Interview with Namrata, the visionary founder of Keemiya Creatives.

In today’s special interview, I am thrilled to introduce a trailblazer in the creative industry with Namrata, the visionary founder of Keemiya Creatives. 

Renowned for her innovative approach and dedication to pushing artistic boundaries, Namrata has played a pivotal role in shaping Keemiya Creatives into a powerhouse of creativity and excellence. 

Join us as we delve into their journey, insights, and the driving forces behind their successful venture. This is a conversation you won’t want to miss, filled with inspiration and a glimpse into the future of creative innovation. 

Now let’s begin the Interview.

1. You’ve studied economics and strategic finance & control. From there, how did you make the jump to creative writing? What was it that inspired you to write? Back then, when you were just getting started, what did you want to write about – what was it that drove your love for writing?

I was an investment banker for a decade before I decided to pursue freelancing full-time. However, I was always a writer at heart. I wrote my first poem at 10 and my first novel at 12. Even while working I had two blogs where I wrote regularly. One was a creative writing blog where I shared short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction. While the other was a pure book review blog that included author interviews and book features. 

For me, writing has always been therapeutic. Even today I write daily even if it is just in my diary. 

I started blogging in 2010. I learned a lot about writing through blogging in many ways. I experimented with forms and genres. The bloggers' community was wonderful. I got feedback that included both criticism and praise. I won a lot of awards too.

The one thing that drove my love for writing then (and maybe does so, even now!) is the desire to tell a story. 

2. What was the primary objective behind setting up Keemiya Creatives? In what ways do you work with authors towards helping them publish and market their books? Any authors, working with whom was particularly memorable? Any books which Keemiya counts as some of its biggest successes?

I started Keemiya Creatives in 2018 because I realized that there is a huge gap between authors and publishing in India. A gap where sometimes misunderstanding creeps in and leaves you with a bad taste.

When an author wants to publish a book, it is common for them to not know where to start. Publishing in India is not exactly as transparent as it should be. And it is easy to feel lost while looking to get published. My aim with Keemiya is to make the whole process accessible, transparent, and easy to go through. 

I have been working with authors and publishing houses since 2014 in various capacities ranging from editing, book marketing, beta-reading and social media marketing. With Keemiya I took a step forward and also added author branding and publishing to this. If there is anything a writer needs, that I might not have on my list of services, I always ensure they have a few references of people who offer these services. Being in this industry also means knowing people who offer different services. Highlighting them and their services is my way of telling that the writer can rely on them.

I usually sign NDAs with all my clients hence I cannot take names but can definitely share some wins that I feel were memorable in this 5-year journey so far.

The first has to be of an author who was a retired gentleman trying to publish his collection of stories for almost six years with no luck. We designed his pitch (including a cover letter and synopsis) after which he got a traditional publishing offer from a reputed publishing house. He has gone on to publish 4 titles so far, all traditional and all bestsellers. 

The second has to be of an author who was getting published in English after having been a bestselling writer in Hindi for more than a decade. We managed the whole branding across social media platforms which resulted in the book being a bestseller for close to 12 weeks. The book is currently in its third print run. 

I also need to add here, we are not limited to India. We also work with authors from across the globe and in varied genres. So far we have worked on children’s books, poetry collections, historical fiction, anthologies, contemporary fiction, romance, horror, memoirs, and motivational books with authors from 7 countries and 3 continents. 

3. In the last two years you have started another venture, Bookbots India and also stepped into podcasts. Can you share a bit about it?

Absolutely! The last couple of years have been an exciting journey as I ventured into new avenues with Bookbots India and expanded into the podcasting world. Bookbots India was born out of a deep desire to help authors navigate the ever-evolving landscape of book marketing. We’ve been actively working on creating strategies that are not just innovative but also cater to the unique needs of each author. It’s all about making sure their stories reach the readers they deserve.

Stepping into the world of podcasts has been an incredible experience. We launched Bookbot Theory with the idea of creating a dedicated platform where authors could get hands-on tips, insights, and inspiration to market their books effectively. Whether it’s through expert interviews, discussions on the latest trends, or breaking down the marketing strategies behind bestselling books, the goal is to empower authors with the knowledge they need.

One of the segments I’m particularly excited about is Chapter to Cinema. It’s where we dive deep into the fascinating world of book-to-screen adaptations. We analyze what worked, what didn’t, and the creative choices that were made in the process of turning a beloved book into a film. It’s been a lot of fun to explore how different mediums interpret the same story, and it’s a segment that I know resonates with both readers and cinephiles alike.

Another initiative close to my heart is Bookbot Reads. It’s a unique campaign where we’ve been dropping books at various locations across Mumbai, inviting people to find them and experience the joy of discovering a new read. It’s our little way of spreading the love for books and making literature accessible to more people.

And of course, there’s **The WIP Show** – short for “Works in Progress” – which is a platform where we showcase the creative journeys of authors and writers. It’s about celebrating the process, the struggles, and the victories that come with bringing a story to life. Every writer’s journey is different, and through this show, we hope to inspire others to keep going, no matter where they are in their own writing process.

We’ve also got a few more exciting activities lined up which I can’t wait to share more about soon. It’s been a whirlwind of creativity and learning, and I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to the literary community in these ways. Whether through Bookbots, the podcasts, or our various initiatives, the ultimate aim is to celebrate stories and the people who tell them.

4. You’re also the Editor of Kitaab literary magazine. How has that experience been for you?

I have been the editor of Kitaab Literary Magazine since 2020 and have enjoyed every bit of it. I have learned things about writing at Kitaab in some of the most amazing ways. Every story, every article, and every pitch have something to teach – good or bad. 

At the end of the day, I think I need to be surrounded by stories in some form or other. Be it Kitaab, Keemiya Creatives, Bookbots India or my personal reading and writing, the world of stories is where I love being.

Winston Churchill said, ‘If you find a job you love, you will never work in your life!’ Not having to work was a dream and I can say I managed to achieve this by working with these incredible people.

5. What kind of books do you personally enjoy reading? Any favourite genre? Favourite authors? Any favourite Indian authors? 

I have been a book reviewer since 2011. Reading everything and anything was a habit as it meant reviewing it. But in 2022 I decided to finally slow down the reviewing aspect and go back to personal reading.

In 2024 I merged my love for cinema with reading and have been on a mission to read books on cinema. So far I have read 7 titles out of which Kishore Kumar’s biography by Aniruddha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar is my favourite. 

Personally, I enjoy women-centric stories, translations (I simply love them!), travelogues, and memoirs. My favourite genre (if I had to pick one) had to be literary fiction. 

My favourite author of all time is Saadat Hasan Manto. I simply admire his works so much that I am currently learning Urdu just to be able to read his works in the original. Ismat Chugtai comes a close second. Though I always feel they are both the top names I would ever say if asked for my favourite authors to keep going back to anytime I fear a reading slump coming up or a writer’s block. 

Among the current writers in India, I would say there are many. Sharing some of my favourites that come to my mind immediately- Kiran Manral, Janice Pariat, Sumana Roy, Jerry Pinto, Sudha Menon, Shatrujeeth Nath, and Sharanya Manivannan – they just have to announce their next work/s and I am sold. I really enjoy reading their writing in any form. 

6. You also write short stories? Tell us more. What kind of stories do you enjoy writing? Which of your stories is your personal favourite, and why? Also, tell us about Metro Diaries 1 and 2. Has the response been to these? What is the most notable thing about the feedback you’ve received from your readers?

Short stories are something I love writing. You know in a novel a lot is happening. The characters, their back-stories, the character arc, the tension, the highs, the lows, and finally the climax. In short stories, oftentimes, you could just talk about one moment in a person’s life and it would still make complete sense.

I am a Bollywood buff and a diehard romantic at heart. I used to write love stories the most. Metro Diaries was initially a segment on my blog where I shared snippets or stories about people I met while traveling for work. Because most of it was intercity travel, it involved metro trains and buses. Hence the name, Metro Diaries.

This segment went on to be very popular with a lot of people writing to me about their own love stories and how these felt so real. After some nudging from a few regular readers, I finally wrote 20 such stories and compiled them into a book called the Metro Diaries. 

The second part had more contemporary stories ranging on issues from marriage, infidelity, and death to adulting and coming of age. 

The response to both these titles was heart-warming. Absolute strangers had written to me telling me how these stories gave them hope. But the best feedback that stands out for me has to be from a regular reader of my blog who decided to give her marriage another chance after reading my stories because she felt love had not gone missing completely from their lives. She realized love was there but it was hidden beneath a lot of other things. She wanted to unearth that love and bring back magic to their lives. I need to add here, she managed to do that successfully and today they are happily married for more than a decade now. 

7. What is your take on the publishing ecosystem in India? Are publishers sufficiently encouraging toward new/first-time authors? Has the growth of self-publishing been a boon for writers? If yes, how and in what ways?

The publishing Ecosystem in India has been growing rapidly. Some of the initiatives in the last few years are brilliant like crediting the translator for translations. Acknowledging the cover designers etc. 

If you were to compare Indian publishing with worldwide publishing, you might feel we are not sufficiently encouraging toward new/first-time authors. I don’t completely agree withthis as we have seen some very interesting debuts in the last few years and an excellent line-up for 2025 from debut writers. However, I do feel the whole process needs more transparency. Be it the royalties, author rights, or even the number of copies sold – more transparency is what will encourage new entrants. Currently, most of them find it to be a mysterious world where nobody discusses the numbers openly. This secrecy also leads to a lot of romanticization of writing as a career, incorrectly so, most of the time. 

I do feel self-publishing is a huge boon to writers and it is very encouraging to see the taboo attached to self-publishing finally getting off. There are so many traditionally published authors today who have also opted to self-publish their works. And this speaks volumes about the pros of self-publishing.

After the pandemic, we saw an increase in the waiting periods for traditional book publishing deals. It also led to publishers being particular about the genres they wanted to pick. As a result, many previously traditionally published writers saw a not-so-encouraging response from publishers for their new works. And as you know in today’s times, out of sight is out of mind. One cannot afford to not have any work out for a long while if one wants to stay relevant in a reader’s memory. So many popular writers self-published their work and saw a great response to it. 

Self-publishing not only removes unnecessary gatekeeping but also allows a writer to experiment. Be it with the genre, or the style of writing. This is a huge encouragement to a writer. After the pandemic, we saw a lot of memoirs and poetry collections released through self-publishing houses. These genres would not be normally picked by traditional publishing houses but today, thanks to self-publishing they are out in the world. I firmly believe, every book has its audience. However, big or small. The key to finding it. Self-publishing gives you that platform to find the right audience.

Like, take my travelogue, A Lost Wanderer for instance. When I was querying it, the responses were mixed. In thissense, there was no rejection. All the responses praised my writing but it also added that the genre was pretty new for Indian markets. I was a new name and they were not sure of sales. Some publishing seniors encouraged me to consider self-publishing if I was so confident about the book so that they could see the response to the book and decide further. At the end of the day, it is all about taking risks.

There have been so many instances where after self-publishing success those authors are then approached for traditional book publishing deals. Savi Sharma is one such name. Pankaj Giri. And so many others found success in self-publishing and ended up being traditionally published. 

The goal should be to bring good stories to the world. The format or the platform shouldn’t matter as long as you believe in your work.

What an enlightening conversation.  

To explore more about their journey, the incredible work they’re doing, and how Keemiya Creatives continues to redefine the creative landscape, be sure to visit their official website. Click [here] to dive deeper into their world and stay updated on their latest projects and inspirations. 

You can also listen to their latest Podcast and visit their Youtube Channel. Thank you for joining us, and we hope you feel as inspired by Namrata as I was.