There are stories and there are storytellers. A really good story will tell itself with little help. A really good storyteller will make any story come to life. When you travel as much as we do, stories abound. So how do you take them and make them yours?
You don’t need to have some fancy degree to be a good travel writer. If you paid at least some attention in Year 8 English, chances are you already have most of the tools you need to write: show don’t tell; know your audience; write what you know… If any of these ring a bell, you’re already on the right path. Thanks, Ms Gorrie (and every coming-of-age movie that has ever featured a wannabe writer).
I’ve written professionally for over 20 years. And yes, I do have that fancy degree. I can’t discount it because I, of course, did learn things (aside from the cost of laksa from the uni food court). But I’ve learned so much more from 1) writing loads; and 2) reading more. So let me share some of what I know to help you on your writing journey.
Be yourself
There are (and I’m using this word both correctly and knowingly) literally billions of voices in the world. Not all of them have the privilege of being heard. So when you do have that privilege, make sure the voice we’re hearing is yours.
When we write, it can be damn near impossible to not self-censor. We so often write the way we think people want to read. And that will limit you.
If I have found your writing and have made it as far as the first sentence, it means that there is something about you that has resonated. If I wanted a ChatGPT-written guide to Barcelona, I could get that. I want to read you.
That doesn’t mean the piece you’re writing needs to be a first-person account. Your voice will be apparent without that. That said, I do like a first-person narrative (obvs). If I want to read about family travel, I want to know that a person with an actual family is the author. Clearly stating that you’re a travel agent, for instance, lends credence to almost any travel story.
Writing exercise:
Write for 15 or 20 minutes, but you can’t read back what you write until the end and you can’t edit as you go. The goal isn’t a publication-ready piece. It’s to let go of all the concerns and rules that can get in the way of you and your story. Most of what you write may be dross, but there may be a nugget in there you can use.
Write what you know
This one’s an oldie, but as far as I know, Margaret Atwood has never been a child-bearing handmaid in a dystopian future and there’s no evidence to suggest that J. R. R. Tolkien has ever even been to Hobbiton in New Zealand.
What I take from this advice is simple. It means trying to find your way into a story, your take on a destination. I once travelled to a place I not only knew little about but also didn’t really like. And then I had to write about it. My final story didn’t state either of these two things. Instead, I focused on what interested me. In this case, it was a person. From that person, I built a framework for a story about the place. And as a sidenote, writing the story helped me know and understand the place more.
Writing what you know can be as straightforward as writing a guide to a particular place or experience. It can also be writing about a moment of connection between two people. Either way, you need to get to the meat.
Writing exercise:
When you’re travelling, take notes. Not just the facts and details, but how you felt in a place or during an experience. What did it remind you of?
Be honest and open
When you write in your voice, about what you really know, it is an act of bravery. It’s the same with being honest in your writing. We all have commercial considerations, but if you’re not honest, your writing loses credibility. You need to make clear if you were sponsored for a trip (which is easy) or if something’s not great (this is harder).
Writing honestly about an experience can also take your writing to another level. Embrace your flaws and vulnerabilities. Others have them too and will relate. For instance, your fear of water makes the story of your first time swimming with whale sharks all the more powerful.
Writing exercise:
Write about the last time you were brave. How did you feel just before the act? Then write about a time you were brave as a child. What are the similarities?
Be hungry
I get the stories I do because I ask questions. I try different foods. I say yes to opportunities even if they terrify me. A good writer is first and foremost a good live-r (in the non-filtering of alcohol sense. Although…). When you are travelling, or anywhere for that matter, be present in the moment. How else will you remember the details for your story?
Living exercise:
Say yes.
Know your audience
You don’t want your audience holding back your writing, but if the piece you’re writing is a honeymooner’s guide to Fiji, kids clubs should probably not make the cut. So it’s crucial to determine your audience up front.
This will then lead you to consider if the tone of voice in which you’re writing suits that audience. Are you being too casual? Too professional? You also need to ask how much your audience already knows and adjust your content accordingly.
Your readers want to know what’s in it for them. You need to give them what they want or they’ll come away unsatisfied and disappointed. And they may not come back.
Writing exercise:
Write two stories about a destination you know well. One story will be read by a group of experienced travel agents, the other will be written for a novice traveller. How are they different? How are they similar?
Know the rules but don’t mind breaking them
I went to school when the powers that be decided that the best way kids would learn about grammar was through osmosis. This means I can’t tell you why something is wrong aside from a feeling that it’s not. And look how far I’ve come.
There are so many rules we’re taught in writing. My 8-year-old daughter comes home with the same ones I did. But not all the rules are set in stone. For instance, I obviously love a sentence beginning with a conjunction.
If breaking a rule works, then go with it.
Writing exercise:
Write the way people speak. Record a conversation on the bus, transcribe it and continue it, matching the speakers’ patterns of speech. Do they end a sentence with a preposition? Do they speak in fragments? When many people read, they hear their voices in their heads. If your writing is too formal or too clunky it takes them out of the story.
Invoke the senses
This is an extension of the old ‘show don’t tell’ rule. When you tell something, it’s pretty straightforward. It’s factual and can be lacking in detail. When you show something it’s more evocative.
For instance, instead of saying it was cold, talk about the crunch of your footsteps in the snow or the heat of your breath in the air. Limit your use of adjectives.
But remember there’s a line between purple prose and evocative writing. The way to test if you’ve crossed over is simple. If your reader is taken away from the story because they’re thinking of the words, or because there’s an awkward comma, or they don’t know the meaning of something, you need to edit.
Writing exercise:
Show, don’t tell the following experiences using sight, sound, taste, smell and touch.
- It was hot.
- The food was spicy.
- I was tired.
- The coffee was strong.
- The view was beautiful.
Plan and experiment
Stories don’t have to begin at the beginning. You can by all means start with the meat first and then give the context. Experiment with structure not only of the piece as a whole but also with the pacing and rhythm of sentences and paragraphs.
Once you have an idea of what your structure is, plan the piece. That way you won’t miss off key points.
Writing exercise:
Write a story about a thrilling moment you have experienced. Start the story from the beginning of the day. Then start it from ten minutes before. Start it from during the incident. Start it from ten minutes after.
Most importantly, just write!
If you want more tips, feel free to reach out to gaya@karryon.com.au.
