Handa Ka Funda Think Outside The Book

With a little help from my friends

The most common question that I am facing these days is, “How is the book Biz World doing?” or “How many copies of Biz World sold till now?” The answer is not 42 and is not blowing in the wind either. The truth of the matter is – I simply do not know. I even tried finding out from Dial-a-book few days and guess what was the reply that I got – “I don’t know. It is doing well. Will find out and tell you.” And even if someone did tell me that the number of copies sold is 236 – what can I interpret from it? Is it good? The only people who would know whether it is good or not are the publishers of the book. They have certain expectations in terms of sales and how well is the book meeting those expectations or for that matter – not meeting them. There are couple of friends (should I say people on my Facebook friend’s list) who have published a book recently but their categories are so different that it would be comparing apples and oranges.

But this entire process brings me to a more pertinent question – “Why should it matter, how well the book sells?” If you think one should be bothered with it because of the royalty that he is going to receive – forget it. Even if the book is a bestseller, a definition which varies widely depending on who you are talking to, I would make the same amount of money that I made in a month as my salary when I first started working in 2006 at IMS in Kolkata. For those not familiar with the CAT coaching business – let’s just say enough money to survive in Kolkata but not in any other metro. If you think one should be bothered with it because of the fame and recognition that it is going to bring to the author – again not a very solid argument. The book is in the ‘Business Awareness’ category – so the point of being invited to speak at a public forum or even getting a pass at the Jaipur Literary Festival does not arise.

Snapshot from 'The Wonder Years' where I first heard the song / title of the post

I think I am bothered with sales because it will be a validation to the effort that has gone into the book. The days that Avinash put in drawing up timelines and gathering facts about companies. The uncountable hours that Sunil Tyagi spent coming up with sections which have not been covered in the book. Arkadev’s editing of the essays has brought them to a level that they make sense and are not intermittent ramblings of a quiz junkie. All this effort needs validation, which can come in the form of sales. I do not know what all I can do to ensure that the effort is validated but I guess I am doing my part. Have done a few quizzes just to promote the book and plan to visit a few coaching institutes in Delhi to do the same. Not to forget, I am trying to promote it online as well.

The help that I am getting from friends in online promotion is phenomenal. A few blogs (Arkadev, Q-BIT, Corridors) have put the book cover. A few of the quizzing groups on facebook (Knowqout, Jaquizzi, LNMIIT, Quizzing Buzz, Q-Frat) have started posting snippets from the book titled – ‘Funda of the Day’ on a daily basis. Two of the quizzing groups have refused to the same also - you have to decide which side of the fence you are on. Deepak from Pune is working on a Facebook application which would be used to promote the book. Jessy from Bangalore is working on creating a simplistic page for Biz World on the website. Saptraj made a video to promote the book. Nikhil from Mumbai is making a ‘welcome screen’ for the Facebook page. The question however is – is this enough? A bigger question is – how much would be enough? I know that there is no good answer to this question also. But surely – you can help. If you have a blog / Facebook group you can help a lot. Even if you don’t – I am sure I can find a way to extract that help from you J. So, if you have the willingness to help out – in a not so noble cause – email me at ravihanda@gmail.com or just pick up a phone and dial the numbers 09461493393.

Cheers!

Bring BQC Back

I do not think that Bournvita Quiz Contest needs an introduction to someone who has grown up in the 90s but still to bring everyone up to speed on this – it was a quiz contest which started sometime in the early 70s on the radio. The show host at that point of time was Amin Sayani, one of the prominent broadcast personalities of the yesteryears. Video eventually killed the radio star and the show moved on to television in early 90s. Not only it made Derek O Brien a star but gave every kid an opportunity to be on the tele. And boy oh boy, I had fun watching it. I guess the peak for the show would be somewhere in mid to late 90s when ZEE TV used to rule. The show did drag on for some time but eventually died its inevitable death few years ago. I guess it had moved to Sony Entertainment Television before it happened. Couple of reasons why I think the show lost the popularity –
a) The money involved in other shows became a little bigger.
b) It had no semi-nude girls or irritating idiots mouthing the F word.
To be really honest, I do not think that TV makes much sense for BQC now. May be a ‘special’ between previous winners might work. Then why is this post titled ‘Bring BQC Back’ and not ‘Good riddance’. It is because I believe in the idea of BQC. I believe in the ethos that BQC represents. There is definitely a need to engage youth on a national platform on the basis of knowledge. Give the kids in Jamshedpur to lock horns with the Delhi Boys. However – TV is not the answer.

I believe, the time has come for the next avatar of BQC. The time has come for the show / concept to go online. BQC did evolve from Radio to TV and moving online is the obvious next step. From what I know about the school going youth of today, which I agree is not much, they don’t move from cartoons to TV shows to the internet these days. They move from cartoons to Facebook. The middle age of youth has been lost in evolution. So in conclusion, this is my request to Cadbury – if they are listening – which they should be considering that around 1.5 Lakh people are yelling on Facebook – Bring BQC Back.

I am going to do my bit for it. Have already had a word with a friend cum fellow quizzer in DNA who seems interested in a doing a story on it. Have talked to friends at the www.theiquest.com to may be do a game around it. And then there is always ‘Biz World’, my book on Business Awareness which can act as a preparatory tool for BQC if it is back or rather when it is back.