And another one!
Hey guys, I’m super excited to announce writing for my 2nd travel book has begun. This next one is going to be completely different to the first one ‘You, Yourself & the World, which I will explain later in this post.
Before we dive into the post I just have to say 2021 so far has been a case of two extremes!
As many of you know, before Covid struck, I spent nearly a decade traveling and roaming around the world so this past year has been so hard being stuck at home in England, as I’m sure it has been for many of you.
On the one hand It’s been very hard, having gone from just doing what I want for 10 years, floating in the wind, free of life’s shackles, adhering to nobody but myself to being put back in a box.
If you know me or have kept up with Forever Roaming the World you’ll know I struggle deeply to conform to what society calls ‘normal life’ – I can’t do the routine and it’s one of the main reasons I’ve lived a nomadic life for all these years.
However...
However in saying that, this past year without travel, I’ve had the chance to look back at my traveling life. I’ve been able to reflect on it properly and turned into a published author with my first travel book ‘You, Yourself & the World’ which was published at the beginning of the year. If you’ve not had the chance to look at it yet, It’s a long-term solo travel help book for anybody looking to do it in the future (When It’s possible to do so.)
I’ve also had the chance to think about, map out and plan future travel books too starting with my 2nd travel book which is what I wanted to talk to you all about in this post.
In this post we will cover:
- Change in direction from ‘You, Yourself & the World’
- Why short stories not a full memoir
- Problems with deciding what to include in the book
- The selection process
- The final count – as of now
- What did I decide on?
- Title ideas for the book
- Potential Release date
- The first work in process blurb for the book
Change in direction from ‘You, Yourself & the World’
This 2nd travel book goes in a completely different direction to the first one. While that was an educational book to help inspire and show people anybody CAN long-term solo travel in the future with the right mentality, this 2nd travel book takes you into my own traveling life in story mode.
In the first book I passed on my knowledge and experience, this one shows you how I gained the experience and knowledge through my own adventures, mishaps, and misfortunes.
This 2nd travel book takes you on a journey both internally and externally. It’s unfiltered and you get to not only see the highs and lows but experience them through my somewhat tangled brain. You get to witness my traveling evolution from naïve backpacker to experienced traveler and see how I deal with things differently.
Short stories not a full memoir
While there are plans to write and publish full travel memoirs in the future, I wanted to start with a collection of short stories first.
The plan is to release a three book series covering different aspects of my traveling life which will be:
- Adventures & misadventures from around the world
- Hostel experiences and drunken adventures from all over the world
- Specific moments and people I’ve met that have shaped my traveling life
(Not actual titles)
I’ve decided to write all three books in this series as short stories because I can provide an overall snapshot of my traveling life and the way It’s shaped out without taking away from the overall experience.
The stories included may seem independent from each other at first glance but they’re all interconnected to provide an overarching story witch the reader will learn as the books progress.
This book will be a window into my perspective, the reader will get a chance to see how my brain works, and what leads me to making the decisions I do. Readers will also get the chance to see how I’ve run away from, stopped, faced and dealt with insecurities, emotional struggles, and inner demons. And, how I faced my biggest fear – Me!
It’s not just about what I’ve seen, done and experienced but how I have.
Problems with deciding what to include in the book
As you can imagine after roaming around the world for nearly a decade there have been quite the few stories that have amassed over the years.
My first major hurdle as I started planning the book out was of course what to include. That became a problem not just a hurdle.
I won’t lie, I spent days diving deep into my memories, looking through old pictures, talking to people from my traveling life to see if they remembered things I had forgot.
It turns out my brain has supressed quite a few of the embarrassing moments and even some adventures. I’ve forgot so much.
However once a few doors were unlocked and some willing friends not shy in reminding me stories memories can flooding back.
The next problem arose, now there were too many stories.
The selection process
I spent days going back and forth, sifting through what to include, eliminating them then re-introducing them back into the fold. The process went on for a few days, it was giving me a headache.
There was so much back and forth, originally the book was going to be just embarrassing moments and misadventures. But after some consultation with members of the community and some twitter polls I switched it around to a balance of adventures, misadventures and poignant moments
Eventually, after a week of finding the right balance I trimmed the stories to give a good balance and to also tell the overarching story to give the best experience.
There is a good blend of comedy, drama, fear, and shocking stories which will take you on a dual internal and external roller coaster journey.
The final count – as of now
At this moment in time, before commencing the first draft I have managed to whittle the final number down to 18 stories that stretch over nine years from Australia to Bolivia and everywhere in between.
Most countries and each region of the world contain carefully selected stories that show not only the journey but how my mentality, perspectives, my crazy angel and devil voices, opinions, and character have changed over the years.
While the stories are in chronological order earliest to latest that doesn’t mean they become predictable.
Traveling is unpredictable, no matter how experienced anybody gets you never know what’s lurking around the corner and this book highlights that. Just because I’m experienced now, doesn’t mean there isn’t a fuckup waiting for me.
What travel stories did I decide on?
Ah well that is a surprise only privy to those signed up for my monthly newsletter.
Don’t worry, if you’ve not signed up to the newsletter yet, It’s not too late. You can sign up to the newsletter right here and you will get access to:
- All 18 stories included in the first book
- Be kept up to date with exclusive content
- Receive news on the other two books in the series
- Included in competitions
- Get exclusive sneak peaks on cover ideas and
- Be the first to hear about the book title
- Receive a FREE step by step long-term travel planning aid PDF and a printable checklist
Don’t worry I won’t leave you completely hanging I’ll give you a teaser of 5 stories from the book
- Being manhandled by Thor 14000ft in the air
- We took the wrong turn a long time ago
- Threatened with being thrown in a Guatemalan prison
- The craziest 24 hours of my life
- How the hell did I end up in this continent?
For full listing join my monthly newsletter
Title ideas for the 2nd travel book
I’m going to be completely honest right here, at this stage I have not got a clue what the book title will be.
Titles are something that don’t come easily. To give you an idea it took over 6 months and the completion of the 3rd draft and returned from the editor before I decided on the title for ‘You, Yourself & the World’.
I would like to have a title in place earlier this time around, but it needs to be right. The title needs to pop, to draw the readers attention but also encapsulate what the book is about, so it needs to be witty, funny, enticing, but with an idea of what the book is about.
I would love your help here, if you have any ideas on a potential title feel free to drop it into the comments below.
Potential release date
Of course right now, I’m just starting on the first draft of the book so to give a release date would be un-realistic. However I am looking to have the book finished and published before the end of 2021.
If the writing goes well, If the words pour out, and there are not any snags it could be a lot earlier but when has anything ever gone smooth or to plan for me?
But I will keep you guys updated on a regular basis.
The first work in process blurb for the book
This blurb/ description for the book, is a work in progress and is the first one I’ve come up with. Again I would love your input, what do you think of it? Do you find it too wordy? Would you be enticed to know more and read the book from the blurb? How would you like me to change it?
“From Australia to Bolivia and everywhere in between!
For nearly a decade since he packed his bags in 2010 traveling all over the world turned from being a far-fetched dream into reality and in-turn normal life for British traveler Amit.
The adventures, scaling mountains, entering fantasy worlds, experiencing the greatest highs became part of normal life – But was it always smooth? – Fuck no!
Life’s not that kind to him, It likes to taunt and test him whenever possible. Even when he escaped the riggers of everyday life, broke free of shackles and life he struggled with there was no escaping himself, his perceived bad luck or …
Parallel with the highs and adventures have come the misadventures, fuck ups, mishaps and lows!
Relive and laugh through a collection of independent short stories highlighting the adventures, misadventures, and misfortunes as he learns about his own character, deals with insecurities, inner demons, and his biggest fear – himself!
If you like laughs, shocking moments, drama, and adventures all rolled up in a ball this is the travel book will take you on a dual external and internal rollacoaster journey. Witness his evolution through Amit’s own eyes and somewhat tangled brain.”
(The blurb/ description is still a work in progress but let me know in the comments what you think about it – Is it enticing or you think it needs some work to it?)
What are your thoughts?
There you have it, that is what my 2nd travel book will be about.
I would love to get your feedback on the premise, from reading this post what do you think about it? Would you be interested in reading it?
What entices you more hearing about the adventures or the misadventures?
Drop your thoughts into the comments below and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter
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