India has a lot of talented writers and is also a huge market for books, just waiting to be tapped. It is not just the English language books that sell well here, but also the many regional languages have a sustainable and ever-growing readership. In this scenario, publishing houses are also flourishing. Many first time authors try out self-publishing, but there is nothing like having the backing of a publishing house, since it can give you publicity and push your book forward. A lot of readers also trust books that are published by a renowned publishing company than those that are self published. So, it is important to know how to find and approach publishers in India.
Follow publisher blogs
Before you get published, you need to learn something about the publishing industry in the country. One good idea is to read publishing blogs that will acquaint you with the ins and outs of publishing. By regularly reading the articles, you will learn how things work in publishing and with knowledge comes both confidence and new ideas. You will understand what publishers require and what kind of works they reject. Make sure to check out publishing companies’ sites for submission guidelines and stick to them. These sites will also make you aware of the latest trends and give you some pointers on how to present yourself to both the publisher and the reader for best results.
Build up a CV
When presenting your work for publication as a new author, it is important that you have a writing résumé that showcases everything that you have ever written professionally. Publishers are typically not risk-takers, so they will avoid publishing works of people they don’t know. To build up your résumé, start writing a blog and publish short stories and articles in it. You can also enter writing contests like NaNoWriMo and the various contests for Commonwealth Foundation. The more you publish your writing work through such informal channels, the higher your chances of a publisher accepting your work.
Engage a literary agent
If you, as an author, are directly communicating with the publishers, it is possible that you are getting rejected without anyone even reading your manuscript. Some publishers do not even accept manuscripts directly from authors. In this case, it is best to find yourself a literary agent, who will do all the work for you and push your book forward with the publishers. This way, you can at least be sure that your work is reaching the publishers and they have read your manuscript. Some literary agents can be found here.
Online and offline networking
Last but not the least, it is imperative that you are not just a name hidden behind your blog. In India, the publishing industry still works mostly on personal recommendations and networking. Make use of any opportunity you get to attend literary festivals, book fairs and any other places where you are likely to meet people from the publishing industry. Get a business card printed and hand them out when you meet someone who might be able to help you. Follow up on the contact and send them emails without waiting for them to make the first move. You have to be proactive when it comes to networking.
It might be easier to write the book than to get it published, but more and more new authors are being discovered by publishing houses every year. There is every chance you might be the next!
Image credit: *saipal on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/IMG_20141217_101736441.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Kavitha is a freelance content writer and French translator, and has been working in this field since 2008. She has degrees in computer applications and international business and has a background in business and international trade. She enjoys learning languages and is currently learning Japanese. Her interests vary from books and writing to travelling and history.[/author_info] [/author]