The Indian publishing industry is one of the largest in the world. The industry includes an estimated 16,000 small and large publishers. A variety of books in English and over 20 regional languages are published in India, and over 100,000 titles are released every year. The current scenario in India’s publishing industry is very promising for both new and well-established authors. Here are some details on how this industry works:
1. Fast growing sector
Traditional publishing around the world is declining, with most publishers losing out to digital content. However, the publishing industry in India is going strong. It is one of the few publishing industries worldwide that is actually booming. Industry analysts say that India’s publishing industry is growing at about 25 percent annually, and was worth over $2 billion as of 2013.
2. Publishing not yet an ‘industry’
While the publishing industry in India is worth over $2 billion, and is showing fantastic growth, the publishing industry is actually not officially regulated or properly recognized yet. Publishing does not even have official ‘industry’ status and publishing companies are not eligible for corporate loans and other benefits. India’s industry body, the FICCI, is now trying to include this booming and profitable sector under its umbrella as a recognized industry. This is likely to promote further growth of the publishing sector.
3. Censorship and restriction on free speech
Despite the popularity of books in India, the publishing industry appears to have limited freedom in terms of content. It is not free from attacks by right wing activists and fundamentalists, and succumbs to pressures regarding book censorship and book recalls or banning. Earlier this year, US author Wendy Doniger’s controversial book on Hinduism was pulled off the shelves by the publisher, Penguin, following protests by activists. Penguin’s action surprised many, who expected the publisher to stand by its authors. There are similar cases throughout the publishing industry, including a case with one of the largest regional language publishers, DC Books. So, this is one area of India’s publishing industry that needs to be improved, as freedom to publish all types of content should be allowed.
4. Increasingly open to new talent
The good news is that India’s publishing companies are actively seeking and accepting new authors in India. Good writers will have much better chances of getting published in today’s publishing industry, as compared to a decade ago, when publishers were exclusive to the elite writers, aiming for serious awards rather than commercial success. This change is largely due to the recent crop of young and highly successful authors, who have significantly contributed to the growth of the publishing industry during the past few years. Bestselling Indian authors such as Chetan Bhagat, Amish Tripathi, and others have encouraged readers to prefer English language books by Indian authors, for the first time in an industry dominated by international authors.
5. Expanding into more options
Publishing companies are trying to keep up with the changing demands of India’s large number of readers of all ages and interests. Regional language books, comic books and mythology based graphic novels are all becoming more popular now. Traditional publishers are also trying to increase their reach by tapping into e-books and digital content areas. Recently, Penguin announced that it will be making e-books available for all its book releases.
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[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CS_Rajan.jpg [/author_image] [author_info]CS Rajan is a freelance writer who loves to write on various topics, and is currently working on her first novel. [/author_info] [/author]