An Old Abandoned Project

A number of years ago, I have compiled my life experience (a certain aspect of it) and made it into a book and submitted it to a publisher for publication as a fictitious novel, even though the writing was entirely based on my true life experience.

I contemplated the pros and cons before sending the book to a publisher as the story is very personal, and if I were somebody famous the writing could easily be considered as a memoir. My main reservation was due to a fact that may be people who used to be close to me in that certain chapters of my life could easily recognise the storyline and instantly identify the characters in the book, though names have been changed of course.

Not long after I submitted the book I received a positive feedback from the publisher. They liked the book and were confident that it would sell very well as the story was not as typical as many Malay novels found in Malaysian bookstores. However, I was asked to change certain parts, to suit to Malay young readers as they constitute the main market for Malay novels in Malaysia. In addition I was also asked to change the title.

Despite the initial worry that certain readers (if my circle of friends - old friends, some of whom are no longer in contact with me - read Malay novels) may be able to identify me and some other characters in my writing, I was reluctant to alter the certain things that the publisher asked me to change. Hm... sounds rather ironic, but that was the fact. Plus they also me to change the title, since I gave the book an English title even though the book is in Malay.

So... I have been sitting on it for close to 3 years now... The publisher has stopped calling me about a year ago. But tonight suddenly I remembered the abandoned project and started to rewrite the parts that the publisher wanted me to alter... I wonder if the publisher would still be interested after 3 years...