YourQuote is a creative writing tool that enables authors to transform their text into original works of art. It was created by IIT Delhi alumnus and neighbors Harsh Snehanshu and Ashish Singh. The firm recently triumphed in the Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge sponsored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While an engineering student at IIT Delhi, Harsh Snehanshu became bitten by the writing bug. Harsh is a bestselling author and a freelance writer who has contributed to The Caravan Magazine, Tehelka, and The Hindu, among other publications. Over the course of his nearly 13-year career, he has produced over a hundred short tales.
Harsh discovered that independent writers frequently found the process of pitching to or being picked up by a Penguin or a HarperCollins highly intimidating and difficult to understand during his encounters with publishing firms while he was writing his novels. A centralized platform that allowed writers to generate and communicate their ideas with other like-minded individuals was also lacking. Due to their lack of a linear emphasis, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter could not compete as dedicated creative writing communities.
Additionally, based on his personal experiences, Harsh discovered that although some blogging platforms allowed users to publish whatever they pleased, most of them were not smartphone-friendly, which was problematic given that the world at the time was on the verge of smartphones replacing laptops for daily tasks.
In an interview with YourStory, Harsh says, “Content platforms were not mobile-friendly, and as a writer, I found it extremely inconvenient to open my laptop every time I wanted to post.”
YourQuote’s co-founders
Co-founders of YourQuote Harsh (left) and Ashish (right). Source: YourQuote
He founded YourQuote, a social media platform for creative writing that links authors and readers with like-minded interests, in an effort to address these issues and others. The Bengaluru-based firm was co-founded by Harsh and CTO Ashish Singh in 2016.
The platform, which comes in the form of an app and a read-only website, handles all aspects of publishing, from organizing the text using emotive backgrounds to printing and distributing the finished coffee table book.
In addition, it enables authors to develop their own fan base, interact with their audience in the comments section of each piece they produce, get criticism on their work, and, if everything goes according to Harsh’s plan, perhaps even start making money from their content soon.
Although YourQuote describes itself as a short story and poem writing software, the genre is flexible. On the backend, the app creates custom reading selections for users based on their search preferences and fills their feeds with a variety of content that adheres to a common theme.
What it does
Following their registration on the app, users can begin uploading text using the free creator tools that are made available to them, most notably expressive backdrops and fonts. Hashtags can be used to add topics.
Every post on the platform has the YourQuote watermark by default, which according to Harsh has assisted in the community’s expansion and user growth.
