Writing a geocaching book

[+writer]

I've just agreed to write a book on geocaching. I'm interested in talking to people about all aspects of geocaching: playing, choosing locations, great stories, organizing geocaching groups, etc. You can reach me at esherman@reporters.net.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Keep us up to date on the progress of the book. I sent you an e-mail /Oldest benchmark hunter. Thanks good luck with the book. GF0991 HAPPY GEOTRAILS

 

When all else fails Geotry again.

[+Planet]

best research would be to get out there and start caching!

 

Cache you later,

Planet

 

I feel much more like I do now than when I first got here.

[Rubbertoe]

I'm trying to imagine what someone could write about, that I couldn't go out and experience myself... or at least read about here in the forums.

 

The Toe Pages

[+Seesthewind and Lavamama]

Despite the above comment by Rubbertoe, I think a book on geocaching is a very good idea. If comprehensive and well written, I would certainly buy such a book for friends and relatives who have expressed an earnest interest in geocaching but haven't yet taken the plunge.

 

Ideally, a book about geocaching would be a primer for newbies as well as an informative and entertaining handbook for experienced geocachers. It would be great if your prospective book was on the order of "Be Expert With Map & Compass" by Bjorn Hjellstrom. BEWMAC (as it's commonly called) is a 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", high quality "trade" paperback containing 200+ pages. In my opinion, style, organization and level of detail similar to BEWMAC would be highly desirable for a guide or handbook for geocachers and would-be geocachers.

 

Your topic starter suggests that your book would cover all aspects of geocaching. Would "all" include coverage, however brief, of topics such as basic compass skills, map reading, safety and geocaching etiquette? Would it also cover, to some degree, the somewhat related activities of letterboxing, orienteering, benchmark hunting and the Degree Confluence Project?

 

As you indicate in your starter, you would like to talk to people about “great [geocaching] stories”. There are lots of those! Check out the discussion forum called “The Hunt / The Unusual” under the heading “Geocaching Adventures”. Hopefully, your book would also include “Geocaching Humor, Wit and Inspiration”. See my topic by that name in the “General” forum. In addition to clever signature lines and avatars, you will find that many of the posts to the discussion forums contain considerable wit, pith and humor.

 

I presume that your book would also address the negative aspects of geocaching. These would include the real or perceived impact on the environment, the animosity and enmity of some non-cachers (i.e., private landowners, public agencies and enviro-whackos) and the lack of geocaching etiquette (or worse) practiced by an unknown percentage of geocachers.

 

I'm sure that lots of geocachers would be willing to give you input for your book; however, as Planet indicated above, the best way to learn about geocaching is to geocache. Are you a practicing cacher or do you intend to become one?

 

For what it’s worth, here is a link to the Geocaching section of my website: http://www.seesthewind.com/geocaching.htm. Perhaps you'll find something there that would be of help to you. You'll find that quite a few geocachers have websites dedicated to geocaching or geocaching sections in their personal websites.

 

I apologize for the length of this post. But hopefully it conveys my interest in and enthusiasm for your writing project. Good luck.

 

 

I'm out of my mind right now but you can leave a beep after the message.

[+DirtRunner]

Why has he agreed to write a book if he has never done it before? Who would commission such a book from a person with no experience? An article I could understand, but a whole book?!??

 

No, this does not sit well....

 

No sir, I don't like this at all

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[+raouljan]

Those who can, do.

Those who cannot, teach (or in this case write a book)

 

But seriously folks...

How could this guy possibly experience all the diversity of geocaching? He'd have to do it for years and years... and the book would never get written. I greatly admire anyone that can actually write a book..

 

But "writer", $99 for a yellow eTrex is not a lot of money to invest in "getting the facts straight" about the basic mechanics of the game.

 

Get out there and find a few caches, then collect you stories and write the book. If a "real" geocacher picks up your book and finds some basic technical flaws... well... I do not predict good reviews.

 

Just my $.02 - posted IMHO

 

>Personally Responsible for the Recovery of .00244% of the Benchmark Database!<--watch this number!

[+Brokenwing]

For those that want more info on Mr. Sherman:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/esherman/

 

Scott / Brokenwing

 

-There's a thin line between geocaching and walking in circles like an idiot.-

[+bigredmed]

I agree, go find a few and then, go develop a cache idea and go hide it. Its a lot of fun, and I doubt that you would be able to write with any authority without atleast that much background.

 

One other piece of advice, we don't need any more throw away books that clutter the shelves of outdoor stores waiting to be bought by unsuspecting customers. They buy the book because they are in need of some advice on a topic only to find the book limited, superficial, and pedestrian. Please try to write something that will be of real value to people. Look at orientation, outdoor skills, first aid, etc to develop a book that will be useful.

 

By appointment to the Court of HRM Queen Mikki I.

[+trippy1976]

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to geocache.

 

--------

trippy1976 - Team KKF2A

[+DirtRunner]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brokenwing:

For those that want more info on Mr. Sherman:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/esherman/

 

http://www.cordianet.com/geocaching/

 

_-There's a thin line between geocaching and walking in circles like an idiot.-_

---

 

How did you find out that this was the writer ? I see nothing in his profile.

 

Why did he not come forward with this information initially instead of skulking about with a alias with nothing in the way of information.

 

Too much cloak and dagger. A man not up front gathers no sympathy for the predicaments he finds himself in.

 

DirtRunner.

 

Your not first...But you could be next.

[+writer]

Yes, of *course* I will be participating - a lot. It would be silly otherwise. I am also an avid hiker and comfortable with compass (underwater even, but that is another story) and topo map.

 

To the person who wondered why I "hid" my identity - I didn't. The email address is a valid one for me, which is how someone found a Web site - though not the current one, which is www.eriksherman.com. (And even that I must bring up to date ... one of these years.) As for wondering about someone using an anonymous handle, that hardly seems unusual here.

 

I do appreciate those making suggestions - first aid was an interesting one. There is enough on orienteering in the world that I don't need to try duplicating it. But I thank one and all for anything that will improve what I am planning.

 

And, yes, there will be enough to make an interesting and useful book. Otherwise I simply wouldn't bother. Writing a book is neither glamorous nor easy, and there has to be some reward beyond a few dollars. This is not something that will make me rich.

[+-=(GEO)=-]

I was also thinking about calendars with a geo-caching theme, something along the lines of the Far Side (whacky geo-humor), or even Hansel Adams (awesome landscapes featuring caches) with coordinates on the flip-side...

 

Just a thought.

Fabien.

[+Brokenwing]

quote:

---

Originally posted by DirtRunner:

How did you find out that this was the writer?

---

 

I just did a Google search on the email address he posted.

 

For what it's worth, I don't think he was trying to hide anything. No one trying to hide would post an email address in an open forum.

 

I posted so that people that didn't think to find out more first would have an opportunity to see who this was.

 

Thanks Mr. Sherman for posting your most current website. For what it's worth, the old one comes up first in a google search. I would think that's something you might want to rectify.

 

Take care,

 

Scott / Brokenwing

 

-There's a thin line between geocaching and walking in circles like an idiot.-

[+AltDotAir]

I guess there will be at least two, but I predict not the last two.

 

== Alt Dot Air ==

[+creagerstonefamily]

Please don't just fill the book with email and forum messages (like The Basset Hound Owner's Survival Guide).

[Cholo]

I checked out writer's site. He seems to be a very good photographer. The Boston street scene begs the title "DNA of a City". I'd love to see some photos of 'found' benchmarks in his area. There is a cache in a building near him. Wonder if the builder of that building is a relation of his?

[+writer]

>> Please don't just fill the book with email and forum messages (like The Basset Hound Owner's Survival Guide). <<

 

That would bore me to tears - though don't take that as a slam on the forum messages. I spent yesterday learning lots of things not to do when on a hunt - and finding out just how determined bramble can be. (I was more determined.)

 

>> I checked out writer's site. He seems to be a very good photographer. The Boston street scene begs the title "DNA of a City". I'd love to see some photos of 'found' benchmarks in his area. There is a cache in a building near him. Wonder if the builder of that building is a relation of his? <<

 

Thanks for the compliment. I will be taking photos of found caches and benchmarks. As for caches near me, the closest is not in a building, but out in the woods. And, no, I have no relations around here that own property.

[Cholo]

quote:

---

Originally posted by writer:

 

As for caches near me, the closest is not in a building, but out in the woods. And, no, I have no relations around here that own property.

---

I did a search of the 02051 zip code and found "Caching at the James", which is 2.8mi W of there. I copied part of the description below. From this you'll see where I got the relation/builder question. The cache contents made me think that this might be right up your alley, so to speak.

The James is one of the finest examples of Victorian Architecture in the Historic District of Norwell.

 

Built by Leander Sherman of North Marshfield, the Italianate design included "Queen Anne style windows, which had not been seen in such novel appearance anywhere in the district". The beautiful new building was dedicated at a service on May 1, 1874, and named in honor of its earliest and most generous contributor, Josiah L. James.

 

The cache contains media related material, Books, Magazines, Cassette Tapes, CD's, Please leave the same.

 

Once inside a clue can be found the old fashioned way, you will know what we mean when you arrive.

[+Criminal]

This has a ring a familiarity to it, markwell?

[+writer]

>> I did a search of the 02051 zip code and found "Caching at the James", which is 2.8mi W of there. I copied part of the description below. From this you'll see where I got the relation/builder question. The cache contents made me think that this might be right up your alley, so to speak. <<

 

I went to and found this cache today, with family tagging along. I can't say much of anything about it without giving away too much, but it was clever, unexpected, and fun. If you get out this way, I'd strongly suggest it.

[+jollybgood]

<>

 

Or maybe three.

 

I started a book about 8 months ago after convincing my company to publish it. But mine's geared toward the gaming market (rpgs). We produce games and comics for the adventure gaming hobby.

 

It's more of a labor of love than anything else. The book deals with using existing caches to create a virtual board game where the caches become spaces on the board and the cache hunter becomes a pawn which moves about the 'board'.

 

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

[nijimasu]

Raouljan:

I resent your remark about teachers (since I am one). You've got the quote wrong- In actuality, it is:

 

"Those who can teach, do.

Those who cannot, do something that a teacher showed them how to do."

 

Writer: Good luck with the book. I'm looking forward to reading it.

[Cholo]

quote:

---

Originally posted by nijimasu:

 

You've got the quote wrong- In actuality, it is:

 

"Those who can teach, do.

Those who cannot, do something that a teacher showed them how to do."

 

.

---

Being close to Thanksgiving, maybe this quote attributed to a Southerner on the abundance of his garden, is appropriate?

"We'll eat what we kin, and what we cain't, we'll can."

[+CYBret]

I for one want to see a two-fisted hero in the geocaching book. Also a jive-talking robot sidekick would be good too. I think you can't go wrong with jive-talking robot sidekicks (two might be nice).

 

Maybe they could go back in time and find the lost cache of the Sierra Madres. I think you're safe doing this because time traveling Geocaching stories is a genre that has not been fully explored yet.

 

Bret

 

P.S. Seriously, I'm looking forward to the book. Best of luck!

[+geospotter]

quote:

---

Originally posted by nijimasu:

Raouljan:

I resent your remark about teachers (since I am one). You've got the quote wrong- In actuality, it is:

 

"Those who can teach, do.

Those who cannot, do something that a teacher showed them how to do."

 

---

 

Actually, it's --

 

"Those who can, do.

Those who can't, teach.

Those who can't teach, teach Phys. Ed."

[G.O. Mental]

geeez....gmta (geocaching minds think alike).

 

i have been working out the details for a possible game and had just decided to try writing a book. glad i found this thread.

 

maybe i can incorporate a book with the game.

 

'when i get bored with geocaching.....BOOOOOOM!.....then i can enjoy my view of venus' - geomarvin

 

[This message was edited by tkalen on August 10, 2003 at 11:50 AM.]

[Wanderingson]

Funny, I should read this thread.

 

I was going to include geocaching in my book on outdoor activities (no, I won't go into specific details here). This natually will be an add in after the rest is compiled and I have many more caching experiences under my belt. At the moment, I am still conducting extensive research and many folks will have references from personal expeirences. Interested in participating, drop me a line. I will not cloud this forum with the nature of my work.

 

Writer, I wish you well, but you do need to cover the basics of land navigation and build from there. Although these high tech geo pointers are great, nothing, and I do mean nothing will ever replace the good ole map and compass skills. ALso, have you ever sat back and wondered about gear, I seem to recall a thread on here about what was in your backpack. Another thought is geosnacks--all of us have our favorite geo-foods. What about setting up a geo-base camp (aka campsite) for those multicache days where you want to cover as many as you can without having to drive back home? I could go on forever, but then I would be taking away from your opportunity of finding additional angles. Might I suggest a simple question/answer type survey and have anyone interested e-mail you for a copy. There are folks in the forums that may flame you for your efforts. This will be my only reposnse to this in this forum, e-mail works on my end for further discussion.

 

"I cache; therefore I am"

[+donbadabon]

I was going to say I saw a book on Geocaching on Amazon already, but looking further, it is from Erik Sherman, who started this thread. It is called 'GeoCaching: Hiding, Hiking and High-Tech". It is available for preorders.

[+Doc-Dean]

Any early reviews?

 

---------------------------------------------------

Free your mind and the rest will follow

[+Team Og Rof A Klaw]

Only the book description:

quote:

---

"GeoCaching: Hiding, Hiking and High Tech" is a guide to the relatively new, and exponentially growing, activity of geocaching. It is a treasure hunting game using handheld GPS (global positioning system) receivers that is now played world-wide. Although invented in May of 2000, there are already hundreds of thousands of people who participate, and that number continues to rapidly grow. "GeoCaching: Hiding, Hiking and High Tech" covers not only the fundamental principles and points of geocaching, but also covers such related topics as wilderness navigation, hiking, and outdoor safety. The reason to buy this book is that it combines "how to" information -- the necessary technical background in GPS, navigation, and hiking, along with some history of the geocaching activity as well as some narrative spots that give readers a sense of why they should get involved. The person who expressed interest in being the technical editor is well regarded in geocaching circles and highly knowledgeable and will ensure that the information is as directed to practical use as possible. This book is a comprehensive guide to geocaching, a leisure activity using GPS technology for a high tech treasure hunt game. It is the only book out on something that has been growing at exponential rates since its introduction in 2000 and that has received wide coverage on television, on radio, and in newspapers and magazines. It is particularly popular with extreme sports and high tech aficionados.

---

I'll wait for video...

 

____________________________

- Team Og Rof A Klaw

All who wander are not lost.

[Micqn]

Get Oregone to write your forward and epilogue.

 

 

Oh Oregone, where art thou?

 

Don't Drink And Park: Accidents Cause People.

[mckee]

Leaving condoms in a cache is worth it's own chapter.

 

[+flask]

what i don't understand is why everyone jumps to the conclusion that mr. sherman has found no caches. if i were writing a book on caching, i'd darn well create a sock puppet to talk about it with.

 

on the other hand, i think many biographers agree to write books about people they've never been. sometimes in order to write a really good piece you have to start from scratch.

 

IF he hasn't cached yet, he has the opportunity to document his beginning as a cacher and pay attention with a writer's eye.

 

if somebody wanted me to write a book about skydiving, i'd start doing it. and reading. and asking questions.

 

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

[+Team Og Rof A Klaw]

quote:

---

what i don't understand is why everyone jumps to the conclusion that mr. sherman has found no caches.

---

I don't. I jump to the conclusion that he's found 34 caches and one benchmark. (All in Massachussetts.)

 

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/default.aspx?A=79197&u=8906000431.

 

____________________________

- Team Og Rof A Klaw

All who wander are not lost.

[SLCDave]

quote:

---

Originally posted by -=(GEO)=-:

I was also thinking about calendars with a geo-caching theme, something along the lines of the Far Side (whacky geo-humor), or even Hansel Adams (awesome landscapes featuring caches) with coordinates on the flip-side...

 

Just a thought.

Fabien.

---

 

Hansel Adams has a sister named Gretel Adams, I think. They wrote a book on hiking through the woods, and tasty old cottages in their area, though I wouldn't buy a book on hiking from 2 people who get lost so easily.

 

Ansel Adams was a great photographer, though I doubt there is any relation

 

"I'm 35 Years old, I am divorced, and I live in van down by the river!" - Matt Foley

[Jeremy]

After several offers for working on a book deal, Groundspeak has agreed to work on one that will be coming out in the spring. We hope to incorporate input from you folks to make it the most accurate and useful book around. I'll let you more details as we get further into the project.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

[+CoronaKid]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jeremy:

After several offers for working on a book deal, Groundspeak has agreed to work on one that will be coming out in the spring. We hope to incorporate input from you folks to make it the most accurate and useful book around. I'll let you more details as we get further into the project.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

---

 

Now that's a book I'd fork some money over for! It would also make a great first finder prize, especially one autographed by the great Jeremy Irish.

 

--CoronaKid

[+CYBret]

I dunno....an instructional book on geocaching could useful...but what if...instead...

 

The story begins with a geocacher out in the woods somewhere in the New England area...far off the beaten path. His GPS is bringing him closer and closer to the cache and he's looking forward to another trade of McToys and golfballs. Suddenly, through the trees he hears a crash followed by a muffled groan. He heads off to investigate and finds a man hanging just above the ground from parachute cords. The man looks dead, but as the geocacher approaches, his head cocks back and he holds one bloodied hand out towards him. The cacher looks at the hand and sees a mini-CDRom.

 

"Here," the man says. "Take this....it's got to be in San Diego by Thursday or all is lost. Whatever you do, don't let it fall into the hands of...of...." and he dies.

 

One disc, one mission, and a network of hidden boxes that spans the country in a race against time to save the fate of the free world.

 

I'd buy that.

 

Any other thoughts?

 

Bret

 

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

[Jeremy]

quote:

---

Originally posted by CYBret:

 

The story begins with a geocacher out in the woods somewhere in the New England area...far off the beaten path.

---

 

Ever see the old Cloak & Dagger movie from Disney? It was a switched video game with top secret data on it. I always thought it would be fun to watch a movie where a geocacher finds what s/he thinks is a cache and enters into a cloak and dagger story line. A bigger twist would be that s/he believes it is part of a difficult multicache. Cloak & Dagger meets The Game.

 

Jeremy Irish

Groundspeak - The Language of Location

[+CoronaKid]

quote:

---

"Here," the man says. "Take this....it's got to be in San Diego by Thursday or all is lost. Whatever you do, don't let it fall into the hands of...of...." and he dies.

 

One disc, one mission, and a network of hidden boxes that spans the country in a race against time to save the fate of the free world.

---

 

Interesting, I'd buy it as well. Maybe the hidden boxes could each contain a rare and valuable McToy. Throughout the book, the hero is being chased by an evil Ronald McDonald clown. The final chapter would involve the hero throwing the clown off a cliff and then placing a beanie baby into a secret slot which will permanently shut down eBay.

 

--CoronaKid

[+Team Og Rof A Klaw]

quote:

---

Maybe the hidden boxes could each contain a rare and valuable McToy. Throughout the book, the hero is being chased by an evil Ronald McDonald clown. The final chapter would involve the hero throwing the clown off a cliff and then placing a beanie baby into a secret slot which will permanently shut down eBay.

---

And the hero runs afoul of a secret society whose recognition signal is to point the index finger under the chin...

 

____________________________

- Team Og Rof A Klaw

All who wander are not lost.

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Which is only indicating the direction to the next clue......................and the plot thickens

 

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS *GEOTRYAGAIN*

 

TAKE PRIDE IN AMERICA

 

http://www.doi.gov/news/front_current.html

 

**1803-2003** "LOUSIANA PURCHASE"

http://www.lapurchase.org

 

"LEWIS AND CLARK EXPADITION"

http://lewisclark.geog.missouri.edu/

Initial Points Page

http://www.True-Meridiansubscribe@yahoogroups.com

[+MaxEntropy]

There's not much that you could put into a how-to type geocaching book, it would be more like a pamphlet.

I'd like to see a travelogue type book, about a guy who goes geocaching in different areas, or who goes out Geocaching with lots of different groups in different areas and relates their stories. Something in a P.J. O'Rouke style would be terrific.

The most fun that you can have Geocaching without actually going out and geocaching is listening to people's stories.

 

Mickey

Max Entropy

More than just a name, a lifestyle.

[+fractal]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jeremy:

... A bigger twist would be that s/he believes it is part of a difficult multicache. Cloak & Dagger meets The Game.

 

Jeremy Irish

---

 

Last year I put on an event cache called The Game. Kinda based on the movie.. It ended up being a pretty fun time! I'll do it again someday. You'll have to come down and join in!

 

-fractal

 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

N 45* 30.ish

W 122* 58.ish

[+O'Clan]

quote:

---

And the hero runs afoul of a secret society whose recognition signal is to point the index finger under the chin...

---

And when the hero is confronted with the evil leader a battle ensues and then...

EVIL LEADER: Opey-One never told you about your father...

HERO: He told me you killed him!

EL: I am your father!

HERO: NOOOOOO! It's impossible!

EL: Search (with GPS) your feelings...

[+Renegade Knight]

It's amazing what they can make into book.

 

"Geocaching for Dummies" comes to mind.

[+BeachBuddies]

quote:

---

Originally posted by -=(GEO)=-:

I was also thinking about calendars with a geo-caching theme, something along the lines of the Far Side (whacky geo-humor), or even Hansel Adams (awesome landscapes featuring caches) with coordinates on the flip-side...

 

Just a thought.

Fabien.

---

 

Interesting idea. Along with great nature photos, you could use visual "puzzle" caches like one I just submitted:

 

Soliltary Confinement

 

-BeachBuddies