Since the advent of the internet, everyone and their uncle has been offering advice on travel writing. Most of this advice is well meaning, but much of it is outdated, ineffective or just misinformed. Therefore, it needs debunking.
Pooling the extensive travel writing knowledge of our writers, we’ve come up with a shortlist of questionable tips that are regurgitated online again and again. So, without further ado, here are four bad tips that are best ignored.
In travel writing, endings matter. They are the last words the audience will read and, when done well, they have a tendency to linger. A good ending is the feeling or image that survives, the thing that keeps the story alive and kicking in the reader’s mind long after they’ve finished the article.
In our last writers’ blog, we dealt with the all-important opener. This time round, we’re turning our attention to the equally important conclusion. It may come last, but the ending should never be an afterthought.
Travel writing endings need to not only alert readers to the fact that the story is over, but they also need to reinforce the main points of the article. The chronological end to your experience is usually not the best choice (embarking on a return flight does not make a good finale); you’ll need to come up with something better. Anyone who regularly reads travel content will be aware that the quote has become a fairly standard way of wrapping things up. And although a juicy end quote can be extremely effective, it’s a trick that is fast becoming overused.
With that in mind, here are three other travel writing techniques that can help spice up your finale.
Writers get the glory and the byline. Editors rarely get a mention. Yet their role is vital.
For some, the process of writing seems to be effortless, a natural gift. Their prose is engaging, witty, evocative and always clear. But chances are you’re reading the end product. What if you were to see their first draft?
It might come as a surprise to learn that even the most talented writers don’t get it right first time round. First drafts are frequently sloppy and muddled. It takes some refinement to make them great.
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It’s that wonderful time of the year again, when the John Lewis Christmas advert has people all around the country reaching for their hankies. Viewers tune in their thousands and they know what they’re going to get: a stripped-down cover of a classic pop number by some young up-and-comer, a cute animal and a gentle tug on the heartstrings that — depending on your tolerance for this sort of thing — stops just short of cloying sentimentality. Why do people love it so much? Because it’s a familiar, well-executed story.
Whether you’ve fallen for Monty the Penguin’s charms or not, there is something to be said for the John Lewis method. Good storytelling works and not just in retail. In the travel industry, it’s especially important.
