Writers & Publishers. 09-9-2010
When I was a teenager, I used to read novels and fictions. Now I am too old for it. While studying for A/C & Ref diploma way back in ’76 I had membership in British council library. I was able to read some of the best novels and books in those days. I thought writers are some one special. Now I do not think they are special.
Most of us can tell some kind of cock and bull stories. Some of them can tell same story with professional touch. Few of them are natural storytellers. They add species and frills while telling stories. That makes it interesting to listen / read. Other can always learn how to write fictions online.
I do not consider myself as a writer. I am a story concept writer. Since I dream a lot, I can write fictions. In fact, I was forced to write my first fiction. Because of financial crunch, my wife left me with my only daughter. My first life story is ‘The Life of Little Princess’ (semi-fiction). My own family life ended in disaster. I did not want that to happen to others. There was a morel lesson in my own life /story. I wanted to tell Indian homemaker to save their family life by finding home based work to support their family. Later I went on to write nine other fictions in different genre including one about a new religion ‘The Universal Love ‘from atheist point of view.
What is so great about writing novel? You think about story concept and write main story, in your leisure time you develop character and subplots. It is just that simple!
Believe me writing main story is easy but developing character and subplots take more time than writing main story. Story concept can be a single word, few sentences or even few paragraphs. It is the foundation of the story. Later you go on building stories (sub plots) .
Concept can be a single word. Like ‘BEHAVE!’ Some one special wrote to me ‘Behave!’I went on to write my only short story ‘Kathy I miss you....’ ( Erotic/ pron) .concept could be a topic like gay, lesbian, drugs, or any other social issuers, you can even recollect some incident narrated to you by some one or your friend. News paper report or even head line.. Possibilities are end less. Still not clear? Check our (your) movies. People in the movie field make movie out of real life incident or even from newspaper report. They just develop sub plots, add spices, and make out movie. It is the same case with fiction / novel writing. To find concept you do have to look further.
At time, you will find there is an initial hic-up. Do not get stuck with it. Start writing from where you are comfortable. Later you can write beginning! For the past four years,
I have been keeping story concept of BROKEN HEART (Horror) on my mind. When I will start writing this fiction, I will write from the middle to till end! That is where chain of events (action) takes place. It is easy for me to visualize scenes frame by frame. Boy meets girl will take time to write. Especially those stupid dialogs. Here I work as lodge manager from 7am. To 11 p.m 16 x 365! I do not know when will start writing Broken heart. Unlike other writers, I cannot write little by little and make out fiction. Once I start writing I go on and on till I finish writing fiction.
If you do not have natural flair for writing fiction, your story (including mine!) lacks ‘professional touch’. No problem, if you have money or if you can find co-author for your fiction. With money, your ghost (writer) will take care of your fictions.
From our national news page, we get to read some of the best articles from foreign newspaper. There was an article about ghostwriter. I was under the impression that the ‘ghost’ is there to help budding and struggling writer like us. I mean to develop subplots, polish and to give professional touch for our fictions. Would you believe me? Even some of the world famous writers employ ghost to write their magnum opus!
After you spent couple of thousand dollars on ghost and publisher, you will be able to get it published. Whether you will be able to sell your novels or not depends entirely on the readers. If the story concept and they whey you presented to the readers make all the differences. Just because your novel was written with ‘professional touch’ and in, a glossy package does not guarantee that it will became a hot cake. Have n’t we read some of the articles and novels without substance? At times I personally felt that I had wasted my ‘precious’ lifetime reading ‘trash’. It is interesting to read when an author plays with words or you just freak out when you read ‘” while making love, leaving gas is strictly No… No” Lol.
If you thought, my ability is to write wide range of articles, or different genre fictions. You have mistaken. It is a prelude to work as creative or ghost director in near future for my fictions .I am in a wrong profession. Sales cum service technician, lodge manager. I am at the mercy of movie production house. At first, I have to get my fiction published before I think of working as creative director. So far, I have n’t got a chance to transfer images from my mind to celluloid. If only movie producer is going to make movie out of my fiction and I get a chance to work / assist director or SFX / CGI artists you will be able to see it . I wish to see my creation on silver screen. It will be a challenge to work as creative director for my science fictions. It will be far ahead of Bollywood times and on par with your holly wood movies.
Have you seen Indian movie Robot promos? I hate senseless graphics. The purpose of graphics is to create ‘make believe’ scenes. You check with any of Steven spiel burg, James Cameron or George Lucas movies then you will understand what I mean by ‘make believe’ scenes. In their movies, you can never see senseless graphics.
Publishers are everywhere. On the net, you will find millions of them. If you are willing to pay money to get your fictions published, you will find millions of publisher. Now the question is if you get your fiction published by publisher at free of cost (at the publisher’s expense) does it mean your fiction too good? Of if you spent money to get your fiction published does it mean it is cheap? Even after you spent thousands of dollars to get, your fiction published there is no guarantee that they will promote your fiction. A leading publisher is likely to publish hundreds of book per year. It is very unlikely that they will promote your books. Fate of your book depends on story concept and the way you presented to the readers.
If you try to get your fiction, published ten out of seven publishers will send estimate to you. Others will reject your fiction for different reason.
A. it is not their choice of genre.
N.B. your fiction does not live up to their expectation (standard). If not they will ask you to get critic review for your fiction from a prominent writer or team. Ultimately the fate of your fiction is not in the hands of publisher .it is with the readers. If they like your fiction, they will recommend it to their family or friends.
Every write dream of getting published his/ her fiction at the publisher’s expense. With ever increasing cost of printing fictions, finding a publisher to foot the bill for your fiction is not easy. Most of the publisher had sent me estimate. I had stopped sending my manuscript to the publisher. The day when I make enough money to publish I will get it published my fictions. One of the foreign publisher was very honest. He sent me long letter explaining the cost involved in printing book. I really felt sorry for that publisher. I wish I had money to get my fiction published. I even thought of selling my ‘chattini ‘(kidney) to get my fiction published. However, nobody will buy chattini or kidney of an old man.
If you have real talent, you should be able to write fiction with out much struggling. I am yet to prove my worth. Do not ever copy someone’s original idea and prostitute (write another story) and claim that you are ‘inspired’ by some one’s story. It is called plagiarism. Remember Kavya Viswanathan. The chick lit girl. Here in India copyright has no value.
In India, even if you have talent nobody will give you a chance to show cases your talent. You will only die with your ideas. In this competitive world, you do not knock at the door. You have to kick open it .for that you will need not only talent but also money! Praying DOG or waiting for lady luck to smile on you is the stupidest thing a creative person can do.
When life is adversely affects you. Try to exploit the existing situation to your advantage. You will find light at the end of the tunnel. When my wife let me with my only daughter, I choose to write fiction / novel. My wife and my own family though I was mad. My friend (ex) felt sorry for me. I hate sympathy. In ancient period our scientist were considered as mad man. I am after all a poor alien. Even after four years, (ever since I finished all my fictions) I am still grouping in the dark. As a writer, I am yet to see day light.
When I make enough money (Rs.50,000 or $1250 USD) I will get my fiction ‘Eternal Love ‘published in India. If I make money out of my fiction, I will ask my ghost (writer) to churn out pages after pages for romantic scenes and subplots. I wrote mature love scenes with necessary dialogs. However, I cannot write stupid and sentimental Indian dialogs for young lovers. Then I will introduce it as Eternal Love ‘Final Edition.’ And introduce it in the U.S by a reputed publishing house. Money speaks volume. And again if I make money out of my’ Final edition’, then I will look for co-author or sit with a ghost and set Eternal Love’ across the Atlantic for ’U.S edition’! Because of our cultural difference, I will not be able to write you kind of dialogs for U.S edition.
Keep dreaming…! It ain’t cost anything. Work towards your dreams. One day your dream will come true! And you be prepared for your D-DAY!
Sweet dreams never die. Jivan.
Happy dreaming,
Friend,
Jiavn.
N.B. You know the hardest part? Keeping our dreams alive when everything goes perfectly down the drain.
