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 worked on projects by award-winning writers and poets. The last project I championed, "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. I also commissioned two other (out-of-print) poetry titles by Jeet Thayil and published them under Hamish Hamilton with brand-new covers and illustrations. I aim 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 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 happy to share these insights with writers.