Caferati isn’t just about giving writers a forum to meet and interact with others who are infected with the writing bug. Writers also seek to reach out to the world at large, to readers who do not necessarily want to write themselves.

So, from the very start, we’ve been figuring out ways to find our members their audiences. Our blog was one such method. Our collaboration with the Kala Ghoda Festival (in 2006, 2007 & 2008) to create and manage several contests for writers was another. And Caferati Listings collates and sends out information about all kinds of opportunities for writers, paid or unpaid. But that is not enough. Or so we think.

A while ago, we decided we want to publish books, maybe bring out a magazine, offer training and workshops, and, well, lots of other stuff designed to make it more worthwhile to spend time writing. Thing is, this other stuffrequires us to work with the world of business: printers, sponsors, distributors, sponsors, bookshops and retailers, sponsors, advertisers, sponsors, sponsors, you get the picture. And businesspeople are not comfortable dealing with something as—to them—nebulous as an online forum. They’re happier working with an organisation governed by corporate laws they’re familiar with. And so we decided to set up a company.

Caferati Creative’s first production is in the market. Please see Stories at the Coffee Table for details.