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Looking for a prospective guidebook author?
Are you looking for someone to author a guidebook to Malta - or elsewhere - either a single author, or someone to write part of the guidebook? Or you’re looking for a photographer to take on a photo-shoot for a guidebook, or perhaps somewhere to source travel stock for a guidebook or other similar project? Then I may be your person - I’ll explain here my scope of expertise and limitations to avoid wasting your time and mine in raising false or unrealistic hopes.
To start with, the author’s profitability from guidebooks nowadays is so limited that I will only consider writing guidebooks to places I could define as my ‘backyards’ - that’s plural, as I indeed have more than one base.
One of those bases is Malta, and the one country where I keenest about in writing a guidebook. I have written five guidebooks to Malta and Gozo, but none of them are active now - a new edition to my most recent guidebook has been shelved as the publisher flounders. Yet my research notes on Malta are second to none: I have simply done the most extensive and deepest research about all aspects of Malta travel better than anyone else in the industry, past or present. I have been researching travel in Malta for twenty years, and I continue to do so by regularly writing about Malta travel and culture. I am the Malta contributor to Emirates Airline magazines (Open Skies and Portfolio), and I write at least one article per issue to the magazine of the Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association, a magazine called Guide Me that is distributed free of charge to all hotel rooms in Malta. I am also involved in other work in regards to Malta travel, and all this work ensures that my research about all aspects of Malta travel remains up to date.
Bolstered by these two buttresses - an accumulation of research accrued over twenty years and continuous new research about emerging aspects of Malta travel for my current magazine articles - means that I remain Malta’s prime travel writer by far: I can write about Malta travel, and I can write a guidebook to Malta, better than anyone else in the industry.
In terms of photography, I have the largest single collection of Malta travel stock in existence. This includes pictures of all major museums and historical sights (I am the only photographer who has Property Releases for a whole array of pictures shot in all major state-controlled museums and historical sights). If you require any travel stock of Malta to fill up any needs in your guidebook or project, I am more than likely to have the kind of picture you’re searching for. I also continue to shoot more and more pictures, in conjunction with my current magazine writings.
Additionally, I am also open for assigned Malta photo shoots: I can shoot a list of subjects for your guidebook or project on assignment. I have done two of these projects in the past, one for my latest guidebook to Malta (in that case I wrote the text and also shot all the pictures in the picture list), and I also did the photo shoot on assignment (the picture list had 300 subjects) for an illustrated book to London.
You can see some examples of my photography in the Picture Galleries, and examples of writings from my guidebooks in some of these pages - an entire chapter from my latest guidebook, or an essay about Maltese architecture.
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Aside from Malta, I would be eager to consider writing guidebooks, whether short or long, or sections of guidebooks - any sections, whether accounts or special boxes, or even only listings or city guides - for the other geographical areas where (1) I have already accumulated an impressive array of research, (2) I have already travelled in extensively, (3) I continue to travel there on varied assignments.
For a list of these countries, and ways to contact me, please see the About My Work page.
Readers Commendations
I have received hundreds of letters and emails of commendations from readers. Below are a few excerpts from a cross-section of the letters:
“Victor Paul Borg’s guidebook rapidly acquired the worthy soubriquet ‘The Book which Never Lies.’ Other guests in the hotel soon clocked that we were finding more interesting places than them – and that we were better informed. Around our breakfast table a hushed group would gather to witness the daily ceremony, as Victor’s wit and straight-ahead descriptions responded to what sayeth the great book which never lies today, o master?” From John S Milne, Essex, England.
“I recently went on holiday to Malta and took me with your excellent guide. I found it very rich with info on all aspects of the island and its food etc. It was very helpful in deciding which places to go to, and the info on sights.” From V Whitehead, Milton Keynes, England.
“We just returned from a three week stay in Malta and Gozo, and couldn’t have done it without your guide. It was a great travelling companion, as its weathered pages would attest to.” From Julie and Mac Barnett.
“Having lived in Malta for about five months, I can vouch for the quality of this book. It definitely beats all the other guides out there.This book includes a thorough section on Maltese history and culture, plus a list of other books if you want to learn more. As for the travel sections, it's replete with useful information, including details about admission costs, opening hours, bus routes, places to stay and eat, how to get there (not always easy), and where to go have fun in the sun. The maps are great, and it's also got a lot of useful information about Gozo and Comino, the beautiful neighboring islands 30 minutes by boat from Malta itself.” From Stephen Jesse Taylor, Kentucky, USA
“This guide to Malta & surrounding islands is full of facts, details, and helpful hints - it’s the guidebook to stick in your pocket when you head out into the street.” From Stephen McHenry, Olney, MD, USA
“I’ve just returned from Malta and wanted to commend your guidebook – it was really informative.” From Nicola Gilbert
“This is easily one of the best guides I have ever read.” From Dr J Bradford Robinson, Landsberg, Germany.
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