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WHY CAMINO? Walking the Camino in mid March and hoping to write the stories of fellow pilgrims

M

Martin Moorman

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
30 March 2017
Hi everyone,
I’m planning on a return to the CdeF in mid March after a 6 year absence. I can’t wait!
I’m interesting in producing a high quality ‘coffee table’ style book that tells the personal story of some of my fellow pilgrims (only if they are willing for me to publish it of course). It was fascinating to hear such stories last time and it certainly seemed that ‘everyone had a (very personal) reason’ back in 2017.

I just wondered what people’s thoughts and opinions were of this concept? Would you buy such a book? Has it been done before? Any tips on what makes that sort of book an attractive read gratefully received. I plan for the design to be simple but contemporary, with my own (hopefully high quality) photos of the people I meet featuring along with their story..
Thanks very much in advance to anyone who responds. Buen Camino
Martin
 
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To me a coffee table book is very large in size and has a lot of great photos. A story book as you describe would be small, maybe paperback or electronic and would fit on a bookshelf rather than the coffee table. I would be more likely to buy the smaller book format.
 
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Martin Moorman said:
Would you buy such a book?
Click to expand...
My guess is that most people who walk the camino will have their own photos and stories, and many of us put them into photo books. High quality photo books are expensive, so I wouldn't buy one about strangers. Come to think of it, I don't even put my own photobooks on display!

If you are doing this for your own satisfaction, and for the pleasure of a few others who might be interested, it sounds like a good project. Perhaps integrate the others' stories into your own, so that the story has a central theme - your journey. Then it will be a more complete souvenir for you. But if you think you are going to sell many copies, to recoup expenses, I would be very doubtful.
 
Thanks very much for the reply. I’m going to keep my options open at this stage. Got to walk it first, get the pics, get the stories, get a publisher. A bit like the Camino, one step at a time!
 
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Flatlander said:
This will probably seem negative but I wonder how many people would be willing to share their stories if they knew it would end up in a book?
Click to expand...
Not negative at all. Thanks for the reply. Totally get that. It has been top of my reasons for not doing it. But…… if you never try never try you will never know. It’s only a concept at the moment: clearly lots more thinking and walking needed.
 
Totally understand that. It’s all about the project, not about the profit! I’m a realist: there won’t be any
 
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Martin Moorman said:
Thanks very much for the reply. I’m going to keep my options open at this stage. Got to walk it first, get the pics, get the stories, get a publisher. A bit like the Camino, one step at a time!
Click to expand...
It seemed to me like everytime I attended or spoke at a conference, I was always gifted (or sometimes won as a prize) some very large book that did not fit in my carryon luggage, etc. that is what I think of when I think of a coffee table book--mainly the large physical size.
 
My sister-in-law owns this 9"x9" smallish coffee table book. Every time we visit her in Florida I enjoy grabbing it and looking through the simple, but beautiful pictures and interesting short descriptions. I'm glad it's not huge and heavy. Not all coffee table books are heavy.
 
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Promote your Camino Project on the forum
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
There are a few books that collect stories from a variety of pilgrims out there. Some of them seem to be doing relatively well. The photos would definitely be a plus. So there is definitely a potential market. I suppose as with any book, it would depend on the quality of the writing/photos and the price.

When I first started reading your post, my first thought was that this would be an amazing project for a small print run and sharing among your cohort of pilgrims who will know, remember, and appreciate the pilgrims you are profiling.
 
David Tallan said:
There are a few books that collect stories from a variety of pilgrims out there. Some of them seem to be doing relatively well.
Click to expand...
This is similar to a book I have, written by my forum friend, @t2andreo authored with a pen name. Each chapter is a completely different story of a person he has met on the Camino and the interactions they had together. I liked that each chapter can be read independently.
 
Promote your Camino Project on the forum
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
I have the original edition. I didn't know a new edition was out! (Now you've given away the identity of Don Thomas. ;-))
 
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Martin you don't need a publisher for a photo coffee table book. Some publishers offer free online design software and once finalised can be ordered direct from them. It means you receive a lower percentage but without the overheads of a minimum order and risk of being lame with said stock.
 
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Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I do not read stories or books written by or about people who have walked. That does not mean there aren't many people out there who do not enjoy reading them. If you want to do this project then do it. I am not sure why you have to ask the forum if i is a good idea or not. All that matters is what you think and the satisfaction and creative fulfillment that you hopefully will receive. What your audience ends up being should be really irrelevant. Think of yourself like so many great artists of all stripes who toiled in anonymity because their art was their life. Just think what the world would be missing if Van Gogh walked around asking people if he should paint. Obviously he would have gotten a boat load of negative responses. Just go ahead and do it, and just say f**&^*k it to the naysayers. The only reason I would say don't do it is after you look in the mirror are you doing it for yourself or for the hope of possible recognition or praise.
 
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The Chicken Soup for the Soul, series have done very well. Sounds like your concept is similar except for focusing on the Camino. I always like books that feature "miracles", Angels, and hope in the world. We need more hope in the world, especially with the war in the Ukraine and on-going violence. Do as Sister Teresa says, Create Anyways! God Bless you in your writing that your inspiration may inspire others.
 
Everyone you will meet has a story...some more interesting than others. When you run across an interesting one take the time to explore it further with the person and write it down so you can use it later. You don't need to use the person's real name.

You never know how all these stories will fit into the context of whatever you wind up writing until you develop a plan and actually start writing. For example, are there common themes you discover? How do the stories support your finding?

Good luck. Writing a book is a lot of work, but very rewarding...and have a Buen Camino
 
I’ll be starting the Frances on 17 Mar 2023; hope to see you and talk on my walk. Coming from Tampa, FL, first Camino
 
Promote your Camino Project on the forum
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Just read it.
an enjoyable read…. Sadly most Camino books I have found, aren’t…..
 
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Robo said:
Just read it.
an enjoyable read…. Sadly most Camino books I have found, aren’t…..
Click to expand...
I already have read it. I have read four camino related books, and all but one(which was a gift) were written by "well-known" forum members which is why I had an interest; two of whom I have met a few times outside of the Camino.
@t2andreo;
@Arn (past moderator);
@Rebekah Scott;
and Tim Moore.
 

Ah! I stand corrected.
I'll obviously need to read a couple more
I've read a couple of @Rebekah Scott 's and really enjoyed those!
 
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What’s the title of Arn’s book? I’ve got Tom’s, Tim’s and two by Rebekah. I’ve bought and discarded countless other self-published works I just wonder if it might have been one of those which deserved more consideration.
 
Lots of pictures. Very minimal text. Pictures of scenery not people. When I share this book I want to describe my Camino not someone else's.
 
RRat said:
Lots of pictures. Very minimal text. Pictures of scenery not people. When I share this book I want to describe my Camino not someone else's.
Click to expand...
That would be a great book, but not the one being proposed, which has the purpose of telling the stories of fellow pilgrims. It is hard to do that with minimal text and not people.
 
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I would just say to get the permission of the people whose stories you plan on sharing. On my first Camino I met a woman at Orisson who I noticed kept jumping around talking to people and then writing in a notepad. She then came over to talk to me and said “what’s your story, why are you doing the camino?” and I asked why she wanted to know and she said she was writing a book. She clearly wasn’t asking for permission and I told her if she wanted to know my story the only way I would tell her is if I felt comfortable enough telling her after I got to know her and had actually walked with her. Her whole approach was very unauthentic and it felt like she was using all these people’s stories after only knowing them for 5 minutes. That didn’t sit right with me. Luckily she left Orrison, whereas I was staying overnight, but I was really worried that’s how people on the Camino would be like - rudely asking me to explain why I was doing the Camino without even knowing my name. I was pretty closed off for the first week of my Camino because of this. So I would just say be very transparent but also be authentic if you are going to do this.
 
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