The Seoul government have asked me to co-write a ‘Seoul from an expats point of view’ guide book with two other people, which I really can’t wait for. Considering I only had my first article published in early October I really can’t beelive how well it’s all going!
Initially (the first month or two) it will simply involve analysing what is already out there, and making really extensive notes on what needs to be changed. They have a contact in Lonely Planet, who they hope will take all this on board – the Seoul lonely planet really isn’t very good. Having lived here I can honestly say there are substanital bits of it that aren’t just ill informed, they’re wrong. But then maybe that’s the amount the city changes rather than bad research. Anyway, it’s possible I’ll end up with some stuff in Lonely Planet Seoul, and the Government plan to use whatever isn’t used by Lonely Planet to put together their own book. This is the one that will have my name on the front. My first book!
As much as I’m totally over the moon with this, it’s not without its problems: I may need to stay in Korea for longer, and I may be forced to make some very difficult decisions about where my life is going because of it. Am I a teacher or a writer? I know which I’d rather be. And if I am a writer, can I get by financially without doing something else on the side? Either way, these are problems I’ll deal with later, for now I’m just going to enjoy it and see what happens.
Time for some Champagne, and then a serious number of 16-17 hour working days to fit in the teaching and the writing. It’s gonna be tough!
J x