Getting started
What we publish
The genres and languages we publish, and the kinds of books we don't take on.
This page helps you decide whether your book is a good fit for Kshirad Publication before you spend time preparing a submission.
Our list
Kshirad Publication is an independent literary publisher based in Kolkata. We publish a small number of books each year and give each one close editorial attention and a carefully designed edition. We look for writing that is ambitious, distinctive and finished with care.
We currently publish in these genres:
| Genre | What we look for |
|---|---|
| Contemporary Fiction | Novels set in the present day that say something true about how we live now. |
| Literary Fiction | Character-driven novels and novellas where the quality of the prose matters as much as the plot. |
| Philosophical Sci-Fi | Speculative fiction that uses its premise to explore ideas: consciousness, time, ethics, society. |
| Thriller | Tight, well-plotted suspense with real stakes and believable characters. |
| Poetry | Full-length collections, usually 50 to 100 poems. Single poems are not accepted. |
| Non-Fiction | Essays, memoir, cultural history and ideas-led non-fiction written for general readers. |
Length
As a guide, we consider:
- Novels: 60,000 to 120,000 words
- Novellas: 20,000 to 40,000 words
- Non-fiction: 50,000 to 100,000 words
- Poetry collections: 50 to 100 pages
If your book is far outside these ranges, tell us why in your cover note. A strong reason is worth explaining.
Languages
- English: we accept submissions in English.
- Bengali and Hindi: we also accept original manuscripts in Bengali and Hindi.
We consider translations into English when the translator holds, or can obtain, the translation rights. Mention this clearly in your submission.
What we don't publish
To save you time, we don't currently take on:
- Children's picture books or young adult (YA) fiction
- Textbooks, exam guides or academic monographs
- Cookbooks, self-help or business books
- Short story collections by authors with no published stories (send us your best stories once some have appeared in magazines or anthologies)
- Books that have already been self-published, unless sales were significant and you hold all rights
- Fan fiction, or work based on characters you don't own
What makes a submission stand out
- A finished manuscript. For fiction and poetry we only consider complete work. For non-fiction, a detailed proposal and two sample chapters are enough.
- A clear sense of the reader. Who will buy this book, and which books already on their shelf is it like?
- Careful presentation. A manuscript that follows our formatting guide shows that you take your work seriously.
Next steps
If your book fits, read How publishing works to see the full journey, then go to Before you submit.