Need advice on how to become a published Author in India and the process involved ?
I am 21 and want to be a published author. I have few questions regarding this:
1) Why one should be an author? ( itsnot only my passion but I see this as an earning opportunity too)
2) Are writers master in their language or it is the publisher who make it more grammatically correct? ( I think there is lot more behind the scenes drama)
3)My mother tongue is Urdu but I do know English so shall I write in Urdu or English?( it will be easy for me to write in Urdu comparatively with English but English has more opportunities and readers)
4) What steps are involved in writers mind to get the book in the readers favourite list ? (dreaming )
Experts: awaiting advice.
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5 Answers
There’s no money in being published by a publishing house these days unless you’re a world-famous author who has been on Oprah. Even award-winning writers with critical acclaim starve in the post-literate era in which we live. About the only way to make money writing fiction these days is to self-publish through a vanity press. Because there’s no hard costs involved (using either e-publishing or print-on-demand) and there are no layers of middle-man parasites between you and your buyers, you don’t need to sell a million copies to make money.
You should have good vocabulary with some solid script / story plot irrespective of the language you choose. I’m no writer but like to read a lot. Would prefer to read something that is intriguing. You should choose the category also which you feel comfortable writing like novel, science fiction etc.
You have to write something that people want to read. Before you get to the point of worrying about being on a favorite list, do some writing. See if people like what you read. See if you have talent. See if you are interesting.
Write in the language where are you are comfortable – books can be translated. The real important first step is writing something interesting.
I don’t know the process in India so haven’t responded, but you’re getting some good answers here. The bottom line answer is to write something worth reading first. Write the book first. Then, if it warrants further exposure, look into publishing opportunities, but only then.
1) Why are you asking why one should be an author? In what sense? In any case, there is no one true general answer for this. Every writer has their own reasons… or even no reason – they just are writers, or choose because they choose it.
2) It depends on the subject, but in general, yes writers should be good in the language they write. There are a few exceptions, such as academic writers where the information is the most important thing. There are editors, but it’s best for everyone the better the author’s writing is.
3) I would definitely start in Urdu and develop your writing skills, at least until you develop both your writing skills and your English skills more thoroughly.
4) Different writers have different processes. Especially at first, and hopefully later too, I would mainly write what you are most interested in writing. I know skilled and professional writers who sometimes consider writing things designed to try to be popular. They often start by reading popular works to see if they think they could do as well in the same sort of writing.
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