Macmillan Publishing Solutions, New Deli

It is pretty quiet here at Vasant Apartments most of the time. We are tucked away in the B-9 block at number 9316, which is Mrs. Shyamala Krishnan’s place. Working in publishing means our desks are usually covered in manuscripts and loose sheets of paper. Masoodpur is a busy area just outside the gates, but inside the apartment complex, it stays mostly calm. We handle the technical side of making books look right before they ever go to a printer. It is not a fancy glass office with a lobby. It is just a regular living space we have converted into a work area with some sturdy desks and computers. Some of us have been doing this for a long time, while others are newer to the publishing grind. We spend many hours checking fonts and making sure the layout details are perfect. If you walk by, you might see us through the window or just hear the hum of the air conditioners running. Getting everything lined up for a book takes a lot of patience. Sometimes the deadlines get tight and we are here much later than we planned, but that is just how this industry goes. Usually, we take a short break for tea in the afternoon when the sun starts to move across the balcony. It is a decent place to work. New Delhi can be very loud, but this corner of Vasant Kunj feels like home. We just get the pages ready.