A story often starts long before the first word is written. Sometimes it begins with a photograph, a conversation, a ridiculous travel mishap or a sentence scribbled on the back of a receipt.

When The Hubby and I decided to go off on a 12-month trip around the world, we didn't know if we'd last the distance, come home early, or in fact not come home at all. Everything was a bit up in the air and we only booked what we needed to get an entry visa for the country we were heading to.

So as we were planning the trip, people kept saying, "you'll keep in touch with where you are, won't you?" Yes I thought, and then looked at what the best way would be to do this. My initial thought was Facebook. But then I doscovered a number of family and friends didn't use Facebook. Some were only on WhatsApp, some only on LinkedIn, some on no social-type platforms at all. So rather than have to post photos and updates on multiple different sites plus email etc, I thought there must be an easier way.

What eventuated was a blog - The Travelling Trappies. I made 2-4 posts a month the whole time we were away. This was an ideal way to write everything once then I could just post the link. It was also a great way of keeping a record of our travels that we could keep forever. What came out of this was not a travel guide as such, more like a travel memoir, written in my voice. I wrote it for friends and family and shared it with people we met along the way who were interested in what we were doing. This blog became the story...

I thought why not turn this into a book? How hard could it be? I've already got the content and I've always been a writer. My job as a communications specialist requires lots of writing and I've done many writing and photography courses over the years.

Turning a blog into a book is not as easy as you might think. Turning 3,000 words into 50,000 words without repeating yourself or boring your readers, takes a bit of a rethink. So rethink it I did and Not Your Average Gap Year was what came out of it. A light-hearted, easy-read novel, ideal for reading on the plane, by the pool or on a wet weekend.

The other half of this writing endeavour is a childrens series, led by Teddy Trappitt. Teddy Trappitt has been an important part of the family since not long after I was born and The Hubby decided we should bring him along on the trip. What has come out of this is Teddy's own book - a treasure hunt around the Americas (with other destinations to come).

These are two completely different types of writing and I did a lot of research, audience analysis, and roped in family, friends and loose aquaintances to read and provide feedback. Many iterations later, you have what you will soon see here.

The next thing you have to look at is publishing. Do you self-publish or try and get a publishing deal. There are pros and cons for both approaches and ultimately which way is better for you, depends on your situation and preferences. But if you want a sounding board, some advice or a bit more help, get in touch.