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I've fairly recently got back from a walk with my dog; friends/relatives keep trying to persuade me to write a book about the walk. Whilst friends/relatives obviously think what I did was interesting I can't help feeling no one would want to read a book about a middle aged man taking his dog for a walk - we broke no records, didn't raise lots of money for charity, didn't sleep out in minus 20 degrees ect. ect. I didn't even have to camp or stay in hostels, I found hotels and pubs on or near the route, in fact the topic could be 'Britain's Longest Pub Crawl' if I wanted to downplay the effort involved.
The route was predominantly off road and took us through the least difficult/'greenest' line. Think long valley routes in mountains/canals where needed/ coast path in Wales and SW England.
Purpose of the post is to gather info from people who don't know me to help me make a decision as to whether to try to write the book or not.
If you are interested in reading more about the walk let me know what interests you the most about our walk. I'll start things off with 3 suggestions but please feel free to add your thoughts.
1. The Mental Health side of the walk - why did I decide to do the walk/what changed during the walk/how did I cope after the walk.
2. The dog's diaries - the humorous side, what did the dog think of things
3. The 'third world' - a world of ghosties, dragons, bandits and dinosaurs - how we coped when things didn't go to plan.
All comments whether serious or not welcome.
The route was predominantly off road and took us through the least difficult/'greenest' line. Think long valley routes in mountains/canals where needed/ coast path in Wales and SW England.
Purpose of the post is to gather info from people who don't know me to help me make a decision as to whether to try to write the book or not.
If you are interested in reading more about the walk let me know what interests you the most about our walk. I'll start things off with 3 suggestions but please feel free to add your thoughts.
1. The Mental Health side of the walk - why did I decide to do the walk/what changed during the walk/how did I cope after the walk.
2. The dog's diaries - the humorous side, what did the dog think of things
3. The 'third world' - a world of ghosties, dragons, bandits and dinosaurs - how we coped when things didn't go to plan.
All comments whether serious or not welcome.
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In reply to Andy 976853:
There are other books in a similar vein- Mark Wallington Travels with Boogie for one, or Narrowdog to Carcassonne, which is dog on a narrowboat to France, so I think there's a market for that kind of thing. Lots of people with ongoing doggie blogs as well- that might be a way to go, rather than a full fat book?
There are other books in a similar vein- Mark Wallington Travels with Boogie for one, or Narrowdog to Carcassonne, which is dog on a narrowboat to France, so I think there's a market for that kind of thing. Lots of people with ongoing doggie blogs as well- that might be a way to go, rather than a full fat book?
In reply to Andy 976853:
When I worked in publishing the letters I dreaded most were those 'I wrote this for my family but everyone who has read it loved it and thinks it ought to be published.....' Take it from me, your family and friends know sod all about what should be published.
That said, there are loads of walkers and dog lovers and as Toad say, there is a market for this kind of thing but I think the key element would be humour. If people pick up a book like this they don't want a guide book or a tale of woe(the bit about mental health rang a bit of alarm bell). They want a bit of light relief to dip into before they nod off or perhaps to keep in the loo. It doesn't need to be full of belly laughs and certainly should not be a string of jokes but just needs to bubble along lightly at a gentle pace and leave readers happier than when they picked it up.
To get an idea there are loads you can look at, not just on walks but bike journeys (Fat Man on a Bike developed into a TV series), boating (classics like Three Men in Boat plus loads of more recent, often canal-based stuff).
Good luck if you decided to go ahead.
When I worked in publishing the letters I dreaded most were those 'I wrote this for my family but everyone who has read it loved it and thinks it ought to be published.....' Take it from me, your family and friends know sod all about what should be published.
That said, there are loads of walkers and dog lovers and as Toad say, there is a market for this kind of thing but I think the key element would be humour. If people pick up a book like this they don't want a guide book or a tale of woe(the bit about mental health rang a bit of alarm bell). They want a bit of light relief to dip into before they nod off or perhaps to keep in the loo. It doesn't need to be full of belly laughs and certainly should not be a string of jokes but just needs to bubble along lightly at a gentle pace and leave readers happier than when they picked it up.
To get an idea there are loads you can look at, not just on walks but bike journeys (Fat Man on a Bike developed into a TV series), boating (classics like Three Men in Boat plus loads of more recent, often canal-based stuff).
Good luck if you decided to go ahead.
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In reply to Lusk:
Exactly. Humour. I'll add (while holding my nose) Roy Hattersley's Buster's Diary'
If the dog's really writing it, send him round to see me. For a talking/typing dog even a lazy beggar like me might come out of retirement
> A literate dog has got to be of some interest?
Exactly. Humour. I'll add (while holding my nose) Roy Hattersley's Buster's Diary'
If the dog's really writing it, send him round to see me. For a talking/typing dog even a lazy beggar like me might come out of retirement
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In reply to Andy 976853:
PS Top tip. Just in case you do get published, put all those hotel receipts in a safe place for the tax man.
PS Top tip. Just in case you do get published, put all those hotel receipts in a safe place for the tax man.
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In reply to Andy 976853: I'd think there'd be a market for it. Needs to be fairly light hearted, people will recognise places, situations and types of people in it. I was given "walking home", although there's no dog in it, I'd think that's the kind of market you'd be aiming at?
In reply to Andy 976853:
If you've only recently finished a sizeable walk then your head will still be in walk related mode. Maybe the drive to write about it now is no more than a sort of displacement activity- to keep feeding the desire to walk- but it is none the worse for that. The walk will be very much alive in your head.
If you are going to write, even if it's just for yourself, then get something down now, while it's fresh. The apparently inconsequential stuff will likely soon disappear. A year from now it may be that you find yourself wheeling out the same tired anecdotes that you recite to 'entertain' those who haven't done something similar. Try writing then, and I don't think the story will live.
If you've only recently finished a sizeable walk then your head will still be in walk related mode. Maybe the drive to write about it now is no more than a sort of displacement activity- to keep feeding the desire to walk- but it is none the worse for that. The walk will be very much alive in your head.
If you are going to write, even if it's just for yourself, then get something down now, while it's fresh. The apparently inconsequential stuff will likely soon disappear. A year from now it may be that you find yourself wheeling out the same tired anecdotes that you recite to 'entertain' those who haven't done something similar. Try writing then, and I don't think the story will live.
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In reply to Wiley Coyote:
Hi,
Your comment about family/friends fits well with my thoughts.
However...
Whilst I could write a book that makes people laugh such as 500 mile walkies, I feel this has been done and to repeat it isn't something I'm interested in. What does start interesting me is a sort of '500 mile walkies meets mad person/boss' where I could explore mental health but in a humorous manner. I'd also like to bring in my views about conservation/technology etc, I last walked a similar route 30 years ago, a lot has changed but some of the same mistakes are being made or proposed again.
After reading your and others replies I'm minded to go back and hide in my cave. I can do humour but without the more serious side of me then I'd prefer to keep quiet.
Thank you and everyone else for replying.
Hi,
Your comment about family/friends fits well with my thoughts.
However...
Whilst I could write a book that makes people laugh such as 500 mile walkies, I feel this has been done and to repeat it isn't something I'm interested in. What does start interesting me is a sort of '500 mile walkies meets mad person/boss' where I could explore mental health but in a humorous manner. I'd also like to bring in my views about conservation/technology etc, I last walked a similar route 30 years ago, a lot has changed but some of the same mistakes are being made or proposed again.
After reading your and others replies I'm minded to go back and hide in my cave. I can do humour but without the more serious side of me then I'd prefer to keep quiet.
Thank you and everyone else for replying.
In reply to Andy 976853:
Don't let me put you off. If you want to do that, give it a go. After all, you've done the walk, which was the hard bit and all it's going to cost you is your time. Our approaches are completely different. I only write for money and always look for a market first because that's my job, in much the same way that a plumber only mends [people's bogs for money. 'Mental health but in a humorous manner' sounds like a tall order to me but if you believe you can do it have a crack. Better to discover you can't than spend the rest of your life wondering if you could have and if it works, terrific. Always remember the expert 'professional' who turned down the Beatles because no one was interested in guitar bands anymore. Happily, they ignored him.
> Whilst I could write a book that makes people laugh such as 500 mile walkies, I feel this has been done and to repeat it isn't something I'm interested in. What does start interesting me is a sort of '500 mile walkies meets mad person/boss' where I could explore mental health but in a humorous manner.
Don't let me put you off. If you want to do that, give it a go. After all, you've done the walk, which was the hard bit and all it's going to cost you is your time. Our approaches are completely different. I only write for money and always look for a market first because that's my job, in much the same way that a plumber only mends [people's bogs for money. 'Mental health but in a humorous manner' sounds like a tall order to me but if you believe you can do it have a crack. Better to discover you can't than spend the rest of your life wondering if you could have and if it works, terrific. Always remember the expert 'professional' who turned down the Beatles because no one was interested in guitar bands anymore. Happily, they ignored him.
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In reply to Andy 976853:
Have a look at the book 'walking my dog Jane', https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=X_GJm4KiNjEC
If you write well I see no problem in 'yet another man takes dog for a walk' type book.
Have a look at the book 'walking my dog Jane', https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=X_GJm4KiNjEC
If you write well I see no problem in 'yet another man takes dog for a walk' type book.
In reply to Andy 976853:
I think Wiley's comment above is the key - "Better to discover you can't than spend the rest of your life wondering if you could have....".
What have you got to lose ?
I'd read it. Not sure I'd be interested in a long rant about ecology/technology, but I would be interested to read what motivated you to do it in the first place and what sustained you during the walk.
I think Wiley's comment above is the key - "Better to discover you can't than spend the rest of your life wondering if you could have....".
What have you got to lose ?
I'd read it. Not sure I'd be interested in a long rant about ecology/technology, but I would be interested to read what motivated you to do it in the first place and what sustained you during the walk.
In reply to Andy 976853:
Write a chapter. See how it feels, see if you've hit the style you like, bounce it off a few people whose opinion you respect but aren't necessarily really close friends/family.
My gut feeling is, by all means bring in some content about the mental health/environment views etc, side, but you do need to make sure that it is still entertaining, or moving/thought provoking, and is balanced by plenty of the lighter side. Quite a hard line to tread.
Write a chapter. See how it feels, see if you've hit the style you like, bounce it off a few people whose opinion you respect but aren't necessarily really close friends/family.
My gut feeling is, by all means bring in some content about the mental health/environment views etc, side, but you do need to make sure that it is still entertaining, or moving/thought provoking, and is balanced by plenty of the lighter side. Quite a hard line to tread.
Post edited at 22:18
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In reply to Andy 976853:
How good is your writing?
There's definitely a market for the slow plod travel book with a sprinkling of humour. Books like "Downhill all the way" by Henry(I think) Enfield (brother of Harry).
They do need to be well written tho.
There is also a market for "spiritual journey" books too, especially in the states and especially if you "found God" on the way.
These require very little writing skills.
How good is your writing?
There's definitely a market for the slow plod travel book with a sprinkling of humour. Books like "Downhill all the way" by Henry(I think) Enfield (brother of Harry).
They do need to be well written tho.
There is also a market for "spiritual journey" books too, especially in the states and especially if you "found God" on the way.
These require very little writing skills.
In reply to balmybaldwin:
"How good is your writing?" Not sure. Depends on what you mean by good, I think I can describe a situation using fairly plain English that allows the reader to imagine the situation but I wouldn't be able to describe a blue sky in 20 words. More Enid Blyton than Shakespeare.
Definitely didn't find God, the '3rd world' was created just for those moments of madness - I guess that is the American market out. At least a world of bandits/dragons etc isn't likely to cause any wars though.
"How good is your writing?" Not sure. Depends on what you mean by good, I think I can describe a situation using fairly plain English that allows the reader to imagine the situation but I wouldn't be able to describe a blue sky in 20 words. More Enid Blyton than Shakespeare.
Definitely didn't find God, the '3rd world' was created just for those moments of madness - I guess that is the American market out. At least a world of bandits/dragons etc isn't likely to cause any wars though.
In reply to Mal Grey:
Definitely a hard line to tread. Any book about the walk would need to be a fun read just like the walk was fun.
Definitely a hard line to tread. Any book about the walk would need to be a fun read just like the walk was fun.
In reply to ruffydd:
Ending up in a padded cell...
No chance of a long rant., but I've now walked the length of the country twice (30 yrs apart). I don't have answers but would like to let any readers know some of my thoughts on the 're-wilding' debate.
> What have you got to lose ?
Ending up in a padded cell...
> I'd read it. Not sure I'd be interested in a long rant about ecology/technology, but I would be interested to read what motivated you to do it in the first place and what sustained you during the walk.
No chance of a long rant., but I've now walked the length of the country twice (30 yrs apart). I don't have answers but would like to let any readers know some of my thoughts on the 're-wilding' debate.
In reply to llechwedd:
It's all written down already including the inconsequential stuff. Sadly it is most of the inconsequential stuff that I'm being warned against including in the book.
It's all written down already including the inconsequential stuff. Sadly it is most of the inconsequential stuff that I'm being warned against including in the book.
In reply to Wiley Coyote:
Whilst your message was well meant, it is the one message that made me angry. Sometimes life is about more than money, even if you have to pick up the consequences of taking a dog for a £30k walk later...
No offense meant, everyone has their own priorities.
Whilst your message was well meant, it is the one message that made me angry. Sometimes life is about more than money, even if you have to pick up the consequences of taking a dog for a £30k walk later...
No offense meant, everyone has their own priorities.
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In reply to Wiley Coyote:
I won't be looking at a guide book, even I know that it is dangerous to suggest walking in remote country without a map and compass, although I'm not sure how I reconcile that with the official guidebook for the SWCP suggesting that a 'top-grade down jacket with a hood' might be appropriate attire.
> If people pick up a book like this they don't want a guide book...
I won't be looking at a guide book, even I know that it is dangerous to suggest walking in remote country without a map and compass, although I'm not sure how I reconcile that with the official guidebook for the SWCP suggesting that a 'top-grade down jacket with a hood' might be appropriate attire.
In reply to Andy 976853:
Whos warning you?
these are probably the good bits.
If it's all written down already (in book form?) you could always get a few anonymous people to have a read through and give feedback?
Whos warning you?
these are probably the good bits.
If it's all written down already (in book form?) you could always get a few anonymous people to have a read through and give feedback?
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In reply to Andy 976853:
The book would have to pull be in within 2-3 pages of preview. Bit like the kindle look inside previews you get. So it'd really depend on your style of writing, as much as the material or subject.
The book would have to pull be in within 2-3 pages of preview. Bit like the kindle look inside previews you get. So it'd really depend on your style of writing, as much as the material or subject.
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In reply to Andy 976853:
I'd say it has very little to do with the subject matter, rather it's all about whether you can write, engage the reader, interest them and perhaps make them laugh. That, I'm afraid, only you know.
Eric Newby, for example, could make a trip to Tescos sound captivating...
I'd say it has very little to do with the subject matter, rather it's all about whether you can write, engage the reader, interest them and perhaps make them laugh. That, I'm afraid, only you know.
Eric Newby, for example, could make a trip to Tescos sound captivating...
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In reply to Andy 976853:
So much depends on your sense of humour or irony and how much of those you spotted in the situations you encountered. Read The Kingdom by the Sea for a good example of an ironic and humourous account of a similar trip, Theroux is a master at discovering the contradictions in the ordinary people he meets on his travels.
So much depends on your sense of humour or irony and how much of those you spotted in the situations you encountered. Read The Kingdom by the Sea for a good example of an ironic and humourous account of a similar trip, Theroux is a master at discovering the contradictions in the ordinary people he meets on his travels.
In reply to balmybaldwin:
The dog
That's what I keep trying to persuade her to accept
Diary form, most definitely not worth sharing.
> Whos warning you?
The dog
> these are probably the good bits.
That's what I keep trying to persuade her to accept
> If it's all written down already (in book form?) you could always get a few anonymous people to have a read through and give feedback?
Diary form, most definitely not worth sharing.
In reply to Everyone
Thanks for all the replies. I've no pretensions that I could be the next Newby/Theroux, that seems more mad than taking the dog for another walk. The book idea has firmly been dismissed.
Now I need to concentrate on getting the PHD.
Now where do the ferries go from Poole... that's it St Malo... 'Turn Right at Poole' is born...
P.S. If you don't get the reference to the PHD try reading this article www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/page.php?id=2923
I did consider going for the PHD this year but as the spring was so cold I really didn't fancy doing the walk in a pair of underpants and only ice cream cones covering my nipples - plus it is always good to have something to aim for.
Thanks for all the replies. I've no pretensions that I could be the next Newby/Theroux, that seems more mad than taking the dog for another walk. The book idea has firmly been dismissed.
Now I need to concentrate on getting the PHD.
Now where do the ferries go from Poole... that's it St Malo... 'Turn Right at Poole' is born...
P.S. If you don't get the reference to the PHD try reading this article www.ukhillwalking.com/articles/page.php?id=2923
I did consider going for the PHD this year but as the spring was so cold I really didn't fancy doing the walk in a pair of underpants and only ice cream cones covering my nipples - plus it is always good to have something to aim for.
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