How To Write the Perfect Travel Article
Introduction
Travel writing is part reporting, part diary and part providing
traveller information. Travel writers create their art using a
multitude of different styles and techniques but the best
stories generally share certain characteristics, notably:
1) Clear writing style, without affectation, used by a writer
who knows the point of the story, gets to it quickly and gets it
across to the reader strongly and with brevity and clarity.
2) Strong sense of the writer's personality, ideally
demonstrating intelligence, wit and style.
3) Use of the writer's personal experiences, other anecdotes and
quotations to add life to the piece.
4) Vivid reporting - the ability of the writer to convey to
readers, using as many of the senses as possible, the travel
experience through the use of words alone.
5) High literary quality and the accurate use of grammar and
syntax.
6) Meaty, practical and accurate information that is useful to
the reader.
Be Fresh
Give your story a fresh point of view and, if at all possible,
cover some out-of-the-ordinary subject matter. Be creative in
your writing. Strive for the best and strongest use of English
and the most original and powerful metaphors and similes.
Be Personal
Take your own approach to a location you've visited, an activity
you've tried or an adventure that thrilled you. What was it that
really excited or inspired you? Identify it and get it across to
your readers.
To stand out from the crowd, your story must have a personal
voice and point of view. Remember that most places you write
about will already have been written about before. Your
challenge is to find something new and original to say.
Be Funny
Travel writing should mostly have a light, bright, lively, and
fun tone. Travel, the process of leaving the familiar to go to
the foreign and unfamiliar, is often rich in comedy and comical
events. Incorporate comedy into your writing where appropriate
and don't be afraid to make your readers laugh. Also don't be
afraid to incorporate mishaps into your pieces. These can be
just as worth reading about, maybe more so, particularly if they
also incorporate an element of comedy or humour.
Be Surprising
Surprise your reader. Give the reader something out of the
ordinary; something that only someone who has been to the
location would know. Do this by trying unusual activities,
meeting new people, and getting involved in strange scenes as
you travel.
Be Balanced
Travel writing must blend your personal observations,
descriptions and commentary with practical information that is
useful to your readers. The precise balance depends on the
outlet you're aiming your story at but rarely should a good
travel piece comprise more facts than description. Two-thirds or
even three-quarters colourful description to one-third or
one-quarter facts would be a reasonable guideline to start from.
Be a Quoter
Work in quotes from visitors to locations, or participants in
activities. Let them express their thoughts about how they feel
about a place or activity. Quotes lift stories.
Think Like Your Reader
You need to develop as clear an impression as possible of what
readers of the publications you're targeting want to read, their
travel aspirations, how they like articles written and what
information they want to know. You want to be able to think like
your reader. Only then will you be able to identify how you can
help your reader. Only then should you start writing your
article.
The Big Picture: What is the Main Point You Want to Get Across
to Your Reader?
Good travel stories have a definite, central theme and it will
greatly improve your writing if you can identify the central
themes of your articles before you try to write them. Decide at
the outset what main point about a location or activity you want
to convey. This is the "big picture" and you then work your
impressions and facts around it. Identifying the big picture
early on will also help you structure your piece sensibly and
help you decide what information you need to include and,
equally importantly, what you can and should leave out.