Writing a Guidebook – from a Kid’s Perspective
People often ask if I actually explored EVERY single place in Exploring Austin with Kids. "Yep – and some!" I answer. Always with kids too. Sure, sometimes I would scope out places ahead of time. But I found that I needed to see a place through their eyes to truly test whether it was kid-friendly – and in what ways. Often, what I thought was cool (outdoor art pieces along winding trails that lead to a pond) wasn’t always what attracted their attention (catching frogs in the pond! Now that’s a sculpture park!).
I also needed to see whether the effort to research, pack up, and travel with kids in tow still made the place worth the visit.
I recently flipped through some of my journals where I jot notes, quotes, and observations. If you've ever wondered what it’s like exploring 125+ places for a guidebook from a kid’s perspective, here’s a glimpse in their words:
While working on the new Places to Eat section:
“Sure seems like we’ve been eating out a bunch lately.”
When we hit the trail section of the book:
>“What are we doing this weekend? Oh no! Another hike?!? Mommmm….”
Upon publication:
“How much of the book will I get paid? You should charge more for all this work!"
The experience has been priceless.
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