How does it work?
Submit information about your book idea, through our two step process – online form and email.
- Please click on the Apply link at the top right of the page and submit the information on the form.
- Once you have submitted the form, please send an email to litmart@bangalorelitfest.org attaching a 1-page excerpt from your manuscript (Word/PDF file).
Our jury will evaluate all the entries we receive and shortlist 25 finalists. The finalists get a chance to pitch their book idea to a jury, get feedback and make connections for potential publishing opportunities. The LitMart finals pitch event will be held on Sunday, 10th November 2019 at the Bangalore Literature Festival.
What to submit?
A 250-word proposal/synopsis covering the story idea, background and/or characterization and/or plot summary along with a 1-page excerpt from your manuscript. LitMart is open to both fiction and non-fiction proposals, in English only.
What is the selection procedure?
Submissions will be accepted only via the online submission form followed by an email. The jury will select the top 25 finalists and an additional 10 waitlisted entries. Finalists will be required to confirm their ability to attend the LitMart pitch event on Sunday, 10th November 2019 at the Bangalore Literature Festival.
LitMart Pitch Format
The format for the final pitches could be in any format that suits the book idea best – storytelling, short video, slide deck, short play or musical, dance, stand-up, improv – really, anything, as long as it is within THREE minutes. The pitch will be followed by a short Q&A from the jury. Pitching will be in front of a live audience.
Timelines
The deadline for submissions is 11pm IST on Saturday, 26th October 2019.
The 25 finalists and 10 wait-listed entries will be announced on by 6 pm on Saturday, 2nd November 2019 via individual emails.
The LitMart pitch event is on Sunday, November 10th 2019 at the Grand Ball Room of Hotel LaLiT Ashok, Bengaluru. Please check the schedule page for timings.
Terms & Conditions
- Only unpublished authors can apply to participate in LitMart and the pitch competition accepts only unpublished work.
- If you have previously self-published other work, please disclose this at the time of applying.
- The Bangalore Literature Festival is only a facilitator via LitMart to connect aspiring authors with literary agents, commissioning editors and publishers. We do not guarantee or promise any publication deals or commercial contracts from the event.
- The decision of the jury is final and the Festival does not have any influence on the same.
Jury
Ajitha G.S.
Ajitha G.S. is Managing Editor, Westland Publishing.
Chiki Sarkar
Chiki Sarkar is the publisher of juggernaut books.
Deepthi Talwar
Deepthi Talwar is Chief Editor, Westland Publishing.
Himanjali Sankar
Himanjali Sankar is currently the Editorial Director at Simon & Schuster India.
Karthik Venkatesh
Karthik Venkatesh is Associate Editor, Westland Publishing.
Preeti Gill
Preeti Gill is an independent literary agent who has more than 20 years experience in the publishing industry as a commissioning editor and rights director.
Premanka Goswami
Premanka Goswami is a Senior Commissioning Editor at Penguin Random House India.
Roshini Dadlani
Roshini Dadlani is an editor at Penguin Random House India. She commissions in the fiction, health, wellness and lifestyle spaces.
Sohini Basak
Sohini Basak is an editor at HarperCollins India, working on literary fiction, non-fiction and poetry titles.
Teesta Guha Sarkar
Teesta Guha Sarkar is Senior Commissioning Editor at Pan Macmillan India, where she publishes across genres, with particular focus on literary fiction and narrative non-fiction.
Udayan Mitra
Udayan Mitra is Publisher – Literary at HarperCollins Publishers India.