i'm writing a book - right here!

[Kilian]

Wow i didnt know about this Martha. Incredible Story. Count me in for a copy whenever you will finish your book

Kilian

[mike_baram]

Originally Posted by AAC Cadet Leader

A babe in jodhpurs. What more could anyone ask for?

[Barrett]

barrett's made me laugh.

Well? C'mon, inquiring Forumites want to know!

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Originally Posted by Barrett

barrett's made me laugh.

Well? C'mon, inquiring Forumites want to know!

i could give you a one sentence answer, but i'm considering your query as a good writing prompt for at least a page or two. it's a subject i always avoiding addressing, but one that's always asked. so, lemme take a deep gasp and ponder on what to type. perhaps sooner than later.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

well, i've been racking my brain all last night and this morning on trying to figure out how to start on that most personal subject matter that barrett asked about and i keep hitting the delete button every time i get a few words typed in. so, you're just gonna have to wait i guess til i get the courage or figure out how to give a thorough answer to that subject. in the meantime, the short answer to your question, barrett is:

"none of them."

________________________________________________


Warming up my Two Typing Fingers
As I said, I really have no idea how to organize this interim book, or what all to include in it, but I have boxes and boxes of material and photos to choose from that won't possibly fit into the big book, and I have to be at work in an hour from now, so I am going to post a scan of one of my notepad pages I came across this morning in one of my sealed-up boxes that I haven't opened in years.

And I hope you can read my handwriting. Sorry that a lot of it is crossed out and sloppy. Maybe this sheds light on my lack of organizational skills. These two handwritten pages were from fall 1987 (I think), shortly after or perhaps just before getting the brainstorm to try get a series of antique aeroplane rides through the lower 48:




(And by the way, I'm hereby publicly declaring that all of my words, photos and scans on this thread are owned and copyrighted by me (except for the Flying Mag article, which I was given permission to use in 1988), so don't nobody try to nab them or copy them to your computer or link them to some other website, etc and so forth, or else! You have been warned!)

[mike_baram]

First off, copy your handwritten notes to the computer. Then, when you start to organize things you won't have a blank page staring at you (and I know how frightening a big white space can be). Then, when an idea hits you, you can move or copy/paste the pertinent passage(s) to your working document and develop the chapters from there.

Took me three weeks to write my first book, took me 3 years to make it readable, and I'm still seeking a publisher. I sent the first 10K words to an agent; still waiting for a response.

[spacecrow]

Don't forget the movie rights!

Reminds me of Richard Bach's Biplane.

Thoughts:

Perspective of Barnstorming in contemporary America as opposed to the "classical" period ie: 1920's.

What has changed.
What will never change.

Perhaps you could take it to a writer's workshop.

Best of luck.

[mike_baram]

Two "travel" books I enjoyed...
William Least Heat-Moon's "Blue Highways" and Robert Persig's "Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" (gotta re-read that one now that I've returned to the sport).

Either one should give you an idea as to how to approach this project, especially since I see your trip as a great "self-discovery" type of work.

In 1987 I was trying to support a family by driving a cab, and wife #1 was a trained LVN working as a minimum wage nurses aide until she could master English and pass the license exam. My hat's off to anyone who can fulfill their dreams.

[Roadhog]

Mike! "Moll Flanders" is NOT a travel book! Your pal, Scott

[Barrett]

Mike offers good advice. MY trouble is that I seldom have any hand-writ notes to transcribe onto the screen.

FWIW, I've only had one serious case of writer's block in alllllllll these years. It was writing The Wildcat Book, and I just couldn't get over the hump, beyond the first two-three paragraphs I'd finished.

Soooooo.....lapse-dissolve, fast-forward.

Eventually I ditched those paras and started over. Seemed to work--at least I ended up getting paid!

Persistence counts.