concreteandkitsch

Hi Oscar - thanks for doing this AMA! We chatted a couple of weeks ago on twitter, and I’m excited to ask you some questions!

1. What personal characteristics lend themselves to being a successful guide book writer?

2. How much fluency in language is necessary to successfully write a guidebook? Especially thinking of destinations where English is less likely to be spoken.

3. In places like Angola and Eq. Guinea (I imagine you traveled in both before visa restrictions were eased), what are some of the more difficult bureaucratic hurdles you’ve had to overcome? (I mention these two specifically over Tunisia because of their government’s notoriety around tourism, though I did watch your video on drone permits in Tunisia!)

4. Do you keep multiple income streams while writing travel guides and if so how do you manage the balance?

5. What parts of the guide book writing process are the most onerous to you?

6. Any tips on pitching less visited nations? I’m interested in writing a guide for Mauritania but am concerned about it’s commercial viability. How did you end up convincing Bradt that Equatorial Guinea needed a guide?

Thanks so much for your time in answering these questions, Oscar!!

Thank you so much for your thoughtful answers, Oscar!