SWF: The contrasts between publishing in India and China

In a panel discussion yesterday at the Singapore Writers Festival 2013, Beijing-based Jo Lusby, head of Penguin North Asia and Bangalore-based Deepthi Talwar, Managing Editor, Westland Ltd (India) discussed the new developments in Asian Publishing

by Zafar Anjum

Yesterday I had the good fortune of moderating a session at the Publishing Symposium at the Singapore Writers Festival, hosted by Jacaranda Literary Agency. Along with Beijing-based Jo Lusby, head of Penguin North Asia and Bangalore-based Deepthi Talwar, Managing Editor, Westland Ltd (India), we discussed the new developments in Asian Publishing.

First of all, there was no agreement on the term Asian Publishing because the Asian market is so huge and diverse and fragmented. Markets like India, Hong Kong and Singapore are well-defined in terms of English language publishing but beyond that, every other market in the region is fragmented while publishing in local languages is vibrant. However, a lot has been happening in the Asian market and books from Asia have started to travel out of Asia and find readers in the West.