Hello everyone!

As part of Blogchatter’s Ebook Carnival I’m happy to share a book review for one of a write, editor and blogger, Samarpita Mukherjee Sharma.

About the book

Publishing a book can be a long and tedious process, especially for first time authors. As the name suggests, this book raises and answers pertinent questions related to writing, editing and promoting a book. The author has used her years of experience and knowledge in this field to break down the process subjectively. She has also emphasized the significance of a good editor and the need to market a book on various digital platforms. It has simple, practical and easy to follow tips that can serve as motivation and a good reference point.

About the author

Samarpita has a Masters in Economics and Masters Diploma in Mass Communication. Her experience includes work in various sectors like industrial, telecom and journalism. She is now a full-time freelance writer, travel editor and content creator. She has contributed to multiple projects of UNV and has won the rare and impressive best volunteer award from India.

More than 350 articles in digital and print have her bylines and she has often been written about in different publications. The English textbooks of Karnataka University for PUC students have a chapter with her bylines. Having worked with individual authors as well as publishing houses she has edited some brilliant and successful books. Currently, she lives in Bhopal with her husband.

Writing as a profession has become bigger now than it ever was. It is heartening to see people chase their dreams of becoming a writer and give it their all. However, a lot of time and effort go into writing a book and getting it published. This may lead wannabe authors to resort to risky shortcuts. Inspired writing and substandard editing can spell doom for any book. Also, whether he/she likes it or not, one has to put oneself out there and market it too. In the end though, all the hard work is totally worth it!

What I liked about the book

First and foremost, thanks to her rich experience, I liked how Samarpita has divided the book into three major parts; Writing, Editing and Social Media. She has further sub-divided them into small chapters that are broken down into concise points.

She has reiterated for writers the need to write, read and be original. Tips like using MS Word for writing may sound unnecessary but are indeed valuable and time-saving. Being an editor herself she has dedicated a good part of the book to editing, mentioning simple mistakes that can lead to rejections. It gives tips not only about how to choose an editor but also the clear demarcation of editing responsibilities. I’ve edited a book and reading this made me realise just how much ‘out of contract’ work I did!

The part about encouraging authors to use social media for engaging, connecting and forming a reader base was insightful. Digital platforms have a good reach and a blog or a website helps authors to form connections and network better. She has shared tidbits from bestselling authors, Atulya Mahajan and Aditi Mathur Kumar who say that an author’s brand is what sells. Using platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc to connect with readers right from writing the manuscript stage is a good idea.

Points to ponder

While Samarpita has included pointers on editing, I feel that sharing her personal challenges would’ve been a bonus. Sometimes editors have to take an unsavoury stance in favour of the book. I would appreciate if she had suggested ways to tackle inevitable writer-editor disagreements.

My thoughts

Personally, this is one of the most helpful books I’ve read on writing, editing and promoting a book. The writing, like she has mentioned in the book, is simple but effective. As a writer, editor and reader I agree with most of her views. Writing is a creative process and needs ample patience and focus. Sometimes, in the hurry of going into print the crucial step of editing is either skipped or rushed through. Without promotion even the best stories can go unnoticed and well-written books can go unread. If you’re an author or want to be one, keep this book close and refer to it in case of any doubt.

I hope my book review has made you curious about the book! You can download a free copy of her book here for limited time.

This review has been written as part of the Blogchatter Book Review Program.