The flight – and your passage through the airport beforehand – is a fabulous opportunity for research. You’ll have hours of time to read up on your destination. And you’ll want to distract yourself from your environment.
How does travel writing follow the seasons?
London stars in travel coverage during the summer months
I’m often asked what travel writers should cover at different times of the year. It’s a good question, because there is no clear cut answer - but there are a few basics to bear in mind. First off, coverage of UK destinations is most popular with editors during summer months. London, in particular, is visited a lot at this time of year. So are many other destinations in the British Isles. You should start thinking in spring about pitching staycation features. Coverage of long-haul destinations takes off, meanwhile, during autumn and winter. You should start approaching editors each autumn with features and proposals for Asia and all parts south and east. Similar timing considerations applies to ski coverage. There are some caveats. Much depends on the publications you are aiming at. Most importantly, backpacker magazines and websites publish long-haul pieces all year round and aren’t as picky about seasonal trends as national newspapers. Given that many backpacker publications make good first ports of call for newbie travel writers, that’s good news. At the start of your travel writing knowing which article to pitch when is less crucial than later on when you’re higher up the market place.
Why is writing difficult?
Writing can be a struggle
People often tell me they find the act of writing difficult. And then I have to explain to them that it’s the same for all of us writers. Beginning any extended piece of writing is challenging. Leaving aside the procrastination which can be a prelude to any task, this is normally because the first ten or twenty minutes or so of writing effort is arduous. That’s until we get into the flow - or, more specifically, until we enter what psychologists call a “flow situation”. This means we start to receive mental stimulus back to compensate us for the effort we are putting in. Once this ongoing reward is in place, the act of writing becomes much easier. Therefore, so long as you can force yourself to actually start a writing session, then the writing itself will start to get a lot easier after a short duration. Some way in, you’ll probably be enjoying yourself. Promise! A related point is that it gets easier still after you’ve done the first draft. You are likely to go through several redrafts of your pieces but – so long as you leave a reasonable gap between redrafts so that you return with fresh eyes – in the main they will be a lot easier than the first one.
How do I improve my travel writing prose?
George Orwell: taught himself to write well
I’m often asked this question and the answer has a couple of parts. First of all, I advise reading other travel writers widely. The authors of travel books are often the best stylist. You can’t go wrong picking up pointers from Paul Theroux, Jonathan Raban et al. And it’s very enjoyable to read their work for its own sake too! Second, good travel writing prose is no different from any other kind of good prose. There have been many attempts to set out guidelines good writing. Two of them, in particular, are well worth checking out. Each of them dates from the first half of the twentieth century. One comes from the east coast of the US. An Ivy League academic, William Strunk, and a journalist on The New Yorker, E.B. White, produced The Elements of Style. This slim volume offers an excellent basic framework for serviceable prose. Then there’s George Orwell. Orwell worked hard to improve his own prose, because he wasn’t a natural writer. He is the proof there’s hope for all of us. His style pointers are both very brief and very useful. Check them out here: https://sites.duke.edu/scientificwriting/orwells-6-rules/
What are the best destinations for travel writers?
New York is a gift to travel writers
Travel writers can go anywhere on earth. So which are the best destinations to write about? Diversity is always a plus, whether cultural or geographic. And it often comes with size. For endlessly interesting subject matter the US is hard to best. It’s enormous, with myriad landscapes, and overflows with culture and sub-cultures. And while friendly locals are the norm, they are extra-friendly over there! Similar considerations apply to India, but this time on a mind-blowing scale. It has some of the busiest cities around, a thriving series of cultures that go back millennia and some of the world’s greatest natural scenery – you must visit the Himalayas at least once in your life if you can. Over in Europe, meanwhile, Ireland is the gift that keeps on giving to travel writers. It’s small, but punches well above its weight when it comes to knocking out visitors. Irish life takes place within a fantastic oral culture in which wit looms large and history larger still. Finally, for British travellers and holiday makers, Greece and Italy are perennial favourites, so travel writers can never go wrong covering those destinations.
Is it ethical to fly?
To fly or not to fly?
It is ethical to fly any more? On the one hand we all want to travel and see the world. On the other, we don’t want to destroy it in the process. Airlines are planting trees to counterbalance emissions. A huge number of trees - to offset a flight from London to New York means planting 80 saplings. And it’s heartening that airlines are also investing heavily in offset technology. United Airlines has rolled out a multi-million dollar investment in atmospheric carbon capture technology, for example.
But we shouldn’t get too carried away (if you’ll excuse the pun). Based on the latest figures, flights are responsible for a mere 2.4% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. That is far lower than agriculture, for example. It is so low it gets lost in the margin of error for global emissions estimates, which is 4% to 5% either way. Nevertheless, all carbon emissions are undesirable and it has to be a good approach to avoid flying where you can. If it is unavoidable, do your homework on airlines and choose the ones who are offsetting most. So, like many ethical questions, there’s no correct answer here, but please keep the environment firmly in mind when considering whether to fly.
Who was the first travel writer?
Homer was the first travel writer
The first travel writer in western culture was Homer. Getting on for three thousand years ago he wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey. He remains one of the most influential travel writers of all. Odysseus’s epic voyage and the mythic perils he braved remain embedded in the collective imagination. The terrifying Cyclops, the seductive Sirens and the ravishing sorceress Circe have influenced everyone from James Joyce through to contemporary manga artists and video games creators. What can we learn about travel writing from Homer? He has one simple and straightforward - but crucial - legacy for us. As travel writers we must create satisfying narrative structures (albeit with content rooted in fact rather than fiction). The Odyssey created the archetypal travel story structure. Odysseus sets out from his home to take part in the siege of Troy and then has to make it all the way back again. This circular structure has featured in much, if not most, subsequent travel writing down the ages and it’s still a valuable tool for travel writers today.
How is travel writing changing post-pandemic?
New horizons for travel writing
As the pandemic fades, what should travel writers be focussing upon? First of all, as the cost of living rises, budget travel is becoming more important. So concentrate on cheap and free trips. Next, long- haul travel will recover slowly, so consider short-haul alternatives and local coverage – which also ties in with editors’ environmental concerns. Associated with this are methods of transport. Even pre-pandemic, airports were stressful places. Many travellers are now avoiding them altogether. So write about boats and trains. Most obviously, it is more relaxing travelling to Europe via Eurostar than by flying. Finally, the pandemic prodded social consciences, so volunteer holidays of many kinds are experiencing a boost. Above all remember that changes in travel are not a threat: they offer travel writers fresh opportunities.