The Secret Story Of BookLeaf Publishing

Self-publishing of books is all the rage right now, what with the high publishing cost, long gestation period, meaning loss in transit and the high-handedness of traditional publication houses. And while several publishers catering to independent authors have cropped up over time, very few have been able to see through the needs of the ‘first-timers’ or amateurs unfamiliar with the cumbersome process. BookLeaf Publishing is one such credible platform. “5-stars is not enough; I’d rate them a hundred stars, a thousand stars! They absolutely deserve it!” chirps one of our clients. But what goes into making BookLeaf Publishing, BookLeaf? How did it all begin? Fret not, folks, we’re here to be your raconteur!

How BookLeaf Publishing began ?

So once our CEO (Bookleaf Publishing) in all his leisure was sprawling over the lush green cover surrounding the waters of the mesmerizing Dal lake. In his hands was a book which sucked all his attention. As he lied there turning page after page, what should come to him wafting through the gentle breeze but a leaf! And this particular leaf with its riot of a green hue and silky smooth edges so caught his fancy that he sat there staring at it in admiration for 5 whole minutes. Only with the rustle of the leaves of the now abandoned book was he brought back to that time and place. He hurriedly opened page no. , carefully tucked the leaf there, closed the book and with his teeming eyes gazed at the serene waters. “BookLeaf!” he exclaimed.

That simple? We wish! Perhaps Newton had it easier but not quite our CEO. Fresh out of school, this literature-loving teenager from Kashmir held a manuscript in his hand containing all his wild thoughts, searching for a publisher. And what a search it was! He scoured the internet, or whatever remnant of it was available in that place, but couldn’t find anything upto his satisfaction. There was something just so fundamentally wrong to the entire publishing scene. With not much money to spare on what was just a hobby and no inkling of what those lofty legal terms on the agreement meant, publishing a book seemed tougher than writing one. But our CEO was no Emily Dickinson to carefully hide his creation in his closet away from the world’s eyes. After extensive research, he decided to self-publish his book, and publish it he did (no, we don’t recommend the book). Now, he should have been a happy child, shouldn’t he? Instead, he got to thinking about the harrowing experience he had undergone, and a daring thought took root in his brain. And this thought, ladies and gentlemen, was to forever change the experience of publishing a book for budding authors across the globe.

As he sat resolutely at his desk toiling upon the thought one day, he received a “Hi!” on Facebook, where he maintained a creative page again full of all his wild musings. It was from her.

Presenting to you the other protagonist of Bookleaf Publishing story, Ms. Co-founder! (Applause!)

Ms. Co-founder has always been an ardent bibliophile. If on sundays you decide to pay her a visit, you can be sure you won’t find her seated at home. You’d better head straight to Dariyaganj. Unsurprisingly, she opted for English Literature in college. Even as her career choices oscillated between Professorship and MBA, her love for quality literature grew, as did her resolve to carry forward this love to consummation. (She also happens to have the Fifty Shades trilogy in her bookshelf for some reason, and we’ve learnt to make peace with the fact.)

Back to the story. Now, Ms. Co-founder was in awe of Mr. CEO’s wild musings Facebook page, and just like any two social media-savvy wordsmiths, they commented on each other’s posts often. As it happened, on that particular day when our CEO was labouring over the daring thought, the “Hi!” precipitated a casual discussion over books. “Imagine what it would be like to hold the rough drafts of these books in your hands, the raw draft, to interact with these authors to get a sense of their perceptions, to monitor it all the way to its blooming!” wondered Ms. Co-founder. “This is it!” rejoiced our CEO, banging his desk in excitement. And the daring thought began taking a concrete shape, now that two brilliant heads were working upon it, brick by brick.

It was not always rainbows and butterflies for Bookleaf Publishing !

The tough part came. The action. Caught between college, the hallmark internet shutdowns of J&K, low funds, uncertainity and family’s questions, they were frustrated at times, excited at others, and clueless most of the time. But always determined, they stuck together.

Meticulously they researched and put each element in place. Committed to keep their brainchild as far away as they could from those publishing behemoths out there, they ensured the only thing an author has got to worry about is the penning down of ideas. Rest was their job — formatting, illustrations, editing, the covers, printing, e-listing, consultation and marketing tips. And amidst all this, cost should never be a deterrent for authors. You can’t put a price tag on dreams, can you? So when Nida Fazli wrote, “kabhī kisī ko mukammal jahā? nahī? miltā, kahī? zamīn kahī? āsmā? nahī? miltā,” he clearly hadn’t considered BookLeaf Publishing. All things kosher, these two had decided at the outset, and it has been that way ever since.

You didn’t forget us, did you?! THE TEAM! (Red carpet, anybody?) A team more diverse in tastes, opinions, cultures and residences doesn’t exist. Love for books unites us. These two did a fine job in handpicking each one of us, putting our talents to good use (this article, for example). This almost-all women team interacts with the company’s clients, gauges and works upon their requirements, puts in its suggestions and helps the clients make the best out of their books, all this in minimal amount of time, so you won’t have to wait for months before your baby gets birthed.

Now you know why BookLeaf Publishing understands your needs as an independent author the way it does, and how.

So, authors, while you have the right to choose, you must choose wisely. And choosing self-publishing is not something you’d regret. More and more authors are willing to let go off the big brand logo to retain the authenticity of and authorial autonomy over their creations. We, at BookLeaf Publishing, wish to be an easy-going and reliable partner in the pun-filled journey on the write track of your thoughts from a draft to a best-seller!