Full-time trader in UK seeks others to interview for book project

Discussion in 'Hook Up' started by rgthomas, Jul 17, 2009.

  1. rgthomas

    rgthomas

    SUMMARY:
    I am writing a book based on interviews with full-time (or largely full-time) private investors and traders in the UK. I am posting here to try to attract more interviewees. If you think you might be prepared to be interviewed, please reply below or email me through my profile or PM me. UK only please.


    DETAILS:
    This is not a ‘how-to’ book or a ‘get-rich-quick’ book, but more of a journalistic profile of the working methods and lifestyles of a few people who trade their own money. Analogies among books currently in print might be Jack Schwager’s Market Wizards books, or John Train’s Money Masters books, but my book is about private investors rather than pros.

    Another difference from Market Wizards and Money Masters is that in my book **all interviewees are anonymised.** Each interviewee is identified by a single (disguised) name (‘Hugh’, ‘Neil’, ‘Janet’, etc). Home towns, previous careers, family details and other information are also changed or left vague.

    The interviewees need to be people who spend much of their time on trading or investment, and have done so for at least say 5 years. You don’t have to be wildly successful or well-known. People who make a modest living quietly doing their own thing are especially interesting.

    I don’t need (and won’t ask for) any detailed information about portfolio size, investment returns or other personal financial details. The criterion for inclusion is simply that interviewees claim (in a way which I find reasonably credible) to make a living from their strategies.

    There is a fuller description of the book here

    http://tinyurl.com/mutfd9

    And a sample chapter on the first interviewee ‘Hugh’ is here

    http://tinyurl.com/lqzwyk

    I am not a journalist, I am a full-time investor myself, and have been for the past ten years. So hopefully the interview will be more of a fun discussion, rather than a series of uninformed standard questions.

    What do the interviewees get out of it? Well, as just mentioned, most find the interview enjoyable. I’m also willing to make a donation to a charity of your choice in lieu of payment for your time.

    If you’re interested, please reply below or email me through my profile or PM me. UK only please.
     
  2. This is absolutely pathetic. You have no background on ET, and are going to publish "anonymized" interviews of people who "claim" to be traders.

    Almost all traders on ET who claim success do so on paper; or else confuse backtests or "6 weeks of consecutive profit" with being a fulltime trader.

    This is similar to Market Wizards??? Written about well-known traders by a well-known author??? I think you are really seeking to write a joke book...
     
  3. lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    dr. who?
     
  4. rgthomas

    rgthomas

    Well thanks for telling me what you think.

    I think there are serious disadvantages to publishing real names in a book about private traders or investors.

    Charlatans with a "system" to sell will be attracted by publicity. And serious investors who have made a lot of money quietly - the people who I want to interview -will be put off. (At least, they will in the UK. People who make a lot of money from investment here don't tend to shout about it.)

    Did you read the linked interview with 'Hugh'? The guy has 5 or 10% of several quoted companies. Anyone who really wants to could verify who he is.

    As for <i>"anonymized" interviews of people who "claim" to be traders</i>...welll, have you ever heard of Edwin Lefevre? The journalist who in 1923 published a fictional biography claiming to be a famous trader, with the title...you <b>have</b> heard, haven't you?
     
  5. You mean a disadvantage like the truth? WHy not just make it up? No difference than what you are doing. You willnot get anyone to publish
     
  6. rgthomas

    rgthomas

    I am not worried about finding a publisher.

    Why not make it up? Because that wouldn't be interesting.

    As the outline says, I am not doing this to make money.

    I am doing it because I find it's interesting to talk with other people who have made a fortune from financial markets.

    Are there any of them here?
     
  7. rgthomas

    rgthomas

    The book is now published

    <b>Free Capital: How 12 Private Investors Made Millions in the Stock Market</b>

    <i>"This book profiles 12 private investors. Each of them has accumulated £1m or more – in most cases considerably more – mainly from stock market investment. Six are ‘ISA millionaires’ who have £1m or more in a tax-free Investment Savings Account (ISA), a result which is arithmetically impossible without exceptional investment returns.

    The profiles cover the 12 investors’ backgrounds and how they first became interested in the investment; the insights and techniques which made their stock market fortunes; and how they manage their money now. By highlighting the role of the each investor’s personality and career background in shaping their investment style, this book will help readers to identify a style which plays to their own strengths."</i>

    Read Chapter One FREE here http://www.guythomas.org.uk/investment/freecap.php

    Amazon reviews and sales here http://amzn.to/eofLJ3
     
  8. Pekelo

    Pekelo

    Congrats for the book!

    I wonder, why UK only? It would have been interesting to see different nationalities' approach to the same problem, making money from the markets. I am sure jumping over to the Continent or 1 week in the US wouldn't have hurt your savings, specially since you are a successful investor...

    Maybe you were just too lazy to travel? Could have done phone/Skype interviews...
     
  9. rgthomas

    rgthomas

    I know I implied UK only when starting the project 21 months ago above, but in the end it wasn't.

    3 of my 12 subjects were resident outside the UK...in Hong Kong, Sweden and Switzerland.
     
  10. rgthomas

    rgthomas

    Free Capital has been No 1 investment book at Amazon UK for the past week. Some reviews:

    Investors Chronicle:

    "...a compelling read...You could learn a lot from this dazzling dozen..."

    "...definitely the best investment book that has crossed my desk for some time."
    Full text here http://bit.ly/mSUPKL

    Stockopedia:

    "At last,a true to life account of UK investing...highly recommended reading..." Full text here http://bit.ly/mORG6X

    Motley Fool:

    “Something of a future investment classic in my view" Full text here http://bit.ly/iYXyuW
     
    #10     May 12, 2011