Scribbler in Seville

Last week, Matthew Hirtes, author of Going Local in Gran Canaria, very kindly mentioned me in his The Next Big Thing post. The idea is that you talk about your latest, or upcoming, project – his own one is writing a blog for Spain Holidays, which is pretty Big. Other people are publishing books, digitally and in print.

Er, well, actually, I don’t really have one – I’ve been trying to land on  a money-making idea (book? website? web-based business?), as I mentioned in my last blog post, which was also about me. (Eurgh, two in a row.)

They say you should write about what you know – well, I know Seville: the city, its quirks and hidden corners; its history; its cultural life and fiestas; its hotels; where to take my kids so they can have fun, while (hopefully) learning something; nearest beaches and places to visit within easy reach… I just need the right outlet to use all that knowledge – website? Book? Small business?

There are some questions I need to answer about My (imaginary, theoretical) Next Big Thing. I’m not going to aim low with a blog post or article; I’m going to aim high – sky-high – with a project which exists only in my head.

What is the working title of your NBT?

The Insider’s Guide to Seville.

Where did the idea come from for the NBT?

Someone asked me to write a blog post about my next project, and as I didn’t have one – my life is busy enough as it is, although I’m always waiting for that “Ding!” genius moment – I came up with this. It wasn’t rocket science – I’ve lived here for years, and there isn’t an alternative, unconventional guide to Seville.
 

What genre does your NBT fall under?

Travel guide/travelogue.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your NBT?

See the secret side of Seville.
Will your NBT be self-published or represented by an agency?

Heaven only knows, I haven’t even written it yet.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Give us a chance, I only came up with the idea five minutes ago to write this blog post. Didn’t want to seem like I was totally devoid of ideas, did I?
What other books/websites would you compare this story to within your genre?

It will be in a class of its own. In other words, I haven’t a flippin’ clue.
Who or What inspired you to write this book/website?

The need to find a more commercially viable outlet for all my years of in-depth knowledge and experience than writing blogs and articles.
What else about your NBT might pique the reader’s interest?

The fact that if it ever actually sees the light of day, it will be a bloody miracle. I can’t even find the time to keep my own house tidy, let alone write a book.

Now I need to nominate people to write about their Next Big Thing. My friend Digamama always has interesting things on the go, but never takes up my challenges, so let’s see if she’ll run with this one; Kim, another Sevillana Brit, has been building up her translation business, but I bet she has other dreams – like mine, it doesn’t have to be real. Ladies, it’s the usual story: write a post answering these questions, and then tag some more NBTers.