#literary agents India

[thereadingbud]

Preparing Your Manuscript for Pitching to Indian Agents: A Guide for Indian and NRI Authors

In the competitive world of publishing, preparing your manuscript for pitching to literary agents is crucial. For Indian authors and Non-Resident Indian (NRI) authors looking to break into the Indian publishing market, understanding the nuances of this process can make all the difference. As a developmental Editor with over a decade of experience in the Indian publishing industry, I’ve seen…

[mariacallous]

If you were asked to guess which prestigious film-making duo had spent their career scratching around desperately for cash, trying to wriggle out of paying their cast and crew, ping-ponging between lovers, and having such blood-curdling bust-ups that their neighbours called the police, it might be some time before “Merchant Ivory” sprang to mind. But a new warts-and-all documentary about the Indian producer Ismail Merchant and the US director James Ivory makes it clear that the simmering passions in their films, such as the EM Forster trilogy of A Room With a View, Maurice and Howards End, were nothing compared to the scalding, volatile ones behind the camera.

From their initial meeting in New York in 1961 to Merchant’s death during surgery in 2005, the pair were as inseparable as their brand name, with its absence of any hyphen or ampersand, might suggest. Their output was always more eclectic than they got credit for. They began with a clutch of insightful Indian-set dramas including Shakespeare-Wallah, their 1965 study of a troupe of travelling actors, featuring a young, pixieish Felicity Kendal. From there, they moved on to Savages, a satire on civilisation and primitivism, and The Wild Party, a skewering of 1920s Hollywood excess that pipped Damien Chazelle’s Babylon to the post by nearly half a century.

It was in the 1980s and early 1990s, though, that Merchant Ivory became box-office titans, cornering the market in plush dramas about repressed Brits in period dress. Those literary adaptations launched the careers of Hugh Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Rupert Graves and Julian Sands, and helped make stars of Emma Thompson and Daniel Day-Lewis. Most were scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who had been with them, on and off, since their 1963 debut The Householder; she even lived in the same apartment building in midtown New York. Many were scored by Richard Robbins, who was romantically involved with Merchant while also holding a candle for Bonham Carter. These films restored the costume drama to the position it had occupied during David Lean’s heyday. The roaring trade in Jane Austen adaptations might never have happened without them. You could even blame Merchant Ivory for Bridgerton.

Though the pictures were uniformly pretty, making them was often ugly. Money was always scarce. Asked where he would find the cash for the next movie, Merchant replied: “Wherever it is now.” After Jenny Beavan and John Bright won an Academy Award for the costumes in A Room With a View, he said:“I got you your Oscar. Why do I need to pay you?” As Ivory was painstakingly composing each shot, Merchant’s familiar, booming battle cry would ring out: “Shoot, Jim, shoot!”

Heat and Dust, starring Julie Christie, was especially fraught. Only 30 or 40% of the budget was in place by the time the cameras started rolling in India in 1982; Merchant would rise at dawn to steal the telegrams from the actors’ hotels so they didn’t know their agents were urging them to down tools. Interviewees in the documentary concede that the producer was a “conman” with a “bazaar mentality”. But he was also an incorrigible charmer who dispensed flattery by the bucketload, threw lavish picnics, and wangled entrées to magnificent temples and palaces. “You never went to bed without dreaming of ways to kill him,” says one friend, the journalist Anna Kythreotis. “But you couldn’t not love him.”

Stephen Soucy, who directed the documentary, doesn’t soft-pedal how wretched those sets could be. “Every film was a struggle,” he tells me. “People were not having a good time. Thompson had a huge fight with Ismail on Howards End because she’d been working for 13 days in a row, and he tried to cancel her weekend off. Gwyneth Paltrow hated every minute of making Jefferson in Paris. Hated it! Laura Linney was miserable on The City of Your Final Destination because the whole thing was a shitshow. But you watch the films and you see no sense of that.”

Soucy’s movie features archive TV clips of the duo bickering even in the midst of promoting a film. “Oh, they were authentic all right,” he says. “They clashed a lot.”The authenticity extended to their sexuality. The subject was not discussed publicly until after Ivory won an Oscar for writing Call Me By Your Name: “You have to remember that Ismail was an Indian citizen living in Bombay, with a deeply conservative Muslim family,” Ivory told me in 2018. But the pair were open to those who knew them. “I never had a sense of guilt,” Ivory says, pointing out that the crew on The Householder referred to him and Merchant as “Jack and Jill”.

Soucy had already begun filming his documentary when Ivory published a frank, fragmentary memoir, Solid Ivory, which dwells in phallocentric detail on his lovers before and during his relationship with Merchant, including the novelist Bruce Chatwin. It was that book which emboldened Soucy to ask questions on screen – including about “the crazy, complicated triangle of Jim, Ismail and Dick [Robbins]” – that he might not otherwise have broached.

The documentary is most valuable, though, in making a case for Ivory as an underrated advocate for gay representation. The Remains of the Day, adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s Booker-winning novel about a repressed butler, may be the duo’s masterpiece, but it was their gay love story Maurice that was their riskiest undertaking. Set in the early 20th century, its release in 1987 could scarcely have been timelier: it was the height of the Aids crisis, and only a few months before the Conservative government’s homophobic Section 28 became law.

“Ismail wasn’t as driven as Jim to make Maurice,” explains Soucy. “And Ruth was too busy to write it. But Jim’s dogged determination won the day. They’d had this global blockbuster with A Room With a View, and he knew it could be now or never. People would pull aside Paul Bradley, the associate producer, and say: ‘Why are they doing Maurice when they could be making anything?’ I give Jim so much credit for having the vision and tenacity to make sure the film got made.”

Merchant Ivory don’t usually figure in surveys of queer cinema, though they are part of its ecosystem, and not only because of Maurice. Ron Peck, who made the gay classic Nighthawks, was a crew member on The Bostonians. Andrew Haigh, director of All of Us Strangers, landed his first industry job as a poorly paid assistant in Merchant’s Soho office in the late 1990s; in Haigh’s 2011 breakthrough film Weekend, one character admits to freeze-framing the naked swimming scene in A Room With a View to enjoy “Rupert Graves’s juddering cock”. Merchant even offered a role in Savages to Holly Woodlawn, the transgender star of Andy Warhol’s Trash, only for her to decline because the fee was so low.

The position of Merchant Ivory at the pinnacle of British cinema couldn’t last for ever. Following the success of The Remains of the Day, which was nominated for eight Oscars, the brand faltered and fizzled. Their films had already been dismissed by the director Alan Parker as representing “the Laura Ashley school” of cinema. Gary Sinyor spoofed their oeuvre in the splendid pastiche Stiff Upper Lips (originally titled Period!), while Eric Idle was plotting his own send-up called The Remains of the Piano. The culture had moved on.

There was still an appetite for upper-middle-class British repression, but only if it was funny: Richard Curtis drew on some of Merchant Ivory’s repertory company of actors (Grant, Thompson, Simon Callow) for a run of hits beginning with Four Weddings and a Funeral, which took the poshos out of period dress and plonked them into romcoms.

The team itself was splintering. Merchant had begun directing his own projects. When he and Ivory did collaborate, the results were often unwieldy, lacking the stabilising literary foundation of their best work. “Films like Jefferson in Paris and Surviving Picasso didn’t come from these character-driven novels like Forster, James or Ishiguro,” notes Soucy. “Jefferson and Picasso were not figures that audiences warmed to.” Four years after Merchant’s death, Ivory’s solo project The City of Your Final Destination became mired in lawsuits, including one from Anthony Hopkins for unpaid earnings.

Soucy’s film, though, is a reminder of their glory days. It may also stoke interest in the movies among young queer audiences whose only connection to Ivory, now 95, is through Call Me By Your Name. “People walk up to Jim in the street to shake his hand and thank him for Maurice,” says Soucy. “But I also wanted to include the more dysfunctional side of how they were made. Hopefully it will be inspiring to young film-makers to see that great work can come out of chaos.”

[starswallowingsea]

trying to pick out my next book to read at the lighthouse (for all of one day...) i'll put summaries and whatnot below

Double Exposure: David Toland, a decorated Korean War veteran, has done all he can to leave a life of combat behind. Now Director of Preservation for the Library of Congress's National Film Archive, Toland has made it his mission to preserve what he loves most: the Golden Age of American cinema, moving pictures full of romance, adventure and American Dream. That is, until CIA Agent Lana Welles drops in unannounced with a film canister, smuggled over the Berlin Wall at great cost, that may prove WWII never really ended--it just went underground. David reluctantly agrees to serve his country one last time and help recover the film for Lana and the CIA. But it seems not everyone is as eager as they are to dig up the past. David and Lana's discovery awakens shadowy forces who will do anything to keep their findings a secret. In search of the truth, David and Lana find themselves pursued across the globe in a cat and mouse game with enormous, world-altering consequences.

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line: Down market lanes crammed with too many people, dogs, and rickshaws, past stalls that smell of cardamom and sizzling oil, below a smoggy sky that doesn’t let through a single blade of sunlight, and all the way at the end of the Purple metro line lies a jumble of tin-roofed homes where nine-year-old Jai lives with his family. From his doorway, he can spot the glittering lights of the city’s fancy high-rises, and though his mother works as a maid in one, to him they seem a thousand miles away. Jai drools outside sweet shops, watches too many reality police shows, and considers himself to be smarter than his friends Pari (though she gets the best grades) and Faiz (though Faiz has an actual job). When a classmate goes missing, Jai decides to use the crime-solving skills he has picked up from TV to find him. He asks Pari and Faiz to be his assistants, and together they draw up lists of people to interview and places to visit. But what begins as a game turns sinister as other children start disappearing from their neighborhood. Jai, Pari, and Faiz have to confront terrified parents, an indifferent police force, and rumors of soul-snatching djinns. As the disappearances edge ever closer to home, the lives of Jai and his friends will never be the same again. Drawing on real incidents and a spate of disappearances in metropolitan India.

The History of Bees: In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees, to their children, and to one another against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis. England, 1852. William is a biologist and seed merchant who sets out to build a new type of beehive, one that will give both him and his children honor and fame.

[reasoningdaily]

King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa

King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa

In the late 1890s, Edmund Dene Morel, a young British shipping company agent, noticed something strange about the cargoes of his company's ships as they arrived from and departed for the Congo, Leopold II's vast new African colony. Incoming ships were crammed with valuable ivory and rubber. Outbound ships carried little more than soldiers and firearms.

Correctly concluding that only slave labor on a vast scale could account for these cargoes, Morel resigned from his company and almost singlehandedly made Leopold's slave-labor regime the premier human rights story in the world. Thousands of people packed hundreds of meetings throughout the United States and Europe to learn about Congo atrocities. Two courageous black Americans - George Washington Williams and William Sheppard - risked much to bring evidence to the outside world. Roger Casement, later hanged by Britain as a traitor, conducted an eye-opening investigation of the Congo River stations.

Sailing into the middle of the story was a young steamboat officer named Joseph Conrad. And looming over all was Leopold II, King of the Belgians, sole owner of the only private colony in the world.

Reviewer Comment:

This is a tragic history of the Belgian Congo at the turn of the 19th century as the Scramble for Africa began. Adam Hochschild is an American writer and journalist for the New Yorker, NY Times, NY Review of Books and Times Literary Supplement. His work has combined history with human rights advocacy. The events in this book are a shameful chapter in the era of colonialism, of which there were many. It is portrait of Leopold likely to inspire loathing in any who reads it. Beside an account of a colony, it archives the lives of activists who fought to free it. In 1482 Portuguese sailors braved the ocean beyond the Canary Islands and discovered a fresh water flow off the coast of Central Africa. Following a silt trail, fighting a fast current, they found the mouth of a vast river. Nine years later priests and emissaries arrived and began the first European settlement in a black African kingdom. Small scale slavery existed but a booming slave trade developed with the Americas to grow cotton and cane. During the 19th century slavery was abolished in Britain and America yet continued in Afro-Arab commerce. Leopold II (1835-1909) was the King of the Belgians and obsessed with obtaining colonies. He studied records of conquistadores in Seville, sailed to India, Ceylon, Burma and Java noting lucrative concerns. Plantations depended on forced labor to lift profits and civilize the lazy natives. He looked at land in Brazil, Argentina, Phillipines and Taiwan. Frustrated in these attempts he focused his sights on Africa. Humanitarian pretenses of freeing Africa from slavery and bringing enlightenment to the Dark Continent disguised his dreams of ivory and rubber.

Henry Morton Stanley led a Dickensonian life. Abandoned to a poorhouse as a child he sailed to America and became a soldier in the Civil War, first for the Confederacy and then for the Union. He became a newspaper correspondent and tracked down explorer David Livingstone during his search for the source of the Nile. Returning to Africa in 1874 to map the waterways of the interior he discovered the source of the Congo River. Upon reaching the Atlantic he was hired by Leopold to establish trading posts and railroads and force tribal leaders to cede land. King Leopold and an American ambassador formed fake philanthropic associations for evangelism and scientific study of the region. In 1884 he lobbied the US to recognize the Congo Free State, in reality a colony owned by himself. Post-Civil War politicians were interested in sending freed slaves back to Africa. The area annexed was as large as the land east of the Mississippi while Belgium was half the size of West Virginia. In diplomatic deals France and Germany fell into line and Britain became invested. The challenge was to carry steamboats over the falls. By 1890 trading stations had been secured. Elephants were hunted by conscripted natives or their ivory simply seized. Vacant land was leased to private companies with shares of the profit retained. Legions of Africans were used as porters through jungles chained by the neck. So many were needed agents began to purchase them from the slave traders they purported to abolish. Security officers of the Free State were Europeans, half from Belgium, with soldiers drawn from the Congo. They chose to join the conquerors, their spears and muskets no match for machine guns. Leopold's agents set up orphanages run by Catholic missions to train future troops. Captured women were kept in harems by agents or held hostage to coerce their men to harvest rubber. Discipline was enforced with the whip and counted in severed hands of dead rebels. To exact penalties entire villages were often burned down. The human toll over a quarter century is not known for certain but is estimated at 10 million, or half of the population. The causes included murder, starvation and disease (due to inhuman working conditions) and lowered birth rates. Joseph Conrad was briefly a steamboat pilot on the Congo, his novel 'Heart of Darkness' a depiction of what he saw. Displays of decapitated heads were not only a metaphorical critique of colonialism. Black Americans G.W. Williams, a polymath, and W.H. Sheppard, a missionary, exposed the conditions in 1890. Few voices of natives were recorded but are included where possible. In 1898 British shipping clerk E. D. Morel and Irish diplomat R. Casement suspected forced labor and began campaigns. Mark Twain and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote exposés on Leopold. As opinion turned Leopold waged propaganda wars. Self-appointed commission reports criticized his regime. The only option was to sell Congo to Belgium; self rule was unthinkable. In 1908 Leopold was given a billion dollar bonus and billions remained in his name. Wild rubber was replaced with farms. Atrocities declined but forced labor persisted. Head taxes kept people in plantations and mines before independence in 1960. PM Lumumba, seen as hostile to business, was shot with Belgian and US assistance and replaced by kleptocrat Mobuto until 1997.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS BOOK FROM THE BLACK TRUEBRARY

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"In the hands of some of its most able practitioners, postcolonial scholarship is a potent means of exploring the reworking ("provincializing") of European thought at and for the margins of empire (Chakrabarty 2000, 16). However, most postcolonial scholarship is written out of British or American universities and emanates from the heart of a recently superceded empire or of a recently ascendant one that hesitates to acknowledge its own imperial background. American postcolonial scholarship is not preoccupied with America (Hulme 1995; Thomas 1994172-73). In the background of such scholarship are European theorists, particularly Foucault, Derrida, and Gramsci; in the foreground, European colonial thought and culture. In these circumstances, as many have pointed out, it tends to be Eurocentric - or as the Australian anthropologist Patrick Wolfe puts it, occidocentric (1999,1). So positioned, it is well placed to comment on the imperial mind in its large diversity, and even - especially in the hands of scholars like Homi Bhabha and Dipesh Chakrabarty who grew up in former colonies - on the ways in which European thought has been inflected and hybridized by its colonial encounters, but not on the diverse, on-the-ground workings of colonialism in colonized spaces around the world. A central claim of the distinguished Indian subaltern historian, Ranajit Guha, is that if British historical writing on the subcontinent reveals something of Britain and the Raj, it reveals nothing of India (1997). Somewhat similar criticisms have been made of much of the postcolonial literature: that it (or parts of it) anticipates a radically restructured European historiography, that it allows for nothing outside the (European) discourse of colonialism, that it is yet another exercise in metatheory and in European universalism (e.g., Slemon 1994; McClintock 1994). As the literary theorist Benita Parry puts it, the postcolonial emphasis on language and texts tends to offer "the World according to the Word" (1997, 12)-and the word tends to be European. But unless it can be shown that colonialism is entirely constituted by European colonial culture (a proposition for which it is hard to imagine any convincing evidence unless the concept of culture is understood so broadly that it loses any analytical value), then studies of colonial discourse, written from the center, must be a very partial window on the workings of colonialism.

...

But if the aim is to understand colonialism rather than the workings of the imperial mind, then it would seem essential to investigate the sites where colonialism was actually practiced. Its effects were displayed there. The strategies and tactics on which it relied were actualized there. There, in the detail of colonial dispossessions and repossessions, the relative weight of different agents of colonial power may begin to be assessed. If colonialism is the object of investigation, then the sparse Canadian Shield is promising terrain. It was not detached from London, of course, and may have been profoundly influenced by elements of imperial thought and culture, but the extent of this influence cannot be ascertained in London. Rather, I think, one needs to study the colonial site itself, assess the displacements that took place there, and seek to account for them. To do so is to position studies of colonialism in the actuality and materiality of colonial experience. As that experience comes into focus, its principal causes are to be assessed, among which may well be something like the culture of imperialism. To proceed the other way around is to impose a form of intellectual imperialism on the study of colonialism, a tendency to which the postcolonial literature inclines.

The experienced materiality of colonialism is grounded, as many have noted, in dispossessions and repossessions of land. Even Edward Said (for all his emphasis on literary texts) described the essence of colonialism this way:

Underlying social space are territories, land, geographical domains, the actual geographical underpinnings of the imperial, and also the cultural contest. To think about distant places, to colonize them, to populate or depopulate them: all of this occurs on, about, or because of land. The actual geographical possession of land is what empire in the final analysis is all about (1994, 78).

Frantz Fanon held that colonialism created a world "divided into compartments," a "narrow world strewn with prohibitions," a "world without spaciousness." He maintained that a close examination of "this system of compartments" would "reveal the lines of force it implies." Moreover, "this approach to the colonial world, its ordering and its geographical layout will allow us to mark out the lines on which a decolonized society will be reorganized" (1963, 37-40).

Along the edge of empire that was early-modern British Columbia, colonialism's "geographical layout" was primarily expressed in a reserve (reservation) system that allocated a small portion of the land to native people and opened the rest for development. Native people were in the way, their land was coveted, and settlers took it. The line between the reserves and the rest-between the land set aside for the people who had lived there from time immemorial and land made available in.various tenures to immigrants became the primary line on the map of British Columbia. Eventually, there were approximately 1,500 small reserves, slightly more than a third of 1 percent of the land of the province. Native people had been placed in compartments by an aggressive settler society that, like others of its kind, was far more interested in native land than in the surplus value of native labor (Wolfe 1999, 1-3)."

- Cole Harris, "How Did Colonialism Dispossess? Comments from an Edge of Empire," Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 94, No. 1 (Mar., 2004), p. 166-167.

[walkawaytall]

For the top 3 ask game - any of these? Throwing out a bunch in case of duplicates:

33, 45, 54, and/or 57?

You're the only one to send an ask so far, so I'll tackle them all!

33. Top 3 things you’d buy if you gained three million dollars

Okay, this is selfish and I don't know if it counts as buying something, but I would have just every medical test done. Like, I occasionally fantasize about being able to just...I don't know, be put in a coma for like a week or something while every specialist that exists runs every test that makes sense to run so they can figure out what the hell is wrong with my body. I understand that what I'm describing is basically a medical version of the plot of Severance, and that's super messed up, but also, I am tired of medical testing and I want answers.

Also, one of my besties has a whole gaggle of kids and a very small house and they need more space, so if I could just give them a house or something? That'd be rad.

And...paying for a literary agent? I'm still playing very loosey-goosey here with the definition of "buy", but since I would love to just write for a living and having three million dollars at my disposal would mean I could maybe just do that without worrying about traditional work, hiring an agent for the novels I haven't quite finished would be cool.

45. Top 3 things you hope to accomplish in college

Literally just graduate at this point. I don't care about my GPA. I don't care about making connections with anyone. It's an online school, I'm 36, and I'm majoring in the job I've had for half a decade. I want to graduate so I can go, "More money, please!" and get paid a higher rate than I currently am doing the exact same work all because I now have a piece of paper saying I'm good at school.

I have a very cynical view of the level of importance our society places on higher education for careers that do not require it can you tell.

54. Top 3 types of foreign food

I'm...kind of going broad here and just listing varieties, not specific dishes?

Thai

Indian (I know India is huge and I could get into regions, I guess, but I've never had an Indian dish -- whether it was while I was in Chennai or stateside -- that I haven't liked)

Mexican (like...Mexican...not so much Tex-Mex. It has its place, but...Mexican)

57. Top 3 cheesy romance movies

The Holiday

The Princess Bride

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Top 3!

[spider-xan]

Do you think Nemo would be better as a "villain" for the League rather than a member?

Honestly, yeah, I think so!

While I do think the film at least tried to come up with a plausible reason for why he would join the League when it was seemingly headed by the British government by focusing on the world war aspect - the film novelization and possibly a deleted scene goes further by including possible negotiations for India's independence - I always thought Nemo's inclusion in the League for both media, but especially the comics, relied too heavily on the Doylist reasoning that ofc you have to have Nemo on a superhero team made up of 19th century Western European literary characters bc he is THE fantastical scientist character of the era; from a Watsonian perspective though, it doesn't make much sense for a diehard anti-imperialist freedom fighter to ally with the very empire that destroyed his family and colonized his people and others, and I never liked the 'wanted another adventure' motivation in the comics or Nemo deciding anti-colonial violence was evil in the movie.

Now obviously, if you are going to write Nemo as the 'villain', you have to be very careful and deliberate about the narrative framing where ofc from the perspective of the British Empire and the comics as in-universe imperial propaganda, the League is heroic while Nemo is the villain, but anyone with any moral sense would see through the framing and recognize that Nemo is actually the hero fighting against agents of imperialism and colonialism.

[mahendrareddy6595]

Illuminating Literary Pathways: MA Quest for English Creative Excellence

The Master of Arts in Creative Writing is a pursuit that offers much more than just mastery over the written word. It is an exploration into the art of storytelling, a journey that hones one's ability to convey emotions, ideas, and narratives in compelling ways. At Alliance University, the MA in Creative Writing and English is structured to provide students with the skills, knowledge, and creative tools they need to become proficient writers. Through a carefully designed curriculum, students are able to explore the nuances of English creative writing, while receiving critical feedback to refine their craft.

The Power of Combining English and Creative Writing

The fusion of English with creative writing allows students to not only delve into great literary works but also develop their own voice. The master of arts in creative writing program at Alliance University emphasizes both theoretical and practical aspects of writing, from learning how to analyze classic and contemporary literature to producing original creative works. The program nurtures creativity while encouraging a deep understanding of the various literary forms, including poetry, fiction, and non-fiction.

Key components of the MA in Creative Writing include:

- Fiction and Narrative Development: This course encourages students to create engaging stories, developing characters, plots, and settings that resonate with readers.

- Poetry: Students learn about the intricacies of rhythm, meter, and structure in poetic forms, while also experimenting with their own poetic expression.

- Creative Non-fiction: This genre allows students to write essays, memoirs, and personal narratives that tell true stories with the creativity of fiction.

Career Possibilities After Completing a Creative Writing Degree

A masters degree in creative writing offers various career paths, including:

- Author: Writing novels, short stories, or poetry for publication.

- Content Writer: Crafting engaging content for blogs, websites, or digital marketing platforms.

- Editor: Working with publishing houses or digital content providers to refine and polish written content.

- Screenwriter: Writing scripts for films, television, or online platforms.

- Creative Writing Instructor: Teaching writing skills to students in universities, schools, or creative workshops.

Graduates from the program can also pursue careers in journalism, publishing, and other fields that require advanced writing and communication skills. 

Why Choose Alliance University?

Alliance University is regarded as one of the best universities for MA English in India. The program provides students with an enriching educational experience through a combination of rigorous coursework and hands-on writing practice. Here are some reasons why it is considered one of the best MA English colleges in India:

1. Experienced Faculty: The faculty includes experienced writers and academics who guide students through the creative process and help them develop their craft.

2. Comprehensive Curriculum: With a focus on creative writing and literature, students gain a strong foundation in both theory and practice. This balanced approach ensures they are well-prepared for a variety of professional writing careers.

3. Industry Connections: The program offers opportunities for networking with literary agents, publishers, and editors, helping students find pathways into the publishing industry.

4. Diverse Learning Opportunities: The university fosters a collaborative and supportive learning environment, where students can freely share their creative ideas and receive feedback from their peers and mentors.

Creative Writing Courses in India

India has a growing market for creative writing, and many institutions offer high-quality creative writing courses. Some of the best colleges for MA English in India offer specialized courses in creative writing, providing students with the opportunity to learn from accomplished writers and participate in writing workshops.

The MA in Creative Writing in India provides students with a platform to explore their creativity and express their stories, while also preparing them for the challenges of the writing profession. Whether writing for publication or teaching creative writing, students of the program are equipped with the necessary skills to excel in the literary world.

Best Universities for Masters in English Literature in India

In addition to creative writing, many of the best universities for MA English in India also offer comprehensive programs in English literature. These programs typically focus on analyzing classic and contemporary literary works, studying literary theory, and exploring different historical periods of literature. Students often have the opportunity to specialize in areas such as postcolonial literature, gender studies, or comparative literature.

Conclusion

The MA in Creative Writing and English at Alliance University is a comprehensive program designed to nurture creative talent and produce skilled writers. With a focus on both theory and practice, students gain a deeper understanding of storytelling and literary analysis, while also developing the ability to create original works of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. Recognized as one of the best MA English colleges in India, Alliance University offers students the opportunity to refine their writing, expand their literary knowledge, and embark on successful careers in the world of creative writing and literature.

[mightyflamethrower]

After a recent summit between new partners China and Russia, General Secretary Xi Jinping and Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin issued an odd one-sentence communique: “There can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be fought.”

No one would disagree, even though several officials of both hypocritical governments have previously threatened their neighbors with nuclear attacks.

But still, why did the two feel the need to issue such a terse statement—and why now?

Rarely has the global rhetoric of mass annihilation reached such a crescendo as the present, as existential wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza.

In particular, Putin at least believes that he is finally winning the Ukraine conflict. Xi seems to assume that conventional ascendant Chinese military power in the South China Sea has finally made the absorption of Taiwan practicable.

They both believe that the only impediment to their victories would be an intervention from the U.S. and the NATO alliance, a conflict that could descend into mutual threats to resort to nuclear weapons.

Thus the recent warnings of Xi and Putin.

Almost monthly, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un continues his weary threats to use his nuclear arsenal to destroy South Korea or Japan.

A similarly monotonous, pro-Hamas Turkish president, Recep Erdogan, regularly threatens Armenians with crazy talk of repeating the “mission of our grandfathers.” And he occasionally warns Israelis and Greeks that they may one day wake up to Turkish missiles raining down upon their cities.

More concretely, for the first time in history, Iran attacked the homeland of Israel. It launched the largest wartime array of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and drones in modern history—over 320 projectiles.

Iran’s theocrats simultaneously claim they are about ready to produce nuclear weapons. And, of course, since 1979, Iran has periodically promised to wipe Israel off the map and half the world’s Jews with it.

Most ignore these crazy threats and write them off as the braggadocio of dictators. But as we saw on October 7, the barbarity of human nature has not changed much from the premodern world, whether defined by savage beheading, mutilations, murdering, mass rape, torture, and hostage taking of Israeli elderly, women, and children.

But what has radically transformed are the delivery systems of mass death—nuclear weapons, chemical gases, biological agents, and artificial-intelligence-driven delivery systems.

Oddly, the global reaction to the promise of Armageddon remains one of nonchalance. Most feel that such strongmen rant wildly but would never unleash weapons of civilizational destruction.

Consider that there are as many autocratic nuclear nations (e.g., Russia, China, Pakistan, North Korea, and perhaps Iran) as democratic ones (U.S., Britain, France, Israel, and India). Only Israel has an effective anti-ballistic missile dome. And the more the conventional power of the West declines, the more in extremis it will have to rely on a nuclear deterrent—at a time when it has no effective missile defense of its homelands.

In a just-released book, The End of Everything, I wrote about four examples of annihilation—the classical city-state of Thebes, ancient Carthage, Byzantine Constantinople and Aztec Tenochtitlán—in which the unimaginable became all too real.

In all these erasures, the targeted, naïve states believed that their illustrious pasts, rather than a realistic appraisal of their present inadequate defenses, would ensure their survival.

All hoped that their allies—the Spartans, the anti-Roman Macedonians, the Christian nations of Western Europe, and the subject cities of the Aztecs—would appear at the eleventh hour to stave off their defeat.

Additionally, these targeted states had little understanding of the agendas and capabilities of the brilliantly methodic killers outside their walls—the ruthless wannabe philosopher Alexander the Great, the literary patron Scipio Aemilianus, the self-described intellectual Mehmet II, and the widely read Hernán Cortés—who all sought to destroy utterly rather than merely defeat their enemies.

These doomed cities and nations were reduced to rubble or absorbed by the conquerors. Their populations were wiped out or enslaved, and their once-hallowed cultures, customs, and traditions lost to history. The last words of the conquered were usually variations of, “It can’t happen here.”

If the past is any guide to the present, we should take heed that what almost never happens in war can certainly still occur.

When killers issue wild, even lunatic, threats, we should nonetheless take them seriously.

We should not count on friends or neutrals to save our civilization. Instead, Americans should build defense systems over the skies of our homeland, secure our borders, ensure our military operates on meritocracy, cease wild deficit spending and borrowing, and rebuild both our conventional and nuclear forces.

Otherwise, we will naively—and fatally—believe that we are magically exempt when the inconceivable becomes all too real.

[thereadingbud]

Top Literary Agents in India

India’s literary scene is burgeoning, with a diverse array of voices waiting to be heard. Central to this ecosystem are literary agents, who bridge the gap between authors and publishers. In this article, we delve into the top literary agents in India, highlighting their unique contributions to the industry. The Significance of Literary Agents Literary agents in India serve as vital catalysts…

[ippnoida]

Jaipur BookMark puts spotlight on future of publishing

New technological advancements impacting publishing such as artificial intelligence (AI), podcasts, data analysis, and OTT were the focal points of discussion at the 11th edition of the Jaipur BookMark, held alongside the Jaipur Literature Festival from 1 – 5 February 2024 in Jaipur.

According to director, JBM Manisha Chaudhry, this year's Jaipur BookMark (JBM) looked at the future of the publishing industry and all important developments likely to impact publishing in the future. Sessions were also held alongside to mark the anniversaries of major publishing houses along with a Roundtable with 18 publishers from across the globe.

Chaudhry referred to a session on AI and the future of publishing that had Meru Gokhale, founder of Editrix.ai and former publisher at the Penguin Press Group; Charles Collier, a film, television and literary agent, producer, lawyer, and talent manager; and Safir Anand, intellectual property lawyer and brand strategist in conversation with Marcus du Sautoy, , Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford. The session talked about the future of the publishing industry with AI entering the domains of editing, translation and audiobooks, how it will impact legal contracts in publishing, and who would be the owner of the intellectual property rights of books published with AI's help. All these concerns notwithstanding, there was some optimism about the potential of this technology.

Another session on podcasts and books included speakers Amrita Tripathi, founder-editor of The Health Collective, a resource on mental health and storytelling, Richard Osman, London-based author of The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, and The Bullet That Missed; and William Dalrymple, historian, author and co-director of the Jaipur Literature Festival and moderated by Hemali Sodhi, founder of A Suitable Agency. The session explored the deep connections between podcasts and books, which is based on the coming together of voice and text. It explored the synergy between book podcasts and books and the publishing industry – how a high-quality podcast can connect listeners with an intimacy about the book, Chaudhry said. The session examined how publishing podcasts encourages listeners to read more books and help increase book sales.

A session on data analysis had panelists Vikrant Mathur of The Nielsen Report and Rick Simonson from Seattle’s Elliott Bay Book Company in conversation with Hemali Sodhi. The session delved into the significance of data in the publishing industry in India, which is needed for a developing industry. The session focused on the Nielsen Report, which provides insights into the size of the Indian publishing market, along with recent trends and factors that are set to drive book publishing market growth in the upcoming years. The panelists advocated the collection of more data across the book publishing industry in India to project better results through data analysis.

Chaudhry talked about another 'crackling' session on the symbiotic relationship between OTT and publishing. Sahira Nair, content creator for Amazon Prime; Anish Chandy, founder – Labyrinth Literary Agency; Radhika Gopal, head – writers and directors, Tulsea; and Anand Neelakantan, author of the Bahubali trilogy, Asura: Tale of the Vanquished, Valmiki's Women, Vanara, Nala Damayanti, The Tale of the Flying Mountains, The Very, Extremely, and Most Naughty Asura Tales For Kids took part. The session was moderated by Ananth Padmanabhan, CEO – HarperCollins India. The panel took an outside-in view of book publishing from the eyes of leaders in the OTT space from speakers Neelkanthan, Gopal, Chandy and Nair, who are into writing and direction, OTT rights for book adaptations and content creation for OTT, respectively. The session talked about OTT's hunger for content, the sales of rights of books and contracts for content adaptations along with the steps that publishers can take to leverage old and new content for the OTT industry, she said.

Literary milestones for book publishers

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Another publishing house to celebrate a literary milestone was Seagull Books, Chaudhry said, with the Kolkata-based publishing house completing its 40 years in 2023. Seagull Books' Naveen Kishore shared insights about the publishing house creating books across borders and boundaries in a conversation with Sanjoy Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts.

The Jaipur BookMark 2024 celebrated 40 years of feminist publishing in India, Chaudhry said, with feminist publishers Ritu Menon and Urvashi Butalia sharing insights on how Indian feminist publishing was associated with the women's movement in the country, making it a huge hit with the target population. When Butalia and Menon initially started with Kali for Women, there was debate over who was going to read these books in a country like India, Chaudhry recounted. But gradually, women's studies emerged as a sought-after discipline in activism as well as publishing. This marked the way for the establishment of a new kind of list, including feminist accounts, women writers and experiences of women at the grassroots level, which mainstream publishing houses would not think as viable products, she said. The session was interesting for women who have just entered the publishing industry in various roles.

Translations and multilingual publishing

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Another session on translations, Indian Literature: Across Languages, Across Scripts had Suchitra Ramachandran, writer and Tamil translator; Daisy Rockwell, Booker prize-winning translator of Geetanjali Shree's Tomb of Sand; Sukrita Paul Kumar, poet and translator; and Mini Krishnan discussed and debated on the intricacies of translation. India has numerous languages and scripts and it takes great effort to translate the literary works from Indian languages into English. The session talked about the different aspects of translation, Chaudhry said, adding that each person's experience with translations is unique and they view it from their lens.

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In another session, Parminder Singh Shonkey, from Punjabi publishing house Rethink Foundation; Gita Ramaswamy, co-founder of the Telugu publishing house Hyderabad Book Trust; Ravi DeeCee; Kannan Sundaram from Kalachuvadu Publications; Shailesh Bharatwasi from Hindi publishing house Hind Yugm Publishers; and Esha Chatterjee, CEO of Bee Books and managing director of Patra Bharti, the third-largest Bengali publishing house discussed the landscape of Indian language publishing with Mita Kapur, founder and CEO of Jaipur-based literary agency Siyahi. The Telugu, Malayalam, Bangla, Tamil, Hindi and Punjabi publishers talked about the literary works that were gaining greater traction in their languages and discussed their lists, Chaudhry shared.

Educational Publishing on the path to growth

Chaudhry talked about the growth of educational publishing in India. The session on educational publishing had Atiya Zaidi, publisher at Ratna Sagar, discuss the importance of supplementary reading and the effect of the National Education Policy on academic publishing with Ananth Padmanabhan. The educational publishing sector, the session discussed, is the most profitable segment of publishing in India with a large population of school-going kids. The session talked about Collins – the educational publishing imprint of HarperCollins, and explored the common areas of interest between educational and trade publishing in India.

Another session had Neeraj Jain, managing director at Scholastic India; Nancy Silberkleit, one of the founders of Archie Comics Publications; and Prashant Pathak, director – publishing operations at Prakash Books and publisher at Wonder House Books discuss the relevance of picture books, which is one of the most important categories in Children's publishing as it is the starting point which develops an interest in books in young readers. The session was moderated by Kanishka Gupta, founder of literary agency Writer's Side. Silberkleit talked about the impact of graphic and illustrated comic books on children and how Archie Comics has created a place for itself in India over the years. Jain stressed on how picture books had been a gap area in Indian publishing and how Scholastic has helped bridge that gap, Chaudhry shared.

Another 'impactful' session Chaudhry talked about was the one between bestselling Tamil author Perumal Murugan, who has won several awards, including the JCB Prize for Literature 2023, and Swami Anandatheerthan Award, and his publisher Kannan Sundaram from Kalachuvadu Publications. The two have had a long-lasting relationship in publishing of over 20 years. The session was moderated by Kannada author Vivek Shanbhag, who brought out the little details and personal touches of this literary relationship and how it benefited both the publisher and the author, Chaudhry shared, adding Sundaram has made a mark in successfully presenting and marketing Murugan's work in the best possible manner.

In another session, Beauty and the Book, Sunandini Banerjee, senior editor and graphic designer at Seagull Books; Ahlawat Gunjan, creative head at Penguin Random House India; Philip Watson, from James & Hudson; Svein Størksen, Norwegian designer, illustrator, owner and editor of Magikon publishing; and Priya Kapoor, publisher at Roli Books talked about the allure of illustrated and design books. The session talked about how the book as an object of enduring beauty takes shape under the eye of designers and the creative process that makes the cover designs of books a sight to behold.

The Jaipur BookMark concluded with the Festival Directors' Roundtable on the last day in which lists and rights of 18 national and international publishers were discussed. “The Jaipur BookMark still focuses a lot on its core strength which is rights. This time we had a catalogue for rights, which had 50 books from 12 publishers representing five languages. Whether it was the generalist, or the specialist, JBM 2024 had something of interest for everyone,” Chaudhry concluded.

[bloseroseone]

The Economics of Self-Publishing in India

Self-publishing in india has transformed the landscape of the publishing industry, offering authors a viable alternative to traditional publishing houses. With the rise of digital platforms and print-on-demand services, aspiring authors now have the opportunity to bring their stories to life without the need for a literary agent or a publishing contract. However, before diving into the world of self-publishing, it’s essential to understand the economics behind it.

Self-Publishing

In the past, authors faced numerous barriers to entry when trying to get their books published. Traditional publishing routes often involved lengthy submission processes, rejection letters, and minimal control over the final product. Self-publishing, on the other hand, empowers authors to take matters into their own hands by overseeing every aspect of the publishing process, from writing to distribution.

Initial Costs of Self-Publishing

ISBN Acquisition

One of the first expenses that self-published authors encounter is the acquisition of International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs). These unique identifiers are essential for tracking sales and distribution channels and are typically required for each format of a book (e.g., paperback, e-book, audiobook).

Editing and Proofreading

Investing in professional editing and proofreading services is crucial for ensuring the quality and readability of a book. While some authors may choose to self-edit, hiring experienced editors can help catch grammatical errors, plot inconsistencies, and improve overall coherence.

Cover Design

Readers often judge books by their covers, making cover design a critical aspect of self-publishing success. Hiring a skilled graphic designer to create an eye-catching cover can significantly impact a book’s visibility and appeal to potential readers.

Formatting and Layout

Formatting a manuscript for various publishing platforms, such as Amazon Kindle or IngramSpark, requires technical expertise and attention to detail. Authors may opt to hire formatting specialists to ensure that their books meet industry standards and display correctly on different devices.

Distribution Channels and Associated Costs of Self Publishing

Print-on-Demand Services

Print-on-demand (POD) services enable authors to publish paperback copies of their books without the need for large print runs or inventory storage. Companies like Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and IngramSpark offer POD services, charging authors a per-unit printing fee and a percentage of each sale.

E-book Platforms

Publishing e-books through platforms like Amazon KDP, Apple Books, and Smashwords allows authors to reach a global audience of digital readers. While e-book distribution eliminates printing and shipping costs, authors must navigate platform-specific royalty structures and marketing opportunities.

Audiobook Distribution

With the growing popularity of audiobooks, self-published authors can expand their reach by producing audio versions of their books. Audiobook distribution platforms like Audible ACX provide authors with royalty-sharing options and production services, albeit with upfront costs for narration and editing... Contiues reading

[geetauniversity]

What are the career opportunities with a B.A.?

A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree opens up a wide range of career opportunities for students who have a passion for the humanities and social sciences. The degree is designed to provide students with a broad-based education, allowing them to explore a variety of subjects such as history, literature, philosophy, sociology, and psychology.

Geeta University, a leading institution in India, offers a comprehensive B.A. program that equips students with the skills and knowledge required for success in today's job market. Here are some of the career opportunities available to B.A. graduates:

Journalism and Media: A degree in journalism or mass communication is a popular choice for B.A. graduates. With the rise of digital media, there are now more opportunities than ever before in this field. Graduates can work as reporters, editors, writers, producers, or in public relations for newspapers, magazines, TV channels, radio stations, or online media companies.

Education: Many B.A. graduates go on to pursue careers in education. With a B.A. in hand, they can pursue a teaching career in primary or secondary schools, or continue their studies with a master's degree in education, which opens up opportunities in higher education.

Law: A B.A. degree is a popular choice for students who want to pursue a career in law. With a B.A., graduates can gain admission to law school, where they can earn a Juris Doctor (JD) degree and become lawyers.

Social Work: Graduates with a B.A. in social work can pursue a career as a social worker, working with individuals, families, or communities in need. Social workers can work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, schools, government agencies, or non-profit organizations.

Public Service: A B.A. degree can prepare graduates for careers in public service. They can work for government agencies, NGOs, or non-profit organizations, helping to make a difference in people's lives.

Business: B.A. graduates can also pursue careers in business. With strong communication and critical thinking skills, they are well-suited for careers in marketing, advertising, or public relations. They can also go on to pursue an MBA and become business leaders.

Publishing: B.A. graduates with a passion for writing and literature can pursue careers in publishing. They can work as editors, copywriters, or literary agents, helping to bring new books to the market.

Art and Design: B.A. graduates with a creative flair can pursue careers in art and design. They can work as graphic designers, art directors, or illustrators, helping to create visual content for a variety of industries.

These are just some of the many career opportunities available to B.A. graduates. With the right skills and education, graduates can pursue a variety of career paths that align with their passions and interests. Geeta University's B.A. program provides students with a solid foundation in the humanities and social sciences, as well as the practical skills and knowledge required for success in today's job market.

[marwahstudios]

Nizami Brothers Mesmerize Audiences with Soul-Stirring Sufi Music at the 9th Global Literary Festival

Noida, India – The evening program of the 9th Global Literary Festival cast a magical spell over all attendees, uniting them once again beneath a single roof, in a mesmerizing musical performance by Yousuf Khan Nizami and his enthralling party of Sufi Music.

At the commencement of this captivating musical odyssey, Dr. Sandeep Marwah, Chancellor of AAFT University and President of ICMEI, shed light on the significance of Sufi Music in spiritual practices. He emphasized how Sufis place music at the core of the Sama, a spiritual ceremony steeped in music and song. The Sama aims to foster an environment where the human soul can embrace divine love. The transcendent and euphoric nature of Sufi music kindles an intense love for God within the listener.

The evening was enriched with the release of two thought-provoking books. “How to be Happy with People” by Mr. Prem Singh Dhingra and “Fine Lines & the Fa Ones” by Sunlitseeker/Avijit Guha were presented to the literary world, offering insights and wisdom to eager readers.

The event was graced by esteemed guests of honor, including prominent speakers such as Swami Chander Dev Ji, Spiritual Researcher Dr. C.K. Bhardhwaj, Zeno Can Der Zalm from Netherland, Rajan Sehgal, Chairman of TAAI-NR (Travel Agents Association of India) and President of IGTA (India Golf Tourism Association), as well as renowned writer and Sanskrit Scholar Prof. Satya Deo Rai. Zena Chung, Goodwill Ambassador of South Korea, added to the prestigious gathering.

Mehak Zaidi, Assistant Professor at AAFT School of Journalism & Mass Communication, conducted the proceedings seamlessly, ensuring that everyone present savoured the delightful music and the essence of the event.

The audiences were enraptured by the soulful strains of Sufi music, as the Nizami Brothers transported them to a realm of divine tranquillity and love. It was an evening that resonated with spiritual and musical harmony, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts and souls of all who attended.

[assamnews]

Honouring Ratna Dutta's creative Legacy

Ratna Dutta

Ratna Dutta is an esteemed literary figure whose profound impact on the domain of literature is characterized by the seamless traversal of a diverse spectrum of literary expressions, culminating in an enduring legacy. Despite her primary role as an educator, she distinguished herself through her unwavering commitment to literature, continually challenging conventional paradigms of form and content throughout her lifetime.

In parallel to her academic pursuits, Ratna Dutta harboured a fervent interest in the dramatic arts. Her involvement within the theatre community, both as a playwright and actor at the All India Radio and armature stage, substantiates her multi-faceted talents and contributions to the realms of playwriting and theatrical performance. Her extensive oeuvre encompasses literary articles, research papers, translations, and the innovative adaptation of dramatic scripts into literary fictional works. This immersion in the dramatic sphere catalyzed her exploration of the symbiotic relationship existing between drama and literature, thereby mutually enriching both art forms.

Regrettably, Ratna Dutta's life was tragically curtailed by an untimely demise.

In a commemorative gesture, her admirers and past collaborators have convened to acknowledge her enduring creative legacy five years after her passing. The initiative known as 'Aveek' has meticulously orchestrated an all-encompassing literary writing competition rooted in Ratna's seminal novel, "Dwitiya," within Assam. Concurrently, Pathar, a prominent theatre ensemble within the nation, has orchestrated a two-day solo play festival dedicated to showcasing Ratna's magnum opus, "Rajbadhu" along with other plays.

This commemorative endeavour constitutes a poignant homage to a luminary whose indelible influence resonates within the literary and dramatic spheres. It underscores the paramount importance of preserving and advancing the artistic and social responsibilities of creative agents.

In celebrating Ratna Dutta's legacy, we not only pay tribute to an exceptional individual but also reaffirm the profound and lasting impact that literature and drama can exert on the human experience. Her memory endures through her literary works, inspiring successive generations of literature and drama enthusiasts.