In recent years, literary discussions have broadened, moving beyond traditional poetry conferences and seminars to encompass new formats such as Literature Fests. These events are now a melting pot of diverse literary activities and IIT Delhi’s literary society, Literati, took full advantage by hosting a three-day literary festival. The event featured a blend of activities, including a Mushaira, poetry recitations, quizzes, debates, workshops, and panel discussions.
One of the highlights was the panel discussion titled “Manuscript to Marketplace: How to Publish Your Book.” The panel was moderated by Cyber Lawyer Ankit Dev Arpan, founder of Writers Community and Kaivalya Prakashan. The discussion delved into the necessity of books, their value, and the various challenges authors face in the publishing world. Experts on the panel included Sudhakar Pathak, National President of the Hindustani Bhasha Academy; Vaibhav Pande, author and life coach; Uday Singh Rathore, director of Karat Lawz Academy; and Dipu Kumar Pandey, founder of Dice Academy.
Throughout the session, the panelists shared their insights and answered questions from the audience, covering multiple aspects of book writing and publishing. Sudhakar Pathak touched on manuscript creation and the importance of editing, while Vaibhav Pande explored the concept of bestsellers. Uday Singh Rathore discussed academic book writing, and Dipu Kumar Pandey emphasized the crucial role of marketing and book presentation.
Pathak, author of Jindagi Kuch Yun Hi, discussed the hurdles authors encounter while trying to get published and the editorial challenges of manuscripts. He also offered fresh marketing strategies for increasing a book’s visibility. Meanwhile, Vaibhav Pande, author of Soch Sanjeevni, recited one of his poems and highlighted the power of asking, networking, and persistence in achieving success.
Uday Singh Rathore, who founded both Karat Lawz Academy and Karat Publication, shared his views on self-publishing, including its pros and cons, as well as the challenges of writing academic books. Dipu Kumar Pandey emphasized the significance of a book’s presentation, the role of chapter indexes, and how social media can be leveraged for marketing.
Ankit Dev Arpan also addressed how publishers decide which books to pursue, offering valuable tips on how to pitch a book to a publisher. To wrap up the event, Ankit Dev Arpan raised awareness about cybercrime, urging attendees to stay vigilant. He also discussed two upcoming books from Kaivalya Prakashan: Uttar Deta Maun by Chandan Jha and Abhiyan: Ek Nayi Soch, Ek Nayi Udan, a poetry collection focused on Agri Tech by retired District Agriculture Officer Rajan Balan.
The event was organised by Abhinava Anwesha Mohanty from Literati, IIT Delhi, with Shreya Gupta, Basil Labib, and Prisha Jain handling panel organization. Rithu Rai took on guest management responsibilities, Akshay Raj facilitated guest interactions, and Rayna Maheshwari hosted the panel discussions.