The Pakistani writers community has long been under-appreciated. A lack of recognition, funds and opportunities have resulted in a stunted growth of our literary activities. Despite showing promise, attaining Government funds has been out of question. This episode of Mused looked at this aspect of the writers community in Pakistan. Two special guests joined our host Summaiya, in a discussion over writers in Pakistan. Their main concern was the unfortunate fact that pursuing a career in arts is still not accepted as a viable option in Pakistan.
Guests From Writers Community
We were joined by two immensely talented writers and founders of Rhizomatic Literaties, Ms Anum Sajid and Ms. Fuzeela Zubair. Anam Sajid is the Initiator and Creative Head of Rhizomatic Literaties. She is an educationist who believes in building an egalitarian book culture in Pakistan. She moreover promotes and celebrates amateur literary diversity. Fuzeela Zubair is the Project Manager of Rhizomatic Literaties. She is a book blogger. With Rhizomatic Literaties, she hopes to take a step towards expanding the reading culture in Pakistan.
Cover of Rhizomatic Literaties designed by Daastan’s design team
Anum and Fuzeela shared their experience of publishing their first book with Daastan. The writers expressed how Rhizomatic Literatiesis more than a book for them. Their book is a movement towards building a literary community and empowering young writers. Anum and Fuzeela talked about the barriers that our writers’ community has to go through. The biggest barrier, according to them, are writers themselves who shy away from publishing due to a fear of rejection. Giving the example of instagram writers, Fuzeela explained that Pakistani writers need confidence the most. Even if we are not producing good content, we should keep putting up our work to improve the standard. She believes that fear of being judged overpowers a writer. She therefore advised us to not look at writers only with the intention of criticising them.
Advice For Young Writers
Anum and Fuzeela talked about fear in writers while publishing their work. They pointed out a progress in Pakistan’s literature in terms of exploring genres like fantasy. This progress itself highlights the acceptance on part of the reading community. Anum also mentioned that our writers community does not require facilities rather opportunities. They suggested writers to write consistently. Anum explained the contribution of self-publishers in our literary space. Platforms like Qissa have played a huge role in promoting literature in Pakistan.
Rhizomatic Literaties and Women Empowerment
Anum and Fuzeela now await the second volume of Rhizomatic Literaties. This volume carries a basic theme of Female Empowerment. Their main aim behind choosing this subject is to normalize discussion on women. The book will explore how women are independent and unique in their own way. This volume will also break all stereotypes related to women and showcase their diversity. We hope that their book receives all the love and attention it deserves. Anum and Fuzeela have without doubt inspired many young authors and we thank them for their struggle in our cause.
We thank our viewers for supporting and liking our Live sessions. It gives us hope to see your positive feedback. Share your own suggestions for future discussions and write to us at merasawal@daastan.com. If you like our content, Sign Up with us at Daastan!
English poetry in Pakistan has only recently become the ‘talk of the town’. A number of social media accounts are dedicated to writing and sharing poetry from within Pakistan. In the latest episode of Mused by Daastan, our host, Ms. Summaiya Naveed talks about the scope, status and popularity of poetry as well as issues relating to its publishing in Pakistan. Summaiya began the show with a positive note on how English poetry in Pakistan is getting better by the day. Let us look at what was discussed on the show.
1. Issues Of Publishing English Poetry
In Pakistan, publishing has become common in the past few years. Publishing English poetry, however, is a lot different than publishing prose. While editors look at prose in terms of the plot, flow of the story, characterization etc., poetry has a completely different criteria. Since the idea is expressed in very limited words, it should appeal to the reader and make a statement. There is a general misconception that anything which rhymes is poetry. This is not true. Poetry is complicated and beautiful way of expression and it has evolved as as art. But even then, it observes a few basic rules. Poetry is composed of a rhythm in units of feet— a pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables combined together in a meter— the number of feet per line. A lot of editors in Pakistan do not look at these technicalities of poetry because they don’t even know about them!
2. What Is Lacking In Pakistan’s English Poetry?
Pakistan’s publishing industry is growing at a fast pace. English poetry is one area that we have explored greatly (and yet much is left unexplored). Among the upcoming young writers, there is increasing competition when is comes to English poetry publication. Since a lot of people are writing English poetry now, editors see more and more poetry book submissions. The bar is being raised and poets have to work that much more to be able to get accepted for publishing.
Having said that, a lot of poetry writers are young adults with who do not have comprehensive knowledge of poetry. This produces immature work. On top of that, an excessive use of free-verse poetry has also limited the variety of poetry being written in Pakistan.
3. How Can We Improve Our English Poetry?
To improve English Poetry, Summaiya suggested we experiment more with different poetic forms and styles. Free verse is one style of poetry that is excessively used in Pakistani English poetry. It is important that writers try new styles like Haiku, narrative poetry, sonnets etc. Summaiya pointed out that a lot of poetry writers frequently write couplets mostly. She explained that in order to reach a mark in our poetry, we need to write serious, well-designed poetry that narrates a substantial idea in a unique style. Summaiya stressed on learning the technicalities of poetry. She gave examples of poetry forms:
Haiku
Trochaic Octameter
Elegy
And explained these technical terms:
Verse : A rhythmic line arranged in a meter
Rhythm : A Combination of stresses in a verse
Feet : Units of rhythm
Meter : Number of feet in a verse
With this she wrapped the 4th episode of Mused. We hope that you enjoyed and learned from this amazing discussion on poetry in Pakistan. If you wish to learn more or take our mentoring services where we help you improve your writing skills, you can sign up with us at Daastan and polish your talent. See you next week with another episode of Mused. Stay Tuned!
What is a writer’s dream? Is writing an ultimate goal for a writer? Well, typically speaking, writing does fulfill a writer. But the dream is always way bigger and higher. Rhizomatic Literaties’ book launch, for example, is one one such dream. Becoming a published author, receiving acclaim for your talent and being known for your book is the actual dream. Similarly, our three talented leads of Rhizomatic Literaties did not settle for less.Rhizomatic Literaties is a special book for Daastan because it is composed of numerous entirely diverse minds that take you into a journey of exploration. You can read the book at meraqissa.com. Have a look at Rhizomatic Literaties Book Launch here.
On 7th March 2020, Daastan arranged Rhizomatic Literaties‘ book launch at Plan 9 Tech Incubator Arfa Towers, Lahore. Literary enthusiasts from all fields joined us to celebrate this milestone in our journey. Our panel of discussion engaged the visitors in a healthy talk over struggle and most importantly, literature and publishing in Pakistan by sharing their own stories. Ms. Amanda from Australia was our guest of honor who moderated the panel discussion.
Our Guest of Honor Ms. Amanda from Australia at the Book Launch of ‘Rhizomatic Literaties’
About Rhizomatic Literaties
We take immense pride in Rhizomatic Literaties which is one of our masterpieces as per the unique and outstanding nature of the book. The idea behind this book was to bring together the hidden talent of Pakistan’s literary industry to put them on the forefront. Secondly, this book also speaks for the nature of our publishing industry that is inclusive and non-discriminatory. We promote writers from all sections of society. The 12 different narratives that make up this out-of-the-box book, showcase the diversity and celebrate the power and beauty of women in Pakistan.
One of the writers of Rhizomatic Literaties on Book Launch
Have Your Own Book Launch With Daastan
It is our mission to bring together writers, literary enthusiasts and all people who are eager to act as an agent in order to push forward, the wheel of our publishing industry. Start writing now and launch your book with Daastan. We believe you can! Sign up at Daastan and begin your journey today.
The wait is now over! We are back with our weekly review of ‘Mused’ as promised. For those joining us now, Mused is Daastan’s first Live show hosted by our editor Ms. Summaiya Naveed. Every week, Summaiya shares important and useful tips for writers to help them write and publish their work. Summaiya has been inspiring our viewers who send us positive feedback every week. This week’s show was based on 3 pertinent issues, following a general theme of Publishing in Pakistan.
1. Scope of Publishing In Pakistan
Although Pakistan’s publishing industry has been active since we came into being, the number of publishers, readers and writers have always been limited. From the get go, most of our publishing industry revolved around Urdu literature. There has been significant development of Urdu language but low literacy rates always meant fewer readers. With a lack of readers, comes a lack of buyers. Consequently, there are very few incentives for writers to publish their work. All of these reasons combined hindered the development of our publishing industry.
As of now, Pakistan’s publishing industry is, as Summaiya puts it, in a ‘transitory‘ phase. With increased focus on English language, there is a greater number of English readers and consequently, more English writers. However, this shift towards increased English readership is quite limited. Most of us do not read books beyond our school/college curriculum. Even if we do read English books, we mostly prefer reading foreign books and writers. According to Summaiya, the greatest challenge that our publishing industry is facing right now, is the need for loyal readers. One reason for this lag is insufficient support and funding for creative fields like fine art, creative writing etc. Neither the government nor our public is ready to accept the need and benefit of creatives in our society. In such circumstances, it is hard for writers to pursue writing as a full-time profession.
2. Future of Publishing in Pakistan
A lot of work is being done to upgrade the literary industry of Pakistan. Qissa has digitized the literary space to make publishing in Pakistan easier. Online publishing platforms are becoming the hub for readers and writers. A lot of young emerging Pakistani authors are now writing and publishing their work with greater frequency. However, as Summaiya pointed out, there still remains a need for experimentation and exploration. Readers look forward to unique stories, relevant characters and different genres like sci-fi, thriller, horror etc. Most writers cling to classic genres like romance or tragedy. We need to innovate and step outside our comfort zone to attract a local and global readership.
3. How can we improve Pakistan’s Publishing Industry?
Role of Self Publishers
Self publishers are those publishers who help edit, format, design, and publish your book for you. They only charge you for their services and the earnings you earn from royalties are transparent. Some self-publishers, like Daastan, also help market your book to increase sales. Recently, Daastan generated over 1 lac PKR in sales for Lareb Soomro’s “Autumn’s Curse”. Lareb Soomro is Sindh’s youngest writer who has taken over the hearts of our readers with her out-of-the-box creativity and imagination in writing.
The role of self publishers is very important in accelerating the publishing industry because this industry runs solely on readers and writers. By empowering writers, we inspire them to write and publish more. This generates a smooth cycle of writing and publishing which broadens our literary space. We unfortunately have very few publishing options available to us which limits our growth.
Role of Readers and Writers
While many Pakistani writers are making their name in the literary space of Pakistan, they still have to work hard to establish themselves, globally. As much as it is the writer’s job to produce quality work, so is the reader responsible – by supporting local writers and their books. There are very few acclaimed writers like Mohsin Hamid, who have made a name for Pakistani literature in the global market. Still, most well-known “Pakistani” writers spend either all or half their time residing outside of Pakistan. Since the publishing industry depends on reader’s demands, the more readers indulge in buying local books, the more our writers will write and as a result, the scope of Publishing in Pakistan will flourish.
Summaiya also emphasized on the need to revolutionize the concept of “Pakistani writers”. Up until now, any renowned author who is remotely connected to Pakistan has been considered a Pakistani writer. However, a true Pakistani writer is one who has lived in this country, been a part of its culture and grown up among its people. A writer who writes with Pakistani characters in Pakistani settings. This is the criteria we need to use to define a “Pakistani” writer.
This sums up our third Episode of Mused. We promise to return next week with yet another interesting live session. Do give us your feedback at merasawal@daastan.com. If you like our show, sign up with us at Daastan to keep enjoying similar content. See you next week!
It is sad how hundreds of stories are not published because of a lack of confidence or funds. The labour that goes into creating and nurturing a story is unmatched. Although there are numerous challenges a writer faces while publishing their book, it is yet priceless, to finally hold your own book and see people reading it all across the globe. South-Asian writers in particular, have to deal with both, the limited options available while publishing their work, and a lack of funds available. The inadequate laws regarding plagiarism and intellectual theft are further barrier. Many countries have weak law enforcement which is why plagiarism is common. Despite these drawbacks, to publish your own book is not an alien idea anymore. If you are a budding writer shying away from taking the first big step, here is a guide to help you start off.
How To Publish Your Book
Step 1 : Work on your Content
If you have a story ready, skip this step. If you’re starting from scratch, begin by drafting your story. Make a rough outline of the events that will take place at the beginning, middle and at the end of your story. Sketch out your characters and develop them beyond the premise of your story. Knowing your character well is one way of making sure that you’re presenting them in an authentic manner. When you start writing, maintain an undertone that will set a theme for your story. Stick to your theme, tone and style to engage the reader and allow them to familiarize themselves with your story. Keep writing and do not lose your will. Set a daily/weekly target and abide by it. And, you’re ready to go!
Self-publishing your book
Step 2 : Format the raw content
If you have hand-written your story, begin typing it. This will help you re-read and edit any mistakes. If you have your text typed already, choose a good font. It is best to go with basic fonts like Times New Roman, that are familiar to your readers. You can take help from an online manuscript format like William Shun’s. Check it out here. To get you started, set your font size to 12 points, leave margins on both sides and use a black color for text. Remember, do not make it fancy, let the reader focus solely on your story.
Step 3 : Proof-read and Edit
It goes without saying, proof-reading is an essential step on your way. Look for spelling/grammar mistakes. An easier and faster way to do this is using an app to check it for you. If nothing fancy, just put your text in Microsoft Word and fix the tiny errors. It is also important at this stage, to alter or edit any phrases you feel are repeated, unnecessary or cliché . Reading out loud also helps make sense of your expression. Try reading your manuscript to a friend or use an app that will narrate your text. Listening will help you pick mistakes easily. One common error that writers often make is using one word over and over again. Pick that word and try replacing it with another. Can you guess the next step? Publish!
Step 4 : Publish!
Step 4 is as challenging as it can get. We here at Daastan help you make it easier. From editing and formatting to designing your cover page and then launching and marketing the book, we have got you all covered. To have a detailed idea of our process, give a look at our blog ‘5 Ways Daastan can help you launch your dream book ‘ We aim to discover and channel all the hidden, untold stories of brilliant writers like you and promote local writers. So, take Step 5 and sign up with Daastan and Publish your book now!
For any budding writer, publishing their own book is ‘The Dream ‘. Most writers dream of publishing because they are also enthusiastic readers and know the value of a good book. The more books we read, the more we want to have. To own it is yet another privilege. Good readers eventually become good writers and the bigger this circle grows, the better informed a society becomes.
With the fast-paced life that we have all become a part of, it is very important that we emphasize on staying connected and rooted. Reading good literature is the easiest route to widening your horizons. It is the writer who enables a reader to leap into another universe simply by delving into the palm of their hands. Are you that writer who wants to share your universe with the world? Here are 5 ways we can help you publish your own book.
Steps To Launch Your Own Book
Step 1 : Composing the Book
Daastan aims at connecting readers and writers by publishing, digitizing,marketing and distributing books to promote a literary culture in our society. We start by helping you compose your book. Composition is the key to a success. Composition includes editing and formating the text, building the structure of the book and adjusting the tone and style of your writing according to the theme of your story.
Step 2 : Designing the Cover
Once the content is streamlined, we design the cover. For that, we work with the best designers to develop an attractive and catchy outlook of your book. Although it is politically incorrect to judge a book by its cover, it is unfortunately exactly what happens most of the times. Simultaneously, our editor works on the text by proof-reading and editing to ensure a faultless masterpiece.
Step 3 : Marketing your Book for Sales
When we are done with the Behind-the-scenes tasks, we approach yet another vital task: Marketing of the published books. Through our social media platforms, we market books to reach the maximum public. At this stage, we help you arrange a book launch and attract as many buyers as possible.
Self-publishing is not impossible!
Step 4 : Distribution of your Book
After marketing and building up customers for you, we distribute your books for sale in shops, and through the online book distribution services of Literati Choice. We make sure that you are kept aware of all your sales. We deliver the sold books to your customers and hand over the sales amount directly to you.
Step 5 : Let’s Get Started
The above-mentioned stages are very important while self-publishing your book. Publishing in Pakistan is challenging because there are limited channels and options available. Daastan helps in making this task fairly easy and successful. You alone cannot carry out all the essential stages of writing and publishing. For that, we here at Daastan make sure that the best editors, designers and marketing team is made available to you all under one roof.
It is then in the hands of the readers to help promote local writers and to develop the habit of reading as part of self-improvement. A well-read society has very little fear of failing and falling. Through reading, we not only explore unique ideas but also learn from the experiences of others which helps us improve our problem-solving skills. Even if you’re not interested in writing, reading nevertheless develops your communication skills. Good readers therefore, also become good listeners and good speakers!
If you are the writer we’re talking about, seeking to publish your Dream book, here is your best chance at Publishing your work. Sign up with Daastan and take the first step towards achieving your goal!
