For those of you who have been following Jedidiah Jenkins’ epic bicycle journey from Oregon to Patagonia on Instagram for the last year, you can now contribute to the novel chronicling his journey through a Kickstarter campaign.
The 16 month journey will be documented in the autobiographical account, as will other personal details about the author. Inspired by greats like John Steinbeck and Jack Kerouac, Jenkins’ adventure is not only about self-discovery but about building community and sharing stories. Described as his life’s dream, ‘Oregon to Patagonia: Novel of a Journey’ is ‘On the Road’ for modern times and "a transformative and transitioning generation." By combining exploration and the internet (by appropriately seeking funds via a crowdfunding platform), this pioneering poet will hopefully be finishing this bike touring chapter in 5 months.
Continent-Traversing Cycling Chronicles
Jedidiah Jenkins is Writing Oregon to Patagonia, the Novel
Trend Themes
1. Crowdfunding Memoirs - The success of Jenkins' Kickstarter campaign highlights a growing trend towards crowdfunding for autobiographical works.
2. Narrative Adventure Travel - Jenkins' journey, chronicled in his upcoming novel, showcases a trend towards adventure travel as a means of telling personal stories and building community.
3. Digital Storytelling - Jenkins' use of Instagram to document his journey emphasizes the trend of utilizing social media and other digital platforms to share personal narratives and connect with a wider audience.
Industry Implications
1. Publishing - Opportunities for disruption in the publishing industry exist through the means of self-publishing, crowdfunding and digital storytelling.
2. Tourism - The trend towards immersive, community-building adventure travel creates opportunities for disruptive innovation within the tourism industry.
3. Social Media Marketing - The rise of digital storytelling and the use of platforms such as Instagram illustrate the need for innovative social media marketing strategies.