The world's largest literary festival, the Jaipur Literature Festival, and India's top publishing house, Penguin Random House India, have partnered to launch a one-of-a-kind platform to identify and support up-and-coming writers from India.
This initiative marks the 35th anniversary of Penguin Random House India in India.
The Perfect Pitch is a mentorship programme that seeks out the greatest pitch for unpublished, submission-ready writing by aspiring authors and storytellers. The program's winners will have the chance to receive coaching from professionals in publishing and the literary industry as they refine their pitch.
The Editor Recommends, a rapidly expanding, well-known literary social media influencer, joins the programme as a knowledge partner.
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A jury panel made up of editors, literary experts, and well-known authors will listen to the pitches of finished manuscripts from aspiring writers from across the nation. Entry deadline is December 25. Call for entries opens today, December 7.
The annexure includes a collection of standards and recommendations. The finalists will be invited to the Jaipur Literature Festival 2023 where they will have the opportunity to make their pitches to a distinguished jury and an audience in a private session.
The Jaipur Literature Festival will take place from January 19 until January 23.
The winning author will have the chance to work one-on-one with Shreya Punj, aka The Editor Recommends, a renowned author who has published with Penguin, and seasoned editors from Penguin who have commissioned best-selling and award-winning works. If the winning work meets Penguin's requirements, it will also be taken into consideration for a book deal.
Speaking about this partnership, Natasha Kapur, Senior Vice-President, Marketing, Penguin Random House India says, "Penguin and Jaipur Literature Festival have a longstanding association with common aspirations to make reading, books and authors accessible. On the occasion of Penguin's 35th anniversary in India, we join hands with Jaipur Literature Festival to present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to India's budding writers with a chance to pitch their book to an eminent jury of editors and authors in front of an audience of potential readers. As a publisher, we aim to discover and promote the best of Indian writing and with Jaipur Literature Festival we get the chance to bring together all elements of the literary community under one roof - the writers, the readers, and the editors, and celebrate India's vibrant and burgeoning literary culture."
Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director of Teamwork Arts, producer of the Jaipur Literature Festival, said, "It's a delight for the Jaipur Literature Festival to partner with Penguin Random House in creating a space for writers to find their voice. Through this initiative, we aim to bridge the gap between new writers waiting in the wings and the global arc of publishing so that new writing can be brought to the forefront."
