On writing and getting published

. 'The Hindu' carried an interview with me, there were mentions about my third book in 'The Indian Express', New Indian Express as well as India Today. (see slide show) And in the Hindustan Times today, two of my books are in the Top 10, as per the Nielsen scan.


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These days, there is this flood of mails I get. I do reply to all, even if it takes a lot of my time.(If you have written to me and not got a reply, I have probably overlooked, please resend)

But of late, I seem to be getting a whole load of mails from people who want to be published. They want me to read their work and tell them if I think they are good enough. I have time constraints due to my paid assigments (Writers have bills to pay too, folks!). I am flooded with requests from people who send me stuff they have written and some send me whole manuscripts even. Even though I would love to help, my current commitments leave me with no time to read stuff (let alone edit and assess) which readers send in.

 A whole lot of people also ask how to go about getting published. So I thought I would write a post which addresses all the questions people ask, so that next time I get a mail like this, I can simply point them to this particular post.

Here are the FAQs on getting published

1. How does one get published in India? Do you need an agent?

No, you really do not need an agent in India.
Chikki Sarkar (who was Editor in Chief of Random House India at the time) who is now with Penguin, has answered a whole lot of questions on getting published in this link.
Please read it thoroughly if you are an aspiring author.

Also check out this link:

http://www.indiahowto.com/how-to-publish-book.html

Both the above links would answer almost all questions you have about getting published in India.

2. A publisher has agreed to publish my book, but he wants me to pay X amount. Is this how it works?

No! A traditional publisher will never ask you to pay any amount! If a publisher is asking you to pay, then it is probably 'Vanity publishing'. It's really not worth it, in my opinion.

3. I have been rejected by all the top publishing houses, now I am thinking of publishing my book myself. What do you think about self-publishing?

 Here is a Superb article by Harold Underdown which tells you exactly what I think about self publishing.

4. I want to write a book. Where do I start?

Join a creative writing course.  If you are outside India, just google it and many colleges and universities offer you courses. If you are in India, this link may be useful.

5. I really appreciate your writing. Can you offer me tips on how to write better? Can you be my mentor?

For me to offer you tips on how to better your writing, I will have to study your writing in detail. For me to be your mentor, would take a whole lot of time from my daily schedule. My current commitments simply do not leave me with any time for critiquing or mentoring. I suggest you join a writers group like Caferati who have a facebook group too.

 6. I have a flair for writing and I enjoy it. What do I do next?

If you are in college, start taking part in every creative writing opportunity that comes your way. You can contribute to your college or school magazine.
If you are working, look at  your company newsletters if they have one.
Offer to write for local newspapers and magazines. (Study first what kind of articles they publish and see if your writing fits in their style.)
If you write as a hobby and want a wider audience for your work or want to see your work published consider taking part in short story competitions like this one.

7. I have been 'inspired' by ___________ and have written a similar book. What do you feel?

I truly believe that writing has to be original. You have to find your voice, your style.I am somehow against a 'copy' or a 'similar style'. Be original! Be brave! Be proud of who YOU are!


Here is a superb video which captures some hard hitting truths in a humorous way on writing a novel.

So, here you have it. I have given you all the information and all the details. Good luck with your writing! ____________________________________________________________________________________ Ps: You can interact with me on my FB page too.