Chapter 57

Interview with Sangeetha Menon from Tulika Publishers + Bound publishing course + pitch calls + opps

Dearest gentler reader,

Wishing you a wonderful July where every editor responds to you, you get paid on time, and that ugly imposter syndrome doesn’t surface at all.

I’ve decided that instead of moaning about what’s wrong, I will reframe my perspective and force my mind to being positive. My preferred publications (and editors) aren’t responding to me? No problem. Something better will come along.

If you are struggling with getting pitches accepted and editors to respond to them (even if it is with a no), know that you are not alone. After eight years of freelancing, it still happens to me. And, here’s a reminder: it is not always about you. Editors have their own whims and moods, and often, their favourite writers. A ‘no’ to your pitch doesn’t always mean it is a bad idea. It probably just needs a different home!

I am done with my micro pep talk. Let’s get into other subjects.

This week’s newsletter features an interview with Sangeetha Menon, who handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers + details about Bound’s Publishing Course + pitch calls + other opps.

Ready? Let’s begin.

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THE INTERVIEW

Sangeetha Menon a.k.a. The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Yellow Club, Karadi Tales, BodyTalk and Carve Magazine. She runs a podcast, The Closet Writer Chronicles, which has been in the top 5% of globally shared podcasts.

She is one of the faculty members for Bound’s publishing course (details below) where she will be talking about children’s publishing in India - the landscape and how it’s evolving in terms of the kind of stories and artwork + how digital distribution is becoming a more prominent revenue stream and how technology is integrating itself into the ecosystem.

Excerpts:

1. You mention you started your publishing journey with Bound. Can you elaborate on that? What was your biggest takeaway from the course?

An acquaintance had mentioned Bound to me in early 2020. I found their work interesting and started following them on social media. Later in the year, they announced they’d be conducting an Editing & Publishing Course (which I look at as a predecessor to The Publishing Course). I was curious about publishing and really wanted to learn more. So, this came at the right time and I signed up. It was of course virtual. Tara, Michelle and Aishwarya were the core faculty and I just found them so easy to communicate with. They were so patient and willing to teach, support and guide all of us in that program. That course really broadened my understanding of the Publishing industry and the different roles available. Especially as someone who has no background in literature or creative writing.

2. How did you make the shift from your corporate work into literature?

During the 2020 lockdown, I immersed myself in writing by joining different writing groups on social media, participating in National Poetry Writing Month, signing up for classes / workshops on writing, and eventually teaching writing workshops for beginners. Before that, I was working in the secretarial & legal department of a conglomerate. I had resigned and was looking at moving cities when the lockdown happened. I also happened to get my first published piece in February 2020. So, when the lockdown was announced, I figured that I’d focus on writing for a bit. Gradually, I started considering it as a serious option. I interned with Bound in 2021, continued teaching writing workshops and also became a reader at an independent magazine. All these steps contributed in leading me to take a serious shot at publishing.

3. How easy/ difficult is it for people to make that transition? What are some lessons/ advice you can offer to someone seeking to do the same?

I would say it’s easier to pursue a creative career today, as long as you don’t box yourself in. For example, when we talk about Publishing, people immediately think about writers and editors. However, they don’t realise that there are other roles like marketing, finance, business development and rights. It’s about identifying what your skill sets are and how that can help you with a role in the ecosystem. I would also say, really think about why you want to be in a creative career and if it matches with your expectations. And also, be financially smart.

4. You've done a lot: writing, publishing, editing, podcasting. Do you believe that people need to diversify in today's job landscape?

I think it’s important for people to be willing to learn and adapt. You don’t need to do everything but it definitely helps if you know how to do a lot of things. It helps when you’re dealing with different kinds of creators and roles, so no one’s taking you for a ride but also that you can better understand where someone else is coming from. It helps when you can integrate knowledge and apply it to multiple spaces. If I talk about my role as a Rights Manager, my experience in podcasting helps me relate better with a potential buyer for audio rights or someone who’s into audio production. Podcasting also helps me with my conversational skills when I interview authors for promotions. My experience as an editor helps me with my own writing skills for freelance work and my newsletter.

5. Did you take any courses or supplement your learning along the way?

I took a lot of courses by Bound itself. I had the opportunity to attend their courses when I was interning with them. Apart from the Editorial & Publishing course, I’ve taken courses on poetry, non-fiction and fiction by them. Michelle D’Costa is an amazing mentor for fiction. I’ve also taken courses by Pragya Bhagat who’s a wonderful poet and writer. I also follow a lot of the videos and articles by Reedsy.

Your thoughts on AI and how can writers use it smartly (if at all?)

AI can be a very helpful tool. I use ChatGPT for drafting emails and I’ve just started using it for drafting show notes for my podcast. Some other tools I’ve found helpful are Hemingway Editor and Xodo for proofreading and copy editing. It can definitely be useful in some aspects.

However, the concern is when people start thinking they can just blindly create via AI and replace human creativity altogether. A few months ago, there was a publication that issued an article which was a list of books and a lot of the titles were made up. So, you still need to fact check and go through what AI gives you.

My primary concern is the need for more legislation around AI and fair use of content especially for training Large Language Models (LLM) and the like. Publishers, Authors, and Artists need to be safeguarded from copyright infringement and unfair use of their work. There needs to be clearer guidelines on financial compensation and licensing of using work for AI training.

You can find Sangeetha on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn.

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SHORT BYTES

I’ve teamed up with Bound India to help promote their upcoming publisher’s course. Sharing quick details here! Remember: only 19 seats left!

Bound is a creative education platform, announced The Bound Publishing Course for 2025. Dates: September 6 - December 7.

3 months. 100 hours. 40+ experts.

You will learn about all aspects of publishing - designing book covers, translations, non fiction writing, copy-editing, book launches and more + specializations like book editing or marketing and PR. It ends with a recruitment drive where you can learn about different roles/ salaries, polish your portfolio, and apply for desired roles.

Your teachers will be from Harper Collins India, Tulika Publishers, Juggernaut, Newslaundry, Simon & Schuster India, Penguin, A Suitable Agency, and Conde Nast Traveller India.

Think of it as a short course at college, with teachers, guest faculty and even recruitments! And, you will make friends too.

If you sign up using my code, JOANNA5, you get 5% off on your first installment.

Apply here.

PS: If you have any questions or need more details, ask away.

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PITCH CALLS

1. The MAP Academy’s Perspectives is a digital publication on art, art history, and visual culture in South Asia. We seek to present original and nuanced observations and analyses based on research and reportage. Details, here.
   - Email: mapacademy-pitches@map-india.org with the subject line “PITCH: [Story Title],” a 200-word brief, and a projected word count.
   - Rate: Rs5,000-20,000

2. Class Central, an online education platform, is open to freelance pitches from writers and journalists. Pitch guidelines, here.
   - Rate: start from $100-$250
   - Email: careers@classcentral.com with the subject line: Pitch: [Your Proposed Headline]

3. Motley Bloom’s second issue wants pitches about neurodivergence and nature. Writers must identify as neurodivergent and be able to write from the perspective of lived experience with ND (FYI, we lean into traits over specific diagnoses).
   - Rate: $1/word for 2000-2500 words
   - Email: pitch@motley-bloom.com. Must include a bio. Only writers with links to published clips will be considered for this one.

4. The Reporters' Collective is launching a pitch call for investigative stories that uncover the truth and hold power to account. Pitch guide, here. We’re looking for fearless independent reporters to dig deep into under-reported issues, systemic corruption, or untold stories of social churn.
   - Rate: Rs 40,000 + travel costs

5. Editor Tejaswinee Roychowdhury is looking for your finest speculative fiction. Write magic, write innovation and write absurdity, for The Bare Bones Book of Speculative Fiction (published in early 2026). Guidelines: https://lnkd.in/dDnEr47t

6. Digital Frontier is open to pitches exploring unusual trends or observations within the digital world, profiles of up-and-coming founders, the ones building the startups destined to be the next unicorns, stories about startups solving problems or tackling their own specific challenges.
   - Email: sophia@digitalfrontier.com
   - Rate: £350 for 1,200-1,500 words

7. Good Food Movement [read the newsletter with their interview, here] is looking for a Chennai-based freelance reporter with experience in the environment/civic beats to write an article for series on urban freshwater. Being based out of Chennai and having relevant experience are musts.
   - Email: neerja.deodhar@akshayakalpa.org with past bylines.

8. Queer East will be launching a new publication this autumn dedicated to fresh perspectives on LGBTQ+ cinema, arts, and cultures from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora communities. Deadline: July 17
   - Submit here
   - Rate: £180 flat fee for a 1,000-word article

9. Mountains magazine is seeking writers who have direct experience of snow sports in Japan for a piece in the Winter (December) issue. Pitch guidelines, here.
   - Rate: £110 for 850-1100 words

10. Make Writing your Job newsletter is announced a call for pitches: “The Moment I Knew I Had to Make Writing My Job”. Details, here.
    - Rate: $1/word | 500 words

11. Roots of Progress Institute is seeking to commission stories for a new article series, “Intelligence Age,” on future applications of AI.
    - Rate: $2/word; seeking 3,000 word stories.
    - Submit, here.

12. Off Assignment is seeking literary personal essays for our open columns! Their columns invite you to pen essays for the following prompts: “Letter to a Stranger,” addressed to a stranger who haunts you still; “No Equivalent,” about a word, phrase, or concept that evades translation; “Under the Influence,” on the alchemy between art and place, “Witching Hour,” ambient place portraits set at a specific time, and “What I Didn’t Say,” the story-behind-the-story of an assignment or reportage that didn’t make it into the printed piece. ⁠
    - Rate: $500 for all long-form essays and $100 for short-form “Witching Hour” essays.
    - Submit, here.

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MISCELLANY

FELLOWSHIP: The Azim Premji Foundation Health Equity Fellowship
Focused on Postgraduate Doctors is for those who are willing to use this opportunity to learn by working in among the most remote & resource-constrained geographies in India. Starts September 2025. Details, here.

CONTEST: Applications are now open for It’s Nice That’s Ones to Watch, which is looking at showcasing emerging creative talent from the visual arts field. Details, here. Deadline: July 20.

FELLOWSHIP: @Princeton Institute of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences has a fellowship themed on Emerging Forces in Political Economy Applicants must hold the PhD Fellowship is residential and for the full year (September–May). Details at https://ias.edu/sss/sss-fellowships… Deadline: October 15. Details, here.

RETREAT: The Himalayan Writing Retreat is from Sept 27 – Oct 2, 2025. More details, here.

APPLICATIONS: Shillim Institute invites emerging artists, researchers & cultural practitioners to apply for 6-month fully supported fellowship on: Documentation of Dalit Music in the Pawna Catchment Area, Maval Taluka Maharashtra. Students and early-career researchers in anthropology, ethnomusicology, cultural studies, Dalit studies, or allied fields can apply. Must be open to fieldwork in rural areas. Details, here. Deadline: July 15.

RESOURCE: Journalist Tim Herrera put together a doc of 300+ publications and what they pay. He also shared an updated list of pitch guides for 100+ publications. His newsletter is extremely useful for freelancers.

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I am going to use this newsletter to toot my own horn, if I may. As some of you know, I am a Consulting Editor at Goya and have started writing newsletters for them too (I do enjoy this process). Beyond the newsletter, I also curate a monthly jobs board on LinkedIn. On Instagram, I am trying to tell more Goan stories though my @GoaWithJo account.

Please like, subscribe, follow so I may continue pushing myself to do all this…yes, I am aware I am putting the onus of responsibility on you!

PS: I receive a lot of questions on LinkedIn and social media about freelancing. If any of you have such questions about freelancing, email me or comment here? I will do my best to answer them.

Until next time, keep tricking your mind into positive thinking and keep pitching. The tide will turn.

Cheers,
Joanna