Thomas Kohnstamm book: Do Travel Writers Go To Hell (Lonely Planet)

I've just finished reading this book and it appears that there are enough concerns to ensure that Thomas's guidebook writing career is over, although LP may be overreacting a bit as well. I think that it wouldn't have been such a bit deal if LP didn't react to the book, which ultimately created enough press coverage to discredit parts of the guidebook industry. It is not a particularly well-written book and probably wouldn't have sold that well without the controversy surrounding it.

In the book he doesn't talk about plagiarising although halfway through the book he does start taking freebies, which I am sure LP aren't happy about.

I would never take freebies and I don't let any author working for me to take them. In fact I find any hostel manager that offers me a free night a bit dodgy and subconciously it makes me dig up a little dirt on the hostel and they end up with a slightly more scathing review than they would get otherwise.

I think it is wrong that Thomas would consider taking free accommodation. In the whole scheme of things, accommodation is not a major expense anyway. Although he shouldn't work undercover either. I find that I get better information when I say that I work for a guidebook, I find out about seasonal fluctuations in prices, new additions, seasonal closures, organised events like sunday barbecues, and other things that I wouldn't find out if the hostel staff didn't know that I was writing a guide. Hostel staff are also a really helpful source of information about transport, sightseeing and places to eat and drink; there is nothing wrong about asking hostel staff for their opinions as long as you get a second opinion. I don't think LP really expect their authors to be undercover anyway, otherwise they wouldn't give them business cards.

LP and other general guide publishers like Frommers, Footprint and Rough Guides ask an awful lot of their writers. I think it is much more difficult to research a guide when you look at a broad market and write for everything from backpackers to business travellers. There is also a lot of extra work when you are expected to eat in all the local restaurants and visit the local museums and other attractions; not to mention writing sections on history and environment issues. LP (and Moon) make things even harder by asking their authors to write everything in a special code (it's a bit like writing a guidebook in HTML).

Maybe LP aren't happy with Thomas mentioning how much he gets paid, but LP actually pay more than most guidebook publishers. I once read how a Frommers author was paid $900 to research part of their Japan guide (a payment that would barely cover the author's airfare). We pay slightly less than LP, but I think the work is easier since it is just a guide for backpackers so most of the work is reviewing hostels.

Also Thomas was a bit unprepared for the job. He should have spent at least a week or two doing background research before he even set foot on the plane; but instead he parties in Rio for a few days and doesn't start work until his third or fourth day in the country.

I think the bit about dealing drugs is unacceptable and I was frankly surprised that drugs were such a big part of the scene in South America (or maybe that is just Thomas's view from the people that he hung out with).

In addition to being sidetracked with dealing drugs and getting laid, he must have also spent a lot of his time taking notes for this book. Perhaps he wouldn't have felt so rushed if he took the job seriously, came to Brazil prepared and got stuck into his work right away.