The purpose of the blog.
As I stated in the very beginning, I wrote the blog for three reasons:
1. to promote teaching in Asia
2. to encourage everyone who reads the blog to at least consider travelling to Asia
3. to sell my book
From the sounds of your responses to me, I have done a good job showing you where to look for jobs, how to decide which country to teach in, the different types of schools and what your options are.
Surprisingly many have written in and asked my why I wrote my novel It All Started In Mandalay so in this blog I will try to answer that question.
As I stated in the very beginning, I wrote the blog for three reasons:
1. to promote teaching in Asia
2. to encourage everyone who reads the blog to at least consider travelling to Asia
3. to sell my book
From the sounds of your responses to me, I have done a good job showing you where to look for jobs, how to decide which country to teach in, the different types of schools and what your options are.
Surprisingly many have written in and asked my why I wrote my novel It All Started In Mandalay so in this blog I will try to answer that question.
Does the author write the story?
As I think I have said in an earlier blog no one creates a story out of thin air. I almost feel like my novel was dictated to me by a higher power. I just sat at my desk, either overlooking the ocean in Thailand or sitting at my desk in Toronto and recalling bits and pieces of stories I heard about or experienced in the schools I taught in or the parties I attended. The novel just seemed to create itself from bits and pieces of experiences one has along the way.
It seems there are two types of authors. Those that think and think for years to develop a story in their minds and have it all worked out before they even turn on their computers and others, like me, who just start writing to see where the book will finish up. I think it will take me a few books to really find my voice but I hope to get better and better as time goes on.. Please read my book and let me know what you think. I appreciate the feedback I did get but can always use more.
As I think I have said in an earlier blog no one creates a story out of thin air. I almost feel like my novel was dictated to me by a higher power. I just sat at my desk, either overlooking the ocean in Thailand or sitting at my desk in Toronto and recalling bits and pieces of stories I heard about or experienced in the schools I taught in or the parties I attended. The novel just seemed to create itself from bits and pieces of experiences one has along the way.
It seems there are two types of authors. Those that think and think for years to develop a story in their minds and have it all worked out before they even turn on their computers and others, like me, who just start writing to see where the book will finish up. I think it will take me a few books to really find my voice but I hope to get better and better as time goes on.. Please read my book and let me know what you think. I appreciate the feedback I did get but can always use more.
Self publish or traditional route?
For me the choice was easy. At my advanced age, I just thought I have two or three books in me and I did not want to take five years to get an agent, have a publishing house buy the story, spend a year editing and then finally have the story produced.
I took the easier route and just self published. I will be delighted to give you the details of what it cost and who I might recommend and who to avoid, but the key for me is it was wrapped up relatively quickly. About five months from the time it was created to publication date.
The two major drawbacks were quality and now distribution. When I read other authors it seems they go on for pages thanking all of the people who helped them develop the concept, edited the book and so on. When you self publish you are basically on your own. Secondly, although my book, It All Started in Mandalay can be bought anywhere, I am the only one promoting it so it takes so much more time.
I took the easier route and just self published. I will be delighted to give you the details of what it cost and who I might recommend and who to avoid, but the key for me is it was wrapped up relatively quickly. About five months from the time it was created to publication date.
The two major drawbacks were quality and now distribution. When I read other authors it seems they go on for pages thanking all of the people who helped them develop the concept, edited the book and so on. When you self publish you are basically on your own. Secondly, although my book, It All Started in Mandalay can be bought anywhere, I am the only one promoting it so it takes so much more time.
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