Dear Friends and Fellow Expats,
I am currently writing a book called The Expat Syndrome, which deals with the emotional and psychological aspects of moving to a different country, and I would love if you could spend some time contributing your experiences in order to help others who may be going through the same situation.
I have developed a questionnaire that explores the different aspects of life you have most likely encountered, such as how you have dealt with finding employment, financial issues, family, friends and relationships as well as delving into the local culture.
The questionnaire will be anonymous if you wish, and other than the demographic questions (age, gender, etc) none of the fields are mandatory, so you can skip some questions, and concentrate on others which you find most relevant to your situation. The main objective is to find out how these experiences affected you, and made you feel. Try to describe your personal experience in descriptive terms, such as: this made me feel, or I felt this way because….etc.
The questionnaire will be open until 1 November. In return for your time and contribution, I will send you a copy of the eBook once it is published!
To participate, visit this link:
http://www.sogosurvey.com/k/TsRUVQVsRsPsPsP
As some of you know, this project has been a passion of mine for a while now, and I am thrilled to be reaching this stage of the journey with you!
Warm Regards,
Dana Prophet

what is your own expertise, dana prophet ?

how much do we get in % of your royalties?

May I offer a word of advice, (in a genuine friendly manner, it's not intended in anyway to be an attack).

As one who's published several books (small and large), plus a handful of documentary styled articles and automotive columns (not ones here or K440, those are just posts and musings), here's what I suggest. Btw, I'm only referring to my English "works".

Whenever I look for people's input and things to add into my articles and books, I noticed a trend with who's input is most useful and who's isn't. If you post a simple one post "ad" asking for people to contribute, 99% or more of people who can and want to contribute, don't bother. They're busy, they're not articulate, they type slowly, they don't know who you are, they might not know where to start (audience get writer's block too you know), etc etc. In the end, just about everyone with a useful insight stays silent on the call for contributions. All those that are left are those that know how to type and can do so without inhibitions in terms of contributing some material. That equals VERY FEW PEOPLE.

So, essentially, you can to not only give, but lead as well. Here's an example.

When I was writing my article for a local automotive publication in the U.S., I had to get people's opinions (both customer and expert) on hybrid vehicles. However, instead of posting a random facebook message or forum post, I actually went out and would strike up conversations with people. Maybe I am different, but I find just about everyone easy to talk to and genuinely love talking to random people. I'd ask them if they liked their cars, I'd ask why they bought it, I'd have nothing against them in terms of prejudice, I'd just openly and honestly talk, and not only that, I'd offer them something in return. Usually it was for a free oil change (I ran an auto shop), for saying thanks, and I'd usually offer it as a way of showing them I was less of a time waster and more of someone who was genuinely seeking opinions and hoping to contribute to the community in general.

As soon as I:

-Overcame their initial apprehensions of who I was (I introduced myself and told people where I worked right off the bat so they "knew where to find me" so they knew I wasn't hiding or being a kind of covert strange.
-Let them know I was genuinely interested in them as a person
-Assured them I only needed 30 seconds of time (some talked longer if they had)
-Offered the something in return (something that wasn't cheap, meaning I didn't feel like I was being handed a stick of gum or a free brochure)

then people opened up to me and you'll be amazed at the friends I found, just from that one little article. One bloke in L.A. still talks to me on a first name basis, complete stranger when I met him.

So, to me, when I see a simple post like this, I don't know who you are, I don't know what you've written, I don't know anything except that you want me to give you material for your book and nothing else. That's not going to get you many people, if anyone. You might be a nice person, you might be a fantastic writer, you might be the next big thing (honestly, I've seen seemingly nobodies who were amazing at their craft)...but you've got to engage us better as an audience. Offer more, show us your work, show your purpose for your book, show us what you intend to do with our stories and then we'd be a little more inclined to contribute.

As for me, you'll have to dig yourself, but my other username is AK87 on the K440 forums and I've made many posts about my experiences as a businessman (factory manager and part owner of 100 plus person operation) and you are more than welcome to reference me in your book, free of any copyrights/licensing requirements. My name is Akira, I'm 28, I'm hail from Japan, and I'm married to a Khmer/Viet lady. Lived in Cambodia on and off from 2010 to early 2014.

↑ great post, AE86.

Second that. What you written is true according to my experience also.

so essentially he's saying that the "please send me your good expat stories which I will combine and call it an ebook and then reap tiny rewards while other people who actually DID SOMETHING interesting will get nothing" approach, aka being a lazy stupid fucktard that wants to take other ppl's efforts and pawn them off as a book, won't work.

It was typical nice guy of him to say nicely that he should go out and actually DO SOME WORK to get the data for a book.

I'm not so nice and hope he continues on with his lazy fuck approach for years until he's a worn out pauper asking stupid questions about living on the cheap in PP. And then posts about should he marry a bar girl and having his stuff stolen.

StroppyChops wrote:↑ great post, AE86.

flying chicken wrote:Second that. What you written is true according to my experience also.

Agreed! It might be a great protect to be part of but we have no idea who you are, what you've written or what you will do with our stories.