Entrepreneurial Turn of the Indian Publishing Industry: Assessing the Arrival of Literary Agents and Marketing of Literature

The paper attempts a critical study of the entrepreneurial turn in the Indian publishing industry at the turn of the twenty-first century, with a special focus on the emergence of literary agents and the marketing of literature. It examines the proliferation of literary agency, the rising popularity of literary agents, and the construction of celebrity among authors, agents, and publishers in India. The paper further evaluates their significant contribution to the expansion of the professional setup, the incorporation of business strategies, and the adoption of promotional tactics in the Indian publishing industry. Literary agents have been instrumental in bridging the gap between an author's artistic merit and maximizing the economic potential for authors, publishers, and associated sponsors. Literary agents are a new phenomenon in the Indian publishing industry, and this paper discusses why they are an absolute necessity and integral part of the flourishing of Indian commercial fiction. They guide commercial authors, promote their books, and strategize marketing campaigns for authors and their works. The paper critically examines how literary agents carefully navigate the direction of authors in the current context, when they must not only pursue artistic excellence through cultural production but also ensure a healthy commercial prospect to sustain and flourish.