why don’t more people write books?
 

Hello people.

Just finished reading the other threads about how you could give away or, get paid for an article in a magazine. It’s got me thinking, why don’t more people write books? I’ve been a member of this site for a few months and in that time I’ve done a LOT of reading, weather it be on the HUBB or peoples blogs and personal web sites.

I get the impression that a lot of people, me included, would love an income from riding bikes around the world. Do your first big ride, whack a book out, get paid then set off on your second jolly for free. If only life was that simple :)

Seriously, why? I’ve a few books in my bedroom, The Chris Scott handbooks, Ted Simon, LWR boys and the best one I think (apart from AMH5 and SO handbooks) was Lois.

So, I’m using Lois as the example. Lots of people have done a Trans US. I bet when she set off she figured she’d be back in her job when it was all over? Or was it part of the plan to write a book? What or why was that trip so different? Being female? Small bike? Big deal, can’t be the first time, or was it?

The book was a fantastic book, funny as hell. When I finished I emailed her and told her as well, and got a reply! If I had a kick Ass ride, I’d consider it. I'd need help because my writing is rubbish :)

So, why don’t more people write books?

Shaun

Why? Because unless you happen to get a best seller, the pay is crap, when you consider all the work/time. The publishing market is EXTREMELY competitive. Ask Ted Simon. I'm just finishing my third book (On a Mission from Dog) and received over 100 rejections from publishers/agents. Responses were:
Brilliant writing, but didn't like the story.
Writing needs work, great story!
Too much focus on animals. Too much focus on travel. Too much focus on relationship.
Get the idea??

Why do I do it? Because I love it. The money isn't important. I'd do it for free. The books supplement my magazine writing income, which ain't great either!!! On a Mission from Dog will be an audio book first, (out end of this month) then as I've done before after self-publishing, I'll shlep it around to publishers again. This worked with my second book, but not the first one about trekking across the Libyan Desert.

There IS a huge amount of money in the publishing industry, but it's that pyramid scale. A few at the top gets heaps of money, but for most, it dribbles in. The most successful writers (financially) are making money writing for business/industrial mags. EVERYONE wants to be a travel writer, which is why the money is fairly poor in this area.

Email me at LC at LorraineChittock.com and I'll add you to my mailing list. ;-)

I'm also happy to answer any other questions too. ;-)
Lorraine

Get the idea?? YEP – Sure do
 

Please don’t think I’m disagreeing with you, I’m not, I totally understand the reasons you’ve listed…BUT, any one of the following COULD have been said about Lois on the loose; we all loved it because we ride bikes, but, we’re still a minority.

So, if we’re the minority and it possibly won’t sell many copies, and you get told

Brilliant writing, but didn't like the story.
Writing needs work, great story!
Too much focus on bikes. Too much focus on travel.

How did she get it in the shops? Like I said in my original post

“Lots of people have done a Trans US. I bet when she set off she figured she’d be back in her job when it was all over? Or was it part of the plan to write a book? What or why was that trip so different? Being female? Small bike? Big deal, can’t be the first time, or was it?”

Take Grant and Sue for example, surely that long on the road would make a sweet book? Yet - nothing done. Have they already shot themselves in the foot with this site? Would they get told, sorry you’ve said it all once on the site for free.

Is it possible to use your personal web site to tease people in to buying a .PDF file for 3 or 4 quid, by offering a couple of well written chapters for free then have a, buy the rest button. At least this would show you’d interest in your story. You could pad the book out with a second section, lots of pix maybe your version of a how2 and how I prepped kindda thing.

Like I say, I’m just interested bout the whole book thing :)

Shaun

"How did she get it in the shops?"

My guess is a lot of serendipity, meeting the right agent/publisher at a time when they were looking at their current catalogue and said, "Geez, what we really need right now to fill a gap, is a book about some chick on a bike."

So no, Lois wasn't the first, and won't be the last. But, she DID the trip, probably had a dream of being published, (I don't know her personally, but I know she's writing for at least one other mag) did some writing, and the most important part, she APPROACHED someone. To use that US experience, she went to bat. It's not different than anyone taking any trip. Lot of people talk about it, VERY few actually get out of their driveway.

Grant has a sales background, and Susan computers. I'm not sure either of them had ambitions to turn their journey into a book. Although, with Grant's biz background, and smooth talking (are you listening???;-) I'm sure he could've talked any publisher into buying rights.

As for Ted, even though he has a publisher in England, I believe (though could be mistaken) he's self-publishing the N. American edition.

Thanks for your suggestions for my book. I do use my website as a sales tool, (heavy discounts till the end of the month ;-) and after the audio version is finished, if I don't approach a publisher, I WILL be doing a hard version, and possibly pdf as you suggest. Stay tuned.....

Lorraine

PS If you haven't, check out Johnie Bealby's bike book. That was written most likely for the purpose of therapy.

Shouldn't that be "why don't more people get books published?" I'm sure there's penty of writers out there, but getting them made into books? Wel that takes time and effort and skills that a load of us don't have. I wrote a huge journal out from my trip round Oz (back in 1988) family and friends all asked to read it so I made a few copies (slightly cesored) they all said "You should publish", but at that point I was at a loss as to how to do so.

So that I think is the key.

Mind you it can't be impossible, I've just finished "The Linger Longer" by the Raven brothers and I have to say it was a) poorly written, and b) showed no signs of ever having been proofread by anyone who spoke English ("windowscreen" - anyone?)

So, maybe it is worth trying after all.

If you really feel you'd like to get something published then one easy way out (but not always the best) is the "Print to Order" type of web site, like - Self Publishing - Lulu.com

You write your book, format it with their templates, send it to them, decide on a price for it and voila.
It's free to do, but on the other hand, a lot of the cost per book goes back to the publishers.
There is no marketing either except for people looking at the web site. You can buy marketing packages though.
They will then print off a copy when someone orders it, hence there is no run of e.g. 1000 books printed, it is one by one.

If you are in it to make a lot of money then these are not really the places. But if you are like me, did it for my family and friends out of pure vanity, it seems to work.
For an example have a quick glance at Overlanding 101 and the web site Home for the gallery on the last page.

sounds about right
 

I bet loads of people would love to do a book, and have a good pile of trip notes and pictures for a fine story. My life had been quite normal up until the time I found this site. So, one thing’s for sure, when I set off in two years having slogged my way out of debt and saved the 8k for the trip, I’m going to document it VERY well.

Shaun

thats interesting
 

I like the sound of that! I’m not thinking about becoming the next Ted Simon or Lois or Chris Scott. But, when I die, it would be nice for my kids to look at and say “my dad was nuts, but I’m glad he did this” :innocent:

I’ll probably also try the personal web site to tease people in to buying a .PDF file for 3 or 4 quid as I suggested to lorraine above. I’ll probably give more away to family and friends than I sell.

Shaun

In the first few days after setting mine up there were twenty books sold. Then I happened to be at my parents house when a large box arrived. My mother had a sheepish grin on her face and told me she just wanted a few to give to our relations.
Bless her.

Book or article
 

Lorraine is right, books pay crap. My partner on our double Trans Africa wrote a book about her Trans America trip too, from Ushuaia to Anchorage.... on a push bike!!! They printed 2500 copies and she gets a Euro per copy! I wrote so far 3 articles for a 4WD magazine (basically copied my blog text) with two more on the editors table and made almost Euro 1000,- per article. A book is good for the ego, not for the pennies! Unless you write a best seller and sell thousands of copies but that requires more talent than most people have!

Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

thats funny
 

what would we do without our mum ?

Shaun

PS: just looked at yours, might go for the download :)

Overlanding in a niche market not that many are ever going to do it. Why be hot, freezing, muddy, dirty, oily, hungry, scared and alone all in one day? when you can be siting on a beach drinking having a cute young person at your beck and call. Seen the sale figures for bikes looks like most are for looks than world riding. Heres some books Whitehorse Gear - Books if its not a BMW or HD little is writen about it. All this plays in to publishers hands for turning you down. There looking for hit and byers we just dont have numbers they like.

Then there are the riders we are not right in the head the average person wont do it there ruled by fear we have a wonder lust. Then there is the writhing staying on topic is hard we wonder so do most of the writhing. I cant wright vary well and dont much like to I find lots of the riders rather ride and drink at the pub than sit down and wright book that will get turned down.

Not to cut down Lois but look at this Benka Pulko - 1 Woman, 1 Motorcycle, 1 World thats a trip I remember when she posted her trip on the chain gang website her new web page looks like a professional job now. Its not that we dont want get the story out its we just dont see spending the money on web page and book deals and promotional junk just to get a book deal and make the publishers rich thats time and money better spent on a new trip.

Its all in the name and money the more people know your name and the money you have the more you will get look hot and young and your in. Look at the Long Way Round and Down, Ewan and Charley got all there gear, bikes, support, money, TV, and book deals before they even left there house. Most riders have none of that. BMW and TT wont even talk to anyone begging for a little help with there kit they already have payed for. If your not well known who want to hear your story? Well I do but I dont count.

Then theres perception you see it here people think the BMW 1200GS is THE bike to take. If seasoned riders think that what of all the other people? You dint use a BMW bahh you must not know what your doing no book for you. Oh there will be a few "novelty" books made bout little old ladys on 50cc scooters but not many. Perception is a pain to fight being an American I get it all the time rich fat ugly American, rich gringo, stupid gringo in Mexico and SA. Fat ugly stupid American, war mongering American, American pig rich American in Europe. If was so rich do you realy think id be here? shuts most people up if done with a smile and giving a beer gets laffs.

Then there is the free stuff all over the web this sight and others add to them personal blogs. Some of them are better written and have more insight than any book I have read still trying to read the Long Way Round dull and long winded how they got paid let alone alone the best seller list I dont know.

Fighting all this gust dose not seem to worth my time.

very true noel
 

Which links back nicely to the thread about should you give away or get paid for an article in a magazine! You’ve done very well, nice one :)

Shaun

DL biten
 

I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with a lot of your posting. It’s such a niche market we’re in and, I DON’T ride a BMW – I ride a Yamaha, so no bike dramas to write about :) just trusty reliability, I’ve put my book down already.

I think I am going to download the book that onlyMark did, why not, it’s only about 2 and a half quid. Be nice to think somebody would do the same for me, maybe one day.

Shaun

However
 

All this talk of book writing has given me an idea for (yet) another niche section on the HUBB. What about book reviewing?

I'd love to hear more about the travel books people read, a punchy little review would be great, I wouldn't even care if the travel was by bike, donkey, llama, roller skate or pogostick; they can all provide inspiration on a wet night stuck indoors.

And of course, if Grant used the Amazon trackback service he'd even get a few pennies in his coffers if someone bought following a review, which would go to support the site we all know and love.

Maybe I should make a new post?

An obvious answer
 

Writing a book does take a certain amount of talent and resolve. Few people write well enough to be published and of the talented fewer have the resolve to actually finish a book. Not taking a slap at the above authors who have had the resolve and may have the talent. <img> They are in the minority.

this is good
 

Well, I'm on page 106 of this guys .PDF file download book. And, I must say, considering mark doesn’t write books for a living, it’s a fine book. I’ve got to find out how much it cost him for set-up costs because, I’m defiantly thinking about this after my RTW in a couple years.

Not for any big bucks, just something to pick-up in my older years and think back. If I put all my biking stuff in from when I was a lad, leading up to the RTW in a logical format, I could do a good story I think.

must learn how to (or is that “too”) spell first...:rolleyes2:

Shaun

I’m not sure how this COULD work but...
 

(1) If all the people who’d done a good trip turned it in to one of these download books.

(2) Then make a posting/advert about it in the Money Saving Ideas, and making travel money forum, with the preface.

(3) We could have a judge, Grant/Sue and Chris Scott for example.

(4) They could then pick the 10/or 15 best/most interesting preface

(5) Ask the author to send it in, for free to the judges

(6) Do some kind of results poll after they review the book with the one/ones they found most interesting

The latest number of members is 14,712 on the HUBB – with that many possible downloads at let’s say £2.50 per book, we could have a yearly competition based point (6)

Once a year, somebody gets to spend a long time on time road.

What you recon Grant Sue and Chris and everybody ?

Shaun

That may work but travellers tales, blogs, the ezine covers so many rides already I dont know if people will want to do both or read both.
Always worth a try. A book report on online published books can be done by any one as far as I know and posted in the HU BAR it has the easest rules on the forum. The report may be useful for the writer to point out things they need to work on. Like a proof reading and content review ext.
Any hipe the book gets will be grate for the writer to sell his book to the publisher. Still going to a tight target market. The writer will still need an angle to sell the book. That or do something to get on Oprah.

If I honestly reviewed some so called bike travel books I've read I would probably be sued by the author or publisher. It's a minority readership and a lot of the potential buyers would read the review on here. How do you stand legally? I'd like to help people save money buy not wasting it on crap. There is one book where I'm convinced the author didn't even travel by bike as his descriptions of it were bizarre!

I'm always on the look out for new titles though, but non get near to Ted's first book. I read it in the 80's when it first came out in paperback, and several times since, top book. They don't have to be on bike travel if they're really well written. Pete McCarthy's, McCarthy's bar is superb. Driving an old Volvo around Ireland.

You use phrases like, "in my opinion", "the author has a unique writing style" and "I personally couldn't recommend" etc and get round it that way.

To be honest though if you think that a site like Amazon invites people to leave reviews, good and bad, then I don't think one can be sued for a poor review as long as it is itself well-written and constructive.

What about submitting part of your book to a bike magazine, just enough to make an article but also enough to get people interested in buying the rest of the book. We've already had the discussion that magazines are all out to get something for free, so why not give them something but make them work for you by letting you give your book a shameless plug?

Here's a question for you all. How many people do you think would be interested in subscribing to a magazine at say £25 per year (12 issues), for a mag similar in style and quality to RIDE magazine, but dedicated to long distance overland travel (including bicycles and 4x4's) and motorcycle travel in general?

Interesting...
 

I’d do that for sure, as long as its main focus was long distance overland travel,and not totally full of adverts.

I remember a bike magazine from a few years ago about foreign travel, Motorcycle Voyager,I loved it. My mate paid for a years subscription and then it went bust so he got nowt for his money. I'd happily read a title that covered other adventure travel on cycles and 4x4's but I don't know about paying for a subscription. I tend to only read them in the winter I'm too busy in the summer. Then there's the distraction of this site and others too. Have magazines had there day?

Motorcycle Voyager
 

I still have a copy of Motorcycle Voyager - it sits on a shelf at home to remind me not to subscribe to any more magazines. I got two copies, IIRC, before it went bust.
Yep, mags have had their day.

Good point. Advertising is a necessary evil though some of the bike mags go over the top and contain too many irrelevant and often inappropriate ads, not mentioning any names, especially not SuperBike.

Out of interest, if a magazine was free, say emailed in PDF format but paid for entirely by advertising revenue, would you make the effort to read it?

maybe
 

I think it would be a similar answer, on the Isle of Wight a few years ago (where I live) somebody started a weekly ad, which contained things for sale. It was free but paid for from the things people sold, with a FEW local trade ads. Last time I picked one up it contained hardly anything for sale, and was FULL of ads.

Was more like a free weekly yellow pages but, like you say, the ads are necessary. So the answer to your question is providing the balance was right, then yes.

Why? You thinking of doing one

Shaun

= The Motorcycle Monthly (MCM not MCN), distributed monthly in the UK via various outlets such as cafes, bike dealers etc but it relies on advertising, as ever.
Quite a good read though, in newspaper broadsheet format: it is published by one of the bike mag publishers.

you too ? it was a good magazine , i managed to get three copies out a paid for one year subscription and then they went bust !!! . i still wonder who has my money .

I think Dan23 scarpered off to SA with all the money! Ha ha. He didn't waste it though he spent it all on girls and coke.

I'd consider it. I've put together similar projects for local health promotion initiatives so I reckon I could pull it off but only if the support for it was there. I wouldn't waste my time if I thought no-one would actually read it.

Like I said, the advertising is a necessary evil as you can't expect anyone to contribute articles for free, well not one worth reading anyway.

you’d be surprised
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by craig76 (Post 186420) Like I said, the advertising is a necessary evil as you can't expect anyone to contribute articles for free, well not one worth reading anyway.

I think you’d be surprised who would do stuff for free; I don’t want paying for everything I do, only sometimes. Speaking personally about my RTW that I’m planning, I’m going to document it very well and make a proper nice site when it’s all finished, just because I can.

So, if I’m putting hours of work into the site for my own pleasure/exposure, what’s the problem in giving 1000 words away for free? For example, I think of it like this. I’d like to do a book and put it on the site listed above, not for any big bucks, just something to pick-up in my older years and think back, and, for my kids, plus maybe sell a few. But I’m not that bothered if I don’t; it’s not my day job!

Thing is, to stand even a small chance of getting just a FEW quid you need exposure. So like I’ve said, speaking personally, I’d think of it as payment in the form of a free advert that might get my site some hits. If it doesn’t, what the hell, I don’t care I still did the ride and made a nice diary.

That's the spirit! Write because you can. If you finish your project, you'll experience a lasting satisfaction... but you have to persevere. It's easy to quit writing once you've begun. (I'm giving this advice to myself! I'm just about to begin work on my second book about a motorcycle trip through the Middle East.)

And, as for the money... it's a tough slog. I spent over $10,000 on my first book (self-published through Trafford Publishing, and including the purchase of my first 500 books) and I expected to regain only 50% of that. To my surprise and delight, I recovered all my costs and I am making money now. Sounds good, right? Well, if you'd tally the income against the production time, I'd be earning far, far less than minimum wage.

Still, it's satisfying.

As for why more people don't write books... because it's hard. It's lonely. It's easy to get discouraged and it's tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel. My only saving grace is that I have a short-term memory for such suffering! Here we go again!

(And now for the shameless plug... check out my website by following the link below!)

Hi ukiceman,

Nice thread and a subject I've also wondered about in the past, which made me "put my money where my mouth is". Can I put you on my list of potential purchasers of my new book that will be launched at the Horizons Unlimited Germany Meeting this weekend?

Cheers!

Dave

sure can
 

Hi Ghost Rider

Yes, you can put me on that list :) I’m always up for reading a good book. The winters are always long and boring so, a good book is a plus point.

Do you have a website with any previews ?

Shaun

wow, that's a lot
 

I don’t think I could spend that much cash on a ‘maybe’ so I guess that answers one part of my own question, it’s expensive. It does make me have more respect for people that make it happen. I can’t ever see myself doing a ‘real’ book, but I’d still give the publishing site a go...not as much risk...and, you still get a book.

Still – respect for the people that do make it

Shaun

First of all, thanks! Whether it's a good book is maybe questionable :cool4:

I'm currently writing the text to go on the website, which will be tacked on to the Bühl-Kalarasch cycle project website:

Bühl - Kalarasch, Jeder Kilometer zählt...

It's a case of watch this space. I plan to finish the text in both English and German today - all being well, it'll be up and running this weekend. I still need to sort out things like postage costs and buy some packaging etc., but hope to be in a position to start selling in about a week's time (assuming I have any left after all the generous people at the Horizons Unlimited Meeting this weekend have put their hands in their pockets :innocent:)

Best regards

Dave

cool
 

Ghost Rider, is your book about the cycle project ?

Shaun

Hi Shaun,

No, my book is not about the cycle project. The link is that I combined a trip from here to the Black Sea with a visit to the orphanage, and at the same time, I rode to Moldova with a GPS Datalogger to determine the route for the cyclists. This is the text that I'm planning for the website, which shows the connection:

Dave Barrett rode his motorcycle from Bühl to Calarasi in 2007 to determine the route for the cyclists. He was also asked by Bühl town council to provide an independent report on the current state of the orphanage.
He was so moved by his experience in the orphanage that he decided he wanted to make a personal contribution, which he has now done by writing a book about motorcycling in Eastern Europe, naturally including the ride from Bühl to Calarasi and back. All proceeds from the sale of this book will go directly to the orphanage to improve the life of the children there.

• 126 pages, printed on high quality art paper
• 82 colour photographs
• 11 maps
• English language
• Every single cent of the €15,00 cover price goes to the orphanage in Calarasi
• For more details or to order your copy, E-mail the author here

Basically, I'm not selling a book, I'm also trying to raise money for an extremely poor orphanage, where all the kids are either mentally-handicapped or have learning difficulties, and am giving a free book to anyone who provides a €15,00 donation.

Ghost Rider - do we have a celebrity in our midst? If so shifting the book shouldn't be too hard, I know enough people with one of your DVDs!

If it helps with shifting books, then yes, I am that very same Ghost Rider :innocent: Seriously though, I think I'd be found out, since the book is not an account of my 140 mph trip through Eastern Europe, although there are some descriptions of my erhem, "altercations" with members of both the Bosnian and Ukrainian police forces for being somewhat liberate with my throttle hand.....

yep, been done by the Bosnians myself. At least they are up for negotiating/bartering.

Well, I should mention that the cash was in Canadian Dollars (at a time when the CDN was still lower than the US greenback!) Also, that money includes a graphic designer who did the cover and maps, and two editors to help me polish the manuscript.

The best advice anyone ever gave me when I was writing my book was... hire a good EDITOR! You won't ever be sorry!

As for "GhostRider," it sounds like you have a good project on the go! It's admirable. I volunteered at a refugee camp in Croatia near the end of the Balkan War, and they had an orphanage as well. The war is over, but the people are still in need.

Thanks for that - I've posted more info here: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-moldova-35550

Interesting thread that passed me by.

... "The Linger Longer" by the Raven brothers and I have to say it was a) poorly written, and b) showed no signs of ever having been proofread by anyone who spoke English ("windowscreen" - anyone?)...

I requested that the other week as a [free] review copy. I nearly finished it but it was so bad I sent a cheque back to the publisher cover the cost. They've since written several more...

Whoever suggested it, I like the idea of travel book reviews on HU by HU users. It would be another great resource.

Ch

I have read a lot of motorcycle travel books and as other have pointed out, the vast majority are self published and so poorly written that they verge on unreadable. On the other hand, the handful that are well written are very enjoyable to read and stick out a mile.

My opinion on the original question ... why dont more people write books?
The pay is grim.
I went an alternative route, which was to get published in bike magazines, and the pay was a lot better. You have to have something interesting enough to interest a bike magazine editor. It has to have some sort of an edge, and these days, attitude. But you can sell the story in almost every country in Europe. Sell it in Sweden, sell it again in NL, again in Germany etc etc etc ... Have a decent story and pictures and you will sell it 10-15 times. There are no costs ... the magazines buy the story in English and translate it themselves. They edit it, and format it themselves, and pay you per page on how much they run. Bearing in mind good pics often take up the bulk of the pages in magazines, a story can easily stetch over several monthly editions.

If you get paid an avge £100 a page, and your story runs for 2 editions, 8 pages a month, you will get £1600 ... from one country. Do it across Europe and you are up £15k

All in the space of a couple of months.

To get that return from writing a book takes much much longer, and you would have to sell a lot of books, especially first books.

Good advice jeremy...I too have toyed with the idea of writing a book and had an article published by a BMW magazine but its damn hard...the content spins in my mind, but when I try to put it on paper, I'm at a loss for words...but the light at the end of the tunnel disappears quite often...

Anyways...I will try to accomplish it for myself and if it happens to get published...that's the sort of sponsorship I'd prefer...from supporters who believe and bleed in my efforts.


Article that got published....

I've about a third of the way through...

Just spotted it here and blagged it myself but can't see me sending a cheque back for that one!

I have read a lot of motorcycle travel books and as other have pointed out, the vast majority are self published and so poorly written that they verge on unreadable. On the other hand, the handful that are well written are very enjoyable to read and stick out a mile.

That's about the start and the end of it, isn't it. If anything too much is published these days.

The art of publishing
Robert Wicks
Author of 'Adventure Motorcycling', Robert Wicks shares some of his secrets about what it takes to get published, the importance of the right photography and the effort that goes into writing a successful book.

Sounded educational. Did anyone attend this at HU UK on the weekend?

Ch

I went to his talk. It was really interesting for me. I’ve been to a load of talks about publications and photography etc etc. My problem is finding the time and motivation to do something – e.g. I have a load of photos from a 12 months (non bike) trip, good blog, and have many stories I could write into smaller ones…. In saying that I have had one photo publication but that didn’t even cover half my travel costs on a specific trip last year. Most of the talks I've heard at the annual London travel and adventure shows focus on pitching, ideas, etc.

Anyway…. This talk focused more on the ‘business’ type side of it – e.g. how he went about structuring the book, timescales, sourcing the photography, the amount of contacts he made etc etc. He was lucky to an extent (in my mind…only in terms of the publishing – not trying to say he got published with little effort on his part) as he had a background in publishing, had published several articles etc in the past and due to having a shed load of good solid research into the marketplace, a very detailed pitch, and a very clear idea of how he wanted the book to look, he was lucky in the fact that he first publisher he approached went for it and was very accommodating with his ideas.

I thought the book looked great and I think he sold all the copies he took with him (25?). Apologies if I have any of that wrong.
cheers

I think you've put your finger on your problem here.

Oh yeh - it's not that I don't know the problem - now the problem is not knowing how I had time to work before I went travelling!! Leaves little time for the fun stuff ;-)

I think a major disincentive is the vast amount of work for a tiny possibilty of reasonable renumeration. It's a HUGE gamble in time and effort. I have been writing a book (not about any trip I've done, the blog was more than enough to satisfy anyone who wanted to read about me repeatedly crashing into inanimate objects) for nearly a year now and it's still only halfway through. Meanwhile I have to pay the bills so I have a full time job.

I have a publisher having a butchers at my ham-fisted efforts at becoming the new Captain W.E. Johns, but I don't expect anyone to want to publish it. As much as anything I'm doing it to prove to myself, one way or another, whether I COULD have done it. I see this as just one more thing in a long line of "Hmm, I wonder..." decisions that I've made in my life. Simply because I would hate to get to the end of my life and regret all the things I never tried.

I guess you have to really love writing (which I do) and be prepared to gamble a vast amount of time and effort (which I have done) for a dream that in all probability will never come off. I guess most people are just too pragmatic for that!

Matt :)

I think that’s a great way to do it. No pressures on yourself for the moment and if it develops into more then great! I guess that’s the thing that keeps me back. I can slog out in a dull job and get paid well for it (not a great work/life balance but it pays the bills and lets me save) but then I want to go climbing and exploring in the evenings and weekends to keep me sane. When I wasn’t working post travelling, I was needing money. I keep meaning to use the likes of blurb.com to print my blog into a book, but only for myself to be able to flick through for the memories (it needs some geeky stuff done to it first, and it wouldn’t be anywhere near in a format for a book – just my typical travel blog).
As touched on before it’s the people that put in the hard graft and the time and persevere that will get the publications, and only a few of them at that.
If I only got a pound for every travel article I’ve read since I came back and thought “I could have written that” then I’d have some more savings. But they’ve actually done it.
Another thing to take into account is the contacts that people mention. If you have them keep in touch with them. I was in touch with an editor on and off during my trip for very minor things. When I got in touch after a while there were a few thing she said “I wish I knew you were in XXX – we were struggling for photos from there for something that’s just went to print”.
In saying that, I’d probably have got next to nothing for them for that particular publication.

perhaps a lot of folks dont have a whole book in them? (i know, the experience and story is there and everyones supposed to 'have one book in them' but some people just cant be bothered?)

perhaps if someone were to collect stories that could be a chapter each in a bigger book, but whose going to do it? cant see a publisher going to the trouble as it would be quite a niche market and a fairly small seller.

a magazine might be interested but it would have to be the right mag, not these wheelie obsessed toilet rolls we get in UK. there was one a few years ago called 'motorcycle voyager' that was a good read but packed up after 15 editions (i know cos im counting them on my shelf as i type..), something to do with changing publishers and cash related infighting, jane omorogbe told me (she was one of the contributors)

The HU book of ripping motorcycle yarns? ;)

Is this 'HU Book of Ripping Yarns' something that could be a possibility?

All you need are 15-20 people, prepared and talented enough to smash down several thousand of their very best words, and you have a highly readable and inspiring bog read. One of those books that can be picked up at any page and still make your day better.

There are obvious fences to fall at, such as distributing revenue with a team effort, editing, pitching etc, but I am sure there is some way to produce a book that could get a few people a few extra pennies to help them on their way. It would also do no harm to the profile of the website if something hard copy could be put out there.

I am biased, because I am an impulsive writer, who has been throwing bits of everything I've ever done into word docs, but I still think it is a good idea.

As someone said in this thread (sorry I forget who,) we may not all have a whole book inside us, but just maybe some of us have one chapter?

Joel