'Watch out for non-fiction from young Indians'

Youngsters may be spending a lot of time on the Internet and social networking sites. Their reading habit might have undergone a sea change over the years. Yet, books still hold a magical power. People still buy, read and cherish books. And the publishing industry in India is on a growth path.

While the prospects of the industry appear to be bright, one can't help wondering which genre of writing is going to be in demand in India in the years to come and who all are the most promising writers in the country.

In an interview to Salil Jose on the occasion of the World Book and Copyright Day (April 23), editor-in-chief of Random House Publications Chiki Sarkar says India is going to see an extraordinary non-fiction from the younger generation. She lists out her favourite young writers.

Excerpts

You've worked in the publishing industry in both India and the UK. What is the biggest difference you've seen within the industry in the two countries?

Things are more ordered in the UK. You rarely buy a book and publish within a few months or create a book jacket a month before publication there. On the other hand, because we don't have an agent culture here, the average editor is much more enterprising here. You have to go hunt for your books, meet prospective writers, give them ideas. Really get out there.

Are you optimistic about the future of publishing in India?

Yes, I am.

Which genre of writing is going to be the most popular in India in the next one year?

I think big commercial writing, be it in non-fiction or fiction. We are no longer the nation that produced Salman Rushdie and Vikram Seth, but Chehtan Bhagat and Rujuta Diwekar.

Young Indians spend a lot of time on the Internet and social networking websites. How has the Internet hit their reading/writing habits?

I am not sure how it has. Publishers are using the Internet and social networking sites for marketing, but I am not sure whether it has actually changed reading habits.

How can the publishing industry deal with book piracy?

All the publishers have come together and are working with the publishing associations to curb this.

Do you think the Copyright Act needs to be amended? What are the changes you want to see in the Copyright Act?

It probably does for people in other creative industries. However, for authors and publishers, the current Copyright Act is absolutely fine.

While Indian writers are branching out into new genres, do you think we are still lax about quality? A lot of books, even from the big publishing houses, have blatant editing and factual errors.

Yes, but I think it's not because of laxness but because I think most of us still put books through production fast, and because our copyediting and proofreading rates aren't high enough, so freelance editors take on too much work. The reason the rates aren't high is because we price our books fairly competitively and the pressure to price them lower is ever present.

You courted Rujuta Diwekar to publish her now best-selling books on diet and fitness. Do you think that is your biggest success story in India?

Yes, but I think after Chetan Bhagat, Don't Lose Your Mind has been the largest publishing phenomenon in the country!

Which was your personal favourite from all the books you read last year?

From my list - the books I was proudest to publish last year were the IIMA Business Book series. It's the first time this institute has created books with its own branding and they've been a success.

Among other publishers I was blown by Samanth Subramaniam's Following Fish and Siddharth Mukherjee's The Emperor of Maladies, which has now won the Pulitzer.

One up-and-coming writer you think will do India proud?

I am largely unimpressed by current Indian literary fiction, but I think we're going to see extraordinary non-fiction from the younger generation. Basharat Peer, Samanth Subramaniam, a young writer called Aman Sethi who we publish this year, Sonia Faleiro - these will be the real stars of the coming years.

Also read: Will books survive Facebook?