[Goanet]Publishing model for Goan writers

[Cecil Pinto]

An interesting (one page) article on Mahendra Meghani appeared in last 
week's Outlook magazine. His Lok Milap Trust has been providing quality 
literature to Gujaratis at incredibly low prices. The full article, very 
informative, is at: 
http://www.outlookindia.com/mad.asp?fodname=20050328&fname=Making&sid=1

This is the part that I found most fascinating:
---- quote ----
How did they pull it off? Aren't they making losses? Explains Meghani: "We 
did the opposite of what all publishers do. We announce the theme of the 
book we plan to publish and only after we get orders do we start printing. 
Before starting out, we appealed to those interested in literature to give 
us interest-free loans. We didn't want much and requested a loan of Rs 100 
from each reader. Later we announced we will print 75,000 copies if we get 
as many orders. We got the orders," he says.

---- unquote ---
This seems an interesting model for Goan writers to follow in the absence 
of any publishing support. Announce the theme of the book and post a sample 
chapter, or maybe excerpts, on the Net. Get advance orders (payment) and 
then actually publish the book.

For example my non-existing book of "Risque Goan Jokes" (three years in the 
writing!) has had hundreds of enquiries and quite a few serious buyers who 
were willing to shell out in advance for copies. I know for a fact that the 
day I decide to actually compile and publish the book I have a ready market 
and readership and definitely will not make a loss.

Cecil
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