“Learn to make mistakes and be okay with imperfections.”
A journalist, environmental advocate, author, content writer, publisher, researcher, and 30 under 30 nominee, Anjali Roongta, is the founder of Musings and Muses_Saga.
Anjali’s venture, Musings, showcases her books and research and publishes blogs on sustainable living in India, poetry, and practical writing advice. She also runs Muses_Saga, a publishing venture that helps authors bring books to market with zero up-front cost by distributing e-books and eco-friendly paperbacks printed on tree-free, fairtrade paper, tree-free paper, and when those are not available, using paper lying at home or other eco-friendly alternatives offering paywall-free reading when authors agree and an option for readers to support creators via tips.
In an exclusive chat with Entrepreneurs Today, she speaks of her journey as an author and entrepreneur. She reveals,
“When I founded Muses_Saga, we were a poetry page that wanted to publish our book Realisations in Quarantine. Then we realised that books are difficult for many in India to afford, leading to the idea of a free reading website. As we went further into the publishing process, we realised that for self-publishing, either one must pay a lot or handle the entire project other than distribution themselves, leading to the creation of Muses_Saga, and we added the print-on-demand facility when we saw how unsold books were often torn and returned to publishers to be thrown away or recycled.”
Zero up-front costs
Today, Muses_Saga stands apart by combining eco-conscious production with author-first publishing. They prioritise printing on fair-trade, tree-free paper, and when unavailable, use paper lying at home or other eco-friendly options, while distributing e-books and eco-friendly paperbacks and offering end-to-end publishing services with no upfront fee for authors.
The platform also uses a time-limited, paywall-free model to help new readers discover work and an optional tipping system that lets readers support creators directly, making readership growth and sustainability central to the business rather than revenue extraction from authors.
Anjali explains that authors can simply publish their books for free with basic services like cover and editing. The goal is to build trust while generating revenue through tips and a minimal fee for e-book and paperback sales. There are other revenue streams as well if an author requests additional services beyond the basic package.
The Journey
One of the biggest operational or financial challenges has been publishing green, as print-on-demand, which significantly increases the price of each paperback. Higher retail prices reduce purchase volume, which affects revenue for both the authors and the platform, and since they do not reduce manuscript length to lower printing costs, margins remain tight.
So far, they have published 20 books in different genres and by different writers. The short-term goal for now is to publish at least 40 books a year from various genres, especially climate fiction. In the near future, they are aiming towards holding contests, expanding to different formats, and growing as a company that gives back to the community. They will soon be introducing comics and hosting on-site events.
As she signs off, she leaves an important lesson she learned over the years. She asserts,
“Sustainability can make things tougher, and it is essential to have a vision when making things eco-friendly as well as options.”
