My WIP book about Red Robbo, and Longbridge stuff.

6,769 · June 20

Is this becoming a trilogy?

12,306 · June 20

4 minutes ago, Snipes said:

Is this becoming a trilogy?

Lord of the oil control rings?

14,321 · June 20

Is there a MartinP on here? Have written a very elaborate joke at his expense, whoever he is.

14,321 · June 23

Word count.

21,243 · June 23

19 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

Word count.

Sorry to nit-pick - you've spelt 'Mosley' incorrectly if you mean the politician.

He's also Sir* Oswald - but I'm unsure of the proof-reading convention of the use of this when making reference.

*It was an hereditary title - not one bestowed for any reason.

15,693 · June 23

Why TNR not Ariel?

14,321 · June 24

10 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Sorry to nit-pick - you've spelt 'Mosley' incorrectly if you mean the politician.

It’s nowhere near proof-reader ready yet! Thanks though 👍

14,321 · June 24

8 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Why TNR not Ariel?

iPad default font. Will almost certainly be Ariel when it goes to print.

3,522 · June 24

3 hours ago, motorpunk said:

iPad default font. Will almost certainly be Ariel when it goes to print.

Bring it out with the wrong font & then bring out a Series 2 version a bit later saying that Series 1 was pretty shite...

14,321 · June 24

Book 3/4 written. I'm in the same spot I often arrive at with my writing - money. It's becoming a distraction. Excuse me while I do a bit of a mental unload...

I know what it has cost me to write in terms of time, plus materials (mainly photos), I've paid for, and the travel costs for visiting people and places to put it together. I enjoy all this, it's no problem, but it's quite a sum of money. I now have to pay for the rest of the sleeve art (which I love), pay for a proof-reader, and finally there's the launch event. I get loads of offers of proof-reading but, without sounding ungrateful, they're usually from happy amateurs who don't have the critical eye needed. I have a great proof-reader, and I have to pay him properly (and I want to pay him properly). Perhaps 50% of the royalties for year one for my previous book went on proof-reading and art and images. That's OK, but I'm the author, and need to monetise things a bit better otherwise I'm working at less than cost to create money for other people. I can't really do that any more. I'm lucky that the various magazines I write for will usually give me a free advert or two, to help promote it. The best promotion I had was when I had a PH account and it got mentioned in General Gassing, with a link to buy, and I sold loads of stuff from there. I deleted my PH account some years ago. If I place the link myself on PH it gets flagged and deleted as spam and, for all it's faults, I don't want to take the piss with Pistonheads. Ted, who founded it, is a good friend and fellow BL licker, by the way. So I'm too polite to spam the internet (I'm not on FB, I suspect a link or two on there would help massively), the old forums I enjoyed are mostly dead now, apart from this one and PH, and self-publishing means I have to get smart with promotion. My own website (MotorPunk) is now kaputt as we got sick of paying £££££ hosting fees, even though we had huge traffic at times. I'll stick a link on here to where to buy on Amazon when the time is ready, assuming the mods are happy with that. I still don't know how much to charge. I hate money. I love writing.

And the launch event. The one I did at the Motorist last time (The Weasel) was great, I loved it, and the modest turn-out was OK considering the foul weather and midweek billing. I sold every copy I took with me. They did not charge me for the venue, which was lucky. I could do with another venue but more central to the UK population*. I don't know whether to go balls-out and rent a space at the British Motor Museum which would be perfect. I guess they'd want a grand or two, which leaves me needing to promote and sell tickets (sod that, I am too disorganised), or I just pay for the venue myself and charge people for a copy of the book plus a bit extra to cover venue rental. I'm really after somewhere with a whiff of BL about it, loads of parking, central location, and somewhere that would want a load of people turning up to buy their coffee/merch/other, in return for me using the place for free. FWIW, I hate Caffeine and Machine, although I'm sure lots of trendier people than me love it. Any suggestions?

*Yeah, yeah, you'd love to come but live in Svalbard or something. I'd love to do multiple events around the country but that'll never happen unless I can cover at least some of my costs.

12,306 · June 24

14 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

Book 3/4 written. I'm in the same spot I often arrive at with my writing - money. It's becoming a distraction. Excuse me while I do a bit of a mental unload...

I know what it has cost me to write in terms of time, plus materials (mainly photos), I've paid for, and the travel costs for visiting people and places to put it together. I enjoy all this, it's no problem, but it's quite a sum of money. I now have to pay for the rest of the sleeve art (which I love), pay for a proof-reader, and finally there's the launch event. I get loads of offers of proof-reading but, without sounding ungrateful, they're usually from happy amateurs who don't have the critical eye needed. I have a great proof-reader, and I have to pay him properly (and I want to pay him properly). Perhaps 50% of the royalties for year one for my previous book went on proof-reading and art and images. That's OK, but I'm the author, and need to monetise things a bit better otherwise I'm working at less than cost to create money for other people. I can't really do that any more. I'm lucky that the various magazines I write for will usually give me a free advert or two, to help promote it. The best promotion I had was when I had a PH account and it got mentioned in General Gassing, with a link to buy, and I sold loads of stuff from there. I deleted my PH account some years ago. If I place the link myself on PH it gets flagged and deleted as spam and, for all it's faults, I don't want to take the piss with Pistonheads. Ted, who founded it, is a good friend and fellow BL licker, by the way. So I'm too polite to spam the internet (I'm not on FB, I suspect a link or two on there would help massively), the old forums I enjoyed are mostly dead now, apart from this one and PH, and self-publishing means I have to get smart with promotion. My own website (MotorPunk) is now kaputt as we got sick of paying £££££ hosting fees, even though we had huge traffic at times. I'll stick a link on here to where to buy on Amazon when the time is ready, assuming the mods are happy with that. I still don't know how much to charge. I hate money. I love writing.

And the launch event. The one I did at the Motorist last time (The Weasel) was great, I loved it, and the modest turn-out was OK considering the foul weather and midweek billing. I sold every copy I took with me. They did not charge me for the venue, which was lucky. I could do with another venue but more central to the UK population*. I don't know whether to go balls-out and rent a space at the British Motor Museum which would be perfect. I guess they'd want a grand or two, which leaves me needing to promote and sell tickets (sod that, I am too disorganised), or I just pay for the venue myself and charge people for a copy of the book plus a bit extra to cover venue rental. I'm really after somewhere with a whiff of BL about it, loads of parking, central location, and somewhere that would want a load of people turning up to buy their coffee/merch/other, in return for me using the place for free. FWIW, I hate Caffeine and Machine, although I'm sure lots of trendier people than me love it. Any suggestions?

*Yeah, yeah, you'd love to come but live in Svalbard or something. I'd love to do multiple events around the country but that'll never happen unless I can cover at least some of my costs.

No suggestions sadly (not my world) but keep up the good fight! I've just spent two hours writing a small article I've been asked for to go in small car club magazine. Bearing in mind writing for me is filling a job card out. My mind is now in bits. Can't begin to think what writing a book is like!

Certainly in terms of weasel, it reads like a good novel, which in my opinion is how all the best non fiction books read. I like facts but they are quite dry and your style makes a niche interest more accessible to people who may not have been interested in the subject matter.

There must be a wider market based on that. Sorry I don't know how to access it mind 😄

7,319 · June 24

Central (ish)location,whiff of BL?Great British Car Journey?

12,306 · June 24

13 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

Central (ish)location,whiff of BL?Great British Car Journey?

Good one. And he now owns Aronline as well. So possibility of free advertising on there?!?

14,321 · June 24

30 minutes ago, Matty said:

Good one. And he now owns Aronline as well. So possibility of free advertising on there?!?

He does? Richard? I know him of old. I shall try that.

Also got a lead on a great motoring-flavoured pub (can't say where, yet).

7,319 · June 24

8 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

He does? Richard? I know him of old. I shall try that.

Also got a lead on a great motoring-flavoured pub (can't say where, yet).

There's certainly a lot of Red Robbo stuff on ARonline.Whilst I was incapacitated early in the year,I went down a lot of rabbit holes.

3,522 · June 24

Ever considered contacting a few of the BMC/BL car clubs out there ? A fair few folk who own cars from them might be interested in a book linked to the company & all its problems. I can't see many folk who own say an Allegro or Maxi not having even a passing interest. Not sure how much that would cost though if they'd want money for the advert/plug?

Could any of the guys on here who perhaps have YouTube channels give you a plug maybe ? That would reach a wide audience.

1,099 · June 24

Another +1 for Great British Car Journey, just driving past that place gives me the aura of a 1970s BL Strike 😅
Another plus is it is only 3mins down the road from the workshop of @Jikovron, so if anyone needs a 'shite fix they can find something to look at in the yard🙈

For proof reading, Looks like you're sorted on that front, but if not, I do know of a (qualified!) proof reader, they have quite a bit of non-work stuff on, but if you were interested I can enquire?

As for promotion, Im sure a few of us belong to other forums where we can mention the book(s). How about getting another video out on youtube in the same place as your last couple? 😉

1,416 · June 24

Studley Castle?

Chateau Impney?

Both famous BL launch locations. Probably Studley more so.

1,416 · June 24

If you're still in the motor trade, then there is the beautiful HQ of the Institute of Motor Industry in Brickendon, Hertfordshire.

9,986 · June 24

Could you promote it at car shows? FoTU and Rustival both have stages - be interviewed/have a chat about it then flog copies afterwards?

14,321 · June 24

55 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

If you're still in the motor trade,

I’m not. Day job is in renewables!

15,693 · June 24

3 hours ago, R Lutz said:

Studley Castle?

Chateau Impney?

Both famous BL launch locations. Probably Studley more so.

I did a Unipart corse at Studley, 50 odd years ago (and a great shag)

3,349 · June 24

I think Chateau Impney is closed, rather bizarrely.

Edit - has been shut since coronavirus.

The owners talk some guff about re-opening it, conditional on - no surprise here - planning permission for a ‘village’ of 125 houses in the grounds being granted, and I suspect the local council have told them to FRO. I wouldn’t link to a Reach website, because I’m a good person, but Birmingham Live has an article about this plan from 2022.

45,046 · June 25

21 hours ago, Sunny Jim said:

Could you promote it at car shows? FoTU and Rustival both have stages - be interviewed/have a chat about it then flog copies afterwards?

Talking of shows, and one with a big BL audience, is Pride of Longbridge. The next one will probably be in April 2026.

14,321 · June 26

12,306 · June 26

4 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

Shadow makes it look about 6 inch thick! War and Peace 😄

2,637 · June 26

So let me get this straight, you have a day job, write books, post on here and go up pikes peak?

How do you find the time? 😆

45,038 · June 26

How do we purchase the book? (looks great btw)

14,321 · June 26

4 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

So let me get this straight, you have a day job, write books, post on here and go up pikes peak?

How do you find the time? 😆

In the last month I’ve been to US, London, Paris, also went offshore in the Mediterranean for work (climbed large marine structure, got home at 4am), started redecorating my house, I have three kids, I fixed the Fiat, and also wrote three magazine articles. Thanks for asking! I just love writing. That’s my favourite thing.

I do lots of things very quickly and to a very poor standard is the quick answer.

14,321 · June 26

42 minutes ago, HMC said:

How do we purchase the book? (looks great btw)

It will be on Amazon when I’ve finished writing it! Thanks.

There’ll also be a launch event somewhere so I can draw a cock and balls on each copy in person.

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My WIP book about Red Robbo, and Longbridge stuff.

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