'SO YOU WANT TO MAKE IT AS A WRITER?'
Imran Ahmad
Superlative & Enjoyable ... Corporate & Schools ... DEIB Speaker | London/KL | Director/Consultant | Highly Acclaimed Writer | Full Details in 'Experience' below.
I am actively seeking an Agent/Editor/Publisher for the Unimagined Trilogy.
LATEST UPDATE: 22 May 2022
This just came in from Dr Jane Goodall:
‘When I finished reading?Imran Ahmad’s first book, The Perfect Gentleman, I was so impressed and fascinated I told him he must write the sequel.?The result is The Imperfect Gentleman which I find even more brilliant.?With unflinching honesty, the author examines who he really is in a series of compelling stories that, taken together, demonstrate how it is possible to change attitudes and beliefs even when one is adult.?It leaves one with a feeling of Hope for humanity, so needed in the dark times we are living through.?It is a book I recommend highly: everyone should read and share with others.?Never a dull moment and literally unputdownable – I cannot wait for the next book.’
Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE – Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace
(The self-published, print-on-demand, proof-of-concept, ready-for-Editor, draft sequel, The Imperfect Gentleman, is the blue book, bottom right.)
INTRODUCTION
There is no more enjoyable, genuinely mass-market, easy read for the broadest possible general audience in multiple languages (whilst being intelligent, insightful, thought-provoking and provocative), and I am going to prove it to you below. But there was an extraordinary curveball in the publication journey which makes this an untapped gifthorse opportunity. This book doesn't need any more reviews or acclaim – it just needs to be out there. And then there are the sequels ...
[NB: Agents/Editors/Publishers – Global rights (all territories, all languages) are available for the Unimagined Trilogy – due to the extraordinary and unique Donald-Trumpian reason explained in the story below. You can skip this long, self-indulgent, lyrical narrative of the publishing journey and Page Down to the section clearly headed 'PROPOSAL'. A comprehensive Proposal document as a PDF is available on request to Editors/Publishers – with all data, publishing history, numbers, reviews, acclaim, book synopses, future marketing strategy, plans etc.]
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‘[on my nightstand] ... to remind me to reread. It is brilliant ...’ Dr Jane Goodall in the New York Times (October 14, 2021)
‘Yes, you can laugh while having your consciousness raised … this memoir proves it.’ O, The Oprah Magazine?(No 1 in ‘10 Titles to Pick Up Now’)
?‘If you read nothing else this year, discover this book.’ New York Journal of Books
'A feminist and a peacemaker ... impatient for the sequel.' Maclean's magazine, Canada
The Perfect Gentleman is quoted in Open University course A883 MA History (commences Sept 2022)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
I didn’t do it for (only) money, of course (I did it for world peace and everyone showing understanding, kindness and compassion to everyone else) – but I did assume that acclaim would bring money and hence financial freedom (to spend more time working on peace, understanding, kindness and compassion, obviously).??And bring a modest hardtop convertible car with integrated sat-nav (to get me around for the peace work).?But nothing went according to (my) plan and I ended up living in Malaysia, meeting extraordinary people and appreciating rainforests.?
?The sequel is written ...
?But first … please let me share with you my publishing experience …
?‘THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY … QUALITY OR CELEBRITY?’
?or we can call this …
?‘SO YOU WANT TO MAKE IT AS A WRITER?’
I have learned a lot on this journey of being a writer.??
I thought the personal transformational experience I had was the end of my journey, and all I had to do was write a book about how I got there. How wrong I was!?The journey always continues. (If it ends, you’re dead – you'll be recalled for debriefing and next assignment.)?
In December 2002, the mysterious woman on the overnight Atlanta-to-London flight told me that I had to start doing my Life’s Work without further delay … ‘or the Universe will force the issue, and sometimes this can be very unpleasant.’?(Due to a mechanical problem with her original aircraft, she was re-routed to my flight and assigned the seat next to me.)
In December 2004, I read The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, in which he says that as soon as you start to follow your Personal Legend, the Universe conspires with you to make it happen. Well, I already knew what my Personal Legend was (I had always known, since daydreaming about being a successful writer on the walk to school at the age of twelve), so I leaped up, opened my laptop and started writing the book. No more thinking about it anymore … just doing it … It came out so easily!?Absolutely no 'work' was involved. Seven weeks later, I had a manuscript (while still doing my day job at GE!).
My initial journey towards publication is absolutely amazing. I clearly had metaphysical help along the way. (Unless you believe it was all just coincidence, and that is a valid point of view. Except that it’s b*****t!)?
Unable to get any agent or publisher to consider this, I originally self-published the book through Booksurge, a print-on-demand company owned by Amazon. The book had a terrible cover, dreadful typesetting and very poor physical quality (I now understand all this). And yet I believed that I was going to conquer the world with this book.
(What I did not understand at the time is that no one is interested in a self-published book: no newspaper will review it; no exotic literary festival will invite the writer to speak; few bookshops will stock it; only people who know you will buy it ...)
Fortunately, there was a mysterious ‘ghost in the machine’ intervention which changed my course from self-publishing with BookSurge to finally getting a literary agent and then securing a 'proper' publisher.
And that is how finally I got a literary agent and my first 'proper' publisher – due to a 'ghost in the machine'!
You can't make this stuff up!
(There have been many extraordinary 'interventions' on this journey, but I just cannot go into all of them in this article. I do describe them in a lively 'narrative performance' on stage.)
(Note: I did eventually get the hardtop convertible with the built-in sat-nav, but it was the day job that paid for it – more on this later.)
Now the acclaim that my first book (originally titled ‘Unimagined’, later renamed ‘The Perfect Gentleman’ by the American publisher) received was truly astonishing. For example, four major newspapers placed it in their ‘best books of the year’ lists. Sue Townsend (of the Labour Left) and Ann Widdecombe (of the Conservative Right) both chose it as their favourite book of the year. How can that be? Philip Pullman took the time to write at length about it in glowing terms. John Berendt loved it also. So did Linda Grant.
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Here’s some of the eventual acclaim for the first book:
Unimagined / The Perfect Gentleman
'Best Books of the Year' in:?Guardian, Independent, Belfast Telegraph, Sydney Morning Herald??
'If you read nothing else this year, discover this book.' New York Journal of Books???
'Yes, you can laugh while having your consciousness raised ... this memoir proves it.' O - The Oprah Magazine (No 1 in '10 Titles to Pick Up Now')??
'A feminist and a peacemaker ... impatient for the sequel.' Maclean's magazine, Canada
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I sent a copy to Catherine Lockerbie, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival (who reputedly was reading literally hundreds of books every year) and she invited me to speak at Edinburgh, writing: ‘I don’t normally consider unsolicited approaches, but I just loved Unimagined so much!’
The literary festival journey itself was utterly amazing. Let me get that out of the way now. Catherine Lockerbie invited me to Edinburgh, where my event went so well that Sarah LeFanu invited me to Bath. I also met Wendy Were in Edinburgh and gave her a copy of the book. She stubbornly refused to invite me to Sydney … until she read the book six months later and changed her mind. At Sydney I met Janet DeNeefe, who invited me to Ubud in Bali (after reading the book). There I met Jeni Caffin, who invited me to Byron Bay (where Unimagined was the number one bestseller). I was also invited to Perth (Australia), and Jeni recommended me to Isobel F. Abulhoul, who invited me to Dubai.??
The total count for literary festivals is: Kingston, Edinburgh (twice for same book), Ilkley, Morley, Garforth, Bath, Sydney, Bali (twice for same book), Perth, Byron Bay (number one bestseller), Dubai, Chicago, Kuala Lumpur.
Here’s the story of Edinburgh the second time around:?
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All of these amazing experiences had two main results:
1.?I was absolutely sure that the Universe was indeed conspiring to help me with my Personal Legend.
2.?I became somewhat full of myself (my Ego slipped back into the Control Room posing as a wise and trusted adviser). (This was due to all the acclaim, invitations and experiences, coupled with Item 1.)?I developed complacency and a sense of entitlement to success.
Flush with literary festival success, I annoyed Peter Florence by sending him copies (hardback, paperback) and asking to be invited to his Hay Festival. This irritated the hell out of him (I think).?No invitation was ever forthcoming.?(Curiously, at time of writing, I have never been invited to a literary festival where the Director is a man – apart from Garforth, thanks Darren Walker!)
Please read this one page to fully understand what foundation my thought processes were based on:
Please read it through carefully, as there are some real ‘gems’ in there. ???
BUT THERE WAS OTHER ADVICE??in The Alchemist which I had overlooked, in my rush to follow my Personal Legend and get the Universe conspiring to help me. I noticed this additional advice only a few months ago, when I reread The Alchemist to find out what I had done wrong.?Mr Coelho describes it as to enjoy your wondrous spiritual journey, but not to spill the drops of oil.?More commonly we would call it ‘not dropping the ball’.?In my journey it translates to: ‘Don’t give up, neglect or lose your day job.’
Two spells of being just a writer/speaker did not seem any different from being unemployed and broke! I really needed a day job.
I organised and funded this speaking tour of the entire mainland United States myself (and BBC News covered it!):?
US Speaking Tour: https://www.unimagined.co.uk/ustour.html
Testimonials: https://www.unimagined.co.uk/testimonials.html
But nothing really changed. It didn’t make any sense.
I have learned that the quality of, and even acclaim for, a book is less important than how much effort an organisation is willing to put in if they decide that it is to be a bestseller. Your publisher really needs to be committed and on-the-ball, with excellent distribution and visibility of the book. If you don't have distribution, visibility and competitive pricing/promotion, you are going nowhere. But in my case, I think there were also metaphysical reasons why the first book was not a runaway success for me in the early years.
I’ll come back to that.?
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STORY OF PUBLISHERS
Unable to get an agent or publisher, I originally self-published the book in September 2005 through BookSurge, owned by Amazon. Scott Pack, Head Buyer of Waterstones, said the book was too obviously self-published and too physically inadequate to be stocked in Waterstones, but the actual content was really good and warranted a proper publisher. He introduced me to Charlie Viney, who became my agent, helped to make the book more viable, and got me a modest deal with Aurum Press and the wonderful Karen Ings as my Commissioning Editor. The immensely talented Karen helped to shape it into a much better book. Unimagined was published in March 2007 and got that first wave of acclaim and 'Books of the Year' newspaper recognition and literary festival invitations (and gushing e-mails and wonderful reviews) – but Aurum management seemed indifferent (one hardback print run; two paperback print runs, zero copies unsold). Eventually, Aurum had a re-org, Karen left, and rights were reverted to me.
In October 2009, I was out-of-print. Two months later I was also unemployed. And totally broke, because I had made no net profit from the book and lost my job as well. I was also without an agent. (I spilled the drops of oil, Mr Coelho.)
In about March 2010, Scott Pack introduced me to Tom Chalmers of Legend Press, and Tom agreed to bring out a new UK edition under the PaperBooks imprint. Unable to get a new job in London, I accepted a job for which I was a perfect match, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
While living in KL, and working with Tom’s team on the new Legend edition, I wrote directly to publishers in America. In the end, I secured Hachette in New York City (without an agent!). At this point (January 2011) I really thought that I had made it! Hachette NYC! Without an agent! This deal was based on the quality of the manuscript (it seems that many, many people in Hachette read it before they decided to proceed) and the acclaim for the UK version.
All of this activity (and eating, having a roof over a bed, clean clothes, shampoo etc) was funded by my day job in KL.
I am very grateful to David Young of Hachette, to Rolf Zettersten, and to Kate Hartson, my brilliant Editor – who insisted that there had to be more material in the book and an extended ending. She firmly shaped it into an even better book.?(Note: no matter how good a writer you think you are, a talented, gifted and experienced Editor is priceless.)?The Hachette team also renamed the book ‘The Perfect Gentleman’, saying that ‘Unimagined’ was too vague and a first letter of U was not good for a book title.
Center Street, my Hachette imprint, wanted global rights, so I discussed this with Tom Chalmers and he very graciously reverted the UK rights to me, which I gave to Center Street. (Tom Chalmers is a really decent guy – he knew that Hachette New York was a good opportunity for this book and he actively helped me to sell it to the Americans.) (I had to buy up hundreds of copies of the Legend Press paperback, which I donated to my old school, and I had to buy up all remaining Australian copies also, which my cousin in Sydney put in his garage.) So now Hachette had global rights and ‘The Perfect Gentleman’ in American English under the Center Street imprint of Hachette was the definitive global version. Hachette without an agent! Yep, I had really made it! (Smug, complacent.)?
And then we got the amazing Oprah Magazine quote and the New York Journal of Books quote and the Maclean’s magazine quote and wonderful reviews and I also received more gushing e-mails. Everything looked like the unsolicited mysterious woman in early 2003 had said it would be. (Not the woman on the airplane, a different mysterious woman: “I saw that you will touch the lives of millions of people.”)
"A feminist and a peacemaker ... impatient for the sequel."
To accompany the Center Street hardback launch, I conducted another speaking tour road trip of the US (this time two months and nearly 50 cities) and the costs (airfare to/from New York, rental car, hotels/motels, gasoline, meals) were not covered by Center Street – the investment was on my part. (Do many writers do this? Do any 'famous' writers bother to do this?)
It was another amazing experience, driving clockwise around the entire mainland United States, starting and finishing in New York – cities, prairies, deserts, mountains, snow, Waffle Houses, IHOPs. It was a spiritual journey, in fact (well, apart from the waffles and pancakes – that part wasn't very spiritual ...).
So ... Oprah Magazine, speaking tour, appreciative audiences, wonderful reviews, gushing emails ... everything was perfect for the mass-market paperback ...
BUT something strange happened.?
The first hardback print run sold out very quickly. A second hardback print run was produced, but this was physically identical to the first hardback – it did not incorporate the Oprah quote or other new acclaim. (Early in this writing and publishing journey, I used to dream that the book would get an Oprah endorsement, and this book was actually the No 1 recommendation in Oprah magazine at time of launch.)
I was looking forward to the mass-market paperback. (That's what it's all about in the publishing game.) A US and UK mass-market paperback was going to do really well!
Center Street did two prints runs of the hardback in 2012 (the second print run did sell out eventually), but did not produce a mass-market paperback, never used the Oprah quote, never published in UK, Australia or in any foreign languages (despite having insisted on global rights – all languages, all territories – which I had had to arrange by paying for rights reversions from other publishers), and then reverted all rights to me seven years later.
Countless times I asked for correction of the Publication Date on Amazon UK (for the international trade paperback), but it was never fixed: 1960.
(In my mind, I kept hearing this ancient sound bite, 'Gold Canyon 340', but I was in denial that anything was wrong.)
Center Street advised me that it would not be publishing the mass-market paperback and the sequel(s). Going forward it would be focused on only 'Conservative and Military books'.
For a while I had had a 'feeling' that Center Street and I were going in different strategic directions. Center Street and me together just hadn't felt right for a while.
The New York Times recently confirmed that it had been: 'more than a feeling'.
Books prominently featured on Center Street's website until about mid-January 2021 (after which the website had a complete facelift):
Of course my book(s) are not consistent with Center Street's new chosen strategic direction – that is very clear and self-evident.
Center Street reverted all rights to me in July 2019 and we went our very separate ways. I remain very grateful to Kate Hartson for her expert skills and kind support as my Editor – I wish her all the best.
(This experience was so extraordinary, it had to be metaphysical, which I will explain later.)?(My yoga teacher said it was an energy block caused by my limiting belief that I couldn’t really be so successful – that I didn’t deserve to succeed. “An Oprah endorsement, but such obstacles? That is extraordinary, Grasshopper. See how powerful your self-doubt can be!”)
Once again, I was out-of-print.??(And the Oprah quote, which was surely the most valuable endorsement, had never even appeared on any version of the book.)
And yet I continued to receive gushing emails from very diverse readers about what an extraordinary book this was.
I still had not made any net profit from writing. In fact, a significant loss, because I had given away literally hundreds of copies (and for every copy you give away, you have to sell about seven copies to recover the cost), and Center Street had not paid the airfares for my two trips to America, and Center Street did not fund the speaking tour. (Note to non-writers:?writers don’t get their own books for free – they have to pay the publisher for copies.)?
On top of everything else – due to organisational changes, my position in KL was restructured recently to part-time and half the previous salary.??
So now I had half-a-job for half-a-salary and no book bringing any income. This wasn’t looking good.?
But it was actually the best thing.??
It gave me the Gift of TIME!?
I translated The Perfect Gentleman back into British English, with some additional material and an updated Afterword. I returned to Tom Chalmers and used his self-publishing division NGP, run by David Walshaw, to produce the best version of this book there has ever been – as a print-on-demand, proof-of-concept, pending a new arrangement with a mainstream publisher.
And then – 12 years after the first proper publication of the original book – I have just completed the long-awaited sequel, ‘The Imperfect Gentleman’.
As a writer, my greatest fear/obstacle had always been that I believed that I could not write a sequel as good as the first book.
But test readers have stated that the sequel is 'better than the first book' ... this is un****ingbelievable!
I've been absolutely blown away by the feedback for the sequel!
But it's true! Whenever I look through the second book, I honestly feel this. The story arcs are amazing.
(Meanwhile, I absolutely love my part-time blue-suit position doing what I find professionally engaging and not being burdened by too much else.) (I live in two worlds.)
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HELP ALONG THE WAY (or otherwise)
I am grateful to so many people who have helped me on this journey. This list is not exhaustive (I am so sorry if I have missed you out). They also helped to reinforce my belief that I was following my Personal Legend and the Universe was conspiring to help.?
Apart from those already mentioned:
Lynne Hatwell, writer of the famous literary blog, ‘dovegreyreader scribbles’, chose Unimagined as her ‘best non-fiction read of 2007’.
Nicholas Lezard wrote a warm review for the Guardian. He could have totally trashed the book because of its conservative (small C) leanings, but did not.
Katy Evans-Bush wrote the most wonderfully supportive post in her blog.
Linda Grant kindly gushed praise in her blog and then told me in person that this book deserved a major publisher.
Bruce Elder wrote the most wonderful review in the Sydney Morning Herald and the most extraordinary Foreword for subsequent editions.
Joanne Latimer for Maclean’s magazine; Karen Holt for O, The Oprah Magazine; Viv Young for New York Journal of Books.
Sharon Bakar in Kuala Lumpur: without your help, the story would be so different (and so much less interesting!)
My deepest gratitude to those in my life (deliberately not named here) who have selflessly and unquestioningly given me the space I needed to write this sequel. (I write best between midnight and 5 a.m.)
On the other hand ...
WHSmith never stocked Unimagined despite all the acclaim and ‘best books of the year’ recognition. To get back to my underlying point, Celebrity trumps Quality in this industry.
Certain people have been very much against this book and deliberately tried to obstruct its recognition. Most notable of these was a renowned novelist, in a particularly notorious incident some years ago. He used his position vehemently to block my book from receiving an award for which it had already been chosen as the winner. Since this information was recounted to me in confidence by various independent third parties, I am not going to put it into writing here. But I'll probably tell you if we are relaxing somewhere late one night (say, in Bali). If you love his books, you probably won't like mine ... and that's okay. We live in a world enriched by diversity.?
I have watched a public lecture by [renowned novelist] in which he was extremely disparaging about the works of JK Rowling (“… execrable prose … drivel … pile of codswallop …”), Frank McCourt, and others — all of whom are more widely read than he is.?So I am honoured to be in this fine company, but I resent the fact that the publishing industry gives [renowned novelist] the power to do what he did to my book.??
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METAPHYSICAL EXPLANATION?
I am so grateful that this book wasn’t a runaway commercial success that brought me a significant income stream back in 2007 (UK) or 2012 (US). Because, if I had been receiving money then, I would have been tempted to quit my day job and become a full-time writer – thinking that this was consistent with my Personal Legend and the Universe conspiring.
I am also grateful that I was broke, unemployed and in debt in 2010, and could not find a job in London (which I was desperately seeking, because I wanted to cling to the old patterns which were familiar, although they made me miserable) and I was compelled to take that wonderful job in Kuala Lumpur (I was resisting the upheaval of moving to KL, but it turned out to be an elevating, unimagined experience).?
领英推荐
Because ... I needed these conditions in order to have the amazing experiences which have made the last decade the best years of my life … experiences I never dreamed of, which I can’t even begin to describe here.
I’ve dated and loved two extraordinary beautiful women who read my book overnight and gushed about it … and I’ve dated, loved and married one even more extraordinary and even more beautiful woman who was completely indifferent towards the book and took nearly a week to read it (Dr Jung, Dr Freud — any thoughts on this?). (Many people have read the book overnight, but I've only dated two of them.)
In fact, had [renowned novelist] not interfered so vehemently to block that particular recognition, and Unimagined had been better publicised and more well-known at that time, and I had not been short of funds and was able to try living only as a writer rather than maintaining a day job … then I never would have moved to Kuala Lumpur (and not had the amazing experiences which gave me the sequel on a plate) and I would have been pressured into writing a drab sequel years ago – and that would have been catastrophic.
There are sayings in various traditions which all equate to: ‘You can scheme all you want, but Universe/Tao/ONE/Brahman/'God' will always out-scheme you.’?
I am grateful for [renowned novelist]’s vehement obstruction.?
I am grateful that Center Street chose not to publish the paperback or any foreign editions and reverted all rights to me after seven years.
I am grateful for everything.?
What an adventure Life has been ... and continues to be.
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METAPHYSICAL HELPERS
Gabrielle Bernstein: recently, while writing this sequel, I’ve been over-anxious about money because my day job has shrunk and I’ve devoted energy to pursuing other employment possibilities — none of which has come through.?Meanwhile, Gabby Bernstein has been reassuring me through her audiobooks that the Universe has my back and to just to focus on writing the book. Amazingly, the money worries turned out to be just that, only ‘worries’, and if I had successfully landed any of those other opportunities, I could never have found the space to focus on the sequel. Here I am, the sequel is completed … and I’m not broke ... and I actually love and appreciate my part-time blue-suit day job.??
Maril Crabtree:?well, without Maril, there would be no astonishing turning point in this journey. It’s in the sequel.?
Wayne Dyer: I never met Wayne, and yet his voice and presence are so familiar to me and it was he who set the ball rolling on this unimagined journey.
Louise Hay: I was privileged to meet Louise, and she graciously accepted from this gibbering idiot my original self-published book and the first proper book. She kindly wrote to me later saying that she’d read them both and enjoyed them, and giving me further encouragement. Time is the element which causes frustration, if we allow it to. That meeting with Louise Hay was over 12 years ago, but the energy of it is still with me today.
Caroline Myss: I was driving alone through the desert in Arizona; under the relentless blazing sun, the landscape was magnificently barren, which seemed to exacerbate the intense weight I was carrying in my chest. But listening to Sacred Contracts transformed how I felt — suddenly, it all made sense.
Eckhart Tolle: his incredibly calm and humble persona, and his total absence of Ego always remind me how far I have yet to travel. (I still have a volatile Ego, you see.) His non-Fear-based teachings and insights should be mandatory in school. He's also a master comedian — he makes jokes with perfect delivery.
Gary Zukav: if you only read one book in your entire life, let it be The Seat of the Soul (or better still, listen to Gary's gentle, reassuring, calm voice in the audiobook). Everything is explained in this book — and all is borne out by empirical experience. One very important lesson Gary explains is that, if you make a wrong decision which takes you off your optimum path, then a new optimum path immediately formulates and your 'guidance system' adjusts to steer you down that new path. But really there is no such thing as a 'wrong' decision — because you can learn so much from the consequences. This is very significant to me, because I have made so many 'wrong' decisions in my life.
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CONCLUSIONS, SUMMARY AND MISCELLANEOUS
HOW COULD THERE BE SO MUCH ACCLAIM AND SO LITTLE INCOME? Well, I have learned a lot about the publishing industry. It’s not about what you write, but who you are.?Celebrity trumps Quality. Apparently, if someone called Kim Kardashian (who is this?) brought out a book tomorrow (on anything), the publisher would invest the money to ensure it was in everyone’s face, and within about a week it would sell more copies than all editions of my book have ever sold. That seems to be the stark reality. ‘Get over it’ (I tell myself).
THE CONVENTIONAL PROCESS TO GET PUBLISHED RARELY WORKS. They tell you to send a book proposal to an agent. This ends up in the ‘slush pile’ and the chances of a book emerging from this are remote. In my experience, there has to be something more – some connection, some relationship, some recommendation – which helps you to stand out from the masses. In my case, it was that mysterious direct intervention by the Universe, the ‘ghost in the machine’ which created the amazing sales report that compelled Scott Pack to read this particular self-published book with the awful cover. The intervention which then disappeared … leaving no trace of itself ...
I AM GRATEFUL FOR MY DAY JOBS. Without these, I don’t know what I would have done financially. But they also provided me with experiences which are an integral part of my journey. We live in this material world, we have to keep various dimensions in balance. I remember seeing Martin Amis on stage in Dubai, and he said it was always a given that he was going to be a writer and only a writer, and I wondered where he had thought the personal experiences would come from that would inform his writing. I definitely dropped the ball a few times losing focus on my day jobs and financial prudence, thinking that writing would bring income instead. Big mistake. Huge.?
IT’S NOT FAIR (NO FARE!). No publisher or Festival has ever paid any of my international airfares, except for Emirates Airlines – because it was their Festival and they are an airline. But even they made me pay change fees of 400 UK pounds for deciding to stay longer in Dubai (at my own expense).?There are many famous writers (and celebrities who aren’t primarily writers) at Festivals who are extremely dull on stage and I bet everything is paid for them and they collect a fee on top. It’s not fair – get over it.?
MANY PEOPLE HELPED. There are more people than I have mentioned here and I am grateful to all. I am also sorry that at some point, with the magic of my journey and all the acclaim gushing in, I became smug, complacent and full of myself.?
I AM GRATEFUL FOR EVERY DISAPPOINTMENT AND HOW IT ALL TURNED OUT. I am grateful that the first book was not a runaway success in 2007 … which might have tempted me to give up day jobs and become a full-time writer … which means that I would have been pressured into producing the sequel years ago … and that would have been disastrous.?I am grateful that I was broke, unemployed and in debt, and unable to secure a conventional job in London and was manoeuvred into taking a job in Kuala Lumpur … which then provided me with the extraordinary, unimagined experiences and story arcs to produce a sequel really worth reading.?
I WAS BLESSED WITH AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS:
Speaking at the Clinton School of Public Service!
https://youtu.be/JGcpoamfJSw??If all that people do is watch this video – that is good enough.
If everyone in America watched this video, there would be less hysteria and more clarity. But it's not a soundbite – people don't have the attention span anymore.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF YOUR BOOK. No matter who your publisher is, as the writer, you have to look out for all details and you must proofread the print file, at least twice. Don't just rely on the publisher, even if they are one of the biggest names in the industry. It’s your book, the final product reflects on you.
‘NEVER MIND THE QUALITY, FEEL THE WIDTH.’ Some Editors (and I emphasise some) are now presenting a very clear message on their websites:
NOT: ‘Because of the quality of your writing, I will make you a published writer and this will establish for you a platform.’
BUT RATHER: ‘Because of your established platform, I will make you a published writer (and don’t worry about the quality of ‘your’ writing).’
If you are such an Editor, then clearly we are operating in different market spaces. I don't think that we are necessarily competing, because I believe that our target audiences are very different. I wish you well. (Thank you for reading this far.)
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SEQUEL?
And so to the sequel ...
I know it's been 13 years since Unimagined in the UK, and 8 years since the enhanced American/global edition The Perfect Gentleman ... but if I had tried to write this sequel back then, it would have been devoid of meaning.?
You see, there were some astonishing story arcs that needed a few years to play out.?
So, here we are ....?
This is my re-launch of The Perfect Gentleman (originally Unimagined) and my launch of The Imperfect Gentleman – as self-published, print-on-demand proofs-of-concept, pending a return to 'proper' publication.
At the time of this posting, NO PUBLISHER and NO AGENT has seen the manuscript of the sequel.?None that I approached were interested, despite all the acclaim for the first book.?I decided to proceed with creating print-on-demand proofs-of-concept through NGP, and I think they have done an amazing job on these physical books.
I hope that you have enjoyed learning about my experience on this journey and found this account somewhat useful and insightful. (Other experiences may differ ??.)
Please share if you are so inclined. (Obviously, I am hoping that you will ??.)
Thank you.???
Peace and best wishes,
Imran?
Twitter: @unimagined?
PROPOSAL ... PROPOSAL ... PROPOSAL ... PROPOSAL
PS: This is at least a trilogy – the third book is unfolding now (and there may be another couple of books after that). I've bought the artwork for the third book!
THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN:?a Muslim boy meets the West
THE IMPERFECT GENTLEMAN:?on an Unimagined Journey
THE GENTLE MAN:?taking the Path Unimagined
This really is a unique trilogy.
The first book is proven to be a genuinely mass-market read – using memoir as a vehicle for observation and reflection on multiple topics: religion, race, racism, culture, relationships, fundamentalism, sociology, philosophy, theology, modern history, the evolution of British society in the late 20th Century. (The Open University has just written to me in February 2022, asking for permission to use extracts for a History course.) The breadth and depth of the acclaim for The Perfect Gentleman across all spectrums (political, cultural, religious, national, social etc) is truly extraordinary. However, as The Book Magazine observed: “There’s more to it than meets the eye … this Trojan horse of a book.” But The Perfect Gentleman has never existed as a mass-market paperback (with the eye-catching Oprah and Jane Goodall quotes on the cover), a UK edition, or any foreign language editions, for the unique and extraordinary Trumpian reason explained above.
The second book, The Imperfect Gentleman, is a transition book with riveting, gut-wrenching honesty and a jaw-dropping story line (very much concerned with success, status, happiness, insecurity, hypocrisy, anger, authenticity in the material world ... and Transformation of attitude and belief). It is written in an innovative, pioneering style, with short fractals building up a holistic picture – in a unique multi-genre approach not confined to linear Time. (Because no life is lived in a single genre.) It never gets boring and the end results are unforgettable. Test readers have described it as “unputdownable” – “utterly compelling” and “better than the first book!”
The third book, The Gentle Man, arrives firmly in the transcendent-of-religion Mind-Body-Spirit domain, with its reflections on (and experiences of) Transformation, Karma, Universal Consciousness and Quantum Synchronicity – but still as engrossing narrative non-fiction (amazing things happen). The narrator veers sharply and unexpectedly away from a 'western' (Abrahamic) mindset to a broader, gentler, non-judgemental, more accepting, holistic 'eastern' perspective. This will be uncomfortable (possibly liberating!) for those readers who have been programmed with narrow-minded, controlling, fear-driven, disempowering religious doctrines since childhood (like the narrator).
The trilogy remains readable, compelling, humorous, enjoyable and engaging narrative non-fiction throughout – with astonishing story arcs that span decades. (And 'trilogy' may not be the correct term, if a trilogy must be limited to three books.) This is a mass-market 'spirituality' journey for regular, rational, skeptical, grounded people who never go into 'that' section of the bookstore. As demonstrated by the extraordinary breadth of acclaim for The Perfect Gentleman, it will appeal to the broadest possible general audience (in multiple languages).
You don't have to accept any of this at face value – you only have to read the print-on-demand proofs-of-concept. Then you will understand.
This self-publishing is only a temporary measure. These books are rather expensive print-on-demand 'proofs-of-concept' – being more vivid than a mere manuscript. One thing I have learned on this journey ... despite the heady empowerment of self-publishing ... you are always better off with a 'proper' publisher ... and a skilled and experienced Editor ...
Of course, these print-on-demand proofs-of-concept will be shut down the moment a deal is agreed ...
Agents and 'proper' Publishers please note:
All global rights available (all territories, all languages) for all three (possibly four or five) books of the Unimagined Trilogy. Rights @ unimagined.co.uk
A dream project for the right Editor ...
I have applied to be a dearMoon crewmember (https://dearmoon.earth/) and if I'm successful, there will be a fourth book: The Moon Unimagined.
One minute video application: https://youtu.be/qokbVBVh1l8
Agents and Publishers, please note:
I will do another 50-city speaking tour two-month road trip of the entire mainland United States, and a 15-20 event speaking tour two-week road trip of the mainland United Kingdom, organised in conjunction with the publishers' marketing teams (timing, venues etc to be agreed), for each book. So, probably once-per-year for three years. (This requires only an itinerary, a rental car, a GPS, gasoline, standard motels – and one organised, committed, enthusiastic, articulate, funny, charming, engaging and humble writer/speaker). I am sure that President Biden or his Democratic successor will appreciate this in 2023/2024, as Mr Trump pursues his Return to the White House. My theme is not political or religious – it is most simply: ‘There is no Other.’??
I am really good at this: https://www.unimagined.co.uk/testimonials.html
?“... a wonderful book and Imran is a gracious, poignant, and engaging speaker. Everyone who came to hear him speak at Unity Temple was mesmerized by his stories, wit, and humility. Those who have read his book have greatly enjoyed his creatively written memoir. His personal mission of seeking to re-humanize both Christians and Muslims will surely lead him to an ever wider audience.”
Rev. Alan C. Taylor, Senior Minister, Unitarian Universalists, Chicago, IL
A comprehensive proposal document as a PDF is available on request – with all data, publishing history, numbers, reviews, acclaim, plans etc. Rights @ unimagined.co.uk
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APPENDICES
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PUBLISHING DATA
Aurum UK Hardback (British English): one print run; 5380 copies sold; 102 copies unsold.
Aurum UK Paperback (British English): two print runs; 3369 copies sold; 0 copies unsold.
(The hardback outsold the paperback. I opposed this unappealing cover design. Lack of any unsold copies indicates publication was shut down prematurely.)
Center Street American Hardback (American English): two print runs; 6388 copies sold.
Now out-of-print.?
No mass-market paperback published. No UK edition. No foreign language versions.
Amazing acclaim (not used), yet potential completely untapped.
Endorsements do not get any better than this! (October 2021)
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‘Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,’ said the wisest of wise men. ‘The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never forget the drops of oil on the spoon.’ The Alchemist
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'Imran Ahmad’s light touch and sense of humanity displayed so skilfully in The Perfect Gentleman ensures that his words have a deeper meaning and a wider application. ... If you read nothing else this year, discover this book.'
New York Journal of Books
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‘Imran Ahmad came second in the Karachi Bonnie Baby competition. The photograph taken to commemorate his achievement is reproduced on the cover of this delightful book. “Smartly dressed, suave and handsome, I looked like James Bond, although I was somewhat unsteady on my feet.” Imran was denied the first prize – the daughter of the organisers won. The judges were their friends. “I began my lifelong struggle against corruption and injustice.” Unimagined is beautifully written, funny and endearing, and in its own quiet way, important.’
Sue Townsend – author of ‘Adrian Mole’ books
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Dear Imran,
I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long. Things overtook me, and in my disorganised way (quite unlike the persona you present in 'Unimagined') I let it slip until the day before yesterday, when I took up the book again and read it through with great pleasure.
It deserves all the praise it's had – it's very clearly and vividly written, it's funny and perceptive about schools and neighbours and friends and girls and especially about the narrator himself, with his continuing puzzlement about religion, his smartly pressed clothes, and his apparently na?ve fixation with cars.
It's very clever, actually, to have presented a character so original and unusual, and yet so warmly human and recognisable. The "I" of the book is a real literary creation – and I don't mean, of course that you made any of it up: just that a successful memoir depends just as much on art as a successful novel does.
I'm very happy for you and your publishers to quote any of this. Good luck with your literary career as well as your business one!
Philip Pullman – author of ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy??
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‘… irresistible – a charming, laugh-out-loud-funny memoir of a Muslim Pakistani boy growing up in the western world. Full of surprises, hard to put down.’
John Berendt – author of ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’
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In the Comments to a Review, Dave said...?
[I did read it, Dave.?Thanks, mate!]
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‘Imran, you bastard! I'm supposed to be revising for my Congress exam, and picked up your book for “just a bit.” Now I've read the whole damn thing! … We have so much in common, I might be your twin.’?
Email from Lieut Greg Bowling – Texas National Guard??
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‘…[a] delightful coming-of-age story that highlights the extraordinary depths of a most ordinary life … a dry, self-deprecating humour that layers every situation with multiple ironies and exploits fantastic comic potential in even the most sobering situations … weaving in the social, educational, political, economic and cultural ethos of a Britain that was coming of age with respect to its immigrant situation … a refreshingly upfront memoir … Ahmad’s search for his identity is without guile and agenda.?It is a rare read, both entertaining and educational, and hence qualifies as a memoir in the truest sense of the word.’
DNA India
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‘… one of the most interesting social commentaries in the guise of a memoir I’ve ever read … His observations … are fascinating … very heavy material is explored within a mostly lightweight framework and it seamlessly flows in, out, and through more mundane and secular elements of everyday life … effortlessly humorous, never breaking a sweat while revealing humor in everyday events and situations … an amazingly easy read, yet is as thoughtful and provocative a book as I have read in recent memory.’
Bruce Cline
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‘Just couldn’t get interested in this fellow’s life.’
Margaret Bryant – publishing industry expert (full text of one-star review on Goodreads)
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‘May be one of the sweetest voices in non-fiction I’ve ever read.’
Jill Sevelow
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PR & Marketing Communications specialist
5 年Cant wait to read it.
Fine artist
5 年Best wishes for the sequel! Can’t wait to get my copy ??
Regional Payroll | Outsourcing | SAAS | Implementation | Multi Country
5 年You killed it...
Founder/CEO
5 年Enhorabuena Imran! The Journey continues and the best is yet to come :)