Well first let me say that I hope it works for you. Anyone who has enough experience to warrant a book, enough talent to write the book and enough persistence to publish the book deserves some kind of reward. Unfortunately for most of DIY authors I've met in recent years, that reward doesn't seem to be a monetary one - or at least if they've made some money, considering how long it all takes the hourly rate is microscopic. Unless, of course, you have some kind of USP that makes the copies fly off the shelf. If, like me, you're overlanding's Mr Average then writing is unlikely to be much more than its own reward.

That doesn't mean it's not worth doing though. If writing is in your blood then you'll write something about any trip you do anyway, whether it's for acclamation, appreciation or information. And there's always the possibility of the tail wagging the dog; where the trip is planned and justified by the requirements of the book; a journey simply to tie up lose literary ends. Just after Christmas I'm heading off for a month or so on my 125 to finish off a saga I started in 2013. I've just got to decide how much effort to put into the photographs (iPhone or a crate full of DSLRs?) and then come up with a snappy title. One way or another though I'll be putting the last full stop in place by late spring. Whether anyone will ever read the result is another matter.