26/11, the date when Mumbai terror attacks took place. The date which changed the perspective of the people of this country about terror. The date when Mumbai was shaken out of it's slumber and shown how vulnerable she was. The date when the collective responsibility of various organizations was put to test and most came out failures. Did I hear someone say they succeeded? I am sorry, but it is like saying that since the ultimate aim of life is death, everyone succeeds. Had we left the terrorists to themselves, they would have probably run out of ammo and starved themselves to death. Would that also be treated as success? I mean, who takes three days to take charge of and decimate 4 terrorists?
I am by no means trying to belittle the efforts of individuals, but as organizations, none of our esteemed ones succeeded.
One year later things seem to be the same. Congress - NCP combine the incumbent government during the terror attacks continues to be in power. Vilasrao Deshmukh the Chief Minister at the time of Mumbai attacks is now enjoying being a cabinet minister and is the Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.
Shivraj Patil, the home minister of India who had resigned taking "moral responsibilty" for the incident continues to be a member of the Rajya Sabha and a respected functionary of his party. In fact Ashok Chavan, the current Chief Minister of the state called upon Shivraj Patil which is an indication of the clout Shivraj Patil enjoys in the state and the party. If luck has it, Shivraj Patil might even become Governor of Punjab (According to some news reports.)
The NSG which was ultimately responsible for ending the 26/11 impasse, has been given land at Marol and is restricted to only 23 Acres as compared to Force One (What's that? Vijay Mallaya's Formula one team!) who have been allotted 98 Acres in Aarey colony, Goregaon. The police force of Mumbai were largely spectators during the Mumbai attacks relative to what NSG was doing and now something tells the state government that the Mumbai Police will be able to counter any future threats and thereby relegating the NSG to a lower status. This in spite of the fact that Force One is a new force and yet to prove that it is a force to reckon with. Therefore, it is back to Mumbai Police.
RR Patil, the home minister who had resigned from his post in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, has been reinstated as the home minister.
The Maharashtra DGP at the time of Mumbai terror attacks was AN Roy. By a quirk of fate coupled with some politics, he was removed by the High Court and is again currently holding additional charge of the State DGP and is likely to be appointed DGP soon since he is the senior most IPS officer in the state, a rule that was not followed during his earlier appointment.
So we have all the people back doing their jobs they were doing back in Nov 2008. I guess we are fully ready for another 26/11. The only difference is that the fisher-folks colony near Badhwar Park, where the terrorists landed last year, is manned by Police. Maybe that will be enough deterrent for the terrorists to land elsewhere along the more than 700 kilometers of Maharashtra coastline.
originally posted at http://tapsandknocks.blogspot.com/2009/11/2611-mumbai-terror-attacks-anniversary.html
visit my website at http://www.taprial.in
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Fort Hood Shooting - Major Nidal Malik Hasan - Enemy in the Ranks
They say fiction is a precursor of things to happen. What happened in the Major Nidal Malik Hasan shooting case at Fort Hood, is what my novel, Enemy in the Ranks, talks about, Infiltration of anti-national elements in the important establishments of the country. It is yet to be seen whether Major Nidal Malik Hasan was connected with any of the extremist groups. However if indeed he was, imagine the damage he could have caused earlier while being a part of the Army, without actually being blamed for it. Sabotage, espionage anything is possible.
Sooner or later, the terrorists are going to realize, they might even have already, that they can't be going loggerheads with an adversary who is much stronger than them. So the way out for them is to inflict damage while they are a part of the system. I am just thinking aloud, Why would Major Nidal Malik Hasan, if he was indeed an Enemy in the ranks resort to such an open shooting while he could have continued to achieve his aims silently? Maybe his cover was blown. What does a committed man, who knows his life was going to be miserable if he was ever caught alive, do in such circumstances? Well he takes down with him, as many as possible.
Maybe it did not happen that way. Maybe Major Nidal Malik Hasan was just a regular psychiatrist and a patriot who just lost it after counseling so many over the edge people. But the angle whether he was associated with any of the terror groups needs to be investigated for the simple reason that there might be others who are already there. An Enemy in the Ranks is a distinct possibility and we need to guard against it. This is a lesson all countries need to learn and take precaution against. An Enemy in the Ranks is the worst that can happen.
The book Enemy in the Ranks is available online. Buy it at the link on the left top of the page.
Sooner or later, the terrorists are going to realize, they might even have already, that they can't be going loggerheads with an adversary who is much stronger than them. So the way out for them is to inflict damage while they are a part of the system. I am just thinking aloud, Why would Major Nidal Malik Hasan, if he was indeed an Enemy in the ranks resort to such an open shooting while he could have continued to achieve his aims silently? Maybe his cover was blown. What does a committed man, who knows his life was going to be miserable if he was ever caught alive, do in such circumstances? Well he takes down with him, as many as possible.
Maybe it did not happen that way. Maybe Major Nidal Malik Hasan was just a regular psychiatrist and a patriot who just lost it after counseling so many over the edge people. But the angle whether he was associated with any of the terror groups needs to be investigated for the simple reason that there might be others who are already there. An Enemy in the Ranks is a distinct possibility and we need to guard against it. This is a lesson all countries need to learn and take precaution against. An Enemy in the Ranks is the worst that can happen.
The book Enemy in the Ranks is available online. Buy it at the link on the left top of the page.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Rave Reviews And Journey So Far - Enemy in the Ranks
It's been a month since the fiction novel Enemy in the Ranks was released and despatched for distribution. The book got immediate exposure after being featured in the books section of the Mumbai Daily DNA. Check out the snapshot of the page below
It has still not reached any of the bestsellers list but it has got some rave reviews from readers. You can read them all on my webiste http://www.taprial.in
Here are a few of them
So engrossing, that I got late for office two days in a row!
Racy, fast paced and action packed. Reminded me of Alistair Mclean
Racy and pulsating - and great flow for a first novel!! Lucky that this is all fiction (hope so :-) - the end would definitely give some food for thought. Liked the subtle romance and the bollywood style 'coincidences' /incidental events to push the action ahead!! A thriller definitely!!
I got the book finally. Had little time since Diwali celebrations and kids/wife dragging me around , but whatever little I could read was spell binding , pacy and surely an indicative that your writing skills are top notch. Whatever I read so far , I see a great potential in you .. If I felt that Chetan Bhagat could round of all his narrations , your writing style is no less , in times to come , if you pursue writing , I see a parallel and equally worthy writer in you. Chetan Bhagat watch out !!! Strongly recommended.
Your novel is a different kind of a thriller - an indigenous one, set in the Indian navy -- and i am sure it will do well in the market and find its own readership - This one is from a journalist working with a leading newspaper of Mumbai.
Friends and relatives have also been largely impressed with the book and and say that they loved it and it has been one of the best they have read in a long time. However the veracity of these statements can not be verified, them being friends and relatives. However my biggest and the best critic, my wife, who had not read the book till the time we got the author copies, couldn't put the book down and finished it in one straight reading in about eight hours.
The book is now available in bookstores and many online stores. The online stores where it is available are as follows
http://shop.in.com/fiction/enemy-in-the-ranks-id-206814-catid-1345.htm
http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/varinder-taprial/enemy-ranks/9788122310870.html
http://www.booksandlotsmore.com/books/main/BookDetails.aspx?bookid=18273
http://www.a1books.co.in/itemdetail/8122310877/ENEMY-RANKS/
http://books.rediff.com/bookshop/bkproductdisplay.jsp?Enemy-in-the-Ranks-Books&prrfnbr=83143349&multiple=&frompg=_
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9519C/index.html
The book is competing against the books by the likes of Dan Brown, Hilary Mantel, Jeffery Archer, David Baladacci and Chetan Bhagat but I am sure it will stand up to the big names. Wish me luck!
It has still not reached any of the bestsellers list but it has got some rave reviews from readers. You can read them all on my webiste http://www.taprial.in
Here are a few of them
So engrossing, that I got late for office two days in a row!
Racy, fast paced and action packed. Reminded me of Alistair Mclean
Racy and pulsating - and great flow for a first novel!! Lucky that this is all fiction (hope so :-) - the end would definitely give some food for thought. Liked the subtle romance and the bollywood style 'coincidences' /incidental events to push the action ahead!! A thriller definitely!!
I got the book finally. Had little time since Diwali celebrations and kids/wife dragging me around , but whatever little I could read was spell binding , pacy and surely an indicative that your writing skills are top notch. Whatever I read so far , I see a great potential in you .. If I felt that Chetan Bhagat could round of all his narrations , your writing style is no less , in times to come , if you pursue writing , I see a parallel and equally worthy writer in you. Chetan Bhagat watch out !!! Strongly recommended.
Your novel is a different kind of a thriller - an indigenous one, set in the Indian navy -- and i am sure it will do well in the market and find its own readership - This one is from a journalist working with a leading newspaper of Mumbai.
Friends and relatives have also been largely impressed with the book and and say that they loved it and it has been one of the best they have read in a long time. However the veracity of these statements can not be verified, them being friends and relatives. However my biggest and the best critic, my wife, who had not read the book till the time we got the author copies, couldn't put the book down and finished it in one straight reading in about eight hours.
The book is now available in bookstores and many online stores. The online stores where it is available are as follows
http://shop.in.com/fiction/enemy-in-the-ranks-id-206814-catid-1345.htm
http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/varinder-taprial/enemy-ranks/9788122310870.html
http://www.booksandlotsmore.com/books/main/BookDetails.aspx?bookid=18273
http://www.a1books.co.in/itemdetail/8122310877/ENEMY-RANKS/
http://books.rediff.com/bookshop/bkproductdisplay.jsp?Enemy-in-the-Ranks-Books&prrfnbr=83143349&multiple=&frompg=_
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9519C/index.html
The book is competing against the books by the likes of Dan Brown, Hilary Mantel, Jeffery Archer, David Baladacci and Chetan Bhagat but I am sure it will stand up to the big names. Wish me luck!
Monday, September 21, 2009
The cover Story of the Action Thriller Novel "Enemy in the Ranks"
After I completed my action thriller fiction book, "Enemy in the Ranks" and my publisher accepted the book, I thought the rest of the process would be a breeze. It was not. Even deciding on the cover was a major task. So let me tell the story of the cover of Enemy in the Ranks.
As you all know that it was about the Navy, so I wanted the cover to depict something of the Navy like a ship or a soldier and moreover since it was an action thriller I wanted that too be reflected on the cover.
Anyway since I was all too tired of the book at that time, I decided to rely on the publisher. He came up with the image below
The picture was bright and interesting, reflected the naval service, but somehow seemed more suitable for perhaps a coffee table book. I didn't dig it and asked my editor for another one.
So he sent me another one. This one with a ship seen through crosshairs. It was very dark and again it was not really projecting the theme of the book. Have a look..
.jpg)
This photo aptly showed the naval scenario and also went with the title of the book with the silhouette of the man, but somehow I was still not impressed and told him to get another one. My editor complied but the Artist obviously was not amused at my being so choosy. So the next one he sent me was a plain photo. Have a look
This photo was good with ships moving in a formation, but again there was no action being reflected. Moreover the lower portion of the photo reminded me of the Pirates' End of the world. So it was a no-no. After rejecting so much I was getting fidgety and asked one of my artist friends to paint something. He came up with something brilliant and at the first look the editor also liked it and after the publisher's artist had touched it up, it looked even better. Here is the photo
Ships, explosion, man in uniform, crosshairs and bright colors, we thought it had everything. We finalised it and were sure we were going through with this one, I even put it up on all the websites and my book trailer.
The book was sent to the Printers and while the inside pages were being printed the director of the publishing house called and told me that though the cover was excellent, somehow he was not sure that it would come out as well in the Print and just may look like blotches of paint here and there. He requested me to reconsider. I told him that I was not happy with the ones they had sent to me and that's why came up with the Painting. The director told me to give him a day. Next day I had five draft covers in my mail. Quite obviously the head honcho had decided to intervene himself. I selected one and after a few touch ups the cover was ready and this is what it looks like
Bright skies, dark silhouettes, guns, boats and a neat clean picture it sems to reflect everything I wanted. It has come out beautifully on the cover including some colors which you can't see on the computer.
Ultimately I was happy that the Director had decided to change the cover photo. The earlier one was a wonderful painting, but I guess it did indeed have too much of paint. Now let's just hope it was the right decision.
You can visit my official website at http://www.taprial.in
You can buy the book at http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9519C/index.html
and
http://books.rediff.com/bookshop/bkproductdisplay.jsp?Enemy-in-the-Ranks-Books&prrfnbr=83143349&multiple=&frompg=_
As you all know that it was about the Navy, so I wanted the cover to depict something of the Navy like a ship or a soldier and moreover since it was an action thriller I wanted that too be reflected on the cover.
Anyway since I was all too tired of the book at that time, I decided to rely on the publisher. He came up with the image below
The picture was bright and interesting, reflected the naval service, but somehow seemed more suitable for perhaps a coffee table book. I didn't dig it and asked my editor for another one.
So he sent me another one. This one with a ship seen through crosshairs. It was very dark and again it was not really projecting the theme of the book. Have a look..
.jpg)
This photo aptly showed the naval scenario and also went with the title of the book with the silhouette of the man, but somehow I was still not impressed and told him to get another one. My editor complied but the Artist obviously was not amused at my being so choosy. So the next one he sent me was a plain photo. Have a look
This photo was good with ships moving in a formation, but again there was no action being reflected. Moreover the lower portion of the photo reminded me of the Pirates' End of the world. So it was a no-no. After rejecting so much I was getting fidgety and asked one of my artist friends to paint something. He came up with something brilliant and at the first look the editor also liked it and after the publisher's artist had touched it up, it looked even better. Here is the photo
Ships, explosion, man in uniform, crosshairs and bright colors, we thought it had everything. We finalised it and were sure we were going through with this one, I even put it up on all the websites and my book trailer.
The book was sent to the Printers and while the inside pages were being printed the director of the publishing house called and told me that though the cover was excellent, somehow he was not sure that it would come out as well in the Print and just may look like blotches of paint here and there. He requested me to reconsider. I told him that I was not happy with the ones they had sent to me and that's why came up with the Painting. The director told me to give him a day. Next day I had five draft covers in my mail. Quite obviously the head honcho had decided to intervene himself. I selected one and after a few touch ups the cover was ready and this is what it looks like
Bright skies, dark silhouettes, guns, boats and a neat clean picture it sems to reflect everything I wanted. It has come out beautifully on the cover including some colors which you can't see on the computer.
Ultimately I was happy that the Director had decided to change the cover photo. The earlier one was a wonderful painting, but I guess it did indeed have too much of paint. Now let's just hope it was the right decision.
You can visit my official website at http://www.taprial.in
You can buy the book at http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9519C/index.html
and
http://books.rediff.com/bookshop/bkproductdisplay.jsp?Enemy-in-the-Ranks-Books&prrfnbr=83143349&multiple=&frompg=_
Enemy in the Ranks is available online
Enemy in the Ranks, the novel is now available to buy online. You can buy it online at
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9519C/index.html
and
http://books.rediff.com/bookshop/bkproductdisplay.jsp?Enemy-in-the-Ranks-Books&prrfnbr=83143349&multiple=&frompg=_
The book is only Rs 195/- and you can also go to the publishers link by clicking on the image on the left.
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9519C/index.html
and
http://books.rediff.com/bookshop/bkproductdisplay.jsp?Enemy-in-the-Ranks-Books&prrfnbr=83143349&multiple=&frompg=_
The book is only Rs 195/- and you can also go to the publishers link by clicking on the image on the left.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Enemy in the Ranks - Official Website
Enemy in the Ranks, the new novel by Varinder Taprial now has an official website. The website has all the details of the book and also an excerpt. Check it out at
http://www.taprial.in
http://www.taprial.in
Friday, August 28, 2009
Enemy In The Ranks by Varinder Taprial
That's what my novel is called and yes I am getting published. It feels so great, that when my publisher told me that it has gone to print today, I was, like ecstatic. It is still some days before it is available in the book stores and online, but this is as much I could wait before telling the world that I am getting published.
The title of the novel is self-explanatory so I guess that is it as far as explaining the story goes. Yes, it is about infiltration.
I have made a book trailer for my book and am embedding it below. May I request you all to copy the embed code and put it in your websites and blogs to give it the exposure it deserves. Thanks a lot and I will write another byte to let you all know when and where the book is available in brick and mortar stores as well as online. Enjoy!!!!
The title of the novel is self-explanatory so I guess that is it as far as explaining the story goes. Yes, it is about infiltration.
I have made a book trailer for my book and am embedding it below. May I request you all to copy the embed code and put it in your websites and blogs to give it the exposure it deserves. Thanks a lot and I will write another byte to let you all know when and where the book is available in brick and mortar stores as well as online. Enjoy!!!!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Literary Agents In India
The concept of literary agents in India has not really taken off so far even though there are now some well known agencies whose presence cannot be ignored. But frankly if the number of agencies is lesser than the number of publishing houses, it can be surmised that the slush pile at the literary agencies will be much bigger than that at the publishing houses.
WritersNet gives a list of 50 Literary agents/agencies in India. However be informed that the list is created by self-submission and is not validated, therefore if you are going to pick from the list, you do it at your own risk. I am not saying that they are not legitimate, I am just cautioning that there may be scam artists in that list. As a general guideline, anyone who is charging a reading fee should best be ignored. Agents are not supposed to be charging money, they take a commission out of your royalties after they sell the book. But otherwise, try to google the name of the proclaimed agents/agencies on the list and see if you can find any references on the net.
Beyond that amongst the literary agencies which ahve their own website and have some work to show for are as follows:
Jacaranda at Bengaluru.
Red Ink Literary Agency at New Delhi
Siyahi at jaipur
Osian's Literary Agency at New Delhi
Of the above four only the Red Ink literary Agency accepts synopsis online. Siyahi wants a query letter before you send any submissions, Jacaranda and Osians want the proposals by snail mail in hard copy. They also indicate a time of between 8-10 weeks for reviewing the proposal and if your proposal is liked you may be asked to send the entire manuscript, which in no way means that your work has been accepted, which will again take a similar period for the decision to be made. So you can safely assume a period of about 20 weeks before you are accepted or rejected. Wow! In this day and age of fast communication 20 weeks seem like years.
So then comes the question, Do you really need a literary agent? Afterall the agent/agency is going to take about 15-20% of the deal and irrespective of the modalities the money ultimately is going to come through the author dues. There are certain advantages to having an agent, one is that the first round of editing is done by the agent and they make your manuscript look more presentable. They also know the norms of the industry and of course the right people and hence know what your manuscript is worth and will hoipefully get you a good deal. The publishers also, for obvious reasons, look more optimistically towards the manuscript which has come through an agent and the chances of your manusvcript picked up faster are definitely there. The biggest advantage of having an agent yet is that the agent takes care of the formalities leaving the author to do what he does best i.e. write.
There are pitfalls of looking for an agent. As stated previously the time taken by the agents is just too long. Almost the same as thot taken by publishing houses. And considering that there are limited agents available the situation is not going to improve in a hurry. Most agents or the people working for the agencies do have a past with the publishing world, so the chances of the author being short-changed can not be ruled out. Jacaranda has got into the publishing businees themselves, Red ink is an offshoot of Bahrisons, or India research press and Osians already has a publishing division, so you can imagine who gets the first look for your manuscript.
In spite of the benefits of working with an agent as portrayed in the media, don't waste time looking for an agent. The way out is, sending your proposal to multiple entities including publishers as well as agents. The time taken to respond by both being similar, if the publishing house accepts your manuscript, you save on paying the agent. Any good lawyer worth his salt will be able to advice you on the legalities of a contract. If an agent accepts your book you can save yourself a lot of hard work.
If you are a first time author, which I presume you are since otherwise you wouldn't be reading this, grab at anything which comes your way. The money, the terms and conditions, the contract etc is all secondary. Get this fact straight; It is difficult, near impossible, to get into publishing, especially fiction, so if you are getting a toehold, throw yourself in.
WritersNet gives a list of 50 Literary agents/agencies in India. However be informed that the list is created by self-submission and is not validated, therefore if you are going to pick from the list, you do it at your own risk. I am not saying that they are not legitimate, I am just cautioning that there may be scam artists in that list. As a general guideline, anyone who is charging a reading fee should best be ignored. Agents are not supposed to be charging money, they take a commission out of your royalties after they sell the book. But otherwise, try to google the name of the proclaimed agents/agencies on the list and see if you can find any references on the net.
Beyond that amongst the literary agencies which ahve their own website and have some work to show for are as follows:
Jacaranda at Bengaluru.
Red Ink Literary Agency at New Delhi
Siyahi at jaipur
Osian's Literary Agency at New Delhi
Of the above four only the Red Ink literary Agency accepts synopsis online. Siyahi wants a query letter before you send any submissions, Jacaranda and Osians want the proposals by snail mail in hard copy. They also indicate a time of between 8-10 weeks for reviewing the proposal and if your proposal is liked you may be asked to send the entire manuscript, which in no way means that your work has been accepted, which will again take a similar period for the decision to be made. So you can safely assume a period of about 20 weeks before you are accepted or rejected. Wow! In this day and age of fast communication 20 weeks seem like years.
So then comes the question, Do you really need a literary agent? Afterall the agent/agency is going to take about 15-20% of the deal and irrespective of the modalities the money ultimately is going to come through the author dues. There are certain advantages to having an agent, one is that the first round of editing is done by the agent and they make your manuscript look more presentable. They also know the norms of the industry and of course the right people and hence know what your manuscript is worth and will hoipefully get you a good deal. The publishers also, for obvious reasons, look more optimistically towards the manuscript which has come through an agent and the chances of your manusvcript picked up faster are definitely there. The biggest advantage of having an agent yet is that the agent takes care of the formalities leaving the author to do what he does best i.e. write.
There are pitfalls of looking for an agent. As stated previously the time taken by the agents is just too long. Almost the same as thot taken by publishing houses. And considering that there are limited agents available the situation is not going to improve in a hurry. Most agents or the people working for the agencies do have a past with the publishing world, so the chances of the author being short-changed can not be ruled out. Jacaranda has got into the publishing businees themselves, Red ink is an offshoot of Bahrisons, or India research press and Osians already has a publishing division, so you can imagine who gets the first look for your manuscript.
In spite of the benefits of working with an agent as portrayed in the media, don't waste time looking for an agent. The way out is, sending your proposal to multiple entities including publishers as well as agents. The time taken to respond by both being similar, if the publishing house accepts your manuscript, you save on paying the agent. Any good lawyer worth his salt will be able to advice you on the legalities of a contract. If an agent accepts your book you can save yourself a lot of hard work.
If you are a first time author, which I presume you are since otherwise you wouldn't be reading this, grab at anything which comes your way. The money, the terms and conditions, the contract etc is all secondary. Get this fact straight; It is difficult, near impossible, to get into publishing, especially fiction, so if you are getting a toehold, throw yourself in.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Selling A Book - Pre-requisites
Okay, You have written your masterpiece. Now, how do you go about selling it to a publisher? There are some pre-requisites that are must-haves before you start even approaching the publishers. They are Cover letter, Synopsis, Sample chapters and Chapter outline.
Every publisher will ask you for at least two or more of the above, and it's best if you prepare these in advance to avoid wasting time later.
A cover letter is self-explanatory. It should be short, crisp and to the point. Introduce yourself, introduce your book by way of a blurb on what it is about and pleasantly ask them to consider it for publication.
Next comes the Synopsis. This is the most important marketing tool you have as an author when it comes to selling the book. The synopsis is what is the face of your book and will either the close or open the doors of the publishing house to you. Therefore pay utmost attention to the Synopsis. It is no easy task by any means. Especially for the author since he has done the painstaking work of writing the novel and more often than not thinks that it is just impossible to fit the entire story in such a short space. But that is what you have to do precisely. Don't bother about the nitty-gritties, put all the major plots and subplots and please don't make it a teaser. The entire story should unfold in the Synopsis including the ending. The publishers usually have submission guidelines for everything including the synopsis. Follow them. In short even though it is cliched I would like to say that make it like a skirt, short enough to maintain interest and long enough to cover all the details.
Next is the Sample chapters. The publishers or their editors want to see your writing style and for this reason they ask for sample chapters. Therefore pick up a couple of chapters and polish them like you were going to print straightaway and keep them ready. These along with the synopsis will ultimately help the publisher decide whether your book is good enough for them.
Lastly some publishers will also ask for chapter outline. This is to see if your work flows in a rational manner or not. This is also a complicated task because each chapter needs to be condensed into three or four lines without really losing the plot and the flow of the story.
There are many resources online which give tips on how to go about producing the above pre-requistes of selling your book. Go through as many as possible and then take a call about how you want to go about it. If you are a first time author be very particular about these things because this is what will decide if you are ever going to be a published author.
Every publisher will ask you for at least two or more of the above, and it's best if you prepare these in advance to avoid wasting time later.
A cover letter is self-explanatory. It should be short, crisp and to the point. Introduce yourself, introduce your book by way of a blurb on what it is about and pleasantly ask them to consider it for publication.
Next comes the Synopsis. This is the most important marketing tool you have as an author when it comes to selling the book. The synopsis is what is the face of your book and will either the close or open the doors of the publishing house to you. Therefore pay utmost attention to the Synopsis. It is no easy task by any means. Especially for the author since he has done the painstaking work of writing the novel and more often than not thinks that it is just impossible to fit the entire story in such a short space. But that is what you have to do precisely. Don't bother about the nitty-gritties, put all the major plots and subplots and please don't make it a teaser. The entire story should unfold in the Synopsis including the ending. The publishers usually have submission guidelines for everything including the synopsis. Follow them. In short even though it is cliched I would like to say that make it like a skirt, short enough to maintain interest and long enough to cover all the details.
Next is the Sample chapters. The publishers or their editors want to see your writing style and for this reason they ask for sample chapters. Therefore pick up a couple of chapters and polish them like you were going to print straightaway and keep them ready. These along with the synopsis will ultimately help the publisher decide whether your book is good enough for them.
Lastly some publishers will also ask for chapter outline. This is to see if your work flows in a rational manner or not. This is also a complicated task because each chapter needs to be condensed into three or four lines without really losing the plot and the flow of the story.
There are many resources online which give tips on how to go about producing the above pre-requistes of selling your book. Go through as many as possible and then take a call about how you want to go about it. If you are a first time author be very particular about these things because this is what will decide if you are ever going to be a published author.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
First Time Author From India
It was in 2005 that I started writing a book, fiction, every living person's desire. Everyone has a story or two to tell and if the want is there he/she can definitely pen a book out of the story, but more often than not the story remains untold because of their own mental blocks and sometimes because writing a book or a novel becomes an overwhelming task after the first ten pages. It requires a great deal of motivation, perseverence and hard work to write a book.
Anyway, I, for one, had too many stories floating in my head and there was only one way to free up the memory, get it out of my system. In 2005 I took the plunge and two years later I had finished my masterpiece. I think everyone who writes his/ her first book thinks that it is a masterpiece.
During the process of writing and then subsequently after finishing it I was always scouring the Internet for resources for the first time author. There are hoards of websites for the first time author to take cues from but somehow there are none from India. No author experiences, no trends, no tips/advice, no elaboration on the procedure and the almost nothing on the publishing market. I wonder why Indian authors hesitate to talk about the travails of getting their first book published. Everyone here has behaved in a manner as if they were God's gift to the literary world and did not have to face any difficulties having their first book published. Read any Interview and you get the Impression that the man or the woman was always meant to be successful.
No wonder the new authors or the first time authors aere totally clueless about the publishing world and don't know the first step towards entering the world of publishing. The competition has become pretty hot here in India with all the major publishing houses establishing shop in the country with Hatchette, harper collins and Penguin leading the way. Add to that the Indian players like Rupa etc the market is open and one would presume that it would be easy to get published, but it is not. None want the first timers unless the book is good enough. So how does one make the good enough if he does not have any one to help and without any experience. All the publishers are looking for a fail safe option. So the chances of someone finding a publisher are next to bleak.
There are many forums and blogs where Indians are putting there creativity to test and I must say there is a huge talent. But this talent will keep languishing in the dark unless someone shows it the way. Not our successful authors. I get the feeling they do not want any competition in the market and hence they keep shut. Not the literary agents in India, who are so few that they themselves do not have time for any more work load than they already have. Not the publishers, oh!!! they got enough stuff coming their way already and as long as the non fiction category is selling and meeting their targets who wants stories.
I am starting this series of posts to generate an interest in the world of Indian publishing and try to work out and share the nuances of the market in India. Comments / discussions are welcome.
Anyway, I, for one, had too many stories floating in my head and there was only one way to free up the memory, get it out of my system. In 2005 I took the plunge and two years later I had finished my masterpiece. I think everyone who writes his/ her first book thinks that it is a masterpiece.
During the process of writing and then subsequently after finishing it I was always scouring the Internet for resources for the first time author. There are hoards of websites for the first time author to take cues from but somehow there are none from India. No author experiences, no trends, no tips/advice, no elaboration on the procedure and the almost nothing on the publishing market. I wonder why Indian authors hesitate to talk about the travails of getting their first book published. Everyone here has behaved in a manner as if they were God's gift to the literary world and did not have to face any difficulties having their first book published. Read any Interview and you get the Impression that the man or the woman was always meant to be successful.
No wonder the new authors or the first time authors aere totally clueless about the publishing world and don't know the first step towards entering the world of publishing. The competition has become pretty hot here in India with all the major publishing houses establishing shop in the country with Hatchette, harper collins and Penguin leading the way. Add to that the Indian players like Rupa etc the market is open and one would presume that it would be easy to get published, but it is not. None want the first timers unless the book is good enough. So how does one make the good enough if he does not have any one to help and without any experience. All the publishers are looking for a fail safe option. So the chances of someone finding a publisher are next to bleak.
There are many forums and blogs where Indians are putting there creativity to test and I must say there is a huge talent. But this talent will keep languishing in the dark unless someone shows it the way. Not our successful authors. I get the feeling they do not want any competition in the market and hence they keep shut. Not the literary agents in India, who are so few that they themselves do not have time for any more work load than they already have. Not the publishers, oh!!! they got enough stuff coming their way already and as long as the non fiction category is selling and meeting their targets who wants stories.
I am starting this series of posts to generate an interest in the world of Indian publishing and try to work out and share the nuances of the market in India. Comments / discussions are welcome.
Enemy In The Ranks
That's what I have titled my first work of fiction. It has been accepted for publication and work is on towards publishing it. I will post the exact date of release when I come to know that precisely. As of now I am keeping my fingers crossed, which I think most first time authors must be doing.
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