Article 'THE ROAD NOT TAKEN '

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THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

"Read my book first and pay only if you like it," this author tells his readers

Nikhil Deshmukh



    Small-time authors who find no takers for their works among publishers seem to be finding new ways to take their offerings to the readers. Recently, the group 'Pavement Publishers' released one of its books on a city pavement, thereby cutting costs and directly connecting with the readers. 

    Now, a Shetkari Sanghatana activist Amar Habib

has come out with another concept. "Read my book first and pay later only if you like the book", he says.

    Five copies of his book, Samvaad, are on their way to the US, for which the author has not received a single penny yet. The offer 'Read the book first and pay if you like it', has changed the routine of Habib residing in Ambejogai — 350 km away from Pune — as he gets bombarded with requests for copies of his book written in Marathi. His book was released on June 1 and till date Habib has sent 940 copies on request and has started receiving money orders for the book.

    Habib (53) says that his book is a collection of articles published in a column in a newspaper, through which he had taken a liberal and progressive stand about the future of the country. "Interestingly, I have received maximum requests from young readers, who are working in big corporate houses."

    Samvaad, a collection of his 51 articles appeared in a local supplement of a Marathi daily two years ago. Though the book costs Rs 150, Habib is charging only Rs 100, as, "I am directly approaching readers and as I don't take the commission charged by the distributors, I am passing the benefit to the readers." 

    Explaining why he launched the concept of read first, Habib says, "Authors from cities and metros are close to publishers. It's very difficult to approach these publishers as they are unaware of authors from rural or backward areas of the state." Habib wanted to cut the chain of author-publisher-distributor-reader and thus decided to approach the readers directly.

    "I sent mails to my close friends and offered them the scheme, which was welcomed by them. And with this, I started receiving orders from various regions," says Habib. 

    "My columns are about contemporary issues such as education, politics and farmers' suicide and people have shown interest in reading it," he says. Habib has published his book through his own publication 'Parisar Publication', and decided not to follow the conventional way to sell his book.

    Today, Habib has some interesting customers like Shrikant Deshmukh, who works in US, who came to know about interesting offer and ordered five copies. Another reader is Shiva Ingale, serving a life term in Nashik jail. Ingale has purchased the book from the money he earned by working in the jail.