Q&A with Tahir Shah discussion

With Timbuctoo, I made the move from traditional publishing to self publishing. Feel free to ask me any questions about why I made the change, what it was like, and whether I'd do it again.

Would you do it again?

This topic is a very interesting one. I wonder whether authors feel constrained and limited by their publishers. Are there too many pressures and deadlines, which make the creative process of writing impossible? It must be extremely hard to self-publish. Anything you care to disclose on the topic of Self Publishing is appreciated. Thank you.

Correction: Message 3 is from now no longer deleted member. Thank you for your thoughts on Self Publishing.

I read a lot of self-published books, and some cry out for editing. In the absence of a formal editor, how do you approach the question of consistency, flow of ideas, and whether you've conveyed what you hoped to?

Having read an advance copy of Tahir's latest novel, Timbuctoo, which was self-published, I have to say that the proofreading, copy editing, quality and style of writing were excellent.

Self publishing used to be the home of the failed writer and narcissist but with the likes of Timothy Mo and now Tahir Shah that image has changed completely. Big publishers are becoming more like big supermarkets with the emphasis on what is 'guaranteed' to sell. Thus the rash of big name formulaic thrillers, ghosted celeb books and rehashed recipes put out under a TV chef's name. I congratulate Tahir Shah on this move in order to get the freedom to produce such a beautiful book.

Bonjour Tahir, many of your books have been translated and published in different languages. Now that you are self-publishing, can your readers expect to read your latest book Timbuctoo in different languages as well? If so, how do you go about finding a suitable literature translator?

self publishing looks immensly dificult to me. is it?
or is it just that i am computer illiterate.

How did you decide what to price your ebook? Since you are self-publishing, there could be many reasonable justifications for making it more expensive.

Friedman* predicts that authors will have to accept becoming 'transmedia' personalties, using multiple platforms to promote and publish their work - what do you think about this additional dimension to writing and how do you feel about it?

*Jane Friedman The Future of Publishing: Enigma Varaitions.

Aubrey wrote: "Would you do it again?"

Yes, yes, yes, I think so... there's a whole lot more stress, but the amazing new delight for me is to have today control... something an author never ever ever tastes.

TS

Julie wrote: "How did you decide what to price your ebook? Since you are self-publishing, there could be many reasonable justifications for making it more expensive."

As an author who's been published by big name-brand firms, I can't stand it when publishers try and justify high price tags for work they put out. I really wanted TIMBUCTOO to be accessible on Amazon, and it's great that it is, but it's tricky because they discount a lot so a printed work there has to be more expensive than I'd want. But i priced the eBook version down so as to make up for it.

TS

Robs wrote: "Friedman* predicts that authors will have to accept becoming 'transmedia' personalties, using multiple platforms to promote and publish their work - what do you think about this additional dimensio..."

Thanks for this... I think it's SOOO important for authors to engage with people, and if that means using multiple platforms, all the better. Authors must remember that it's their readers who are the special ones, not them.


TS

Toni wrote: "self publishing looks immensly dificult to me. is it?
or is it just that i am computer illiterate."

There have been hundreds of hoops to jump through. Ask my wife, Rachana, and she'll tell you of all the sleepiness nights when I get up and work away at trying to learn where the hoops are before jumping through them. But how wonderful to have total control and to create a book that I am proud to have my name on the spine of. Hoorah!


TS

Lauragais wrote: "Bonjour Tahir, many of your books have been translated and published in different languages. Now that you are self-publishing, can your readers expect to read your latest book Timbuctoo in differen..."

Good question... Translations are a whole other thing. i'm now taking more active control in getting my books out there, working with good publishers and translators, and in getting out of print foreign editions of my work back into print.

TS

Osho wrote: "I read a lot of self-published books, and some cry out for editing. In the absence of a formal editor, how do you approach the question of consistency, flow of ideas, and whether you've conveyed wh..."

As a published author I understand the importance of editing. I hired 3 editors to go over the structure and another 3 to proof the book. One of them proofed it twice, once after the corrections had been entered. There are still 2 glaring typos. But they'll be sucked out of the second edition. :-)


TS

H.M. wrote: "Having read an advance copy of Tahir's latest novel, Timbuctoo, which was self-published, I have to say that the proofreading, copy editing, quality and style of writing were excellent."

Thanks... the easy thing to do is to remove typos from an E-version... and the proof e-Copies have now been corrected of a couple of glaring errors. Again, editors and editing are so very important and do really make the book better.


TS

Paul wrote: "Self publishing used to be the home of the failed writer and narcissist but with the likes of Timothy Mo and now Tahir Shah that image has changed completely. Big publishers are becoming more like ..."

Thank you. I can tell you that i did seriously want at first to get a big mainstream publisher for TIMBUCTOO... but the more I considered what could be done with this book, the more I came to realise that such a grand book (i.e. the hard copy) could never ever be achieved by a conventional publisher.


TS

deleted user wrote: "This topic is a very interesting one. I wonder whether authors feel constrained and limited by their publishers. Are there too many pressures and deadlines, which make the creative process of writi..."

The system is stacked against anyone who wants to self publish... and publishers love to band about expressions like 'Vanity Publishing'... well, I'll tell you that with my situation there's nothing Vanity about it. i just wanted the best book possible to be produced and doing it myself was the best way. Believe me when I say that i would have gone with a conventional publisher if they'd have created the same book... It's cost me much more time and money of course, but we've got there... and I'm proud what we've created.


TS

Sadly I think my library is very unlikely to buy Timbuctoo because of the cost. I have suggested they buy the e-book but their e-book service is currently badly run and any influence I have with the service is only with the book side. Timbuctoo is expensive for the fiction section and doesn't really fit their reference book criteria. Is this of any concern to you? They currently stock several of your previous books and have most of the rest on order.

if it is of any interest i dont like social network stuff at all.
shrank from 'like' buttons but ended up using them. ( vaguely grasped they were lazy). can't even bring myself to introduce myself properly on a site such as this. looked for a quote from 'alice in wonderland' but can't find my copy of the book.
Those are my rabbit holes . 'alice' not a special favourite just thought i might find an appropriate quote there. do use email alot.
born 1945 so it may be no surprise that i have this attitude. of course becomming more familiar with 'anything' lessens the distaste. ( or increases it). laughing.
writers (in the ordinary way) having to become transmedia personalities in order to promote their writings sounds very tiresome to me.
dream of good publisher's reader good publishers and limited info about the author. well dream on.
dinasaur. well half dinasaur.

I fear it may be too big a subject to deal with here but could you give an example of some of the hoops you had to jump through in order to get Timbuctoo out. printers? editors? no doubt i haven't grasped the half of it.
recieved Timbuctoo, printed edition, from amazon u.K. yesterday. have not yet opened the package, will do so today. waiting to not be in a rush.

missed the boat again. (too ask questions i mean, this is the sixth of june). don't think things through.. i am sorry.
just in case there is another question and answer i would like to ask if
'i just wanted the best book possible to be produced and doing it myself was the best way.
Believe me when I say that i would have gone with a conventional publisher if they'd have created the same book... It's cost me much more time and money of course, but we've got there... and I'm proud of what we've created.'
it has become less expennsive to self publish?? I suppose not?
has the publishing company you founded SECRETUM MUNDI ... made it easier for you in this area and will you be publishing other peoples works???
many thanks.

Hi Toni,

Self-publishing doesn't have to be crazily expensive... you can start off publishing a manuscripot as an eBook and then do it as a Lulu.com print on demand and, if you get solid sales or just want to bite the bullet, you can do a short print run, or even a full print run as I did in Hong Kong. There are so many ways to print -- electronically or on paper -- and I'd suggest looking at these and not necessarily using one format, but several.

a thousand thanks for answering my belated question and no doubt for having to say or write what you have said many times before. i remain grateful.