Clancy Tucker's Blog: 12 June 2014 - ASIM IFTIKHAR

12 June 2014 - ASIM IFTIKHAR - Guest Cookbook Author

ASIM IFTIKHAR

- Guest Cookbook Author -

G'day folks,

Today I interview a young cookbook author from Pakistan - ASIM IFTIKHAR.

Asim is a Mechanical Engineer and an aspiring entrepreneur. His mother was born in India. Ever since her childhood, she loved cooking and she used to delight her family with surprising new dishes with a scintillating taste. Moving to Pakistan to marry Asim's father, she soon learnt Pakistani cuisine and created a wonderful blend of both cuisines. Asim's mother's cooking has a strong flavor and blend of both cuisines which makes her recipes quite unique.

Welcome, Asim ...

WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?

As an entrepreneur, you don’t know, you can be anything anytime. I was thinking about ideas, while I was lying on my bed and an idea struck in my mind, as my mother is a great cook and a number of non-natives love Indian and Pakistani food, why not preparing Indian and Pakistani cookbook for them. Then I turned the internet on and started searching out for the Pakistani and Indian cook guides, which were meant to be written for non-natives and newbies (can’t cook) but I found nothing. So, I thought of writing my book for all of the non-natives, who have a love for this ethnic food, no matter how worse they are with cooking. So, I started building this guide and this is how I became writer.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

Well, as I am not a professional writer, so my opinion might differ from other professionals. As a writer, I feel the most important thing is the solution to problems. If you make the solution too simple for the customers then this is what I like about writing and this is how your book is worthy. Like in my guide, as I was a newbie in cooking too. I took the help from my mom and started practicing to make sure if it really works or not and then I put myself on newbie category reading my book (assuming it to be written from some other Author) and now do I understand this? This is what I enjoyed most.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?

The hardest thing about being a writer is proofreading, I hate proofreading over and over again.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?

As I have got in love with making things simple for the customers. So, I am thinking of writing on how to publish your book on Kindle and Createspace, but before that I would ask the people about my kindle formatting, if they endorse it then I will write another guide.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?

Assuming yourself a newbie, when you are not and then understanding your own written script to help your newbie fellows.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER.

Success as a Writer is “Understanding your readers psyche”. For example my book is a guide, if it helps newbies and non-natives then this is a success of my book and ultimately my success as a writer of this book. In the same way, If a book is meant for the entertainment and if it entertains the readers then this is a success.

WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?

After reading my book of only 2.99$, every newbie should learn how to cook Indian and Pakistani food. Since, I know the feeling, when you go to restraunt and spend more than 40$ and coming out with disappointment, because you have never tried that dish in the past. For those put a bit of money in this and create another food court in their home. Then if you don’t want to cook food at your home, you will atleast be in a position (in restraunt) of knowing that which ingredients are in that dish, so I must not go for this.