A question I get from time to time is: How do I get started writing about travel ? Well, to begin you might Google “breaking into travel writing“. Rather quickly we see plenty of information for doing just, written by as many travel writers. So why consider my take on the topic? Regular visitors here will read a familiar voice, we go way back. First time visitors here will have one other source they can turn to for guidance, such that it will be. These are lessons I learned from writing about travel. Your takeaway from the experience will be different.

1. Mind Your Manners- I travel with people who go out of our way not to be the typical ‘ugly Americans’ we see too many of . Whatever the travel product being considered, it has value to someone. If that’s not you, move along to something else. A good chunk of your initial energy will be establishing your brand, whether you plan that or not. Left unchecked, you’re losing a lot of energy letting that process happen without direction and a solid plan.
2. What Are You Trying To Do Here? What do you want to get out of this experience? Be sure those short term goals are in line with your personal beliefs and long term life goals. You won’t be doing this forever as you are today. Technology alone will keep that from happening.
3. Influencers– Let’s not get too excited about two words ‘viral’ and ‘influencer’. Both are popular topics right now that will fade away over time when the next big thing comes along. Just ask someone at your neighborhood Blockbuster video. The number of likes, views or social contacts will grow over time if you have something worthwhile to add to the conversation. To begin with a goal of being famous because a million people liked your video of a cat doing something odd is misguided.
4. Stick To The Facts- First step here is to know the facts. Some writers take notes, I record everything and add voice memos. An app turns it into text to play with. Adding your personal opinion is like declaring yourself Republican or Democrat. A bunch of potential readers will dismiss your thoughts for that reason alone, sight unseen. Your tolerance for that unfounded disdain will increase dramatically by sticking to the facts. In the early days of travel blogging, if bloggers did not get called a ‘douche bag’ in comments every so often they weren’t doing their job. Sticking to the facts helps get past that.
5. Don’t Get Too Excited- This absolutely happened to me at the rollout of a new cruise line. Granted, it was and is awfully easy to fall in love with this particular seamless brand. In hindsight, enthusiasm of that level is best directed toward an attainable goal that benefits yourself as much as it would the brand. In my experience, this mistake clearly defined the difference between a travel blogger who just kinda picked it up (me) and a credentialed journalist. In other words, I learned this the hard way. It’s business. Observed: when I am in a situation where I forget this is business, that travel brand gets bonus points on the ‘produced a meaningful experience’ scale.
6. Write Fairly And With Discretion- I can’t say as I ever overlooked a story that might have been detrimental to any given travel brand because I liked the brand or the people behind it. I definitely did avoid what we now call ‘fake news’ at every turn. I saw no point at chiming in on a well-documented topic that happened to be trendy just because it was. Substance is important.
7. Don’t Get Too Hung Up On SEO- If you have something of interest to say and do so fairly, readers will find you. Yes, tag the heck out of everything so your immortal words can be found. But instead of trying to cast a wide net to be mixed in with 345,389 other search results, let that net develop organically. It’s really hard for someone just starting out to play the SEO game, as important as we are schooled to believe. Trusted word-of-mouth: the original and still the best influence we can find.
8. Begin By Assuming Talking Points, Hosted Events And Promises To Be Facts– there is no point in starting from a deficit of knowledge which is what happens when we assume facts not in evidence. Negative reviews, message board banter and the like will have an impact on what you write. Avoid those.
9. Take Appropriate Risks– It has been said that ‘everything you ever wanted is just on the other side of fear’. In my lifetime, that thought has proved true. When you fail, and you will, learn from it and move along. Travel writing has a short shelf life. Something new and/or better is always considered.
10. Be Honorable- On my father’s headstone it says “As A Man Thinketh…” a nod to the James Allen work of the same title. The complete thought “As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.” Starting out, don’t write about something you don’t believe in. There will be plenty of time for that later.

I have more on this topic coming up including something discreetly included here. it’s what I call The Three P’s

• Patience
• Purpose
• Resources

Oh wait, that’s two P’s and an R. But it reminds me: you’ll need a trusted source to run things by before publishing. Two Sets Of Eyes reading everything first is a good idea. Thank you honey.

That’s coming up.