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"I had no access point to this 'industry' of publishing and literature. But what I had was a community on Tumblr and Instagram of young women who felt so seen by these words." - Rupi Kaur

At just 21 years old, Rupi Kaur defied traditional publishing wisdom and followed her instinct to keep her poetry collection "Milk and Honey" intact, rather than fragment it for literary journals. Despite her professor's warnings against self-publishing, Kaur recognized that her community of young, progressive readers on Tumblr and Instagram were connecting deeply with her vulnerable explorations of taboo topics. This intuitive understanding of her audience and unwavering commitment to her artistic vision led her to self-publish, initially hoping to reach just a few hundred readers.

What began as a passion project quickly transformed into an unprecedented literary phenomenon. Without fully grasping the significance of her early success, Kaur had sold 18,000 copies through grassroots efforts and her website in just five months. Her breakthrough moment came in April 2015 when a powerful photograph she posted online went viral, drawing hundreds of thousands of new readers to her poetry. Rather than pursuing her planned legal career, Kaur's courage to share her most vulnerable work and bypass traditional gatekeepers revolutionized modern poetry publishing, proving that authentic connection with readers transcends industry conventions.

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