On the last weekend of August 2026, the Kharkiv 'Literary Fair' became the venue for a meeting between readers and one of the most talked-about contemporary Ukrainian authors — Maks Kidruk. The writer, whose novels 'Koliia' (Colony) and 'Kolaps' (Collapse) became true bestsellers, and co-founder of the publishing house 'Borohatyi Tamarin' (Bearded Tamarin), spoke about his encounter with the audience, his literary preferences, and perhaps the most practical question for any aspiring author: is it possible to earn a living as a writer in Ukraine. The conversation with journalists of Wave RBC.ua took the form of a blitz and covered a wide range of topics — from favorite books to plans for the coming years.
The Philosophy of the Writer's Work and Attitude Toward Publicity
Kidruk frankly admitted that his ideal scenario is to sit at home, write books, and have nobody bother him. At the same time, he emphasized his gratitude to his readers: 'If it weren't for them, there would be no me.' An interesting nuance concerns the format of presentations: usually the author structures them as carefully staged performances, not allowing the audience to interrupt the agenda. However, it is precisely at literary fairs, in his words, that a 'cool' effect arises — a question from the audience can take the discussion in a completely unexpected direction, turning the event into a living dialogue rather than a monologue.
Literary Compass and Publishing Plans
Among Ukrainian contemporaries, Kidruk singles out Katia Babkina as a writer and Oleksandr Mykhaiev as a writer, noting that Mykhaiev is the only contemporary Ukrainian author whose books he has all of. In the world canon, his undisputed favorite is Hunter S. Thompson with 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas'; for the sake of this series he bought up the entire run of 'KultRead' from the KSD publisher. The plans of his own publishing house 'Borohatyi Tamarin' include the release of two significant books: 'Skunk Works' by Ben Rich and Leo Janos about the secret Lockheed Martin division that created the first stealth aircraft, and the memoirs of Haing Ngor, 'Fields of Death,' about a survivor of the Cambodian genocide. Kidruk humorously admitted that he was 'cheating' by naming two books from his publishing house, but added that the second one was being prepared for release by his wife, and that both are 'worth it.'
'The New Dark Ages,' World Tour, and the Question 'Who Would I Be'
Asked who he would have become if he had not become a writer, Kidruk answered with utmost honesty: 'It's hard for me to imagine... for many years now I haven't even thought about this question. This is the only thing I like to do, the only thing I'm good at, and I don't even want to think about anything else.' The nearest major plan is the completion of the large-scale project 'The New Dark Ages,' for which the author is laying down a 7–8 year timeline. At the same time, he has already begun working on new material: he sketched out ideas even before the Ukrainian tour, and after returning in May 2026 he began writing actively. In parallel, a major world tour to present 'Collapse' is being prepared, which, in his words, will also distract him from the writing process.
Can You Live on Royalties in Ukraine: An Honest Answer with Caveats
The most practical question of the blitz — earnings — Kidruk addressed with his characteristic caution. He confirmed that thanks to 'Koliia' and 'Kolaps' he earns 'far more than my comfort number,' but declined to name specific figures, explaining that 'it's not okay to level everyone to a single line': the expenses of a single man in his thirties, a single mother, and a family of five are fundamentally different. As an example of 'comfort,' he cited the ability to not limit himself when buying vinyl records — an expensive hobby that for him is a 'digital detox.' As for the possibility of living exclusively on royalties, Kidruk listed authors for whom this is a reality: Illarion Paviuk, Pavlo Derevianko, Artur Dron, Yevheniia Kuznetsova (during her work with the VSL publisher). However, he immediately caveated that his own answer 'would be unfair to other authors,' since together with his wife he is his own publisher and does not take royalties in the usual sense.
Advice for Beginners: the Foundation Is the Text
Concluding the blitz, Kidruk gave a concise but weighty piece of advice to everyone who dreams of literary success: 'Write well.' He warned against the illusion that presentations, communication with readers, and the media are the key to a career: 'All of that is dancing with a tambourine, meaningless if there is no good text behind it.' As proof, he cited the example of Pavlo Derevianko's trilogy 'The Chronicle of the Grey Order,' which first came out with another publisher and did not receive due recognition, but ultimately found its reader and became successful. 'If the text is good, it will always break through... it will get through everything, find its reader, and become successful,' the author summed up.
