Here’s an interesting piece called “A Job With Travel but No Vacation,” by Warren St. John, about the realities of being a guidebook writer. It’s a well done article, though the part about $100,000 avances is certainly a typo.
“Many underestimate exactly how much work goes into making a guide book,” said Jay Cooke, an editor for Lonely Planet. “Some potential authors think it would be fun to travel and get paid for it. But they’re expected to write tens of thousands of words. It’s a big, big job, and it goes far beyond journal keeping on a beach somewhere.”