Book: How to Get Published in India
Author: Meghana Pant
Publisher: Bloomsbury India
Pages: 296;
Price: Rs 499
It is said that each one of us is a born storyteller. However, the harsh truth is that only few storytellers amongst us become good writers. Why is it so, simple — the process of publishing a book as a new author is a daunting task due to the lack of information about the process. It was this lack of information that prompted Meghna Pant to write How To Get Published in India, a book that can be called as the bible of publishing for potential authors. Pant is candid when she states that someone had given her some tips when she was starting out. The book also includes never-before collected essays from experts in their field like Jeffrey Archer, Shobhaa De, Ashwin Sanghi, Meena Kandasamy and many more.
The book is divided into four chapters. While the first three are dedicated to writing, publishing and marketing, the last chapter is a collection of some of the best authors who share their journeys and struggles. Pant has painstakingly focused on bettering one’s writing, detailing on topics ranging from grammar, language, idea, narration and more. Once you start reading, you are bound to make notes, make pencil marks and prepare a checklist of your own. One chapter also speaks about the mistakes that amateur and first time authors commit, resulting in either delaying their dreams or totally losing the plot.
A note to all the budding authors out there: Almost 95 per cent of the manuscripts are rejected by publishers. The most common reason for rejection is the quality of written work. Another reason is too many submissions in similar vein. Publishers also reject manuscripts because the writers on most occasions do not follow the submission guidelines. Writing a query letter to the publisher is an art and the tips from the book will surely help one to master it. There have been enough debates for and against the literary agent, however, it is seen that a submission from a literary agent has a slightly higher chance of clearing the slush-pile. Why? Because, the literary agent has invested hours and effort to screen these submissions.
The book busts myths and answers questions as varied as which publisher would be best for your work, where to find inspiration for a short story, how to manage your finances if you plan to write fultime, how to write a cover letter and how to successfully
promote your book. Pant rightly says that the biggest obstacle as an author is the completion of the manuscript, finding a publisher and creating a large base of reader. Throughout the book, the tone is factual and real to the very core.
Though the book has largely focused on writing in English, the area of regional languages has been touched upon. For someone who is looking forward to a career as a writer, this book is something that must not be missed.
