Writer's Side - India's first manuscript assessment service

Jai Arjun Singh interviews Kanishka Gupta, a 25-year-old writer and editor, who has set up Writer's Side - India's first manuscript assessment service. For a flat fee, Writer's Side will read, critique and edit manuscripts, and recommend the good ones to publishers.

What was the genesis of Writer's Side? Why does the Indian publishing market need a service like this?

When I was working for the literary agency Siyahi, I often wondered why we had to go through a hundred manuscripts in the hope of finding one publishable one. Why not try and give exhaustive feedback (for a service fee) to writers, rather than a cold, impersonal rejection letter? I feel that a combination of editorial support along with the occasional recommending (only for really good manuscripts) would work better.

I am not happy with some Indian publishers. Innovation is zero, or close to it. The global conglomerates coming in are hardly buying books written by promising new writers; they're relying on building up book ideas conceived in-house and commissioning already established writers.

What does the first-time, inexperienced writer gain from all this?

Nothing. Writer's Side has been established to empower emerging writers and help them evolve through our several feedback options.

What is the nature of your agreements with writers? What services will you provide?

It's a simple writer-editor agreement. We don't promise publication or recommendation — we can only work on the manuscript and try to bring it to a publishable level. The rest of it depends on a particular list a publishing house is planning to expand, and, I am sorry to say, an individual editor's mood. We provide reading, critiquing, all kinds of editing — exactly what an editor at a publishing house would do.

The work you are doing — as middlemen, providing advice and guidance — is similar to that of literary agents in the West. Do you think such agents will catch on in India?

Agents take a cut in the royalties, while we charge a flat, one-time fee. In the long run, we are bound to benefit more because we don't have to waste our time on reading unpublishable manuscripts. We make money on every submission, at the same time offering the opportunity to improve it.

We need many more outfits like Writer's Side to unearth first time talent. The bigger publishers are unlikely to have the time and inclination to deal with a large number of first time authors, but there are a large number of first time authors with potential and they will only get better as they get published. It is important to build a feeder channel of authors to grow the publishing industry - after all it is the writer who is at the root of the publishing industry. I think Writer's Side has caught on to the leading edge of a trend.

Comments

[M.V.S.Rao]

Dear Sir,

I seek your guidance for my writings.
By profession I am an Architect and Interior designer, now retired from active consultancy. I am senior citizen (78 years).
I visited most of the Indian cities and visited Europe, ( UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium & Holland), USA, Dubai (UAE), Baku (Azerbaijan), Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
I took to writing five years back in Telugu language. Some of stories were published in Telugu magazines. Two of my books were published from Hyderabad.( One a volume of 3 stories, second a novel ( 470 pages ).
My preference is writing Crime fiction based stories with suspense.
I have decided and written stories in English to enlarge my readership in India. I wish to sell my stories for publishing. Most of my stories run to about 25 to 30 pages (full scape).
I wish to take your advise how to go about in my venture. If you wish I can send a story by Email. What are your charges for studying and editing (and grammatical errors corrections if any.) Do you also recommend to any good
Publishers in India.

An early reply would be appreciated.

Thanking You,

Yours Sincerely,

M.V.S.Rao

[M.V.S.Rao]

I wish to contact publishers in India for my English stories.
My Email address is, I seek response to send my stories.
I am an Architect by profession, and took to writing since 5 years. My literary ventures were in Telugu. Two of my books (Fiction) were published from Hydrabad. Now I have decided and written fiction in English.

Besides Indian cities I have visited important cities of Europe, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Singapore.
I am a senior citizen (78).

I can send my stories for scrutiny or study, from genuine publishers.

M.V.S.Rao

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