After successfully providing publishing opportunities to thousands of national and international writers, team Daastan decided to dig deeper into the writing niche. We thought what else could help writers earn money through their skill. We found that one of the biggest and untapped niches in Pakistan was the freelance market! However, while there was a huge demand for freelance content by both established and new organizations, only a handful of individuals were actually availing these opportunities.
We found that surprising and after some research realized that there was a lack of communication between companies and writers. A large number of writers were willing to work, but they did not know how to look for jobs and those who did were disappointed with the apparent lack of work. We decided to fix that and so launchedDaastan Freelance Wing-– a less-competitive freelance marketplace exclusively for Pakistani writers.
Daastan’s Role
Daastan was able to connect writers with career opportunities. We helped writers monetize their consequently creating a name for themselves in their respective professional fields. In its first year, the freelance wing saw an overwhelming number of writers signing up.
Writing encompasses all fields, which means that we were able to create opportunities for career growth for individuals in a number of different fields. These included Literature, Finance, Medicine, Sports and more. Our army of writers was building up which resulted in an increase in numbers day after day.
Impact of Freelance Wing
We ran a 12-month prototype and initially had 20 active freelancers. Catering to over 30 clients in 10+ countries, our writers were able to finish 105 orders in a short period of time and earn an approx. 5000 Rs, per month. By the end of the year, our freelance family had grown from 20 to 70+ active freelancers strong. We reached a point where we were distributing 1.5 to 2 lac rupees per month in the team. With such numbers in hand we decided to go public and opened a beta version of Daastan’s Freelance Marketplace.
A total of 55 positions were opened for the beta access wing initially, with 15 slots for Engineering, 14 for Finance, 5 for Medical, 13 for Arts and Humanities and 8 for Literature. Today, Daastan’s Freelancers cater to a large number of local and global clients with professional and engaging content, edited to perfection for a lasting impact.
Want to become part of our team? Join our Facebook page or signup for Qissa to publish your next book!
As the last episode of Mused by Daastan aired last week, we experienced a plethora of emotions. On one hand we are sad to pause this journey of learning – while on the other, hopeful for the future. The response we gathered is inspiring and motivating enough to push us further. Have a look at what our host Ms. Summaiya Naveed had to say about this.
We started Mused with the vision to help creatives—a vision we will take forward as the series advances. For now, I hope the first season has helped aspiring writers and given them a nudge towards achieving their dreams. I’ve had a great time creating such content for you and an even better time having conversations with the viewers. You’re an inspiring lot and you give our team the motivation we need to keep putting in our part in the development of the Pakistani Literary industry. What is needed most now is work. Work to distinguish ourselves as a people of superior intellect and an awe-inspiring amount of talent. The first season of Mused leaves me hopeful that we’re talking a step towards achieving that very goal.
Ms Summaiya Naveed expressing her feelings on the last episode of Mused
A Recap of Season 1 – Mused
This season, Summaiya discussed in great detail, the issues related to writing and publishing. We started off with learning the common writing mistakes, Do’s and Don’ts of writing and errors that most writers and publishers make. Then we moved on to the state of our Publishing industry,scope for writers and the condition as well as future of the writers’ community of Pakistan. We were joined by two guests who shared their own experiences and gave useful tips along the way. We had a special episode on writing poetry– on account of the proliferation of poetry writers in our community.
What We Discused In Episode 6
1. Issues With English Language
Firstly, Summaiya shared her opinion on the use of the global lingua franca – English Language. According to her, Languages have socio-political importance. In South Asia, specifically the areas affected by colonization, English language became a symbol of status. The higher classes who merged well with the British and learned the language, associated an attitude of pride with English. We have perhaps inherited the same behaviour. Summaiya condemned this attitude and explained how languages are primarily a means of communication only. Language should not be used to claim superiority or make someone else feel belittled.
According to Summaiya, the role of English in dividing social classes has created a hindrance for those who wish to improve their language. The fear of being ridiculed for pronouncing something incorrectly keeps people away from actually learning the language. Summaiya advised us to change this behaviour towards the language and encourage people to learn in a healthy way.
2. Plagiarism
Secondly, Summaiya discussed the issue of plagiarism in great detail. First and foremost, she explained how plagiarism is a serious crime. In simple words, it refers to the act of copying someone else’s work and putting it as your own consequently, giving no due credit to the owner. This is plainly cheating on someone. It is morally incorrect and demotivating for creatives to work. Summaiya expressed her concern over the absence of laws to protect creatives from plagiarism. There needs to be a certain amount of accountability to avoid crimes like plagiarism. Publishing companies should regulate the content brought by authors to make sure it is not plagiarised.
Adieu Mused!
Daastan is proud to have shared this journey with you all. It is our mission to promote literary activities and discussions through such platforms like Mused. We hope that writers benefited from these Lives sessions and we aim to keep bringing informative content for our followers. Sign Up at Daastan and keep yourself engaged in similar content!
Intellectual theft is the act of using someone else’s work without giving them credit. While it may not seem as big an issue in a country like Pakistan, it does affect us in many ways. Recently, a National Award winning Science WriterMr. Muneeb Ali raised his voice on the issue. The sad part about his effort was the absence of any response from the media, journalists or the government, who would otherwise happily use his content for their own means. Have a look at what he had to say :
Just want an opinion (I'll delete all politically baised comments! ) I've tagged you because I value your opinion and…
Syed Muneeb Ali’s Tweet on breach of his intellectual property
Next, he made a video on YouTube, providing the video of Mr. Mubashir Lucman as proof of his claim. In the video, Mr. Mubashir Lucman was reading out the exact words from Syed Muneeb Ali’s article – portraying them as his own. Have a look at the video:
YouTube Video by Syed Muneeb Ali on Media Ethics
Fighting Issues of Intellectual Theft
In Conversation with Syed Muneeb Ali
Why do journalists feel entitled to own any content for their show? Why, in your opinion, are people not concerned with giving credit to the content creator?
Well, this is a long debate but in my opinion, the reason behind this is ‘insult’. We feel ashamed in saying “I don’t know” about things we actually don’t know. Let’s suppose if the piracy scandals of mainstream journalists got exposed and they’re entitled as the ‘content narrator’ then their audience will be in the condition of doubt and will try to seek the original content creator for a more authentic information, consequently affecting their viewership. To escape from public embarrassment, they don’t mention the author’s name and present the content as if it’s their own property.
As a writer, how do you plan on safeguarding your content in future?
Being a writer, it’s more difficult and painful for me to see my content freely distributed without my name than to make a blog story on any topic. I’m aware of the fact that media piracy happens worldwide, but the system of law enforcement is what makes a difference between the world and Pakistan. I can’t do anything to safeguard my content except creating awareness through social media. However, it’s a fact that when the source is out of reach, then you can make consumers aware of the fact and this will automatically affect the so-called reputation of the source.
What measures should law enforcement agencies/government take to ensure protection of intellectual property?
If we want to see the originality or authenticity of the content being generated by some company or a country, we’ll first research about the intellectual property protection in it. In Pakistan, where we see the content being stolen, we need to make the National Response Center for Cybercrime active in not only catching the harassment or bullying cases on social media but also in responding the piracy reports. Interestingly, in copying content both senior and junior writers are equally active in Pakistan (Here is the Equality! Ah!) but only seniors are caught because they are popular among the audience. Back in 2019, 50+ articles written by me which are originally published at DAWN news were copied to about 200+ websites which includes the websites of Hassan Nisar, Javed Chaudhary and newspaper ‘Nai Baat’ etc.
Legal Opinion On The Scandal
We discussed the issue of Intellectual theft with a Lawyer, Mr Omer Imran. Mr Omer has been an active lawyer in advocating social issues in Pakistan. Here is what he had to say on Syed Muneeb’s issue:
There are laws in Pakistan protecting IP and copyright. Under the law of Pakistan, all cases related to IP infringement (an act which carries civil and criminal liabilities) lie towards specialized IP Tribunals. Under our copyright laws, you cannot blatantly copy any original work of an author and reproduce it without credit and make a profit. (You cannot in many cases even reproduce it with credit to the original author if you are making money from the reproduction) unless you have the permission of the copyright owner.
This clearly shows how journalists, as mentioned and proven by Mr Muneeb Ali, are commiting a crime by openly using content that does not belong to them. However, neither writers nor the targeted individuals know how and when to take action.
Is Intellectual Theft Really That Harmful?
Well, yes! It is rather more harmful than stealing a material possession. A material possession will eventually run out and probably only benefit the thief. However, stealing an idea will discourage the content creator from sharing his content any further. This will consequently slow down intellectual development of an entire society. It is time for us to learn as a society, what should matter more and why. Daastan has been promoting intellectual development from the get go. It is in these collective priorities that we define ourselves. We thank Mr Muneeb Ali for raising his voice on such an important issue. We hope that our priorities and attitudes towards scholarship, ethics and morals will change.
If you have any similar experiences then write to us at merasawal@daastan.com and Sign Up to receive updates on similar issues. Together, we must change!
Here is a Step-by-step guide to easily publish yourself with Daastan. Follow these 6 simple steps and become a published author:
Step 1 : Sign Up
First of all, signing up with Daastan is a fairly easy and quick procedure. Click on our Sign-up button and fill a form with your details. We make sure to take your contact details to smoothen up our communication with you and keep you updated with the progress of your manuscript review.
Our digital system enables you to upload your manuscript on your own. Just copy and paste your file and upload it on our website. If you do not have a typed manuscript, you can avail our services for digitizing your manuscript by sending us pictures of your hand-written text.
Step 3 : Get Reviewed
At this stage, our Editors will review your manuscript as per Daastan’s Content Policy. If your manuscript is up to the mark, it will be approved and you will be notified through Email. In case our Editor feels any need for improvement, you will be suggested to avail our Editing services. We make sure your manuscript is refined to its best before sending it to print because once sent for printing, no changes can then be made.
Step 4 : Designing A Book Cover
This stage is optional as you might already have a cover for your book. Let’s take a look at how to design a cover:
We have a professional design team on-board that is responsible for some of the most ground-breaking cover designs to come out in recent years from the Pakistani book industry. Revisions on designs are offered as per the package chosen, so that the author is absolutely satisfied with the final result.
Step 5 : Publish Your Book
For publishing, we provide two options; digital (ebook) and print (hard copy). If you choose to publish an e-book or digital publishing then you have to cover only book registration costs whereas print publishing requires you to cover theprinting costs and the book registration cost.
Step 6 : Market Your Book
Finally, when your book is published, you need to build your readership and attract buyers. We make sure that your talent does not go unnoticed. It is our mission to help you get visibility on our digital space. Our team helps you market the book in following ways
Arranging a book launch
Carrying out dedicated social media campaigns
Distributing your book in book stores and online at qissa’s website
How To Earn From Publishing
To earn from publishing, you first need to polish your writing skills. Learn from mistakes that most writers make. “They say if you’re good at something, never do it for free. So why not earn a few bucks while you’re writing amazing stories for the world? Getting published is the most traditional way to earn through writing.
Here’s a secret to getting published: If you know the preliminaries of writing a book, the chances of your manuscript getting accepted increase ten-fold! An editor only ever reads the first few pages of your book before they make a decision. Avoid those lazy, common writing mistakes as they can make a terrible first impression.
But if you already know all this, then we’re preaching to the choir. What you need is a way to get published, already! Publishing in Pakistan is getting increasingly easy but that can also mean that the quality of work is decreasing. Publishing houses are willing to take any manuscript and you do not want to be associated with a name that has a bad reputation.
At Daastan, we strive every day to become just a little bit better at the services we provide and the quality of the work we put out so that writers are facilitated and promoted. Here are 5 ways Daastan can help you achieve your dream of getting published.
With these 5 simple steps, you can easily publish your book and earn the fame that you deserve. We make sure that our authors are well known, not only in our local literary space but also globally. If you have any queries regarding our process, write to us at merasawaal@daastan.com and sign up below to get started
The month of April is national poetry writing month (NaPoWriMo). Writers from all around the world join together to celebrate the art of poetry writing. We at Daastan took this opportunity to engage our followers in a poetry chain contest. Every day, we shared a prompt verse and asked our followers to continue the verse. The next person to comment would continue thereby making a chain of poetry as a combined effort.
Selected Poetry From #NaPoWriMo
We shared prompts, both in English and Urdu language on alternate days. This activity was thoroughly enjoyed by the participants. The talent and zeal showcased everyday was commendable. The standard of poetry was beyond our expectation, leaving us in a difficult position to choose the best ones. However, we selected 2 poems from English and 3 from Urdu to feature in our blog. The selected English poems are:
English Poem #1
This crimson house with its crimson walls
Set on fire with the love calls
Is this love or just another bloodied stain?
Etched with rivers while the calm moon gazes
And the night whispers softly, lyrical phrases
Though it was bygone – forgotten
The secrets it holds, remained unspoken
Hold a prisoner inside with dusky eyes.
& me with my poems
Engulfed by unheard echoing calls
Selected English Poem from Daastan’s Poetry Writing Campaign April 2020
English Poem #2
The city is alight, with hope it’s bright
The light of its sunrise, envelopes
the darkness and fills everyone with delight
Its air is rich in music and it’s
echoed with the sound of dancing feet
Go to your window and inhale this treat
The darkest hours will pass by,
with resilience you and I will fight
Selected English Poem from Daastan’s Poetry Writing Campaign April 2020
Similarly, response on our Urdu prompts was equally energetic and competitive. We chose the following 3 poems:
1 نظم / Urdu Poem #1
سرحد کے اس پار
جی چاہے اک بار میں جاؤں
جہاں زندگی ہماری طرح ہنستی تو کبھی روتی
ہے
کچھ لوگوں سے شناسائی لگتی ہے
کچھ قصے پریت کے، کچھ وعدے من میت کے
جو اب بن کے رہ گئے کتاب کی کہانی میں
وہاں جلترنگ ہواؤں کا ہے نگر
جو یادوں کی داستاں لیے
ہم جیسے انسانوں کی ایک بستی ہے جہاں ملتے ہیں زمیں و آسمان
Selected Urdu Poem from Daastan’s Poetry Writing Campaign April 2020
نظم 2 / Urdu Poem # 2
میں نئی امید ہوں
جیون کی تمہید ہوں
فرحت بخش دید ہوں
اک سریلا گیت ہوں
ہوا میں بکھری بادِ نسیم ہوں
اور تم اس مین ایک استعارہ ہو
تاریک دنیا میں سحر کی دلیل ہو!
قوسِ وقزح کے رنگوں سی
اک نئی صبح کی نوید ہو
Selected Urdu Poem from Daastan’s Poetry Writing Campaign April 2020
نظم 3 / Urdu Poem # 3
میری سوچوں کی پرواز کہاں تک
پنپتے خوابوں کی آواز کہاں تک
ہے میرے خوابوں کی اڑان کہاں تک
ہے شاید
تیرے نغموں کى آواز جہاں تک نیلے آسماں سے دور کہیں
اونچا اڑتے ہیں جہاں الفاظ میرے
مگر یہ بھی سچ ہے اس خاک کی اڑان کہاں تک
Selected Urdu Poem from Daastan’s Poetry Writing Campaign April 2020
Honorary Mentions For Our Poetry Campaign
We have selected Mr Obien Mayo and Ms. Amna Shah as active participants and we acknowledge their contribution to our campaign. Their active participation speaks for the love for poetry and Literature that they possess. We thank all our participants for showing interest and contributing to our effort.
Most Active Participants from Daastan’s Poetry Writing Campaign April 2020
Are you excited for our next month’s campaign? Well, we surely are! We have another interesting theme to follow in the month of May. So follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages and Sign Up at Daastan to catch up on our monthly Literary activities!
