Aparna Kumar – Editor

I am a publishing professional with six years of experience in this industry. I am trained in commissioning books, structural editing, copy-editing, proofreading, and book reviewing. While working as an editor at Penguin Random House, I specialised in commissioning and acquiring, negotiating rights, and developing manuscripts for the Penguin Press division. During my time at Penguin, I was the editor for world-renowned authors like Salman Rushdie, Jhumpa Lahiri, Orhan Pamuk, Paulo Coelho, Ruskin Bond, and Ramachandra Guha. The last project I commissioned, "The Penguin Book of Indian Poets" - a magnum opus containing the works of 94 poets - was a bestseller and received rave reviews in both mainstream and alternate media. My aim is to make the publishing landscape more representative and inclusive of new voices.

Having worked in trade publishing for the better part of a decade, I am well-versed in the processes of the industry. I am thorough, conscientious, hard-working, and passionate about books. I believe in fruitful associations with my authors, that allow for healthy discussions and brainstorming sessions. A strong believer in independent voices, my goal when editing a manuscript is to keep the author's spirit alive in every sentence. As a structural editor, I have the experience and insight to look for weaknesses in plots and characters and believe in a solutions-oriented approach when dealing with these loopholes. As a copy editor, I am deft at catching errors and grammatical inconsistencies in the manuscript, backed by years of experience as a copy editor before I began commissioning.

As I have worked across different editorial profiles in trade publishing, I can also provide guidance and helpful advice when it comes to pitching manuscripts, formulating cost-effective ways to publish books, preparing cover briefs, coming up with marketing plans, and liaising with literary agents. I have also run successful campaigns for bestselling books by world-renowned authors and have considerable publicity experience in the industry - and I am very happy to share these insights with writers.