Print V/S E-Book
You ...&...Me. (Between you and me)
Dear friends,
I wrote all my novels and fictions when I was unemployed. I remember in the beginning when I first received estimate amount of 1000 USD for publishing my novel I send request letter to the publisher. “I am an unemployed family man with responsibility!” there was an instant response from the publisher. “Estimate for publishing your novel $1000 only! Like our God made of stone my prayer fell on his deaf ears. I wrote back “if you think my novel is worth publishing Plz publish it at your expense!” He then resend estimate back to me. This was my reply “As soon as I make one thousand dollars I will get back to you...” Thanking you, yours sincerely, T.M.Jivan Lal. The End.
Publishers are not generous enough. They should encourage budding and struggling writes like me. They should publish book in E-Pub first later it can be published in print mode. In E-Pub prize of the book can be decided by author. Formatting and designing cover page should not be a costly affair. Every budding writer wants their books to be sold at moderate prize. They want volume/ maximum number of reader appreciating their work. It will give them satisfaction and confidence to write better books.
After receiving too many estimates for publishing my novel eternal love, now I have too Many choices. The lowest estimate will cost me Rs 20,000/-for fifty books on trial basis. And the highest estimate will cost me 6000 USD! They thought I wrote some kind of Magnum opus!
‘I am a family man with responsibility’! Does that sound funny to you? In India there are millions of husbands leading family life without responsibility. Yes, they live out of in- Law’s hand. They stay in in-law’s house. Their expenses are taken care by the in-laws. That was apart from money and gold (dowry) given at the time of marriage. Most of them have Stephanie (spare wife) else where. I call them ‘lucky bastards’.
One of the Indian publishers agreed to publish my fiction ‘Life of Little Princess’ life/ story for Rs20, 000. But there was one condition that I should sell fifty percent of my own book! While working for Salora International as sales cum service technician I used to sell Panasonic (Japan) office automation products. Fax, laser, dot-matrix, printers, Cordless phone and monitors. In those days Panasonic office automation products were the costliest products available in India. But I was able to convince costumer about bright features, superior technology, back up service and were able to sell their products. But how can I claim my semi-fiction ‘Life of Little Princess’ is better than any other book?
Here is the story line of ‘life of little princess’ life/story.
This life/story is dedicated to my daughter Sony Gudiya. Story is about our little princess.
Globalization had changed our ordinary family life forever. An-aged father’s struggle to give his only daughter good education and a secured life. After the court battle for his daughter’s custody, will he ever live with his estranged wife? This is my first fiction and I wrote this semi-fiction with three different ending! If readers like my story line the will buy it .period.
Most of the worlds leading publishers offered me free E-Book if I publish my book in print mode. But their estimate was beyond my reach. Leading publisher will quote high prize for your book. Selling unknown authors book at high prize is not easy. Whether they sell your book or not they will make minimum profit of ten percent by publishing your book. In business parlance if you are doing business for less than ten percent profit then it is called charity business. I want to sell my fiction at moderate prize of One hundred fifty rupees.
Instead of spending Rs60000 I decided to publish ‘Eternal Love’ in E-Book. Here I have an option to control the prize of my book. I had asked for paid service for E-Book but most of the publisher refused to publish my fiction only in E-Book only. After I insisted XLIBRIS publisher agreed to publish my fiction in E-Book. When I had no Money I trusted others. Now with money I am getting published my novel as per my terms and conditions. I wrote it in very minute detail how cover page of my novel should appear like… young lovers in painting, dress code, their body language, back ground, lighting condition, color, texture, choice of my font and size… when I received reply I was disappoint!”. They wrote back” Honey, Cover page costs extra money!” I made simple cover page using M.S word.
As per writers’ Bible’ by hook or crook you have to sell your book. It means you have to craft story line (short synopsis) such a way that would be readers get hooked on to your book. I am not here to sell my book either by hook or crook. Read my story line. It is just that simple. My idea of selling my book, if you like my story line you will buy it. If not, don’t buy it. I still believe ‘it is not the editor or publisher decided the fate of my book. It is ‘you’ who spent money to buy my book will decide the fate of my book”.
Friend,
Jivan
N.B. To change my perception I need scientific proof if not my belief should fail me.
You ...&...Me. (Between you and me)
Dear friends,
I wrote all my novels and fictions when I was unemployed. I remember in the beginning when I first received estimate amount of 1000 USD for publishing my novel I send request letter to the publisher. “I am an unemployed family man with responsibility!” there was an instant response from the publisher. “Estimate for publishing your novel $1000 only! Like our God made of stone my prayer fell on his deaf ears. I wrote back “if you think my novel is worth publishing Plz publish it at your expense!” He then resend estimate back to me. This was my reply “As soon as I make one thousand dollars I will get back to you...” Thanking you, yours sincerely, T.M.Jivan Lal. The End.
Publishers are not generous enough. They should encourage budding and struggling writes like me. They should publish book in E-Pub first later it can be published in print mode. In E-Pub prize of the book can be decided by author. Formatting and designing cover page should not be a costly affair. Every budding writer wants their books to be sold at moderate prize. They want volume/ maximum number of reader appreciating their work. It will give them satisfaction and confidence to write better books.
After receiving too many estimates for publishing my novel eternal love, now I have too Many choices. The lowest estimate will cost me Rs 20,000/-for fifty books on trial basis. And the highest estimate will cost me 6000 USD! They thought I wrote some kind of Magnum opus!
‘I am a family man with responsibility’! Does that sound funny to you? In India there are millions of husbands leading family life without responsibility. Yes, they live out of in- Law’s hand. They stay in in-law’s house. Their expenses are taken care by the in-laws. That was apart from money and gold (dowry) given at the time of marriage. Most of them have Stephanie (spare wife) else where. I call them ‘lucky bastards’.
One of the Indian publishers agreed to publish my fiction ‘Life of Little Princess’ life/ story for Rs20, 000. But there was one condition that I should sell fifty percent of my own book! While working for Salora International as sales cum service technician I used to sell Panasonic (Japan) office automation products. Fax, laser, dot-matrix, printers, Cordless phone and monitors. In those days Panasonic office automation products were the costliest products available in India. But I was able to convince costumer about bright features, superior technology, back up service and were able to sell their products. But how can I claim my semi-fiction ‘Life of Little Princess’ is better than any other book?
Here is the story line of ‘life of little princess’ life/story.
This life/story is dedicated to my daughter Sony Gudiya. Story is about our little princess.
Globalization had changed our ordinary family life forever. An-aged father’s struggle to give his only daughter good education and a secured life. After the court battle for his daughter’s custody, will he ever live with his estranged wife? This is my first fiction and I wrote this semi-fiction with three different ending! If readers like my story line the will buy it .period.
Most of the worlds leading publishers offered me free E-Book if I publish my book in print mode. But their estimate was beyond my reach. Leading publisher will quote high prize for your book. Selling unknown authors book at high prize is not easy. Whether they sell your book or not they will make minimum profit of ten percent by publishing your book. In business parlance if you are doing business for less than ten percent profit then it is called charity business. I want to sell my fiction at moderate prize of One hundred fifty rupees.
Instead of spending Rs60000 I decided to publish ‘Eternal Love’ in E-Book. Here I have an option to control the prize of my book. I had asked for paid service for E-Book but most of the publisher refused to publish my fiction only in E-Book only. After I insisted XLIBRIS publisher agreed to publish my fiction in E-Book. When I had no Money I trusted others. Now with money I am getting published my novel as per my terms and conditions. I wrote it in very minute detail how cover page of my novel should appear like… young lovers in painting, dress code, their body language, back ground, lighting condition, color, texture, choice of my font and size… when I received reply I was disappoint!”. They wrote back” Honey, Cover page costs extra money!” I made simple cover page using M.S word.
As per writers’ Bible’ by hook or crook you have to sell your book. It means you have to craft story line (short synopsis) such a way that would be readers get hooked on to your book. I am not here to sell my book either by hook or crook. Read my story line. It is just that simple. My idea of selling my book, if you like my story line you will buy it. If not, don’t buy it. I still believe ‘it is not the editor or publisher decided the fate of my book. It is ‘you’ who spent money to buy my book will decide the fate of my book”.
Friend,
Jivan
N.B. To change my perception I need scientific proof if not my belief should fail me.
