My very first book was a guidebook, so when I was asked to update a company’s guidebook on a region in the South, I figured it would be a breeze. I’d already done this, not to mention on my own, and am an expert in the region so how hard could about 5,000 words be?
The answer is complicated. I had to learn new protocols and systems, especially in the content management side of things. There were hundreds of pages of documents to look through to figure out formatting. But now that I’ve done one, I’m hoping the next could be a breeze!
- No freebies or discounts isn’t impossible, but it is trickier.
When researching my last book, I only had three months to complete the project so I relied on the assistance of destinations and PR folks. This particular company doesn’t allow its authors to take any extras but instead budgets payment ahead of time for expenses.
I did my best to keep to my budget, which meant staying at a campsite instead of a hotel in a few places and snacking throughout the day instead of having big meals. It also meant I had to plan my own itinerary instead of going along with what was already set up.
2. Choosing places to include can be overwhelming.
On past trips, I’d take recommendations from tourism boards, but this time I tried to instead search on social media and ask locals for suggestions. I ended up with a very long list and narrowed places down based on hours and gut instinct.
I think (and I hope when you pick up a copy, you’ll agree!) that I ended up with a good mix of spots for every type of traveler. But, in each of the covered destinations, there were plenty more left on the cutting room floor!
3. Save everything.
This wasn’t exactly a new lesson, just one that needed reinforcing. While most information can be found online, it’s important to also grab brochures and take photos of information panels just in case.
I now have a notebook full of tidbits and a large stack of documents on my desk to go through, all brought with me because I’d rather have more than I need than not enough.
Look out for more news in 2025!
Caroline Eubanks 