Publishing the Book- The Struggle

Hello everyone,

Last time when I wrote my blog I promised that I will share my experience of book publishing. So here it is:

I completed the story in the month of July 2010. After writing the story I took few prints and named my story “Phone Call”. I shared those prints with some of my close friends; they read the story and liked it a lot. Few even said that it’s a very good story for a movie! I pondered over their feedback and took a decision that I will get it published. Now the question in front of me was how to find the publisher. Well in todays time we ask such questions to Mr Google, I did the same. Mr Google provided some links of Indian Publishers. I checked many sites and their combined requirement (It varies from case to case basis) was as follows:

1. They required my C.V (I prepared small C.V, like a fresher; adding some professional details to give it some weight.)
2. They wanted a synopsis of a story (A novel of 60,000 words was to be compressed into 2000 words, I almost tore my hair while doing that)
3. They wanted first few chapters of the story to check for the flow. (That was easy)

After completing all the above requirements, I sent the world file to Publishers (Their websites provide the mail address). Most of them responded the next day itself regretting that they cannot take up my book with providing all sorts of reasons and wishing me best of luck with blah! blah!

I kept trying for couple of months with same disappointing result. By the time it was October 2010 I had lost all hope and then suddenly I came across online websites which publish the book and sell it through their sites. I got in touch with one of the site owner and asked for the details. Some really tall promises were made from his end and since I had no reference I got carried away. Catch here was that these people are the facilitators only. Their responsibility is Editing, Cover design, Book layout and Pricing, One can decide whether he/she wants ISBN number or not but and that’s a big “but”, they do not own it so wont push it for sale; also they have no marketing network, you are pretty much on your own. My experience says their editing capabilities are not very good. Plus the book they will prepare will look just average and not world class. Nevertheless I was desperate to see my book getting printed. They took few months (More than double, what they promised) and I was continuously engaged with them over phone to decide on price, right name for the book and cover etc. Finally in the month of Decembe2010 the book got ready with a new name (“Vinu, I am getting married” which I chose from the list of 15 names I prepared initially) and I received the copy, even though the book looked average I was ecstatic. They also placed the book on flipkart.com for sale. On my small level I started sending mails to friends and friends of friends (Viral Marketing). As people started reading the novel I started receiving complements on the story and various other aspects of the book. At that moment I saw a dream that my book is there at stands. By now my confidence had also grown. I found out the contact details of Cross Words and Time out Stores Marketing offices and talked to them. They showed the interest in my book but wanted to know who my distributer is?  I had no clue about the distributer. I requested them to provide me the details of some distributers. They gave me few contacts of all India Distributers. Now the task at hand was to approach these Distributers and persuade them to take up my book for distribution. By now it was Feb 2011. I got the breakthrough in the month of March 2011. Mehras (One of the leading distributers in India) responded and asked me to send them my book for reading. I sent them the copy and they liked the story a lot but were not very happy with the editing and layout. I promised them that I will improve upon that and the copies which they will receive will be really good. I went back to my online publisher but somehow I started to feel that they are reluctant to take this forward. I started looking for printing presses in Mumbai. As I was doing all that I was regularly in touch with the representative of the Distribution Company. As soon as he realized that I am looking for publisher he said they themselves have a publication house called Alchemy and after reading my book they were convinced that this story is very good and would surely sell thus they would like to have 10 years Publishing writes of my book but with a rider that book would go back to script phase and would be re-edited, a new layout would be done along with new cover design. I was overwhelmed with the offer and after few rounds of discussions we signed the ten year contract. As soon as we did that a new editor was appointed from their side. I along with her went page by page; discussed every aspect and corrected the mistakes. It took almost three months! After editing got over now it was time for Layout. I also went to Kolkata when dummy copy of the book got ready. We discussed on the book size, paper quality while we had Kolkata famous Singhadas (Samosa) at my Publisher’s office. After we finished that aspect then the phase of cover design came. I gave designer my ideas and then he applied his wisdom to arrive at a consensus. He took almost a month to come up with a design that appealed. I took a quick poll among friends on Facebook to check it. Almost all were in favour so I said ok and that cover is the book cover. Once all the work was done book went into production. By now we were in August 2011.

Since Publishing and Distribution was with same people there was no worry at all. On 26^th September 2011 we had the official book launch at Crosswords Store Juhu. It was attended by lot of my friends, family and celebrities (Event link on Utube is www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Uq8-O6PV4E)

I went through a lot during that grind of getting my book published and many events took place which I will share in future but if some one needs to talk to me about the aspects of book publishing; can get in touch with me on my mail ID. Link is available on my website www.vineetmishra.com

When I was going through the grind, I promised to God that if I get success in getting my book printed whatever profits I earn from the sale of the book will be donated towards betterment of small farmers and villages. Once I read that a farmer committed suicide because he was not able to pay loan of rupees 3000, that news filled me with lot of anger and I felt ashamed that I am part of a society where this happens, my roots are rural, my small village still lives on the edge thus such issues hit even harder. In coming future I would like to help small farmers and if I am able to gather resources will adopt a village and fulfil my social responsibility towards my society and my nation.

 

Message which Touched me

Hello Friends,

In my previous blog I wrote about my novel and said that it’s a fiction and also thanked all the people who supported and motivated me in the process of writing and helping me to realize my dream.

Today when I look back, it feels like a dream; a path which I could traverse; which had its share of highs and lows. It is so difficult for me to believe that “I did it”. Rarely in my life I felt such sense of achievement.

It all started on 31^st December 2009, when I was sitting with my Wife and her younger sister celebrating New Year at home. I told them that I want to write a story. They looked at me as if I was joking. But then I again said “Guys, seriously I want to write” and I tried to tell them about the concept I had in mind. But I still felt they took it lightly like another of New Year resolution. But their attitude made my resolve even stronger.

 I started working on the story, at times I felt I am part of the plot myself and at certain times I felt like God who controls lives of so many characters of the story. There were times when I was so possessed that I wrote whole night and there were days when I could not decide how to proceed further. In those moments when I was getting frustrated and not able to decide how to proceed, my close friends motivated me and kept on pressing me so that I don’t abandon this endeavour.

After eight months I finished the story and gave it a tentative name “One Phone Call”. Took a print and gave it to my friends for reading. They loved it. During our office lunch break we spent lot of time discussing various characters days after days. Once I got the satisfaction that all the friends who read it liked it, I started approaching various publishing houses…I will talk about that struggle next time but today I want to share a message which I received from a young boy who must be 17 years of age (as he studies in 11^th Standard). He read my book and wrote a very touchy mail. When I read his mail I was overwhelmed with emotions which are difficult to express. He wrote:

“hey bro im sujin from banglore i am studying 11th and i read ur book which is simply awesome i loved it i too had a bro who did engineering and had same frnds like sourabh nitin golu revathi but not one like thakur my bro passed away in a bad accident he wazz a book lover since the day he passed away i started readying books and found out itzz similar to hizz life he too had a GF like mallikha … miss my bro like hell and found u as a good writed loved ur story keep writing all the best pllzzz say my regards to ur frnds everyone….”

 I wanted to respond to his mail but it was impossible for me to do so. That’s why I decided that I will put it in my blog (After taking his permission) and share it with everyone. I also have a brother who is six years younger thus I understand what a brother means, I still remember the day he was born and I touched his little palm for the first time and he grabbed my finger. That day I promised myself; what ever happens I will always protect him. Just a thought of loosing a brother is unimaginably painful and Sujin had actually lost his brother in a most unfortunate way. I pray for Sujin and the departed soul of his brother.

Hello Friends,

I am mighty excited at the release of my first fiction ’Vinu, I am getting married’ I sincerely hope and wish that all of you read it and enjoy as much as I did while writing it. It took me more than a year to complete it guys. After finishing every chapter I along with a core team of my friends, discussed the story and only after every one was satisfied I went ahead. This core team also had my better half as an important pillar. She was the first one to read it every time I finished a chapter. I feel privileged to have Shruti as my life partner; she always puts my ambitions and dreams ahead of hers and motivates me to move forward even though she herself has an extremely busy and grueling schedule which includes responsibilities of her own career and home.

Now something about the story:

Guys there is a question which many people raised, Why the Protagonist of the story has a same name as mine? And is it my own story?

Well the answer is ‘NO’ this is not my story, it is a fiction. I tried to change the name of not only the Protagonist but other characters as well, but with any change I felt uncomfortable. I felt I am not doing justice to the story and characters. Thus I reverted back to the same names, I started with.

In fact the first thing that I wrote was “Vinu, I am getting married.”  The story begins with that statement and I am happy that it is the title of the story as well.

Writing style which I adopted for this story is “Hinglish”. The language spoken by young adults which is carefree, mixed with little Hindi, slangs, have many accents and totally out of bounds with respect to spellings and grammar.

Online the book is available on www.Flipkart.com. It will be available in all the leading book stores across the Country from July 2011. The book is being published by Alchemy Publishers who are one of the leading Publishers in India.  I am grateful to their Editing team (Specially Mrs. Amrita Basu) and Designers for polishing and enhancing the appeal of the book.

I am thankful that you showed interest in me and read my blog. I also hope to receive your love and affection. Please read the story and give me your invaluable inputs.

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