Sam Heughan reflects on memoir, ‘Waypoints’ in personal conversation at 92NY

Featured Image above courtesy of: Vladimir Kolesnikov/Michael Priest Photography

Sam Heughan, best known as Jamie Fraser on Starz hit Outlander, has expanded himself as an artist in many ways. Heughan has spent time traveling the world, engaging with fans, and is the creator of the My Peak Challenge (MPC), a global movement dedicated to educating and inspiring its members to live healthier and be happier. MPC has raised over $6 million that has gone to a bunch of organizations, from hunger relief to cancer research. Heughan has continued to add to his ever-growing to-do list by previously releasing two books with co-author Graham McTavish, as well as expanding his Sassanech spirits. 

“Waypoints: My Scottish Journey” cover. (Courtesy of Voracious)

However, Heughan, at 42 years old, is about to launch his first memoir, Waypoints: My Scottish Journey, in which he reveals himself in a way he has never done before, saying, “This is not Jamie Fraser, the king of men. This is an actor who thinks he’s playing the role of a hillwalker,” he says. “But I struggled. I almost gave up. I found myself lost on the side of Loch Lomond in the dark. And it wasn’t until I really sort of slowed down and enjoyed the journey that I began to appreciate the trail itself.”

The book was written using a variety of mediums during a solo backpacking trip in Scotland’s West Highland Way. At some points, Heughan scribbled down notes and thoughts, while at other times, he was recording voice memos (which he says are in the hundreds) to help keep track of his thoughts as he reflected on a career of a once struggling actor. Heughan wrote about his life from a young age, the journey, rejection, and the overnight success of Outlander. It’s all of these “waypoints” that have shaped him into the man he is today. The memoir is a mix between personal stories and the tale of an actor’s journey, letting readers peek behind the scenes to read what an actor’s life is like while struggling and what happens after you hit success. Heughan doesn’t shy away from detailing the rollercoaster that comes with both. 

While Heughan has been promoting the book, his big United States debut came at the non-profit 92NY, which hosted: Waypoints: An Evening with Sam Heughan in Conversation with Nojan Aminosharei on October 17. While Aminosharei moderated the conversation, Heughan seemed to talk with a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted from his body as he began to share some personal details for the first time. It was clear Heughan was immensely proud of this book (as he should be).

Courtesy of: Vladimir Kolesnikov/Michael Priest Photography

During the conversation, Heughan said he wanted to go on an adventure and do something personal for himself. Heughan said it was as simple as exploring. “It’s something on my doorstep; it was a challenge. I’ve always thought, ‘oh, why don’t I just do that,’ but I guess these challenges or these walks… because it’s so close to home, you never think, oh, I am going to go out and do that,” he told Aminosharei.

So how did this adventure turn into a book? Well, Heughan told 92NY that while he likes to keep his privacy, after writing his first two books, he wanted to learn more about his family. In doing so, he learned about his father leaving when he was young and things he had never known about his heritage. So although he usually would keep that to himself, he said, “[it] felt like the right waypoint in my life to kind of revisit that and maybe put things to rest as well.” Heughan was looking for peace, and it seemed he found something even better. “It’s interesting because I set off on this solitary journey. I wanted to take time to reflect, and actually, the moments where I met people made the journey way more rewarding.”

Photos below from 92NY Waypoints: An evening with Sam Heughan in Conversation with Nojan Aminosharei, October 17

**To prevent spoilers, we have refrained from releasing our full review of the book and shortened the content from the 92NY conversation. A full review of the book, Waypoints, as well as more coverage from its U.S. premiere from 92NY, will be published sometime after the book’s worldwide release on October 25, but with our advanced copy, we did give it a rating of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5.