Once upon a time authors, like me, communicated with their readers by using the written word on the printed page. Some of us also give talks and lectures, of course, and radio and television provided other enablers for the lucky few who have access to these mediums. Then along came audio books and ebooks, both of which allowed new ‘channels to market’ as we were able to reach out to previously untapped audiences, and then, promoted during the awful years of the pandemic, the arrival of podcasts, which have undoubtedly created new audiences for many of us. I can only look back on twenty years of writing (during which I’ve written 18 of my own books, ghosted another and edited two others) as being a period in which modern technology has consistently helped and improved the access I have to new and enlarging audiences (and, as a result, has revolutionised my sales). As a writer I am essentially a story-teller, and the more avenues I can find to tell my stories the better.

Which is why I am excited about the arrival of guidl. It’s a new digital platform that enables writers and story-tellers, published or otherwise, to create short audio-snapshots of places that are important to them. Every single book I write is about people and places. Indeed, I suspect this is the same for most writers. guidl (always a lower case ‘g’) is one of those fabulous new technologies which has given me another avenue to introduce and express myself, allowing me to take some of those places and describe them briefly to an audience. I’ve already created 12 guidl tours on the guidl app. And I can see a time when every Osprey author publishes their book, gets an e-book, some also an audio book, but also creates a related ‘guidl tour’ covering those places they’re bringing to life through the written word, to further promote their work to and engage with their audiences – to both parties’ benefit and delight.

And, what’s in it for listener? Well, how many times have you gone to a new place and, seeing a new building, monument, house or space for the first time, have asked yourself, ‘I wonder what the history of this place is?’ guidl’s wonderful app allows a Creator to explain these places to listeners in a simple, easily consumable way. Each guidl is short, no more than 10-minutes long, although the Creator can add a whole series of guidls together to make a tour of an area or place. Though don’t be deceived: this isn’t simply a re-wrapped audio tour. Listeners don’t have to go in one direction, and listen in a prescribed way. Instead, guidl allows them to pick and mix their listens. As a user of the guidl app, I can now pop out at Charing Cross station, for example, and listen to a 3-minute explanation of Nelson’s Column by the exciting young historian Alex Churchill, and much more besides.

And then the real revolution with guidl? It’s that anyone who has something to say about a place can register with the team at www.guidl.tours and become a Creator. It’s an exciting new way of creating, engaging and growing audiences for creators of all stamps, historians, guides and informed amateurs, and a new place for listeners to follow their favourite authors through another medium or discover entirely new expert talent, as they hear the world around them brought to life in a new way – on-location, or from the comfort of their home.

This is the new revolution in story-telling, and I’ve enjoyed embracing it. I encourage you to give it a go yourself by downloading the guidl app from the app stores and/or signing up at www.guidl.tours to become a guidl Creator today.

Dr Robert Lyman is a writer and historian. His latest book, written with General Lord Dannatt, Victory to Defeat, The British Army 1918-1940, provides a compelling narrative of the decline of an army from the triumph of victory in 1918 to defeat in 1940 and why this happened, and serves as a salutary warning for modern Britain. He’s currently writing a new book with Lord Dannatt on the Korean War, 1951-53. Robert is also CEO of guidl, the brand-new app enabling authors, historians and experts to complement their writing and engage listeners with compelling audio content. This free-to-use digital platform allows authors to create geo-located audio experiences, or ‘guidl tours’, linked to their written word, and allows listeners to literally “walk the ground” of sites mentioned in their favourite author’s work.

So whether it’s Tom Holland’s tour of Roman London shared on the publication of Pax, James Holland’s Monte Cassino tour to accompany his thrilling Cassino ‘44 – or many others’ work brought to life through an audio tour linked to locations from their writing, the guidl app introduces authors to a new audience of listeners (and makes them money from every download), and listeners to a new treasure trove of listening pleasure as they’re led through places by those in the know, and get closer to, and more expert insight from, the voice behind the pen.

Dr Robert Lyman MBE FRHistS