Meet the founder
Isha Karmakar
The publishing professional behind Story Compass — and firmly in the author’s corner.
5+ years in publishing · Sales · Project management · Business development
Connect on LinkedIn ↗Why Story Compass exists
“Authors need someone who understands the manuscript.”
I’ve been part of the publishing world since 2020, and in that time I’ve worn many hats. As a sales professional, I was often the very first voice an author heard when they reached out. As a Project Manager, I was the one making sure their books actually came together on time and to standard. And as a Business Development Executive, I watched how the business of publishing really worked — from the inside.
What I kept seeing troubled me. First-time authors were coming in with very real concerns — about their budget, about the quality of the final product. And too often, they were being steered toward packages that served the company more than the author. Because they trusted the person in front of them, they agreed. Many of them never received what they had been promised.
That gap — between what authors are told and what they actually receive — is the reason Story Compass exists.
I built Story Compass to be the one person an author genuinely needs in their corner. Someone who has worked the sales floor, managed production timelines, and navigated publisher relationships — and who will bring all of that experience to work entirely in your interest.
If and when you’re ready to publish, I can sit across the table from publishers and negotiate on your behalf. Because you wrote the story. You shouldn’t have to choose between your budget and your trust in the people handling it. That burden belongs with me — not with you.
Author to advocate