The life of an expat writer in Thailand

Thai book stand

A book stand in Thailand. Photo: ruben i / Flickr Creative Commons

Since the glory days of Ernst Hemingway and Gertrude Stein in Paris, there’s been a certain glamor about being a writer while living abroad. CNNgo had an article about the expat writer scene in Bangkok.

The piece quickly bursts the bubble of starry-eyed dreamers.  The writers interviewed were frank about the state of the industry. John Burdett, author of Bangkok 8, said: “A lot of expat writing on Thailand — fiction and non-fiction — is all about Western, especially male, self-indulgence.”

On the bright side, printing costs are low, so publishers seem more willing to gamble on new authors. In Thailand, there are fewer middlemen between the writer and the distributor. However, writers were quick to caution against trying to make a decent living off of writing alone. This is good advice no matter what country you live in.

Thailand and other destinations are great for inspiring the imagination, so it’s no surprise that travelers turn to writing that’s based on their experiences.

What places got you excited to write about them? Share your experiences in the comments.

Posted by | Comments (1)  | October 8, 2010
Category: Asia, Expat Life, Notes from the collective travel mind


One Response to “The life of an expat writer in Thailand”

  1. ExpatNode.com | Blog | Expat News for Friday October 8, 2010 Says:

    […] » The life of an expat writer in Thailand :: Vagablogging :: Rolf … The writers interviewed were frank about the state of the industry. John Burdett, author of Bangkok 8, said: “A lot of expat writing on Thailand — fiction and non-fiction — is all about Western, especially male, self-indulgence.” … https://www.vagablogging.net/ — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 10:10:17 -0700 […]