It had been now about five years of blogging for me and I have learned the final rule of how long it takes to make this business profitable. Let’s look at the fixed cost your blog and SEO team is a fixed cost, along with the money you spend on self-publishing your work into books. Money spent on marketing and book reviews also adds up to the variable cost. It typically takes three years of rigorous blogging for one to evolve into an author and self publish at least half a dozen e-books. It takes at least two years as an author to have enough work that sells and gets you royalty as well. That’s a total of five years. Ideally, by the end of the sixth year into your journey, you would have sold at least rights to four of your books. That alone will get you enough revenue that it will cover all your fixed and variable cost of the last six year and deliver the blog into profitability where you actually make a take-home income.

So the sixth year is critical and if you can add revenue by selling rights of your books, the blog will be profitable and recover all input costs including administration and marketing costs. So you have to be patient for that long to make your venture profitable. Surviving on Book sales, Royalty, Barter or co-promotion will bring revenue and attention to the blog but it will not be enough to cover the fixed costs even.

It is only rights of the books to be made into audiovisual formats that will deliver profitability, although royalty from audiobooks will also add to the overall revenue. I am now entering the 6 th year of my blogging journey and hoping to become finally profitable as a business.

Now that Mumbai is totally paralyzed after the PM’s speech urging everyone to stay indoors. The government has shut down all shops and eateries even hotels and their coffee shops are closed, trees to get something to eat at night the only thing open was the chemist shops. The roads are deserted even the street dogs have gone into hiding no doubt fearing the virus. My OYO rooms do serve tea and eggs but that about it, if this is going to be the state of affair for the coming few weeks god help me. All international air traffic has been halted and domestic airline traffic has gone down to 20% of capacity. The immediate impact on the economy has been devastating with the Sensex tanking and falling below 30,000, it was a sharp fall. Trade and movement go goods and services have halted, which has effected money supply and credit flow. Most establishments have shut down and so have private offices with employees advised to work from home. Even the Mumbai railways have asked only those to travel who are working for emergency services like doctors and nurses or paramedics.

Streets are dark as most malls are shut down and the huge lights of the cinema halls have gone kaput. I went for a drive with a few friends to see and feel the hollowness of the city. All that I could see was long empty stretches of shiny black tarmac roads, crisscrossing sleepy traffic lights. The traffic was almost zero so no one bothered with the traffic lights. Even kiosks and small paan bidi shops had shut down and there was no sign of street hawkers, with all auto riches parked safely by the side of the roads. The maximum city was at a standstill at 9:00 pm on a Saturday night, this was like a big emergency. It’s like the city was on war with someone, or like an unending curfew had been declared. Well with all the social isolation it looks like we are in a state of emergency not more than 5 people can congregate in a public place and all public events and rallies have been canceled.

I feel trapped now, had come to Mumbai to get some work done, meet people get some action assignment and sell some book deals, but the virus has taken us all off guard, now I am held hostage in my own room, with very little choices as to where to go how to spend my time and what to eat.

I spent most of yesterday watching web series on Netflix and listening to some audiobooks on my phone. Some friends called up and invited me to a pork rice dinner and I obliged. Everyone was concerned about the virus. I had bought a mask for my self from the street hawker and taken my precautions by washing my hands at all times. I informed my guest pork was a perfectly good meal to have at this time as the virus did not spread through cooked animal food, so non-vegetarians and pork eaters were safe.  But my guests were sure that some great upheaval has to befall on mankind and it is nature taking revenge by rebalancing things. It needs to tale away some old people and make some space on earth. Why old people well the virus had killed many elderly people over the age of 65, look at Italy it has the highest mortality rate after China which was the epicenter of it all.

My early morning is spent researching information about the Corona Virus and how it spreads, plus what are all the lies and myths associated with it that needs to be debunked. Corona is a derivative of the SARS or MERES virus which has caused havoc in the past, it is a new derivative of the same shoot. But what is scary is that we have no vaccine for it and it may take a year before one hits the market. The reason is simple huge multinational Pharma companies do not think it’s worth the research effort to make a vaccine since these viruses are short-lived and after it has been dealt with the vaccine has not much use. Thus it is not cost-effective to try and make one.

But it is the perfect time for me to catch up on my reading and binge-watching. Do feel curtailed and trapped in an unseen cage at times, it’s like a shadow or a blanket has come over the city that is restricting the movement of everyone living in it, I do feel helpless and bored at times just confined to my bed, but I guess it is better than falling sick and infecting others with the virus.

Just started a new novel will try and finish it while the virus scare is on. I tried chatting to old friends on the phone but everyone is tucked upon in their homes my grandmother calls all the time just to check I am ok and not infected with the virus. I just hope I don’t go hungry due to this city lockdown. The food delivery services have been allowed to run through. The next 10 days will be critical I am told, if the infected rate can steady and then go down, we would have been successful in fighting the virus. The city skyline is full of hoardings about the virus and its nature and how one should protect themselves from it. India is still very low in the number of people affected and the number of dead. With this kind of regimented quarantine, I am sure at least psychologically people will feel safe and protected.

Might visit the houses of a few friends over the week for some chat and gossip is the only social contact I will have, as in my room I am totally alone. My morning walks and Rajnigandha breaks will all go for a toss for a few weeks after which I hope things will stabilize. But with no buyers in the market commodity sales would be down, leading to low turnover and a slagging economy. Coupled to that the banking fiasco and the CAA protests, don’t look to be exciting times to live in. There are gloom and doom everywhere with calls for Olympics also to be canceled.The only people who are busy are the ones selling masks, gloves, and sanitizers. I almost fell off my chair that a brewery making spirit owned by the elf spinner Shane Warne will double up and make sanitizers to fight the Coronavirus in Australia.

I for one feel like a bird in a. Cage with its wings caged. How could a virus that can hardly be seen by the naked eye make me feel so helpless and powerless? Indeed I feel like a hostage to the Corona Virus in the Maximum City

1 Read Books; Catch up on your reading and read all the books you said you would when you get the time.

2 Scrub your face: Clean up your face, use a scrub or a herbal face mask to get the pores of your skin going.

3 Hair Style; Tie your hair in knots, shampoo and try different styles of the perfect time to use curlers and dye your hair.

4 Binge watch: Do watch all your favorite web series on the OTT platforms and watch all your favorite videos on youtube.

5 Call Up: Call old friends for a chat, discuss the latest trends and gossip like mad.

6 Dating Apps: Use dating apps sing up as a prospect chat to hot girls and get their low down on the virus and how they are staying safe.

7 Face Mask: Colour your face mark paint on them some fancy design or funny slogan.

8 hot water bath: Spring is the right time to take a hot water bath and a mighty scrub, float in your tub and blow bubbles like a child again.

9 New Recipe: Moms try out new dishes and recipes may be a nee drink or a fresh beverage. Get creative to make a new dish for the family, surprise them.

10 Learn about Corona; Read and study the virus and its implications and how it spreads share your knowledge with others and bust lies and myths prevailing on social media.

The day began late very late in the afternoon still feeling jet-lagged from the pot I had yesterday, the only person to call me now was Shivashish, my friend in the city. “ Put the rest of the twenty thousand dudes, we are going to get you laid today .” He said in an excited tone. I barely managed to open my hotel window to get some air. Yes, we had been planning this for a few days, paying for sex and getting laid by a high-class call girl. I got the picture and approve the chick a grilled named Aparna for Punjab. I did manage to hear her conversation with Shivashish on the phone and she did have a Ghatii North Indian accent and tone .” I got her number from a pimp, 50k for all sucking fucking full-on sex, just keep a condom and you can also have your medicine .”Shivashish had his contacts and he was also making sure I got my herbs in the maximum city, we had developed a friendship around long coffee conversations.” Yes, we had been planning this, I had even thrown open the debate on what does the law in India say about prostitution, is it legal or not. “ Ask your IPR lawyer know I am sure he will get you some answers,” Shivashish advised me to ask the experts before I plunge into making love to my madam. I called up my IPR lawyers and got the answer the very next day on my email. I got a few links on the net that explained the answer in detail, which I read and discussed later with my learned friend .” You see curb crawling, soliciting, brothels, pimping, and advertising sexual services are illegal. But using your private premises and getting paid for selling sex with consent is legal. “ I gave my entire learning to Shivashish over a sandwich expelling to him the law on the matter .” Who cares as long as the customers are safe and within the law and the girls get paid that’s all that matters .” He retorted.

We started for the outskirts of the city and entered a middle-class building, our lady was on the top floor. Aparna opened the door, she was short very fair and thin with long arms .” Wo Mera friend hei! Delhi se Aya hei, Khus Kar de isse .” Shivashish exhaled to the girl. She was waiting for us as we had postponed and come a day late, she was expecting us. Aparna was all smiles and yapped along with her Punjabi accented Hindi .” Tusee kamerin vich ajaoo .” She waved to us and took us to her back room, which was well light and the ac was running. The flat was small and there were two small rooms and a very small sitting area .” I have paying guest in this room, but she went away, we use this room please you sit .’ Aparna trend to speak in broken English .” He is a big man a writer and he has traveled to the world .” Shivashish trend to paint an image of me as he slowly started making some pot for us to smoke. I got busy showing Aparna my youtube video’s “ This is my film shooting video .” I explained to her. Soon Shivashish took her to the drawing-room, no doubt to give her money, later he explained,” I was trying to chat her up if she would give me one for free .” He laughed and meant It as a joke I am sure. Soon I finished my pot and moved on the bed again giving a signal to my friend to push off.

Aparna took a hand towel and pulled my boxer shorts down as she licked and taste my nipples while laying with my cock all the time .” I do no kissing and with Corona Virus no chance but full sucking, you have a condom, you go have a bath and clean your self .” She intersected me like a little child I trudged off to the bathroom for a quick shower. I was back and tired my self as Aparna went for my balls again, but to my horror the rustic Punjabi inter spat on my cock, she hardly sucked it but poured all her saliva on it. I just could not take it and almost pucked at the sight of her giving me a blow job.’ No no no you just ket it be, please clean up you are spitting on my cock .” I said with disdain. She felt I was Being rude,” Tho bolo na I will not do it, I will do something else which make you happy .” She wanted to make me happy and was not letting me go. ‘You just message me or give me a back rub .” I had the perfect use for her now that we were not going ahead with the sex part. To my amazement, she was better in giving me a back massage which she duly gave me with both her feet as I moaned and groaned as if reaching an orgasm. She was better with her feet then she was with her mouth I can tell you that. She danced on my back and skidded on my tight singing and dancing, I think she was enjoying this too. I asked Aparna to take rest in between and then she did the lower back and the feet.

That was it just about two hours of the stuff, but no sex no ejaculation.” Hi, Shiva, I am through yaar, it was ok where are you, let’s meet at the Caffe.” I thanked Aparna and walked out of the apartment into the street. She made me happy and my back feels good I guess it was money well spent anyway .” The problem is you want a girlfriend to feel with a call girl, now that is not going to happen .” Shiva explained as he sipped his cold coffee.” Well, it was a new experience first time someone spat on my cock, eeehhhhh….” I just flinched at the sight of it, but her back rubs I still thank Aparna for those.

A recent revenue stream for my blog is SelfPublishing Brand promotional and coffee table books. I am exploring this deal with a client and prospect of mine called Chocohoillcs, I have done a blog post on them before and they are also facilitating me in selling my books on their counters. They are a distribution outlet for my book I also Slept with Rashmi Verma. I have proposed to make a marketing and coffee table book on their products namely cakes and exotic parties, along with the History and lineage of the brand, the people who started it, where and when. The history of its products and a bit about the workers behind the brand, along with customer testimonials. It would make for perfect matter with color photographs on glossy paper.

Use fonts backgrounds and layouts to make the book look rich and creative. Use a theme and have a very catchy cover with an apt title and photographs. It would be a perfect read and a gift item for the customers of the brand. Or they could be sold directly from the outlets.

All was needed was a tie in with the current publisher, compile content for the book, execute the design, layout, and proofreading. The publisher takes care of the distribution and delivery of certain copies. Rest can be ordered at a fixed price to be decided by the brand.

Identify brands and associate with such brands in building their image through your writings, concepts, creativity, and design.

The coronavirus has got the attention of Mumbaikars as the government ordered all schools, colleges, workplaces, and the mall’s closed this also included Cinema halls basically all places with a large public gathering. People are advised to stay indoors and also watch what and where they eat. I was inundated with calls from friends and relatives urging me to return back to Delhi and avoid having meat or chicken as the virus has infected them also. Some rumors flying say that it is a biochemical weapon gone wrong that causes the havoc. All international flights have been canceled and airports will be empty for the coming three weeks or so it the situation becomes stable. The virus has spread far and crosses 40 countries, every place I went to eat there was a sanitizer somewhere to clean my hands repeatedly to avoid infection.

Mobile call outs came on my phone telling me how to protect myself from the virus giving numbers of health clinics and government doctors who could help if someone feels ill or affected by the virus. The case spread through false news on the social media, even my taxi driver yesterday was warning a face mask, not to mention the waiters of some restaurants I dined in. The paranoia has slowly spread with the Sensex and the economy bearing the brunt of the slow down due to the virus and the health hazard it has created, people have lost jobs, sales have slowed down, people are not buying chicken prices of poultry has dropped dramatically, along with the Yes bank Fiasco the Sensex has tanked thousands of point and now stands at its lowest. People are not sure they have seen the bottom of the gloom, recession, and the downward spiral.

I, however, remained cherry I had a lot I could do in my room, I could read and watch movies online and order food at will. It would help me write more being in my room all the time as they are not going to be any more meetings as the city is on shutdown. I might proceed to Allahabad to continue my work on the audiobook, but there is still work for me in Mumbai.

Ashish was happy to see his kids were very excited that they will have a one month holiday and no school due to the virus. Its party time for the kids as they can play all day with video games and surf the net all day being locked up at home, no more Sunday outings at least not till the virus has not cleared. I read that an Israel pharaoh company has come out with a vaccination which is the antidote to the virus, but they are still testing it to get the all-clear and be perfectly sure that it is safe. The only precaution I have taken is washing my hands constantly and not eating meat, I have instead had fish all this week just to stay clear of the virus, and most of the time I am indoor’s.

Here is hoping that we see the back of the virus soon and life moves on as usual but till then for the sake of Mumbaikars I welcome this break and urge them to make the most of it, by relaxing and connecting with themselves and their dear ones.

Woke up late today very late about 4:00 pm had been smoking all night, must have passed out over 12 hours. Was listening to the Lisa Ray audiobook on audible the whole night, when sleep defended over me I would never know, but it was a hot afternoon to which my ears opened. I looked at my I phone it was Sunday, damn no work and no meetings. With the Corona Virus scare my program of getting some work done in Mumbai has gone for a toss. So much for planning and being organized, I mean mother nature has some other plans. Gajalee has become my favorite hot spot to order food from, I hate the grub of my hotel. I fought with them last night as they refused to give me plates to eat in if I got food from outside. I must have really been upset as I got the cutlery in a quick time after my outburst. But the restaurant was closed as it is it was way past lunchtime. I had a quick shower and wore my new pair of boxer shorts with bunnies and hearts painted on it, they were green in color and made me look like a circus clown, what with by belly bulging out, it made me look awkward. 

Today was a lazy day for me I had slept late and had thus woken up just about at lunchtime. The first thing was the call from my grandmother, who was warning me not to eat meat and stay indoors due to the coronavirus epidemic. I was still not fully awake that I realized I had a meeting. With the boss of Choco Holic today in the evening. I barely got ready that a call from my friend informed that the virus threat was real and that all schools and mall have been shut down for the next few weeks and all international flights have been canceled.

I had to meet the boss of Choco Holic in at the Powai mall, actually, I just wanted him to help me sell a few books. It would be late on my return and I decided to touch base with Ashish for a bit of chat and idle banter.

We decided to dine at Sammy Sosa a Mexican and Italian joint in Lokhandwala. It was a treat the dinner was right first it was Nacho’s follow by potato wedges and then chicken kebabs the main course was vegetables with fish and white sauce. The dessert you guessed it chocolate brownie with ice cream. We got a heavy dose of mock-tails as we went along.

Here are some of the pictures from our dinner excursion that enjoy the feast.

I had read this masterpiece from a futurist of our time Nicholas Negroponte in his famous book “ Being Digital .” That one day everything will be digital and technology will rule tales hence he way we work and see the content. Two decades hence I am in a race to sell my books and stories to be adapted as Web content, Originals, and even a feature film. My learnings as I pitch my stories to production houses, OTT platform bosses and other heads of the film and media industry.

The Bible :

The Bible or your book self published or otherwise is your starting piece of content and that is what sets the tone and nature of what you are trying to make as digital content. You should be clear on the genre and nature of the content. Who will be the target audience and does it have any social or relevant message to it. Does your story inspire people, has it got a moral tale or learning that the audience can take. Can it cross over to other countries and can it be easily adapted to other languages? How large is the scope of the project and can the story be adapted at a grand scale. These are things that will define your project and give the buyer or producer enough insights as to whether he should put his money in it or not.

Multiple Stories: Ideally when you start making your pitch have three or four stories that you can make the platform and producer listen too, each should be different in genre and in treatment. If you are an author have multiple books that can be adapted into the audiovisual format. This way the prospects get a variety and there are more chances that one of your stories will stick and fit into their content plans.

Screenplay and Dialogues: Make sure that at least a couple of your books also have episodic screenplay and dialogue already done with the episodic graph and content for series two if need be. I really you should have more content so that if it works more episodes can be made from it. It is best to collaborate with a specialist screenplay writer to convert your books and stories into web or film format depending on the need for the hour.

Analysis: Study the content history of the major OTT platforms how and what kind of content position they have in the market. Do the same for the production houses that you pitch to. Some specialize in crime only the others look for romantic and love stories. That way you can funnel and target only those prospects that are in alignment with the stories and content you are selling.

Targeting: Well as a start send out personalized emails to your prospects get contact details and arrange meetings through the linked In network. Talk to old industry contacts, casting agents to find out the decision-makers. Participate in industry events and. Conferences. I get to do a lot of that and benefit also because I am a screenwriter association member. Call up directly, get to the personal secretary and arrange for a meeting.

IPR Lawyer: Make sure that you have a good IPR lawyer on your side, you will be going through a lot of contracts and studying IPR and copyright laws. Before you sign a deal or sell the rights of your book make sure your lawyer as studied the contract and you get a fair deal in terms of money and rights to your IP.

Think Different; Look at a cross over cinema and content creators who cater to the international market, look for stories that can cross over different regions of the globe irrespective of the differences in culture and language.

Pricing: Make sure you price your story competitively in the market ask for a fair price for your work depending on how much time it took you to write it, how many pages the book is and what was the research and other complexities in drafting the Bible of your story. You can increase your price after you have sold a couple of the stories and maybe even asked for a 2 % revenue share from the profits if the project is of a large scale.

Influencers: Try and befriend a well-known name or influencer like a famous actor or director who keeps meeting important people. Try and arrange meetings and sell your story through his contacts, you can share the proceeds of the revenue latter with him.

Now that I have started pitching my books to be made into a digital or film format. I have begun to study book sale contracts, what are the rights of a writer, what entails copyright and how much remuneration a writer of a book, bible or screenplay can ask for. There are certain industry standards in terms of money and terms and conditions that the producer will ask the writer to adhere to.

Writers Right: Now that I am an SWA member I get a lot of help from their website, I also know that as the writer of my book all rights to creation are with me and I am the sole creator of the written book or screenplay. When I sell the rights of my book I am selling rights to everything that will be created from my work, web-series, documentaries, Ads, TV serials, Feature film, video games, drama, radio play, comics, cartoons, etc. I also give the rights to the producer to dub my work in different languages, use real names of the character, use subtitles and even alter some portions after doing more research. All this is being sold for price consideration.

Writer Remuneration: SWA has come out with minimum pay slabs for different works a wider produces for TV, FILM  and has come out with an average slab as a guideline for producers to follow as to how much they should pay the writer. See the screenwriter association for the figures. But for the first time, new author a figure of 3 lakhs is about right for the rights of his first book. This figure can go cup to 10 lakhs if the film and the project are above 15. Cr.So always ask what the project size is before you ask for compensation. That will give you a fair sense of what to ask. Writers can also ask a share of the profits up to 2% of all profits as compensation along with a lower fixed rate. Many writers have made more than 50 lakhs for their story and screenplay this way. An established already sold author with two dozen books could get up to 30 lakhs for a very big banner film. So yes with the OTT platforms and global digital content things have improved a lot for the writer in terms of money and in terms of the glut in the market for new stories. I got that feeling at the Content Hub conference also, there were a lot of writers and many excited buyers also.

Signing the Contract: If you have made your pitch to a production house and they have managed to slot your book well in the market and if the genre they are looking for fits with your story, a good deal can be done. Insure what format they will make your story and what platform will showcase it. If it is going to be an original that’s even better originals have bigger budgets and marketed well too by the platforms. So chances of you hitting the bullseye are more. The producer contract will have the amount and payment terms. Generally 10% on signing another 10% after a month and the rest when the film goes on the floor. Try and get all the money upfront and insist atet you will get credit as the storyteller and author of your work in every format the producer chooses to reproduce the work in at a later stage.

When you sell, you are selling all your rights from any audiovisual that is made from your book and also agree that there are no libels that the producer will incur. Most contracts also mention that writes will have no say in casting or in who does the screenplay, this will be decided by the director and production team.

Royalty: Most contracts are made that the writer has to forgo on the royalty from his work, the lumps money given to him is all and total compensation he will get. You can negotiate for the royalty also with the producer along with the fixed amount.

Read all clauses before you sign up and make sure a termination close is added if you are not getting the money upfront then you put a clause if the money does not come to you in 3 months, you are open to signing with someone else.