Category Archives: Book Articles

What is the Cheapest and Fastest Way to Publish a Book?

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If you ever think of publishing your book fast with very low or no budget, well then the answer is self-publishing. Don’t ever think of approaching literary agents or traditional publishers because they take 6 months to reply that your manuscript doesn’t meet their criteria.

But the further argument is to understand types of self-publishing. Basically, it can be bifurcated into two i.e. ‘DIY self-publishing’ and ‘Supported self-publishing.’ Both are self-publishing but differ in intensity and nature. So, you can choose what suits best for you. Let’s see them one by one. It will help you in choosing the best for you.

DIY Self-publishing:

In this type of publishing, the author is responsible for everything. He/she does everything from designing cover page to setting galley to editing to book marketing to listing the book on Goodreads.

Generally for new authors it is a cumbersome process. In this process it’s not guaranteed whether the book will be available on leading online book stores like Amazon, Kindle, Kobo, and Flipkart. Often DIY self-publishing is good for experimenting. It lacks that polish and standardization. Books taken care by professionals are class apart. I will not recommend it to authors that are serious about their writing career. Best examples of this DIY self-publishing are Pothi and Notion Press’ Express Publishing.

Supported Self-publishing:

This is advanced type of self-publishing. This form of self-publishing gives complete freedom to authors over almost all aspects like editing, cover designing, setting prices, print on demand, setting price, book marketing, and distribution. Also, authors have the opportunity to avail services that one feels are compulsory or in need from a publishing company.

From my experience, I would recommend you BookMedia Publishing Company for supported self-publishing. They offer almost 360 degree support and help in publishing a book. They have a responsive team, from emails to WhatsApp chat – they are always connected. BookMedia is one of the best publishing platforms I found to publish my second book. My first book was a total fiasco as I chose to experiment with it on Pothi platform.

I would like to list some of the benefits of the BookMedia:

  • There runs freedom. They give you time and space while deciding the content, title, design, editing, marketing plan, distribution, price of your book. You will get chance to work directly with editors and designers.
  • They will publish your book within 10 days or according to your scheduled date. Once the agreement and payment is done, consider the work is done. They are honest and never cheat. You own all the copyright of the material.
  • Their royalties are best in the industry. Always above 80 percent – no matter what package you choose.
  • They have great online and offline distribution network. Their books are also sold in bookstores across the world, and they also supply a good amount of number of books in public and private libraries and in the book fair.

Hope this helps you in understanding the basic mechanism of self-publishing. Do research and make a smart choice.

Book Coverage: Give Me a Break (A Jigneshbhai and Swami Story) by Ranjit Kulkarni

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Give Me a Break (A Jigneshbhai and Swami Story) by Ranjit Kulkarni is a short, around 150-pages read. The author has already written a few more books featuring this familiar comedy duo Swami and Jigneshbhai.

The novel is extremely funny with some of the situations, especially where Swami goes berserk with his own imagination and opinions. However, at a wider level, the novel highlights how greed overshadows aspirations.

The overall dosage of humour is likable and it never leaves the backdrop. The story moves at a measured pace, brimming with mirth, fun, and wit. Despite comedy at the centre of the novel, the author built the story slowly and with full credibility.

Like many other humorous novels, this too occupies ironical situations. From time and again, some inevitable circumstances put Swami in trouble and then the hysterically funny show begins. The author very cleverly balanced the comic and serious characterization. In fact, the characterization is mix of some cool yet interesting people. It is to be noted that the novel is not one-man army. There you will meet Raichand, the greedy boss of Swami, and then Purno – a long lost friend of Swami. Purno is so cunning that in the garb of social activism, he tries to fulfill his aspirations. Puneet and Ishita are another set of characters that keep the plot buoyant, witty and wry.

Since it is a Swami and Jigneshbhai book, how could one ignore the realistic and silent wise man? Jigneshbhai is somewhat serious and philosophical type of character who believes that Swami is not only gullible but also a fool.

There are many instances where one will fall in love with the idiosyncratic innocent wit of Swami. The main theme of the novel is to get peace from the hustle-bustle of city life, from office, and so on. Well, when Swami and Jigneshbhai go to the farms of Sridhar Mama, a different and slightly embarrassing situation traps them. However, with courage and little stupidity, they try to tackle all problems one by one. Will they succeed? Is Jigneshbhai funny James Bond? May be! Did the book maintain its comic charisma when the duo confronts the familiar faces with dark aspirations?

At times the humour is dry, but most of the time, the storyline manages to sail swiftly without creating doubt in the hearts of readers. At its core, it is a funny book with one mega funny character Swami.

How can I Publish a Book on My Own in India?

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Publishing any sort of book in India is now quite easy, provided you choose the right way to do it. Generally there are three ways of publishing your book.

Traditional Publishing:

This is a time-consuming process where you have to submit your manuscript to the traditional publishers and wait for their reply for about 3–6 months. Generally this option shall be chosen by the well-established authors as debut authors are mostly not entertained by them. If one is luck to get a deal, well then he/she is entitled to get some advance royalty and your book is generally said to be published for free.

E-Book Publishing:

Directly uploading your book on the platforms like Amazon Kindle comes under this process. Here your royalty is automatically transferred to your bank account but you lose majority of sales because of non availability of paperback edition. Also, even if you publish the paperback edition through Amazon India, by default the price of such book will be too high for the buyers to afford.

Self-Publishing:

Self-publishing in India is much easier than you think. You just need to look out for self publishers in and choose the best among them. These self publishers offer various publishing services depending upon your requirements and budget.

When you chose a self-publishing company to have your book released in the market, make sure they provide the following services effortlessly.

  • Assistance in all forms of editing and proofreading and cover design
  • Affordable to premium packages
  • Book marketing assistance after the book is published
  • Listing on major online stores like Amazon and Flipkart
  • Clarity on book pricing and royalties
  • Post publishing support
  • Regular payments and updates of royalty

BookMedia is considered as the most transparent self-publishing company in India. It provides quality publishing services and marketing assistance to all authors, be they new, struggling, or already published.

Some Beautiful Indian Love Stories by Indian Authors

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I have been reading romance since a long time. And my recent fad is about very Indian stories of love and romance from our very own Indian authors. I like the way characters fall in love, evolve, and see the days of sorrow and happiness together. The most enticing aspect about these books is that they revolve around Indian culture and depicts the young adults of contemporary generation.

So, in this post, I am sharing the name of some of the best romance novels that lately touched my heart and I found them a wonderful read.

Gamed – Will Love Find Me? by Kaveri Bhar

Gamed – Will Love Find Me? by Kaveri Bhar is a riveting romance cum relationship novel. It sheds light on the value of healthy relationship that forms after being married to the loved ones. Small egos and things and talks can definitely break the relationship. So as you read more about Kristina, the lead character of the novel, you will get to know what the pain point is and why she is being victimized by her husband. Deep inside the novel, you will feel that being a woman in the Indian society is tough when you get into a bad marriage. This is the first book, so I felt the ending was not up to the mark. But I will the next books in the series to figure out what actually was brewing in the hearts of main characters. This novel kept me hooked but in snatches I was getting distracted a bit, otherwise a good novel to read and remember.

I am in Love with a Shudh Desi Firangi: Hey Shiva, I See You in Him by Dipnanda Bhaduri Roy

The title of the book says a lot and it piqued me enough to finish this book so fast on Kindle. The story is of a somber and decent Bengali girl, Kattyani, but the fate is so cruel that the society doesn’t find her that attractive. Thus, her boyfriend leaves for some cold reasons.

She is heartbreak but somehow moves on to Goa with her Aunt. There she stumbles upon an American guy who reminds him of a man that is having some good virtues of Lord Shiva. Inch by inch, they hang around and meet and a new love story is on the way. I liked the mixing of many cultures into one to raise the love above all.

The novel is laced with good story that moves at a mind-boggling speed. Remember this love story is a bit different than today’s fast-moving love tales.

Bestowed: Would you still love someone if she doesn’t remember loving you? by Snehlata Agarwala.

It’s an amazing read. Loved the way the story kept me on the edge till the end. The portrayal of Bengali culture in this modern world is too good. A must-read for romance readers and it’s not an ordinary romance story but filled with suspense and humor.

Ved Maya by Vineeta Malhotra Taneja

The play of destiny is something that cannot be missed in this book. A romance that is intriguing and cannot be missed.

The waiting… the longing… the acceptance… the heartbreak… the strong bond of friendship… the family ties… There are so many occurrences that are so heartwarming and there are some that are heart wrenching too.

A wonderful romance that cannot be missed at all. Read it umpteen times yet cannot get enough of it.

Ved, a mature person, humble and understanding… we would all want to have such a person in our lives…

Maya, the girl next door yet very strong and independent… who would be a good friend to have, always…

Diya Aur Baati Hum by Snehlata Agarwala

This book… what a beautiful one this is! Such a wonderful amalgamation of feelings and emotions. All the relationships are carved so beautifully by the author; she has done complete justice to every character. The bond between parents and children, between siblings, between lovers. The beauty with which each of the characters is entwined with the other is par excellence.

It’s a must read for anyone who loves romance, which is one aspect that is in abundance in this saga of love, friendship and faith.

Heart Strings by Sushma Rani Sangam

An amazing romance story where the lead character is a doctor and her life’s most terrible as well as pleasant moments have the premises of the hospital where she works. She finds strength while fighting for her love of life while working there in hostile conditions.

Love is a complicated thing, not all have the guts to face and maintain it. All the more, there are very few people in the world that gets their perfect or most loving life partners otherwise most of the people just hook on barter system. An intense heat of love emanates from this terrific novel.

5 Reasons to Read the Mythological Duology – The Sullied Warrior by Gaurav Sharma

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Lucky are those who got to read the best of best mythological and fantasy novels. Among all genres, it’s a prime one. You get a chance to sneak peak in the lives of demi-gods, lands lurking with demons, magical bizarre, amazing clash of ideologies and of course raw action on the battlefields, jungles, mountains with incredible armory like spears and swords and so on. The love for reading mythological books is on the rise and now a time has reached when people have begun looking for best options from all possible mythologies…be it Indian, Lankan, Greek, Norse, Roman, or even Gothic. Every mythological novel series comes with some promises like a set of characters, villains, an era which is lost to the current generation. Mythological novels not only entertain us but also reminds of some great time on the earth that existed when the human race was high on the wheel of evolvement.

It’s to be noted that nearly all mythological novels are featured around warriors and probably this element keeps readers bewitched. Well, upon my last reading experience, I am wrapping up as why you should read a mythological duology (The Sullied Warrior) by Gaurav Sharma.

  1. Its National & Amazon Bestseller:

The duology has two books. The God of the Sullied and Long Live the Sullied. The former is the first book. The novels were entirely different and fast-paced and easy to read and understand that it took no time for them to become instant bestsellers.

2. Powerful Characters:

The novels are driven by some powerful characters. They initiate action, at times act as catalytic, and most awesome thing about them is that they are full of sweeps and back stories and ambitions. Eklayva and Pundir and Mahapurohit are the prominent ones, with one girl and a boy from a jungle tribe, and two teachers from gurukul form the list of supporting characters. In fact, characterization is deep and invokes a sense of feeling. Eklayva shines throughout the series despite being cursed. On the other hand, Pundir wanted to make some extraordinary and ferocious of his life.

3. A Different Mythology:

Most of the mythological novels frequent the known territories, thus sound repetitive. This one is different, set in 9th century in India, a sort of medieval history and inclusion of Mahaveer and Mohammad somewhat makes the novel looks appealing and urge readers to find out more. Another dazzling aspect of the series is the Kali Yuga vs. Satya Yuga. The books highlighted that it was the time when Kali (the evil of darkness) began spreading its wings and people took plundering and dishonesty as a means of living.

4. Sub Themes and Mini Climaxes:

Both the books have been good with sub themes and short climaxes. This instilled a sense of thrill and suspense at every juncture. One strong reason for that is the use of multi-narration techniques; the book has been presented from different people’s point of views, including time.

5. Pace and Language:

If a novel has to be riveting, it should have an optimum pace and length and good usage of language. This duology scores 5 out of 5 for language related aspects. Each book was limited up to 230 pages. It was easy to read while taking short breaks. Gaurav Sharma is a promising talent with freshness as one of the strongest pillars of his writing calibre. Overall, this duology makes up for a great read in a blend of mythological and fantasy genre.