Even More Tired Travel Clichés to Avoid

As you are probably aware, we have written about travel writing clichés before. Twice in fact. But as a few of our below-the-line commentators have rightly pointed out, our previous blog posts (which are here and here) only just scratched the surface. There are many more overused expressions that we want to cruelly expose and point at.

With 2016 upon us, and self-improvement plans under way, we thought it a fitting time to return to the subject and highlight even more trite travel terms. Scroll below to discover our latest mix of nails-on-chalkboard travel phrases.

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12 Tacky Travel Writing Clichés to Avoid

Every writer and editor has their personal peccadilloes about overused travel writing terms such as ‘off the beaten path’ or ‘sun-drenched’, but individual qualms shouldn’t mean a blanket ban on these phrases. These may all be overused clichés, but sometimes — to borrow another particularly well-worn cliché — they hit the nail on the head.

However, there are some words and formulaic travel phrases that are so overused, they are positively exhausted. Many of them are churned out so regularly in travel writing that they have lost all meaning, and no longer register with readers. And yet, thanks to writerly laziness, these hackneyed phrases keep on cropping up again and again.

We have named and shamed 12 of the worst offenders below; our very own dirty dozen of travel writing clichés.

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Not a quaff

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Travel Writing Clichés to Avoid – Part 2

Clichés are rampant in travel writing. Melting pots, best-kept secrets and cities of contrasts proliferate. And while we believe these phrases can, on occasion, merit an airing, we can’t help but feel that some travel writers are simply choosing the path of least resistance – inserting these familiar and frequently used phrases rather than seizing an opportunity to be creative. We previously listed our dirty dozen of travel clichés on the blog, but that was only the beginning. Now’s the time to share even more worthy additions to the canon of travel writing cliché.

SONY DSC Continue reading

12 Travel Writing Clichés to Avoid

Everyone has their personal peccadilloes about travel writing terms like ‘off the beaten path’ or ‘sun-drenched’, but individual qualms shouldn’t mean a blanket ban on these phrases. These may be overused clichés, but sometimes — to borrow another particularly well-worn cliché — they hit the nail on the head.

However, there are some words and formulaic travel phrases that are so overused, they are positively exhausted. Many of them are churned out so regularly in travel writing that they have lost all meaning, and no longer register with readers. And yet, thanks to writerly laziness, these hackneyed phrases keep cropping up again and again.

We’ve named and shamed 12 of the worst offenders below; our own dirty dozen of travel writing clichés.

11053904596_49604908bd_k

Not a quaff

Continue reading