News Desk
DUBAI: While new publishers are dime a dozen, nobody has a mandate quite as unique as Author In Me Ltd. The multi-award-winning company doesn’t just publish books written by children – but also offers creative writing courses to enable children to come up with that perfect story, create a book and have it published on a global digital platform.
Started as a personalised book design service for parents looking for a solution to preserve their child’s artwork, Author In Me soon gained popularity and scaled significantly by providing mentorship programmes to young writing talent and offering them a global platform through digital publishing. Their unique approach and top-class design service have helped them carve a name in the niche market of children’s book publishing industry.
“Storytelling is central to making sense of the world around us and within us. It has the power to engage, influence, teach and inspire. Since ancient times, across all cultures, knowledge was transferred in the form of stories and fables. We have to remember that children are natural storytellers. They will narrate any episode to its most intricate detail will wholesome expression.” believes Ekta Bajaj, co-founder, Author In Me Ltd.
An enthusiastic storyteller and motivational speaker, Ekta believes that storytelling is an essential life skill and has the power to infuse compassion, tolerance, and confidence in children.
Considering the increase in the number of corporates that are constantly tapping into the power of storytelling and recognising it as a vital marketing tool, one can clearly see why Author In Me is working towards expanding the natural expression of a child by giving them a platform to nurture their innate abilities and harness their communication skills.
We are different because we make the whole process of writing and publishing a book an unforgettable and enjoyable experience for children, says Monica Sood, co-founder, Author In Me Ltd.
An avid writer and a passionate scientific researcher, Monica believes that being able to express oneself is a vital skill. By cultivating this capability in a child, we give them the invaluable power to share their ideas and thoughts with the world in a meaningful way.
“It is scientifically proven that children are far more imaginative and creative than adults and one of the best ways to promote creativity in children is to make them believe that their ideas and thoughts are worth sharing and writing about. Once children conceive an idea that excites them and have the confidence to share it, articulating their thoughts organically fosters,” she further adds.
In the current lock down situation, Author In Me has seen a surge in the demand of book publishing projects. They have recently published two books, written individually by siblings, Arush and Megan Tandon. Ten-year-old Arush is thrilled to see that his collection of two short stories, The Runaway sofa and ‘The Funny Man, live on Amazon Kindle for digital download on his 10th birthday! He has since spoken about his experience on a webinar hosted by Saumya Tandon, where the books were launched globally. Speaking to the young children, he shared his views on how writing is extremely essential for children and why the stories brewing in one’s heart must find a voice through the books. His message was simple; write to make yourself and people happy.
Sharing the poignant tale of a Child Horse stuck in war with rest of the world seemed a distant dream for twelve-year old Megan until her Mum approached Author In Me to publish it globally. By seeing her novella in the form of a digital book has made Megan believe that every dream and goal can be achieved.Megan’s message for every child is never stop listening to your inner voice andnever stop chasing your dreams. Behind Megan and Arush’s dreams that turned into reality, is a very strong mother, Loveena Tondon, who believes that investing in nurturing a child’s inner world will ultimately reap benefits in their outer world.
The books have also bonded the families across borders in the most unique way. Their maternal grandmother, Jyotsna Tandon, who is also an acclaimed artist has contributed hand drawn illustration for the books, all the way from Mumbai, India. These were digitally rendered and compiled by Author In Me team based in the UK.
Needless to say, both Arush and Megan are eager to start writing their next book. With them,thousands of those to whom their message has reached,are also empowered with a belief that dreams can come true.
“To inspire every child in the world to express his/her emotions candidly through stories is our deepest desire. We hope to see major bookstores dedicating an aisle to books written by children,” says Ekta.
“Providing children with a bigger platform to showcase their work is our larger vision. We were geared up to launch the first-of-its kind literary festival for children in London on June 2020 but due to the unprecedented situation of covid -19, the event has now planned for the next year. On positive side, we will have lot more authors by then too!”adds Monica.
By providing children a platform and medium to share their unique voice, Author In Me is ultimately embedding the seeds of self-confidence, optimism and self-belief in children. Once this foundation is solidified then no matter what the child chooses to pursue in personal and professional world, the confidence and pride of having accomplished a dream will always be their guiding star to chase their larger goals and dreams.
