

For those who haven’t picked up Wanderer before, what kind of experience can they expect from its pages?
Picking up an issue of Wanderer should leave you inspired, excited, and maybe putting it down mid read to go create something of your own. Each issue follows a central theme that acts as a lens for my own curiosity into the lives of others. Where we explore creativity, storytelling, and culture. In terms of graphics and layout, I love experimenting with design. Maybe almost too much where my assistant editor wants me to change it, but if people need to spend a little longer looking at the page to try and understand what the word is that’s kind of what I’m going for in terms of our readers’ experience.

In what ways do your roots, however you define them, find their way into your daily life or work?
I’ve always been a curious and creative person. I started selling handmade accessories when I was nine years old. I would sell them at school and would even make them part of my school uniform. From there it grew into jewellery-making when I was about 12, then photography, and eventually into Wanderer, which actually began as my end-of-school project. In terms of those roots–being constantly curious, making things with my hands, and following creative impulses–are still at the heart of everything I do today. They’ve shaped the way I see the world, and that naturally flows into the magazine.

Do you think creativity thrives more in familiarity or in difference? Why?
I think it depends on the context. In terms of Wanderer, I often find it easier to interview people when there’s a sense of creative familiarity. Shared practices or experiences create a natural connection, and that makes it easier to dig deeper into someone’s story. That said, difference also has its place, challenging me to expand my perspective and notice things I might otherwise miss. Also, being able to learn something new or understand someone’s personal story and perspective to mine is something so interesting to me. But I do feel between all creatives there is a sense of familiarity between everyone.

“Shared practices or experiences create a natural connection, and that makes it easier to dig deeper into someone’s story.”

What part of working on Wanderer feels the most rewarding—and what makes it so meaningful to you?
There are so many parts I love. Talking to people and hearing what inspires them is endlessly fascinating. I also really enjoy the design side, piecing the magazine together visually, taking photos, and writing. And working with my team is the best, we have so much fun.

“But if I had to choose, the most meaningful part is just sharing people’s stories. That’s what drives me, giving a platform to voices and ideas that deserve to be seen and heard.”

We both share a love for independent print in a world that often favours fast content. What draws you to keep telling stories on paper—and where do you see print’s quiet power heading next?
Holding paper and being able to sit and absorb people’s stories by looking at words and images on a page way just feels so innately personal and real. Absorbing any tangible medium is the way it’s made to be. Taking photos has more of a personal and real feeling on film, because that’s the way a camera was initially made, same goes for vinyl, it sounds better. Also, the thing of collecting tangible things, building your own catalogue in real life is way better than having a bunch of files in a cloud or stream.

“As for where print is heading, I honestly think people are going to get tired of the endless stream of content they don’t really care about. Print is a highly curated medium, everything on the page has been considered. I believe people will gravitate back to that, and I hope Wanderer can be part of that shift.”

Has there been a moment working on Wanderer that felt like a turning point—or a moment where you thought, ‘Yes, this is why we do it’?
Every time we put out a new issue and see the response, it reminds us instantly. For me personally though, having a reason to reach out to people whose work I love or who really inspire me in the creative industries is really confirming that’s why we do it. As for a big turning point, it’s hard to pinpoint one. The magazine has grown in such an organic, step-by-step kind of way. Each issue teaches us something new, pushes us a little further, and builds on the last. The growth has been steady, but meaningful.

When you think about the future of Wanderer, what do you hope it grows into—and what do you imagine will help carry it there?
I would love for Wanderer to become my full-time job, and for it to support my team in that way too. I see us travelling, expanding our reach, and producing more than one issue a year. I think the path forward is to keep doing what we’re doing. To get us there I think like I said earlier will be just keep doing what we’re doing and keep learning, getting better, getting bigger and then we look up it will be there. I’m so passionate about this magazine, that I think it will inevitably lead itself to becoming a thing more people will know about. I think if we keep nurturing it, it will continue to grow into something more people will connect with.

At its heart, Wanderer is more than a magazine, it’s a reminder of why print endures. Every issue is a carefully crafted collection of voices, images, and ideas that encourage readers to connect, create, and reflect. With steady growth, a passionate team, and an unwavering belief in the value of tangible storytelling, Wanderer is carving out its place in the future of independent publishing. And if the founder’s vision is anything to go by, this journey is only just beginning.

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