New Ukraine Travel Book Dedicated to Marriage Agency Cities

[username33]

Hi guys, I've posted here a time or two before, and I'm back this time with my new plans, to write a travel book with the marriage-agency traveler in mind. I'm focusing on Ukraine, as that's where I'm living and will be living through at least the end of summer.

In short, I'd like my book to be like the Lonely Planet travel books, only this one will focus on the cities you travel to and they forgot (or minimized). To make it as useful as possible, I need the help of the people who might gain from it.

Tell me what cities in Ukraine you're most likely to travel to.

What information you wish you could have before leaving the states.

And again, like I've announced before, tell me when you'll be in-country and if you'd be willing to sit for an interview. I plan on profiling visitors to each of the main cities, if only so travelers can read about those who've gone before them -- even if the story is "bad."

I also plan on profiling the owner-operators of the marriage agencies, or at least those that've been around a few years and look to be stable. Tell me if you think that would be valuable and which ones you'd like to see given the treatment. I know I won't be able to do them all. But I'd like to profile at least one agency/owner in each of the cities.

I know y'all are trading this information online, and have it here and there on your bookmarks page. But I thought a book, something you could slip into your carry-on, something that gathers all that information in one place, was needed.

Maybe, maybe not. You tell me.

For more on all this, visit the announcement on my blog. Then feel free to stay and look around.

Thanks in advance,

 

Stephan

[TigerPaws]

[size="4"] Nice idea but it will be out of date the day it is published, try web publishing rather than paper if you want the information to be current. Write your basic guide and make the up dates via a subscription, then publish monthly updates if you want to make this fly as the MOB business changes so fast and with the recent law passed here in America any agency will be moving off shore very quickly.
 Anyway just a auggestion.
 
[/size]

[Admin]

[user=389]username33[/user] wrote:

Hi guys, I've posted here a time or two before, and I'm back this time with my new plans, to write a travel book with the marriage-agency traveler in mind. I'm focusing on Ukraine, as that's where I'm living and will be living through at least the end of summer.

In short, I'd like my book to be like the Lonely Planet travel books, only this one will focus on the cities you travel to and they forgot (or minimized). To make it as useful as possible, I need the help of the people who might gain from it.

Tell me what cities in Ukraine you're most likely to travel to.

What information you wish you could have before leaving the states.

And again, like I've announced before, tell me when you'll be in-country and if you'd be willing to sit for an interview. I plan on profiling visitors to each of the main cities, if only so travelers canread about those who've gone before them-- even if the story is "bad."

I also plan on profiling the owner-operators of the marriage agencies, or at least those that've been around a few years and look to be stable. Tell me if you think that would be valuable and which ones you'd like to see given the treatment. I know I won't be able to do them all. But I'd like to profile at least one agency/owner in each of the cities.

I know y'all are trading this information online, and have it here and there on your bookmarks page. But I thought a book, something you could slip into your carry-on, something that gathers all that information in one place, was needed.

Maybe, maybe not. You tell me.

For more on all this, visit the announcement on my blog. Then feel free to stay and look around.

Thanks in advance,



Stephan

Stephan,

I've been following your blog a bit, and I like what I see in your writing style and sense of humor.

The idea of a travel guide focusing on MOB is somewhat new. As you probably know, there are bits and pieces scattered about which have been published in the past. Visson's book on "Wedded Strangers" may be one of the most well-known - though that is not aimed in the same direction as your book is.

TP made a good suggestion about keeping the book in e-press, as opposed to paper - but that is something only you can address, once you decide to (or IF) proceed.

If you are following the topics on this board, you can see the dynamics of this industry are ever-changing - with the latest legislation on US agencies being just the most recent example. In fact, it has even been suggested - not in these words - that the MOB businesses need to band together and seek a lobby in Washington so that their voices are heard in the future to prevent onerous legislation like this past one.

As a point of curiousity - if I understand correctly, you are living in Ukraine with a purpose in mind already - and you are sponsored - correct? How would this initiative interfere, or dovetail, with your primary mission in Ukraine?

- Dan

[username33]

I'm over here on a Fulbright Fellowship, Dan. And as this research is something I'm already using for my stated project -- short stories about americans and ukrainians meeting through marriage -- it just adds to the reason I'm here, rather than detracts.

Thanks for reading the blog. I'm glad you like it.

Tiger Paws may be right. Web-publishing may be the way to go. I'd thought of that. Though I did also like the idea of having something printed -- I was thinking Print on Demand, a type of publishing I usually would stay away from; it seems ideal for this. If someone wants a hard-copy, they can get that. If not, a pdf version. Either way, I know it was frustrating for me during my research to have all this information scattered around on all these websites.

So, it's an idea in evolution, but maybe by the end or middle of summer there'll be something to shout about. Let's see.

I'll be following the boards.

Stephan