R_U_Local - book

Discussion on Advanced and Defensive Driving.

Postby R_U_LOCAL » Fri Aug 21, 2015 11:19 am


My apologies for my absence from the forum. As someone else has pointed out, I do have a full time job and I'm also writing a second book at the moment, so my time is limited.

I tend to post predominantly on Pistonheads as I've been a member there for over 8 years now and I suppose it's my internet "home". It's certainly where the book originated from - I'd been posting little articles on the forum for a few years when someone suggested I collated all my posts together into an ebook. I prevaricated over it for several years - I couldn't be bothered, it seemed too much work and who would possibly want to buy it?

Eventually I had nothing to do over a wet weekend and I thought I'd give it a go. The first ebook edition was released via Amazon in January this year. I thought it was ok, but it didn't feel very "joined up", so over a few weeks I wrote 10 additional chapters, changed some pictures & produced a better cover.

If I'm being honest, I had no preconceptions about sales or whether anyone would be interested in the book at all. I simply did it for the sake of doing it! The sense of achievement in producing a book was fantastic - I left school at 16 and I'm probably the last person you'd ever think would be capable of writing a book!

After a few weeks, sales started to pick up and hit an unexpected milestone in March when, for the first time, the ebook went to number 1 in the Amazon sales chart for ebooks in the "Automotive" section. I was outselling Clarkson, May, the old Stig and even Roadcraft!

In the meantime, I'd had quite a few requests for a paperback version, but I'd assumed that producing an actual, physical book would require an agreement with a publisher etc. Then I received an email from Amazon notifying me about their Createspace service, which allows authors to self-publish paperback books which are then made available via Amazon on a print-to-order basis. I thought I'd give it a go - after all, the book was already written - it would only be a case of copying and pasting wouldn't it?

No, it wouldn't. Editing the paperback was probably the biggest ball-ache of the whole process! For an ebook, you don't need to worry abot font size or page layout or page numbers or contents pages or picture placement - because the reader sets their own font size on an ebook, all this stuff is irrelevant. Not so for the paperback, and the edit took, literally, weeks, and I'm still not 100% happy with it if I'm being honest.

Anyway, since release, the paperback has also sold in reasonable numbers, and I can't begin to describe the sense of satisfaction in holding a finished, printed book in your hand that you've actually written yourself!

I sent a copy to the editorial team at Pistonheads and Dan Trent wrote a very nice article which increased sales dramatically. I'll not be taking any Caribbean holidays on the takings, but the sales will certainly kick-start another little project I'm planning - more on this shortly.

I've now decided to write a second book. The original idea was to write a guide for new drivers, but that's now changed. The working title of the new book is "How Not to Crash" and the idea is that I'm taking a detailed look at the most common contributory factors for accidents in the UK and writing about how to avoid them.

It's aimed at ordinary, rather than advanced drivers, but there should be something in there for everyone. The plan is to have it finished and on sale in time for Christmas.

And the next project? A Youtube channel.

I've just bought my first GoPro and a mounting kit, so once I've got the time, I'll look to produce some straightforward instructional videos. Probably two types - some for ordinary drivers looking to improve, and some for advanced drivers.

Thanks for all the kind comments about the book - they're much appreciated and keep me motivated when I can't really be arsed sitting down to write the next chapter of the new book!
Reg

Author of "Advanced and Performance Driving" http://tinyurl.com/kx7cjby
R_U_LOCAL
 
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Postby akirk » Fri Aug 21, 2015 2:28 pm


thanks for the post - enjoying the book :)

Alasdair
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Postby revian » Fri Aug 21, 2015 3:43 pm


Read it twice... Maybe more will rub off on me :wink:

Thanks for it....

Ian
Wirral
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Postby Zebedee » Fri Aug 21, 2015 6:52 pm


Reg, that's excellent news about the new book. I look forward to reading it when it comes out. Keep up the great work!
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Postby akirk » Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:55 pm


Zebedee wrote:Reg, that's excellent news about the new book. I look forward to reading it when it comes out. Keep up the great work!


It is out :) link in my first post on page 1!

Alasdair
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Postby IcedKiwi » Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:22 am


akirk wrote:It is out :) link in my first post on page 1!

I assume he means the 2nd book "how not to crash"
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Postby Zebedee » Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:39 am


Yes, that's what I meant. It's great that Reg is doing a second book.
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Postby akirk » Sat Aug 22, 2015 2:14 pm


ahhh :) yes, makes sense!
just don't read while driving I guess!

Alasdair
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Postby RobC » Thu Aug 27, 2015 7:57 am


Zebedee wrote:How well do you think Reg's book works for newly licenced / inexperienced drivers?

Also, if you were going to pick one book for someone new to AD, would it be Reg's book, Roadcraft, HTBABD or something else?


Hi Zeberdee

Good questions. I'm surprised there hasn't been more discussion of the content of Reg's book on here.

I think that Reg's book has a wide appeal hence it outselling Clarkson etc. Most of those who took their driving tests many years ago wont have had anything like the driver training required to pass todays driving test and would be surprised as to how 'advanced' todays driving test is.
'Three phase braking ' for example is 'progressive braking' under a different name which I used to teach learners (in a little less detail) on their first lesson.

There is therefore much in Regs book that newer drivers can relate to and expand on. Those interested will find it far more readable as an introduction than Roadcraft which I would suggest could be read in conjunction as a reference book.
National Safe Driving Enterprise CIC
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Postby playtent » Thu Aug 27, 2015 10:52 am


If you sign up for the 30 day free trial of kindle unlimited on Amazon you can download the book for free.
Lucky devil only did 18 years in the Police before he left aged 39 to work in local authority.
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