Freelance writing jobs where you write short online articles or create other online content for popular websites may not be the same as getting a book published. But it can provide enough exposure for new writers to learn how to write marketable content. More like taking baby steps towards the bigger goal of having your … Read more
What’s the best way to convince a publisher that you have a platform to promote your books so they take your query letter and your book proposal seriously? ‘I used my blog to sell X hundred/thousand copies of my first book.’ What’s the next best way, if you are an unpublished author with a popular … Read more
For authors who are exploring self-publishing options, vanity publishers are waiting with their arms outstretched. But across various websites and author forums, vanity publishing started getting a bad name due to the operational model they follow. Rather than targeting the regular readers of a book, for vanity publishing companies, the primary customer is the author. … Read more
If you are a serious author, planning to approach the best literary agents in India (or Asia), you probably already have Jacaranda Literary Agency on your list. Jayapriya Vasudevan (Founder) and Priya Doraswamy (Partner) have been doing excellent work in the field and setting the standards high for others who wish to get into the … Read more
‘Print run’ is a term you’ll start hearing about, once you sign your publishing contract. It might get a small mention in the agreement, but you’ll realise how important it is for the success of your book when you really understand the implications of that number. What is a print run? In simple terms, a … Read more
In India, many leading publishers directly accept submissions from authors. They might work with literary agencies too, but that pipeline of manuscripts is hardly sufficient to keep their wheels turning throughout the year. So they open up the doors to first time authors even if it means investing more resources to evaluate the avalanche of … Read more
Like Darcie Chan, if you could spend 50,000 rupees to promote digital versions of your book and end up selling 400,000 copies, then the answer would be a resounding ‘Yes’. Wall Street Journal published Darcie’s amazing success story that is sure to encourage a whole lot of aspiring authors in India and across the globe … Read more
Several years back when I was searching for the best literary agencies in India, there were very few names to be found. There were many self-proclaimed literary agents, but the good, authentic ones were very few. After all these years, I tried searching for literary agents in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai and many other … Read more
‘Great, you are an author now! So Mr Author, when am I getting my complimentary copy? Oh c’mon, don’t act like a stingy business-man now, 1 copy won’t hurt.’ If you’ve ever said this (or might say it in the future) to your good-friend-turned-author, read on to know the truth behind ‘free’ author copies. Maybe … Read more
A good literary agent can work wonders for the author’s career but it’s very tough to locate and get one interested in your work, specially in a country like India. Outside India, however, there are many good, and many more bad and ugly literary agencies that prey upon the desperation and impatience that permeates the … Read more
If huge, mouth-watering book advances got you interested in the publishing industry, you might be in it for the wrong reasons. Most of us will never be fortunate to get a big advance for our first book. But book advances, never mind the size, will figure in your publishing contract. It wouldn’t hurt to know … Read more
I maintain 3 blogs. The first one is an MBA blog which is quite popular among Indian MBA applicants who are targeting international business schools. The second blog is based on a creative word puzzle (Onamography) that I invented. This is my third blog and focuses on helping budding writers break into the publishing industry. … Read more