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travel – J.E.S. Hays http://www.jeshays.com Author, Worldbuilder, Wordsmith Tue, 12 Jul 2016 20:24:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 http://www.jeshays.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/cropped-sitelogo-32x32.gif travel – J.E.S. Hays http://www.jeshays.com 32 32 10 Steps to Writing a Travel Article http://www.jeshays.com/?p=1923 Tue, 12 Jul 2016 20:24:58 +0000 http://www.jeshays.com/?p=1923

(And a Bonus Step to Boot!)

One of my Works in Progress is a travelogue for “I Must Be Off!”

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Here are some of the tips I’ve learned about writing a travel article:

  • Write a snappy lead-in. Hook your reader’s interest early.
  • Have a clear storyline. Not everything on your journey will be interesting to your readers. It’s your job as a storyteller to decide what makes a good tale and leave out the rest.
  • Have a goal. Not every story has a definite goal like swimming the English Channel. Most are about the journey, the discovery. You’re meeting new people and learning their history and culture. Make it clear to your reader which type of story you’re telling early on.
  • Chose one moment. Instead of a chronological catalog of everything you did, pick one experience and expand that into a great story.
  • Show yourself. Let the reader see your unique voice in your writing.
  • Edit, edit, edit. Most travel articles are from 1,000 to 2,000 words, so you’ll have to pare the story to the bone. Drop anything not essential.
  • Add dialogue. It makes the story more vivid, more memorable.
  • Use vivid language. Avoid cliches and trite descriptive phrases. Try to portray how you felt as you experienced this journey.
  • Aim to entertain, not to impress. This isn’t the place to use big words and literary terms. Your goal is to tell the reader a great story.
  • Leave a signpost. Keep your reader with you by periodically reminding them where you are and where you’re going.
  • Ask yourself the 5 W’s: Where? Who? When? Why? and What?
    • Where? Quickly ground your reader so they know where they are and where you’re going.
    • Who? Introduce yourself to your readers as well, so they want to follow you on your adventures.
    • When? Make sure the reader knows when the story takes place.
    • Why? Explain why you took this journey and why it made an impression on you.
    • What? Include the facts: anecdotes, details, quotes and interesting tidbits of information. Involve as many senses as you can to create vivid impressions.
]]> Short-Short: Travel Times in the 1800’s http://www.jeshays.com/?p=626 Thu, 07 Aug 2014 11:48:28 +0000 http://www.jeshays.com/?p=626

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HERE’S a good page for you historical writers – maps that show how long it would have taken to get to your destination back in the 1800’s.

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