Publishing a book in Bhutan is the easiest way to become poor, and if a writer dares to publish their second book then respect them because you have no idea how much they invested in their passion. Everybody wants money from your book. The publisher who gives you their name, the guy who did the layout, the other guy who designed your cover, the press that prints your book, and the bookstore that sells your book, all of them want more profit from your book than you will ever make.
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Latest Book in Bhutan: The Night Hunting
Have you bought one yet? |
Once the book is published all your friends want a free copy each, there are several offices that claim five copies each of your book as an official requirement and by the time you finish selling the few hundred copies you had in your hand you will realize that you didnt even recover your printing cost. The worth of your words is an absolute zero. Everybody made profit out of your book except you.
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Escapades: Perhaps the Book of the Year
What do you say? |
Bhutan is an untold story, million books won't be enough but how many books are written so far? How many will be written? Books are national treasures and there must be national will to build our treasure. Publishing a book should be made easier, let the writer write respectfully, don't let him run from office to another for registration to approval to whatnot. Let there be just one office that will do everything for the writer. Lets not ask money from the writer, instead sponsor half the printing cost because afterall it's national treasure. Initiate annual writers' award to recognize good writers, inspire young writers. Writing is a passion, don't treat it like a business.
And of all the things in the world don't talk about censoring books. If you can't write books it's ok, there are other who can, and if you can't read it's still ok there are others who can and will read. Lets just inspire, that matters a lot.
Wow! Passu... this is what I would call "Voice"... thanks for being the voice of all passionate Bhutanese writers...
ReplyDeletePassu sir,
ReplyDeleteLiked the truthfulness in the flesh of your bold writing. Keep writing. There are readers like me who get inspired by the skills of your writing skills.
Just fabulous.
I just try to buy a copy of my own than borrowing from a friend when it comes to reading any bookand same applies for the books written by Bhutanese. Need to buy the night Hunter,,, seems interesting.
ReplyDeleteSir, well thought out post.
encouraging sir!!!!
ReplyDeleteVery much agreed. I was told we as civil servants can't write books and just this morning I was thinking if it means we need to publish under pseudo-names if we ever wanted to write.
ReplyDeleteBasically, everything has a cost...even if it's your passion. And with our country still a distant stranger for such thing called as publishing books, i wouldn't dare to bet on publishing one. However, it doesn't take away the applause and the appreciation we should shower to the ones who published things.
ReplyDeleteThat is true sir...
ReplyDeleteI would also say that if we are writing a book and thinking of publishing that then we should not go look fir money rather we should think that we are going to make some difference in others if we publish the book and also be our passion to do that........
Anyway nice article sir loved that....
sir,
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS WHAT WE SEE IN BHUTAN TODAY. EVERYBODY IS RUNNING IN THE RACE OF MAXIMIZING PROFIT. I read in one blog posts that a man went to many publishers requesting them to, please, publish his work. not willing to publish it is not as shocking as what he was told. one of the publishers, he says, asked him if it was a guide book for any class. but his wasn't one among many guide books that better serve as misguider than guides. so it was not published and the writer self-published the book.
today, there are only guide books in bhutan. but the guide books easily misguide the readers. this article is beautifully voiced
Agree to every line but more than anything I was looking at the pics, in the first pic, Passu seems rele pissed n in the second pic, he just gives a glimpse of his temple to indicate tht its better to be engrossed in the books: buying them n reading! :)
ReplyDeleteA very true article! That the system of ours doesn't support publishing books, that we don't buy Bhutanese authored books, that we don't encourage each other writing and publishing books. What I would like to suggest here is that you guys really need to strengthen the Writers' Association of Bhutan (WAB). Since many Bhutanese people are showing interest in writing and publishing books, I think the WAB must become vibrant and come up with lots of strategies and activities to support and encourage publishing books in Bhutan. Passu, nice article, loved it.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for bringing this article online. It is very true we the Bhutanese people really look down to the works of Bhutanese people esp. writing, painting, singing, publishing and etc. The sun has been reached to the western horizon but they are yet to wake up from the bed. Even they wakes up they will be waking up with lots of backbit, criticism and without appreciation.....
ReplyDeletevery impressive support for writers and book lovers.
ReplyDeleteAnd your love for books is a good example for all of us.