my article in climbing

Post by **merrick** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:52 pm

Climbing magazine just posted my article on their website. So for all of you who were too lazy to go out and get a copy or just can't wait to read it again you can now go to:

http://www.climbing.com/print/features/moroccangold246/

Hey if nothing else it beats actually working...

Post by **Toad** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:00 pm

Very Cool!

But, is that REALLY mint tea in that last photo?

Post by **Wolf** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:11 pm

That is very cool. I remember that article, and it was good. Didn't you make the cover? How did you get them to publish it? Did you write the article then send it to them and sell it, or did they hire you to write an article about climbing in Morocco? Awesome job.

Post by **Yasmeen** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 5:45 pm

Thanks for posting that, Merrick. That was a fantastic read. I couldn't find the goat in the picture, though... was that like one of those 3D stare-at-it-for-awhile-and-you'll-see-it things?

Post by **Saxman** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:09 pm

Any chance of letting us read the unedited version?

Post by **RRO** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:47 am

I thought he had posted it somewhere.

Post by **merrick** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 3:38 pm

I posted one section of the unedited article here:
http://www.redriverclimbing.com/viewtopic.php?t=6345

as for the rest I might at some point post that. While I was working with my editor at climbing we cut about 50% of the text off of the story but we also condensed some sections.

If people are really interested I could post the whole thing.

Regarding the tea, it was mint tea but it was so full of sugar it would qualify as an upper.

Regarding the goat, it actually is not in the picture but is was up on the cliff.

Regarding how the project came about,: My friend Aaron Black, who was the photographer has a pretty extensive relationship with Climbing. He and talked about doing the article and then queried Climbing about whether it would be something they were interested in. They were, so we went ahead with it. However, they did not commit to picking up the article, they just said that it was something that they would consider publishing and that they were looking for Africa related content.

Part of the success of the article was that we talked with the editors to get a sense of what they were looking for, the article was structured and patterned after other climbing article projects, it was in the right range of words, and came packaged with a series of high quality photos. having an inside relationship certainly helped as well.

I am glad you guys are enjoying it.

Post by **Yasmeen** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 3:58 pm

I didn't get to read that extra piece when you first posted it, Merrick, so thanks for linking to it again. That's crazy!