GUIDES
10 Thing I Learnt From Writing A Book So You Can Write Your Own
I usually keep a daily diary anyway but when I travel it captures all the details of that day. I have then been able to read back through my diary and write it up into a fully fledged travel book. The story evolves from the events.
Writing an entire book can be quite a daunting task. Going over the experiences that you are writing about provides huge personal value. If you do little and often, eventually you will have a full manuscript.
These are my most valuable tips for getting into the practice of writing:
Get into the habit of writing every day.
If you write a little every day you will soon build up a body of work.
Write with the audience in mind
Think about who will be reading your book and try to imagine them as you write. It will help you to write and also help to structure your work.
Let the draft sit
After writing the draft manuscript, let it sit; come back to it after some time with fresh eyes.
Getting over writers block
Get your ideas down and then edit them. Don’t actually do any ‘writing’ (for those with writer’s block).
Structure your work
Writing synopses of chapters can be useful for restructuring and understanding the flow of the story.
Be prepared for the long haul
Writing, reading, editing (and self-publishing) are a huge investment of time and energy. Don’t give up and try to keep up the momentum.
Over-analysing and over-editing will gradually kill the story
Get a second opinion
Hiring a proof reader and editor is very useful. Having others give feedback on the book is an extremely useful process and very rewarding!
My books:
Travelogue books
- The Only Man to Cycle from Stoke Albany to Kathmandu - special edition version including cycle tours across Europe and Asia
- Weave of the Ride
- Between Worlds - The Promise of the Road
- Scotland Bikepacking ‘06