How to Publish a Book with Daastan: A Complete Guide

Have you written a book that has the power to win the hearts of millions? A book that can truly impact readers? Most authors would say yes! But where do they get stuck? The answer is Publishing. 

Many authors find this process confusing and stressful, and that’s exactly where Daastan steps in, a helping hand to turn their dreams into reality.

Daastan is one of Pakistan’s leading publishing platforms, providing a transparent, professional, and flexible approach to self-publishing. Whether your manuscript is in Urdu or English, Daastan helps authors go from draft to published book, and gives authors complete creative control over their work.

In this guide, we’ll guide you through the hassle-free process of publishing with Daastan.

Step 1: Sign up & Register

The process of beginning your journey with Daastan is quick, simple, and stress-free. All you need to do is click on the Sign Up button and fill out a short form with your basic details. This allows Daastan’s team to stay in touch with you and keep you updated as your manuscript moves through the review process.

The first official step after registration  is to purchase an author membership on Daatsan’s online portal  Mera Qissa. This membership gives you access to your author dashboard, where you can upload your manuscript, track its progress, and access a range of publishing services all in one place.

Step 2: Manuscript Submission 

After registration, submit your manuscript on the Qissa platform. The submission process is quite simple, you just need to copy and paste your file and upload it to our website. 

 Don’t Have a Typed Manuscript?

If your manuscript is handwritten, you don’t need to worry. Daastan also offers manuscript digitization services, where authors can simply share clear pictures of their handwritten text, and the team will convert it into a typed, editable format ready for review and editing

Step 3: Review 

At this stage, Daastan’s editorial team reviews your manuscript as per Daastan’s Content Policy. If your manuscript meets the required standards, it is approved and you will be notified through Email.

If any improvements are needed, the editors will guide you on what needs to be revised. You can use AI editing tools to self edit your manuscript. 

Alternatively, you can opt for Daastan’s professional editing and formatting services to edit and format your manuscript according to the market standard. 

Daastan has a dedicated team of experienced professionals who work closely with authors to refine their manuscripts and bring them up to industry publishing standards.

Depending on your manuscript’s needs, you can choose between Basic Editing or Advanced Editing services.

• Basic Editing: Corrects grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, with one free revision and one mentorship session.
• Advanced Editing: Includes in-depth feedback on plot, character development, and structure, with three free revisions and mentorship sessions.

Once your manuscript is approved, you’ll move on to the next stage, that is book cover design.

Step 4: Book Cover Design

This stage is optional, especially if you already have a finalized manuscript and cover. Authors who come prepared can move ahead without availing additional design services.

Your book cover plays a crucial role in making a strong first impression. At Daastan, authors have multiple options when it comes to cover design

• Design it yourself using online tools like Canva
• Take help from a friend or designer if you already have someone in mind
• Avail Daastan’s professional design services, handled by an experienced in-house design team

Daastan’s design team has created some of the most impactful and visually striking book covers in the Pakistani publishing space. Revisions are offered based on the selected package to ensure authors are completely satisfied with the final design.

Step 5: Book Registration & Legal Protection

Every book must have an ISBN number and barcode for legal registration. Authors can avail  Daastan services to handle this paperwork with the government. 

Standard registration takes 7 days and costs around 5000 PKR. Urgent 48-hour service is also available at a higher fee.  

This step is mandatory to legally protect your work.

Step 6: Choose Your Publishing Route

Every author has different goals, timelines, and budgets. That’s why Daastan gives you the flexibility to choose a publishing route that fits your needs best. You can publish your book as:

• Ebook
• Print
• Both ebook and print format

It depends on what you want to achieve and how much you plan to invest.

To help you plan better, Daastan provides clear and detailed cost breakdowns for all publishing services on the Mera Qissa services, so there are no surprises along the way.

Print Publishing:

 The final cost of print publishing depends on several important factors that includes:

• Size of book
• Page quality 
• Type of binding
• Print type
• Volume
• Total Pages

Daastan’s team guides you through these options and helps you select the most suitable and cost-effective combination based on your manuscript and publishing goals.

Once all specifications are finalized and approved, the printing process usually takes around two weeks.

Step 7: Printing 

The final step before printing is print-ready file creation, which ensures that your book file is properly formatted and ready for high-quality printing. Daastan accepts manuscripts in both soft (typed) format and handwritten notes, to make this process easier for all writers.

Once the print-ready file and all specifications are finalized and approved by the author, Daastan moves forward with the printing process, which typically takes around two weeks.

Step 8: Sales And Distribution 

Sales and distribution are primarily managed through our digital platform, Mera Qissa, which functions as an online bookstore for both eBooks and printed books. Authors can easily track their book sales, reviews, and overall performance through their Qissa dashboard.  

It gives authors full visibility and control over their published work and allows them to connect directly with readers, while our team handles order processing and delivery.

Daastan also offers Print-on-Demand (POD) services; it allows authors to print copies only when a book is ordered. This model helps new writers manage printing costs efficiently while gradually building their readership without the pressure of large upfront print runs.

In addition, for authors who wish to sell their books in physical stores, Daastan coordinates offline distribution through its network of local distribution partners, ensuring orders are shipped reliably across Pakistan.

Authors who have already published their books can also avail Daastan’s book distribution services as a standalone service to distribute their books across Pakistan. 

Step 9: Marketing & Promotion

Book marketing is an essential part of the publishing journey, it helps your book to gain the visibility and reach needed to connect with its target readers

Daastan helps authors market their work through a comprehensive 100-day marketing plan, included with the annual membership. This plan begins before the book launch and continues well after the book is published online and made available for sale. The goal is to gradually build interest, strengthen the author’s online presence, and maximize reach through Daastan’s own platforms.

The marketing journey is divided into clear phases:

Introduction Phase

This phase focuses on introducing the book to the target audience and creating initial awareness through planned campaigns.

Interest Development Phase

To drive engagement, Daastan runs interactive and creative activities such as:

• Themed promotional posts
• Book cover reveals
• Contests and giveaways
• Author storytelling
• Promotional videos shared on Daastan’s social media channels

Book Launch Phase

During the launch, Daastan announces the book on its digital platform, Mera Qissa, and encourages pre-orders. The team may also collaborate with reviewers and influencers to generate authentic reviews and expand visibility.

Post-Launch Promotion

Marketing continues even after release through eye-catching posters, giveaways, live author sessions, and featured blog content. This helps maintain momentum and ensures the book continues to reach new readers over time.

Final Thoughts

Publishing with Daastan provides:

• Flexibility to choose your publishing route
• Support for editing, design, and printing
• Legal protection for your work
• Transparent costs and tracking

Whether you are writing a novel, poetry, academic work, or children’s book, Daastan helps you bring your manuscript to life with professionalism and efficiency.

Start your publishing journey today by registering on Qissa or contact Daastan via WhatsApp: +92 (321) 9525753 for personalized guidance

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Qissa only for new authors? 

Qissa is a platform which anyone can use to satisfy their publishing requirements. Be it a new author looking for a publisher or a business looking for a blogger.

Do I need to visit the office?
No. Everything is online via Qissa. Authors from across Pakistan can publish without visiting.

Is there any tedious paperwork involved?

We not only digitized the contracts and agreements but also rewrote them in simple to understand language so you know your rights and responsibilities.

How long does publishing take?
From manuscript submission to published copies: usually 6-8 weeks, depending on editing, design, and printing. Expedited services are available for an additional fee.

Can I control costs?
Yes! You can save on editing, formatting, or design by doing it yourself. Book registration and printing are mandatory costs.

Can I just avail editing or design services and publish my work somewhere else?

Yes, in this case, since you are not publishing with Daastan, you do not need to purchase our annual membership. You can just pay for the editing, design or any other optional service, as per the schedule of rates defined here.

I am already published elsewhere, how can Daastan help me?

We understand that most of the authors have either opted for some international self-publishing platforms like Amazon’s Createspace or some local traditional or self-publishing platforms. If you own the content rights then you can republish your work either digitally or in-print through our platform to make it available for readers in Pakistan.

However, if you already have the hard copies printed with you then you can purchase our annual membership which will allow you to use our marketing channels to generate sales of your work.