Who here thinks that MadridMan, along with the help of our useful posts, should write a book about traveling to/about Spain!
Please cast your vote!

oh brother... However, I can't say the idea hasn't crossed my mind several times either.

I agree! That's one way to break out of Ohio & head over to Spain, write a book, it doesn't matter WHERE you live if you become a writer!! PLUS, you'd be helping many poor, lost, tourist souls!!

(AND if he writes a book, maybe he'll finally be able to get those MM Message Board luggage tags into production that we've been waiting for!!!)

-GG

GranadaGirl, if a book like this ever gets published you can be sure everyone who makes it into the book will get a free luggage tag with my compliments. hehehe..

In fact, in the book where the author gives thanks to half the world, I could include each and every member's name whose posting I included. Of course, I'd have to get permission from everyone too. At least their real identity would be safe (or I could include their real names too).

But the postings here, for the most part, are so timely. I'm not sure how useful some would be in 1 or 2 years when the book would finally be published. And it would be such a niche market.. Do you really think it would sell???

I think if it had a picture of you shirtless on the back cover, sure it would sell! he he he!

I don't think it's so much of a niche market, maybe being so fanatical as some of us is, but I know whenever I go anywhere, I always buy a tour book. Yours would have real-life hints in it. Look at Rick Steves...you'd be handling a smaller area, but who knows what it could turn into! You could always start selling it from your website too, and see where it goes from there...yearly updates, PBS specials...

-GG (Who should have taken some business classes rather than load up on the Spanish courses...)

hey everybody

i cast a vote on MM writing that book.besides,as granadagirl put it,it will help you leave columbus and head fo spain.i mean,writers are rich and have a job and therefore can live whereever they please(in my case and madridmans its spain).in my opinion its the only way to escape(before madridmans retirement of course. :p .have fun

Do you also have a saying in English that goes something like?:

-En esta vida, un hombre tiene que: tener un hijo, plantar un árbol y escribir un libro.
(In this life, a man has to: have a child, plant a tree and write a book.)

So, there you have it!

Seriously now, I think that's such a personal choice, because it must be so hard! It should be MMan himself if he has the urge to do it who decides.

Jejeje! MM, you may not get out of it now! From reading the info. that people give on this board, and given your knowledge AND interest, I think you will be PERFECTLY capable of writing a complete and comprehensive guide to Madrid, and maybe for all those helpful hints and tips you've picked up from traveling about, a special section on that. It may sound complicated, but I think it will be a worthwhile and interesting project! As far as the longevity... well books like these have a high turnover because someone is always coming out with new or more update editions, which is why a new edition is printed every year, and often times with minor changes- So don't worry about that! But come on! This should encourage you to more than think about it!

We used to even have a book called you and the law in spain, and it was all about moving there and what rules and taxes and laws you needed to know or think about when moving (shipping your car, buying or renting property) , so you see, there's something for everything!

I'm going to have to add my 2 cents to this! MM, you definitely have the resources and material, even contacts to do this! WHY not? You've obviously got the discipline and organizational skills....

Then, you'll get the "escribir un libro" out of the way, I'm pretty sure you've planted a tree in your lifetime...were you ever a scout? The rest, well....I guess it is a matter of time....

Wyndyl

So now the question is who publishes travel books? And do they already have the market locked up? Would a regular publisher be interested in a niche book?

That said, I think MM could put together a fabulous guide to Madrid ("MadridMan's Guide to Madrid, 2003" sounds pretty good, doesn't it?). The thing to do would be to make it clear that this book contains information you could never get elsewhere--like current compilations of hostal reviews by "real travelers," or something like that.

Here's an idea...who is familiar with the site www.epinions.com ? It might be possible to publish a print version of something like that, along with lots of background information, maps, cultural and social details, and history. You could have a fully-integrated book and web connection, where people (1) use the book during their travels, then (2) log onto the web to post comments, opinions, rankings (from 1 to 5 olives, with 5 being best?)--then you just update the book every year! You would need to figure out a good way to compile the rankings and comments (provide averages of the rankings and a few representative comments for each hostal/restaurant/other place).

And you could offer additional (monthly?) newsletter updates by subscription or for individual purchase or something--and live in Madrid to do those! They could include current events, the latest reviews, and any other urgent/timely information (metro reroutes, airport changes, etc.).

Wow, this is sounding better and better as I ramble on...never mind, MM, don't you go to Madrid, I think *I* will!!!