Now, more than seven years on, we’ve combined that series into a single kickass guide with updated content and prettier pictures!. It’s our bible of sorts to being a better travel writer and (perhaps more importantly for some) a better travel blogger. Enjoy!

Essential Tips & Habits

#1: Have a F**king Point!

Steve Martin had a great line in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. After traveling for days with John Candy and politely listening to his inane story-telling, Martin snaps:

You know when you’re telling these little stories? Here’s a good idea: have a point! It makes it so much more interesting for the listener!

For some, concise, engaging story-telling comes naturally; while others can’t help but bloat their tales with every unnecessary detail. Pack your travel writing like you pack your luggage: load in everything you think you’ll need, then reduce it by half.

© Anna Hirsch

#2: Nobody Cares What You Did

Pack your travel writing like you pack your luggage: load everything you think you’ll need, then reduce it by half.

This is especially important for budding travel writers seeking publication (and all the attendant fortune and fame). It’s not about your experience, but whether you can convey that experience to your readers in a way that’s interesting and engaging.

A writer like Bill Bryson routinely takes the most mundane happenings and crafts narratives around them that amuse even the most hardened, humorless reader. Remember that it’s about the story, not the actual event. Don’t tell me what you did; show me.

#3: Sleep On It

I rarely publish anything without first sleeping on it. Often, I’ll “brain dump” what I have to say without editing, save it and walk away.

Try it and come back to it later with a clearer head and you’ll be better prepared to distil your initial prose down to only its most essential parts.

#4: Kick Yourself Around A Bit

No one likes a genuine smartass. Especially with travel narratives, know when to be self-deprecating and how not to take yourself too seriously. Practice humility and your readers will more easily relate to you as a real person rather than a know-it-all preaching to them about all the wonderful things you’ve done.

#5: Vary Your Reading Everyday

Always be in the middle of at least two books – one fiction and one non-fiction. This exercises all parts of your brain: the analytical and the imaginative.

#6: Diversify Your Bookshelf With A Potpourri of Authors

Creative people have a tendency — subconscious or otherwise — to mimic what they’ve recently seen, heard or read. While this can be a good thing, it can also quiet one’s own unique voice.

Reading only travel guides and books by one great author can help educate you as to what works well. But I find it less than ideal to start writing my own travel memoirs immediately after reading multiple books by, say, Tim Cahill. Step outside your reading “comfort zone” and mix up your influences.

#7: Beat Procrastination

But you don’t procrastinate, do you? Ah … denial – first sign!

Like any addiction, the first step toward full productivity is admitting that you have a problem. Habitual procrastinators may wish to install a plugin like Strict Workflow (a Chrome plugin that works to whip your workflow into shape) or Mind the Time (a Firefox plugin that tracks the amount of daily time that you waste at BuzzFeed, The Daily Puppy, et. al. down to the second).

If nothing else, this will make you conscious of the minutes, hours and days that you’re wasting when you could be writing! And, of course, the best way to beat procrastination is to …

© Riza Nugraha

#8: Remove Distractions

Author Naomi Novik notes in an inspirational e-mail for the NaNoWriMo contest:

Remove distractions. The internet is a phenomenal research and community tool without which you might never have started the novel you’re working on right now. It is an equally phenomenal tool for procrastination and wasting time. Unplug your connection. While you’re at it, put down that book, turn off the TV, shut down the Wii. Make scrambled eggs and salad for dinner. The dishes can wait to be washed. Ideally, get out of your house filled with your stuff that you like and go somewhere where you have nothing better to do than write.

I have the attention span of a meth-fueled gnat. It can be hard to focus, so it’s essential to find ways to purify your particular environment by removing all distractions.

#9: Learn Something New Everyday

It’s easier than it sounds. I’m not suggesting learning a new language or how to cook like Anthony Bourdain overnight.

Baby steps: learn the French verb conjugations for “to be”; learn what species that bird is that merrily chirps at your window sill every morning; or memorize the seven wonders of the world.

Every day, make a point to learn one small thing that you never knew before. You’ll be more well-rounded and broaden your ability to better convey your thoughts.

#10: Join a Writer’s “Sewing Circle”

After signing up for NaNoWriMo, I was shocked by how many local authors were looking to meet up to group write, swap tips and critique their fellow writers’ work. The worldwide community of budding authors is much larger than you think. Network and connect with other writers in your area and you’ll be surprised how much you can learn from them.

#11: Find Your “Golden Hour”

Uncover that magical time of day when you’re writing flows best. I find my inner brilliance to shine in the early morning. As the day drags on and I’ve answered e-mails, phone calls, and generally flooded my brain with the day’s torrent of updated RSS feeds, it’s more difficult to make the cranial connections necessary to craft a good story.

Even better: find an entire day where you have no previous engagements and start writing in the morning. You’re less likely to have anything pressing on your mind throughout the day.

© Alyssa L. Miller

#12: Forget About Travel (… for Now)

All work and no play makes you a dull writer. Stop reading, writing, living and breathing travel long enough to delve into other interests. Go for a week-long hike in the woods; cook dinner for your friends or family; or step out to see a heart-wrenching film — anything non-travel-related to exercise your brain.

#13: Grammar School Outlining

Remember drafting outlines in grammar school, complete with indented roman numerals and never-ending subheadings? It’s old school and cliché, but that’s because it works.

For projects of any scale — whether a 500-word blog post or 50,000-word novel — try jotting down five or ten touchstone issues, turning points, or essential events of your piece. This can kickstart your inner muse enough to begin connecting all the ancillary elements of your story.

#14: Be Prepared When Eureka Strikes

When was the last time you had a great idea when you were sitting down specifically to think of a great idea? Me neither. Eureka moments frequently happen in the shower or on our way to work as we zone-out in traffic.

Bottom line: your muse will usually strike when you least expect it. Be prepared and always have a small journal or notebook and two pens (one as backup) to record your brilliance.

#15: Pressure Yourself (or Don’t)

Like any creative endeavor, writing flows from different people in different ways. Some folks relish the pressure and find that it summons their inner muse; some don’t.

Personally, if I sit down to write and nothing comes to me, I’ll walk away until the ideas start congealing in my subconscious enough for me to pick up where I left off.

On the other hand, some authors recommend setting aside, say, one hour to write. Grab an egg timer and sit down for sixty minutes to pressure yourself to craft something — anything.

Either way, determine what works best for you and stick with it.

#16: Read Your Work Aloud

A great way to determine the flow of your writing is to read it aloud. Even better is to find someone — a friend or honest critic — to whom you can read your work.

#17: Do Absolutely Nothing

This is one of my favorites for obvious reasons. At some point during your daily routine, lie on the couch, stare at the ceiling, and do absolutely nothing. No radio, no television, no internet. Nothing. Don’t take a nap. Instead, lie awake and collect your thoughts.

We’re so bombarded every day with information overload (and the myth of multitasking) that few people can or do take the time to just sit and quietly reflect.

Take time to do … absolutely nothing © moty66 (Flickr)

#18: Get in “The Zone”

Once you remove all external distractions, find whatever it is that helps you focus solely on the task of writing. This could be listening to classical music, keeping the television on for “white noise”, or plopping on some noise-canceling headphones simply to drown out the distracting sounds around you.

#19: Write Daily

“Practice makes perfect …” and all that, right? Virtually every writer – travel or otherwise – recommends this as one of the best ways to hone your craft. A personal blog is a great, simple outlet to chronicle your thoughts. Keep it personal and don’t worry if it’s not Nobel Prize-winning material. Use it for nothing more than a private writing exercise if you like.

#20: Write a Sh*tload

The National Novel Writing Month contest is a great inspiration for this and it ties in well with point #19 above. Try writing with a focus on quantity over quality. Think of it as a “brain dump” to simply get the words out of your head. Focus only on what you’re trying to convey rather than on how well you’d like to convey it. You can always edit later.

#21: Talk to Yourself …

… or anyone who’s willing to listen. Start a podcast and speak from the heart about anything which you’re particularly knowledgeable. The ability to speak extemporaneously is a great skill not only for public speakers but writers as well.

By training your brain to connect words in an unrehearsed and off-the-cuff manner, you’re laying the groundwork for a better understanding of language and how words relate to one another. This can go a long way towards breaking writer’s block and keeping the pen (or keys) moving.

#22: Get in the Mood

Try to step into the mood of your writing with appropriate music. If your work is about an angry character, get angry. Throw on your headphones and dial in some Lamb of God.

If your prose of the moment is somber, toss on a little Mumford & Sons or something to bring the mood down. Anything to better connect you with your work on an emotional level.

#23: Be Passionate, Soldier On

If you’re a blogger, the bad news is that I can tell you from personal experience that everyone starts as a small fish in a very, very large pond. The good news is that many of those fish give up and die off in the first three months. Be passionate and don’t grow discouraged. Push through that initial phase and you’ll already be ahead of a large majority of other bloggers.

If you’re a print writer or travel journalist, keep submitting your work. Listen to the constructive criticism of publishers and other writers in your field and use it to better yourself and your skills.

Perfect Stranger, Philadelphia © mezone

Time-Tested Techniques + Essential Exercises

#24: Keep a Swipe File

Not every bit of brilliant writing you craft needs to evolve into a great story or novel. I sometimes write a paragraph or two before realizing I don’t have enough info to say what I wanted to say. But if that brief excerpt is good quality stuff, why delete it?

Enter the swipe file:

A swipe file is simply a folder, real or electronic, containing examples of good copy. You might save a collection of killer headlines, several examples of powerful openings, a funny turn of phrase, a powerful call to action, and so on.

Never delete quality writing – it can always serve as a future springboard when you’re stuck or in a creative rut.

#25: Six Word Fiction

Also called “flash fiction”, such stories are characterized by extremely concise — and sometimes brilliantly witty — prose. Perhaps the best known “work” of six-word fiction is from Hemingway:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

Read that again and focus on how much Hemingway was able to say with so few words.

Try Flash fiction if only to practice brevity and best understand how to keep your prose as “tight” as possible. For inspiration, check out Wired magazine’s feature on this, titled Very Short Stories: 33 writers. 5 designers. 6-word science fiction.

#26: Take Your Opponent’s Side

Master the dying art of debate by understanding your opponent’s point of view. This is important for fiction and non-fiction writers as it provides a better understanding of all sides of an argument. You’re more likely to understand the characters in your novel or the folks you meet on the street if you can comprehend why they think the way they think, particularly if their views differ from yours.

Watch political debates for any party but yours; read religious publications or blogs if you’re an atheist; request PETA literature if you’re a hunter. Anything to step outside the echo chamber.

#27: Lie About Someone

Cafés and other public settings where people like to linger are great for this. Open your imagination by finding someone in a public setting and creating an entire persona or story around them. Describe their clothing, their personality, their lifestyle, to where they’ve traveled and what they did while there.

© Yuri Samoilov

#28: Play Page Tennis

It’s like handing two artists two brushes and one canvas. Try it with two pens (or digital text documents) and a single sheet of paper. Every person writes a sentence and then passes it along.

This exercise of course scales well to allow multiple writers in a “sewing circle” to participate. The collaborative effort allows everyone to play off of the unexpected creativity of everyone else.

#29: 5 Things I Remember About …

Pick one place you’ve visited and write five things you vividly remember about it. Don’t think too much, just focus on writing. This jogs your brain’s long term memory and helps conjure vivid imagery that’s critical to recollecting your travel tales.

#30: Imagine You’re A Housefly …

… or any other creature or inanimate object and write from their/its point of view.

Professional photographers will tell you that the simplest way to mix things up with your photography is to look at your subject from a different or unexpected angle: look up at children; lie on the floor, staring eye-to-eye with pets; etc.

The same rule applies to writing. If you’re writing a travel narrative, step outside the first person and try to imagine what the same experience is like from someone (or something) else’s point of view.

#31: Object Correlative

Simply suggesting a feeling, thought or emotion is often more powerful than explicitly spelling it out for the reader.

Object correlative is a technique whereby the author merely suggests something about a character by detailing that character’s interaction with mundane objects in the story.

Author David Miller explains:

One of the most noted examples of all time is the “bacon fat” scene in Hemingway’s story “Soldier’s Home.”

Harold Krebs, a young soldier back in Kansas after being wounded in WWI, is unable to return to work, to his mother’s ideal of “a normal life.” Now he must endure her questioning at the breakfast table:

“I’ve worried about you too much, Harold,” his mother went on. “I know the temptations you must have been exposed to. I know how weak men are. I know what your own dear grandfather, my own father, told us about the Civil War and I have prayed for you. I pray for you all day long, Harold.”

Krebs looked at the bacon fat hardening on his plate.

#32: Minor Character as Mirror

Try seeing your story through the eyes of someone who played only a very small part in your experience – a shop/inn keeper, a cab driver or the woman who sat next to you on the sixteen hour bus ride through Australia.

Another great technique from David Miller who explains:

… the way a main character interacts with a minor character can also be utilized like a mirror – reflecting emotions while driving the narrative forward.

Using a minor character as a mirror can be especially useful in travel writing, which is so often rich with minor characters — people on the streets, fishermen, merchants, fellow travelers, etc.

#33: Rewind Your Writing

Try writing your story in reverse. Start with the last event first and write backwards. Sometimes, if you know where the story’s going, it’s easier to determine how to get there.

© romanlily

#34: Total Recall

Grab one of your favorite travel photos and write down everything you remember about that exact moment. Use the most graphic and vivid detail you can muster: smells, taste, sounds, everything.

#35: She Wants to Write in Third Person! No, I Don’t!

Writing in first person is only natural. After all, we experience life from (drum roll) our own personal point of view. Try rewriting one of your tales in third person.

Check out How To Start Writing in the Third Person for a few pointers.

#36: Master Your Metaphors

Copyblogger notes:

Analogies, similes and metaphors work so well because they use an idea the reader already understands to help them comprehend one they don’t.

Great comedians are able to find similar patterns and structure in seemingly unrelated events and life experiences. It works in comedy and just as well in writing.

#37: Chronicle Events

One way to write is to simply chronicle events. This sometimes constitutes a failure of imagination. The events will work themselves into a story if you think about them enough. It is like holding up a prism to the sun: turn it just the right way and a rainbow of light pours through.

So, a word of advice: a person’s journal is the raw material. A story is made from these events. Use the journal to craft the story. Don’t submit a travel journal. Editors routinely toss articles that begin: “December 5, 2003: ‘The twin prop jet dropped down into a patchwork quilt of farmlands …'”

– Tim Cahill

This is the hallmark of 99% of blogs today and the main reason why most are entirely unreadable. If you’re interested in creating more than just a journal, remember: nobody cares what you did. They only care how well you can tell the story.

#38: Reverse Outline

My cousin’s a brilliant nurse, but in school she had great difficulty isolating key points in her school textbooks and her professors’ lectures. She’d go through highlighters as if she was getting paid to color her textbooks yellow.

Learn to focus only on the critical points in a story or event. Grab a favorite book and create a reverse outline. Summarize each paragraph in a single sentence. Read over the outline you’ve created. Do the ideas seem logical? Does each sentence flow well into the next?

#39: Find Humor in Tragedy

Obviously this won’t work for every event, but some stories are better told in a humorous light versus a tragic one. And vice versa. If your story simply isn’t working, try a different angle.

© Sarah Kolb-Williams

#40: Maybe It Needs More Cowbell

Imagine you just scored a meeting in Hollywood to produce an autobiographical film from your travel memoirs. What’s missing?

Life events are infinitely more complex than we ever understand at first blush. You may know why something happened as it did in your story, but your reader won’t know unless you tell them.

Have an objective friend comb through your work and ask questions to help you fill in the gaps and pull out the dramatic moments you may be unknowingly overlooking: Why did he leave you just then? Why did you give up that WOOF work in Australia? If you were broke then, how did you catch that flight home?

#41: Shut Up + Listen

Seasoned travelers will tell you that the journey is always about who they meet and not where they go. Travel and travel writing are both about people.

Mastering the art of dialogue in your writing is key. It’s not as easy as it sounds – it takes practice. Bad dialogue can ruin an otherwise great tale.

Check out Top Tips for Writing Dialogue for a few pointers.

#42: Start in the Middle / Kill the Back Story

Well-crafted action movies often jump into the middle of the story to instantly draw the viewer in. Try “cutting to the chase” — skip the back story in your travel narratives if it’s not germane to the central plot. This forces you to focus only on the juiciest, most engaging bits.

#43: Develop + Hone Your Own Style

Your writing style will evolve from many points – life experiences, travels, personality traits, family and friends, daily interactions with people, etc. Personally, my writing style has a tendency to vary widely with my moods. Again, creative people often have a tendency to mimic what they’ve read recently or even the style of their favorite authors.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but make a concerted effort to hone your own personal style. Be unique, be consistent and don’t disappoint your readers. They will expect a general tone, tenor, pace and structure in all your writing.

Insight + Inspiration from the Pros

#44: Advice to Travel Writers, Rolf Potts

Potts’ Advice to Travel Writers is timeless. In short:

1. Travel a lot.
2. Write a lot.
3. Read a lot.
4. Don’t quite your day job.
5. Read up on the trade.
6. Surf up on the trade.
7. Research your destination.
8. Research your markets.
9. Be patient.
10. Nurture your passion.

#45: To Hell With Writing Classes, Stephen King

I’m often asked if writing classes are any help, and my immediate and enthusiastic answer is always, Yes! Writing classes are wonderful for the writers who teach them and can’t make ends meet without that supplementary income. They are also good places for unattached people to meet, talk about books and movies, have a few drinks and possibly hook up. But teach you to write? No. A writing class will not teach you to write. The only things that can teach writing are reading, writing and the semi-domestication of one’s muse. These are all activities one must pursue alone.

Via WashingtonPost.com

#46: The 9 Commandments of Travel Writing, Pico Iyer

Written Road sums up Pico’s entire piece thusly:

1. A travel book is a question never answered
2. The travel writer is much less traveler than writer
3. The travel book must teach you something
4. The travel book, like the traveler, often travels incognito
5. The travel writer’s place is on the threshold, one eye turned toward the reader, one toward the subject
6. The travel writer need not go far at all
7. The great travel writer takes in every aspect of what is happening and changing right now, the better to see what is changeless
8. The true travel writer does not just listen to a place but talks back to it; he’s drawn to it by compulsion
9. In the end, every great travel book is about a journey inside

Check out the entire piece via the Conde Nast website.

#47: 10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer, Brian Clark

1. Write.
2. Write more.
3. Write even more.
4. Write even more than that.
5. Write when you don’t want to.
6. Write when you do.
7. Write when you have something to say.
8. Write when you don’t.
9. Write every day.
10. Keep writing.

Via CopyBlogger.com

It doesn’t get much more concise than that.

#48: The Seven Myths of Being a Travel Writer, Tim Leffel

1. Myth #1: Travel writers make enough money to live on.
2. Myth #2: Editors are hungry for travel stories from new writers.
3. Myth #3: A destination is a story.
4. Myth #4: Readers want to hear every detail about your personal experiences.
5. Myth #5: Travel magazines love long stories.
6. Myth #6: You write a story, you get paid, it soon gets published.
7. Myth #7: All your expenses will be covered.

They may sound harsh and uninspiring, but hey: “Them’s the facts.” The most important tip of all is to be honest with yourself and know what you’re getting into. Check out Tim’s entire piece via Transitions Abroad.

#49: On Testing a New Novel or Short Story Idea, Robert McKee

Your next great travel memoir or tall tale may be the most fascinating story in the world to you. But what will your readers think?

In his book, Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting, McKee provides this smart, simple tip for test-driving your next great idea:

Next time you’re out with a friend, ask him or her if you can tell them your new story idea. Halfway through, make an excuse to leave the table. When you come back, start talking about something else, as though you’ve forgotten all about the story. If your friend interrupts to ask you to finish, you know you have a winner. If your friend instead seems relieved, definitely think twice about your story idea.

#50: On the Biggest Reward of Life as a Travel Writer, Tim Cahill

In an interview with Rolf Potts, Cahill remarks:

I am living out my adolescent dream of travel and adventure. I do not mean this as a pejorative: adolescence is when we are the most idealistic, the most open to the new and the novel. I try to keep that almost childlike attitude; consequently, I am seldom as cynical as I might otherwise be. I think this is a good thing.

Finally, writing is what I do. The writing is why I am published. I am not a stronger climber than others, nor am I better with languages. But I do take care with my writing and feel that it is getting better and better. That is the biggest reward.

#51: On Getting Started as a Travel Writer, Jeffrey Tayler

[M]y last point about getting started as a writer: do something first, good or bad, successful or not, and write it up before approaching an editor. The best introduction to an editor is your own written work, published or not. I traveled across Siberia on my own money before ever approaching an editor; I wrote my first book, Siberian Dawn, without knowing a single editor, with no idea of how to get it published. I had to risk my life on the Congo before selling my first magazine story. If the rebel spirit dwells within you, you won’t wait for an invitation, you’ll invade and take no hostages.

#52: On Writing Truth in Experience, Ernest Hemingway

Through travel, we may experience great things and find that fact is sometimes stranger and far more interesting than fiction. So why embellish when you can simply tell it like it is?

There are events which are so great that if a writer has participated in them his obligation is to write truly rather than assume the presumption of altering them with invention.

#53: On Writing Truth in Experience, Erik Hansen on Steinbeck

Erik Hansen would second Hemingway’s words above, advising:

Write the truth of the experience. Exaggerations and fabrications cheat both the writer and the reader. My favorite quote about writing comes from John Steinbeck: “The discipline of the written word punishes both stupidity and dishonesty.”

#54: On Motivation, Garth Nix

I never actually sit down in front of a blank screen or a piece of paper and tell myself I have to write a ninety or one hundred thousand word novel. I tell myself I have to write a chapter, which typically will be somewhere between two and five thousand words. That’s a much more achievable task. Then, when I’ve written a chapter, I put it aside for revision and tell myself I have to write the next one. Eventually, I discover that just by writing a chapter at a time, I’ve written a book.

For more on Garth, visit www.GarthNix.co.uk.

#55: On Getting Paid, Bill Bryson

In a 2005 Washington Post interview, Bryson advises:

I always tell people there’s only one trick to writing: You have to write something that people are willing to pay money to read. It doesn’t have to be very good, necessarily, but somebody, somewhere, has got to be willing to pay money for it.

#56: On Good vs. Bad Travel Writing, Stanley Stewart

In Don George’s Lonely Planet Guide To Travel Writing, Stewart advises:

Good travel writing is done by good writers who travel. It is not enough to have swum through piranha-infested waters to the source of the Amazon. You must be able to write well to convey that experience. When you have learned the craft of writing, you can make a stroll through your own suburban neighborhood seem interesting, even exciting. Good travel writing needs much the same ingredients as any good story – narrative, drive, characters, dialogue, atmosphere, revelation. Make it personal. Let the reader know how the place and the experience are affecting you.

Good travel writing is just good writing. It must have literary merit. The most important journey you will make as a travel writer is the journey of a good sentence. Without that, your close encounter with the piranhas is wasted.

Bad travel writing is done by travelers, often good travelers, who mistakenly believe they can write. There seems to be an awful lot of them about. Their prose is littered with clichés, their sense of narrative timing is inept and their characters, whether themselves or people they encounter, are clumsily portrayed. Too many travel writers seem to believe that the journey ‘makes’ the story. It doesn’t. In the end, anyone can travel to Timbuktu, but only a few people will write about the journey well.

#57: On Reading Often and Well, Susan Spano

Los Angeles Times columnist, Susan Spano, advises:

[A]spiring travel writers are only as good as what they read, which is why they need to do so widely and well. Foraging through literature and history provides themes and details beyond those rehearsed by every guidebook on the shelf. It suggests uncommon subjects for stories and magically makes your writing better.

#58: On Embracing the “Hum of Possibility”, Rolf Potts

In an interview with Rolf Potts, Brave New Traveler’s Tim Patterson asked Potts to elaborate on his statement that travel carries an inherent, perpetual “hum of possibility”:

The “hum of possibility” is the feeling that anything can happen at any moment — a heady openness to the new and unexpected. It’s hard to experience this feeling at home, since home life is made more efficient and manageable by certain self-insulating patterns and routines.

It’s a somewhat intimidating, yet invariably intoxicating feeling that follows you as you travel.

Travel writers allow all five senses to remain alert and attuned to this possibility and the events that follow. Stepping outside your comfort zone and embracing new and unfamiliar circumstances is an important way to broaden your palate of life experiences as well as your travel writing skillset.

#59: On Embracing the Mundane, Lin Yutang

Chinese writer, Lin Yutang, advises:

If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.

This “slowing down” brings you closer to appreciating the seemingly mundane happenings of everyday life. From this appreciation stems a better connection to the world – the people and places – around you and to communicating your own experiences.

#60: On Bettering Yourself and Taking Risks, Frank Bures

In an interview with Rolf Potts, Bures advises:

Prepare to have your heart stomped on, broken and ripped apart over and over. Writing is a hellish business. You have to want it more than anything. You have to believe in yourself in spite of everything. You also have to constantly look for your weak spots and hammer them out. Take the long view — at least three years down the road. Where do you want to be and what will help you get there? They say it takes ten years (average) to become a fully self-supporting freelance writer. If you want it, keep beating your head against the door. Take risks and work your ass off. Besides, what else are you going to do? Work at Starbucks?

#61: On Perseverance, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The road to becoming a professional travel writer or travel blogger, like any creative endeavor, can be a long, hard slog. It requires a thick skin and learning to never take “no” for an answer. Longfellow advises:

Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.

Nearly every interview I’ve read with professional travel writers has carried some slight variation on this advice. As a writer, you will be rejected, perhaps a great deal, before you ever get published. As a blogger, you may not see measurable traffic for the first two years. If you truly wish to make it, you must absolutely, positively, never surrender.

#62: On Travel and Writing Standing Up, Ernest Hemingway

A final gem from Hemingway, posted without comment:

Writing and travel broaden your ass if not your mind and I like to write standing up.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that great writing habits are personal. What works for someone else may not work for you. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck in a rut. Just experiment and “if it’s broke, fix it” by trying something new.

What techniques and exercises have helped you hone your craft and become a better travel writer? Let us know in the comments.

What writers – travel or otherwise – have you drawn on for insight and inspiration? What are some of the best motivational quotes that drive your professional and creative processes? Share your insight in the comments below!

The post The Kickass Guide to Better Travel Blogging: 62 Tips, Techniques & Exercises You Need to Know Right Now appeared first on Vagabondish.

We’re looking for one kickass, short-form travel blogger who fits this bill:

• Perfect spelling & gramm-er (I know, I know … this should go without saying)
• You fancy yourself a bit of a smartass and convey it in your writing
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• Are familiar with WordPress
• You can source your own Creative Commons-licensed photos (we can help with this)
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… and is interested in:

• Updating our ongoing News + Sidelines column
• Writing short-form blog posts (approximately 75-100 words), each with a single photo
• Writing two posts every weekday

As these are very brief posts, the time commitment is minimal – half an hour or less per day. Payment is $6 USD per post (roughly $240 every 4 weeks), payable at the end of each month via PayPal.

Your posts will also feature an author’s byline (including a 2-3 sentence bio) where you’re free to promote anything you like: your blog, Twitter account … anything at all really.

Apply Within

We’re looking to hire immediately! If interested, please send all of the following info to: mike (at) [this website name.com]

• Relevant links to blog posts or stories you’ve previously written – particularly those that showcase your unique voice and writing style
• Links to three News/Sidelines-esque items that you’d write about if hired. These should be published stories not written by you on other travel or news websites.
• Your Twitter username (if you have an active account)
• Please do not send a resume or attachments of any kind
• Perhaps most importantly: keep your e-mail as brief (and witty) as possible! =)

Thanks in advance!
-Mike

The post Calling All Smartasses: We’re Seeking a Short-Form Travel Blogger appeared first on Vagabondish.

Whether you’re new to the travel writing game or an old pal looking to meet some of your old co-workers (and friends), going to a conference is essential to the job.

Here are several conferences that take place at least once a year:

TBEX

TBEX Europe © Paul Brady

TBEX stands for “Travel Bloggers EXchange” – a community that allows travel writers, bloggers, editors as well as (mere) travelers to interact online at TravelBlogExchange.com. Then, there is the annual event, which started out as one conference per year in North America, and now has expanded to include a conference in Europe as well.

This year, the North American conference was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, from June 11-12, with more than 450 attendees! If you missed this year’s conference, another option is to attend TBEX Europe in Prague from Nov. 4-5, 2011.

Is TBEX right for me?

As the name states, TBEX is for bloggers. If you specialize in magazine writing, there might be other events better suited for your needs. If you are seeking to learn about social media and monetizing your blog, as well as using video to enhance or promote your travel writing, this might be the right event for you. Conference organizer, Kim Mance, is a prime example with her Galavanting TV and should not be missed as one of the key speakers.

Travel Classics

Again, the name tells all. Travel Classics is for those who prefer more of a classic route. That is, it will include magazines; meaning paper not only online writing.

Note that Travel Classics does not just accept anyone. It caters to experienced writers, and you must apply to secure your spot. What does this mean? Sending in several clips and writing samples. Just to make sure you are not heading along for the free press tours. Yes, you heard correctly: each conference includes a free pre- and post press tour, usually sponsored by the tourism board of the host country.

This year, Travel Classics was in Dublin from June 23-26, 2011. There will be another event in Vancouver from October 6-9, 2011 (it seems that Vancouver is getting popular with travel writers this year). Both events admit only a maximum of forty writers, along with about fifteen editors. Given the small size, writers can schedule one-on-one workshops with the editors.

Is Travel Classics right for me?

Well, before you start wondering whether it is right for you, you have to jump the hurdle of applying. If your application is accepted (meaning that you are an experienced travel writer), you can decide whether you want to go. If you are seeking to break in to National Geographic, it might be a good idea to head to Dublin; Keith Bellows, Editor in Chief, will be among the editors present.

© D. Sharon Pruitt

Book Passage Travel, Food and Photography Conference

Don George, Global Travel Editor for Lonely Planet Publications, is the one who started the Book Passage travel writing conference 20 years ago. Held annually in San Francisco, the conference brings together both inexperienced and experienced writers. In fact, Don George often mentions that some of the faculty started out as former students way back in the day.

One favorite story of his is that one student started talking to an editor over lunch about his travels and before the conference had ended, signed a book contract about precisely those journeys.

While it is perhaps unlikely that you, too, will experience such luck, it is worth a shot. This year, the conference will be held in San Francisco from August 11-14, 2011. Speakers and editors include Tim Cahill, David Farley as well as Don George himself.

Is Book Passage right for me?

Especially if you are new to travel writing, this is a good place to start. Book Passage welcomes writers with a variety of experience levels and you can get your foot in the door here. To do so, consider signing up for one of the individual editing sessions beforehand. They cost extra, but those few minutes with David Farley or Tim Cahill might be well worth the money.

Travel Bloggers Unite

Like TBEX, TBU provides an online community where travel writers can network and exchange ideas.

They also run several conferences. The first was held in Manchester earlier this March, and the second will be in Innsbruck, Austria, from August 24-26, 2011.

For the Innsbruck event, you can view the delegate list of those already registered here. Speakers include Sebastian Heinzel (Tripwolf CEO), Keith Jenkins (@Velvet Escape & Global Bloggers Network), Janice Waugh (@SoloTraveler & Global Bloggers Network), Abigail King (@InsideTravel Lab), John O’Nolan (@John O’Nolan) and Debbie Hindle (MD of FourBGB).

Is TBU right for me?

Like TBEX, TBU caters primarily to bloggers. At the Innsbruck conference, every delegate receives a free city tour from a specialty trained guide. You can view more information on the tours here.

***

No matter which conference you choose, good luck networking and pitching. Stay tuned for more updates on how to make the best of your next travel writing conference!

The post Which Travel Writing Conference Is Right for Me? appeared first on Vagabondish.

Aspiring travel writers looking to hone their skills can learn from one of the best – Rolf Potts – at the Paris Writing Workshop, July 1 – 29, 2011. Join Rolf and other successful fiction and nonfiction writers for courses on travel writing, fiction, poetry, screenplays, memoir and more. The month-long course costs $3,600, housing, airfare and expenses in Paris are extra.

All classes are taught in English, and applications are due May 31.

(Hat tip to Written Road for bringing this to our attention!)

The post Learn Travel Writing from Rolf Potts appeared first on Vagabondish.

Inspired by Stephanie Elizondo Griest, I was thrilled to learn that travel writers, too, could participate in artist residencies. Also known as colonies or retreats, residencies offer authors the chance to write in peace.

Katie Hammel’s article and Julie Schwietert’s piece on Matador enlightened me on ten North American residencies, and left me searching for options worldwide.

Here are eight international residencies that welcome travel writers:

#1: The Rockefeller Foundation – Bellagio Center (Bellagio, Italy)

Menaggio, Lake Como, Italy © marco|g

As its mission statement affirms, The Bellagio Center has been supporting scholars, artists, thought leaders, policymakers and practitioners who “promote the well-being of humanity” since 1959. By doing so, the center has acquired a long legacy of making a difference, and only accepts the best of the best.

Nevertheless, it’s worth soliciting a spot. If accepted, you will not only enjoy the serene work environment on the shore of Lake Como, but also be surrounded by diverse, inspiring artists who all seek to foster positive change. All residents and their spouses/partners, if applicable, receive free room and board, with high-speed Internet and access to a small library. The Foundation has a limited travel assistance program, and most participants are responsible for getting to and from Bellagio on their own.

Application requirements vary depending on whether you solicit as a scholar, creative artist, or practitioner. Unless you plan on combining your written craft with visuals or photography, travel writing will usually fall into the “scholar” category, which accepts stays for four weeks.

The application process is now open for possible scholarly residencies between February 16 and August 8, 2012. The deadline for applying is May 2, 2011. There is no fee to apply and you will need to submit the online form, a project proposal, abbreviated CV, work samples, and three references.

#2: The American Academy in Berlin (Berlin, Germany)

© Oliver Hammond

The American Academy in Berlin is a private, non-profit center for German-American cultural exchange. It invites about two dozen fellows annually to the Hans Arnold Center – a villa at Lake Wannsee. The fellowship program is open to poets, fiction writers and creative non-fiction writers who are based permanently in the US (though US citizenship is not required, American expatriates are not eligible).

Applications are accepted once a year for fellowships ranging from five to ten months. Detailed information about this year’s cycle will be posted here in June 2011 and will be due in October 2011. The application form should be submitted together with five copies of the following: project proposal (5-7 pages), CV and supporting materials (two recent and representative chapters or articles from published or forthcoming work).

Though it is advantageous to explain how a residency in Berlin would benefit the project, this is not a deciding factor. If accepted, residents are provided with airfare, housing, some meals, and a $5,000 USD monthly stipend.

#3: M Literary Residency (China or India)

The M Literary Residency seeks to broaden knowledge about contemporary life and writing in China and India. Poets, fiction writers or creative non-fiction writers can apply for a three-month residency in Shanghai, China, or Bangalore, India.

There is no fee to apply and you will need to submit the application form, a statement of purpose, two writing samples, as well as contact information for two references.

If accepted, residents receive transportation, accommodation, a $1,000 stipend, and are required to participate in two community events. Applications for the 2012 residency are due on July 1, 2011, and decisions will be announced on October 31, 2011.

#4: Brown Foundation Fellows Residency Program (Ménerbes, France)

Ménerbes © Allie_Caulfield

Dora Maar was a muse and lover of Picasso and her former residence now serves as a retreat for writers and artists. The house is situated in southern France and was owned by Maar until her death in 1997. In 2006, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston was asked to direct the Brown Foundation Fellows Residency Program here.

Mid-career poets, fiction writers and creative non-fiction writers are invited to apply for residencies of one to three months. Successful applicants receive travel expenses, lodging, workspace, and a $50/day stipend. In return, residents are obliged to participate in one community event.

There are two application cycles per year and decisions are made within six weeks of the deadline. This year, you can still submit an application by October 15, 2011 for fellowships beginning February 1 or after, and ending no later than June 30, 2012. To apply, you’ll need two work samples (max. 20 pages each), a CV, project description, proposal for community event, and two letters of recommendation. The application form and guidelines are available online.

#5: Instituto Sacatar (Bahia, Brazil)

Brazil Beach at Sunset © sebi ryffel

Founded in 2000, the Instituto Sacatar is a non-profit corporation that runs artist residency programs on Itaparica island across the bay from Salvador, Bahia. Residencies are held at a secluded seaside estate with a large courtyard enveloped by coconut palms and pitanga berry bushes.

Sacatar Fellowships offer reimbursement for roundtrip airfare, a private bedroom with bathroom, a separate studio, and all meals (except Saturday nights, Sundays, and holidays). Additional expenses, such as transportation in and around the island, are to be covered by the resident.

Applications are for eight-week residencies, during which artists can work independently or with local and/or regional organizations. There is a $35 fee to apply. You’ll need to submit the application form, a resume, work samples, two letters of recommendation and a description of your project, your reasons for coming to Bahia and your work needs.

Additional studios are being constructed and the next deadline for applying will be announced here.

#6: Polli Talu Arts Center (Rame Küla, Estonia)

In addition to composers, visual and performing artists, the Polli Talu Arts Center accepts applications from writers. Polli Talu means “Polly’s Farm,” and the residency is a traditional Estonian farm complex. Located near the Baltic Sea, it includes five log buildings with thatched roofs made from locally harvested reeds.

The writer’s studio is situated in a new thatched log building with a fireplace. If necessary, the artist is responsible for stocking the latter with wood for heating. Toilet, shower, and sauna are shared with other participants, but the writer has his/her own worktable, two chairs, lights, CD player and radio. €35 per day/person covers studio, housing and meals, primarily vegetarian using vegetables from Polli Talu’s organic garden.

In short, an application involves an informal cover letter, resume, and one to three work samples (max. three pages). You may submit one optional page of relevant information.

#7: Culture House Babayan (Cappadocia, Central Anatolia, Turkey)

Ballooning Over Cappadocia, Turkey © Javier Martin Espartosa

A Dutch non-profit Foundation, the Culture House Babayan has Dutch management on-site collaborating with Turkish professionals. Organized by artists for artists, it seeks to build bridges between East and West. The residency itself is a restored village farmhouse, ideal for walks in nature. The Culture House Babayan prides itself on professional, community-based art residencies, and offers a range of events and workshops for artists to participate in.

Nineteen artists have already been accepted for 2011, but the center is still accepting applications. To apply, submit an application form, resume and five work samples.

If accepted, Babayan Culture House offers discounts on food, accommodation and studio facilities. Assistance/intermediation, Internet, heating, stage use, working tools like grinder or electric cables, and access to cultural events are provided for free.

For 2011, a minimum stay of 4 weeks is priced at €670 per person in a studio apartment. If two accepted residency artists stay in a shared apartment, the second artist pays half price.

#8: Youkobo Art Space (Tokyo, Japan)

© Guwashi999

A former sanatorium for tuberculosis patients, Youkobo Art Space currently accepts five artists in residence at a time, and moreover rents out its gallery space. The center prides itself on developing creative activities based in the local community, so you can expect to work alongside Japanese artists.

Unfortunately, there is currently no financial support for artists. Rates start at 120,000 yen/month (ca. $1400 USD) for residency and studio use, in addition to 27,000 yen/month (ca. $320 USD) for utilities.

There is no application fee and you can submit the application form, a CV, evidence of artistic activity, and a proposal for your stay via e-mail.

More Useful Information

ResArtis: Click the advanced search option and specify “Literature” in the “Discipline/Media” category to find places that are open to hosting writers. Travel photographers can select “New Media” or “Film Making.”

http://www.transartists.org/

http://www.pw.org/conferences_and_residencies

Good luck!

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The post 5 Common Mistakes of Beginning Travel Writers appeared first on Vagabondish.

This may well be the most anti-inspirational movies for aspiring travel writers. Enjoy.

The post Bad Writing: The Movie appeared first on Vagabondish.

That’s when I realized: oh yeah … don’t I really need to sit down and type up a new article for Vagabondish?

Triste (II) – Sad (II) © BloOwITt

Every word I type is a lost opportunity somewhere in the world. When I arrived via high-speed train in Kagoshima, Japan, my days in the city were spent in an internet cafe, updating my blog entries. Of course, I got out every so often to walk around town and visit the nearest hot springs. But what should have been a grand opportunity to explore and meet new people was overshadowed by the need to share other past experiences with strangers around the world.

So it has been and so shall it be with travel writers, bloggers, and other aspiring novelists. It’s the ultimate travel writer’s Catch-22: feeling the urge to be out on the road at every moment of every day, yet feeling so restricted by your profession that one feels the need to take time from traveling to huddle in a corner and let the words flow.

Did I ever cut a traveling experience short by the subconscious need to get the most recent one on paper before I began anew? Even now, as I pound the keyboard while listening to the rain gently pound the roof of my meditation hut in New Zealand, I know I’ve been devoting entirely too much time to my writing (no offense to present company). There are forest trails to be run in my new barefoot style, waterfalls to be explored, meditation techniques to practice, and visiting monks whom I would love to engage in Dhamma discussions.

How can we, as writers, find the means to keep the poetry in our words without sacrificing too much time in the traveling world?

Brainstorming © MikeOliveri

Master the Art of Taking Notes

Your high school teachers taught you the basics. However, they probably anticipated you struggling to write the essentials while listening to the droning voice of a history professor rather than painting a rough picture of the mustache of your last chain-smoking driver as you stick out your thumb and hope another car will save you from the incoming rainstorm.

For the equipment, I find a small moleskin journal and a space pen work best for travel writing on the go. Some would say digital recorders, but I never listen to everything again.

For the time to do so – and this is key – there’s almost never a good time to sit down and take notes. Sure, you think you have seven hours in the international terminal to do some writing. But that could just as easily be spent people watching, meeting someone interesting at the airport bar, cracking open a new Lonely Planet, which will most likely draw the attention of backpackers headed in the same direction … and so on down the rabbit hole. The point being: minimize the time you spend putting pen to paper:

• Actual story: my ride for a 30 km stretch of road was an ice cream connoisseur who warned me of the dangers of white-tailed spiders in New Zealand (author’s note: you may not notice the bite, but they can result in loss of limbs).
• Notes taken: Bombay to Maramarua. Loves ice cream. Crazy spiders.

Resist the Urge to Write: Travel Comes First

I’m living on a Buddhist monastery just south of Auckland. Every morning I awake to a lovely sunrise, rolling green hills, and a different species of bird chirping at my door.

So why, oh why, do I feel compelled to steal a few minutes of internet time everyday to research my stories and submit new articles? I have to wait until the monks go down to the dining hut just so I can dash to their office and get in range of the otherwise inaccessible wireless network; something tells me that’s not especially good kamma.

Think about how you spent your traveling days before the Internet. Before Twitter. Before Facebook. One can spend months without Twittering and still lead a healthy, normal life. Seriously? Seriously.

You don’t have to update your blog as often as you ingest food. Your experiences will still matter even if you forget the finer points and never share the story with another living soul. It may feel perfectly natural to want to write down your feelings immediately following your first bungy jump or experience walking on hot coals, but look around: are you alone? Aren’t there others nearby, on a traveler’s high encouraging conversation and possibly a lasting friendship?

Stepping away to get your thoughts on paper might help you meet that deadline and earn enough to stay another week in a hostel. But overall, it’s contrary to the entire vagabonding mindset: you’re traveling for you, not for a publisher, and not for blog readers.

Freedom © abnelphoto.com

Another Catch-22 (to Further Complicate Things)

The irony, of course, is that without these travel stories you may have never been bitten by the bug in the first place.

The irony, of course, is that without these travel stories – without that obscure book you found in the back of a Barnes and Noble written by someone so moved by their experience on the road that he or she felt compelled to put pen to paper – you may have never been bitten by the bug in the first place. Travelers beget travelers, my friends, whether by story, living the example, or petty jealousy.

Finding balance isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight, nor will you necessarily be able to stick with it even once you’ve found it.

During my time in Japan, blogging and writing became a necessity. I had all this information, these experiences I felt would explode out of my chest (apologies to Alien fans) if I didn’t tell someone about them immediately. Without a steady supply of English speakers, my Japan blog was born.

In New Zealand, however, most of the places I visited, even though I had my unique perspective, had been written and obsessed about ten times over by backpackers. Who wants to hear yet another traveler’s recount of walking around Auckland? In the end, this feeling killed my desire to blog or even write journals.

I’m not saying you have to be in virgin territory to achieve decent writing, but it helps to know you’re one of the few. Lets the creative juices flow a lot easier.

What are your thought on Travel Writer’s Catch-22? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Are You a Victim of Travel Writer’s Catch-22? appeared first on Vagabondish.

Travel + Leisure are launching a new online venture targeting Southeast Asia and are looking for expert writers/bloggers with local knowledge:

Hi,

Got informed by Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia magazine (inc Hong Kong and Macau) that they are launching a new web site and blog very soon.

The blog is opened to the public, however they are looking for some local experts to jazz up the blog site and they intend to feed the very useful local information to all their site members. The local expert listings will be shown on every pages of their blog site and prompt for users to click on their profiles and view their information and blog posts.

You can be one of those! If you love to blog and you know quite well about the local things in Southeast Asia + Hong Kong, macau … you may write to their digital media team and mention your intention together with attaching some of your travel writings. You may reach Ms. Aor, her e-mail address is aor@mediatransasia.com

It is good to upgrade your profile with the 35 years world class magazine – Travel + Leisure.

Good luck!

The post You Can Write for ‘Travel + Leisure’ Southeast Asia appeared first on Vagabondish.

Just released this week is his latest book, Marco Polo Didn’t Go There – a collection of his funniest, boldest and most intriguing tales to date.

Vagabondish.com is among the stops on his virtual book tour and we had the privilege of sitting down for an exclusive Q&A session with Rolf.

© Rolf Potts

Your new book recounts various adventures to far-flung parts of the world, but it’s also an incisive look into life as a travel writer. What do you think about the state of contemporary travel writing?

It’s hard to speak in generalities about “contemporary travel writing,” because this term encompasses so much. There are so many different kinds of travel writing, from service articles to literary narrative to destination features. Much of it is geared toward the consumer experience and hence it’s going to be more practical than artistic in nature. In the process, a lot of it can come off sounding generic and clichéd.

Of course the generic clichés of travel writing — the overwrought language and harebrained chirpiness — have always been a part of the genre. When I teach nonfiction writing at the Paris American Academy each summer, I sometimes use On Writing Well, a classic text by William Zinsser that was written in the 1970’s. One of the chapters in this book is about capturing sense of place, and Zinsser pinpoints the travel-writing clichés that still hold true today — and probably always will hold true for certain types of consumer and destination travel articles.

All that said, I’m quite optimistic about contemporary travel writing. There are some talented people out there interpreting the postmodern travel landscape in interesting ways. It’s not that hard to find compelling, evocative travel writing out there. In addition to your better consumer travel magazines, Internet travel magazines and even blogs often publish thoughtful narrative writing — and literary journals and general interest magazines occasionally run fantastic travel essays.

I think it’s a great time to be a travel writer. Perhaps it’s not the best time to make a ton of money writing literary travel narrative, but most serious travel writers aren’t in it for the money anyhow.

You mention the creative writing workshop you teach each summer in Paris — what’s your approach to teaching writing?

One of my main goals at the writing workshop in Paris is to teach story structure, since so many beginning writers underestimate the role of structure in narrative nonfiction. I know I did when I was beginning as a writer — I thought all you had to do was write beautiful sentences in chronological order and your job was done. But that wasn’t the case. Modern audiences don’t have time for unfocused, unformed diary-like narratives — they need you to guide their reading experience. Of course the secret is inserting your story structure so deftly that it seems effortless — so that the reader doesn’t realize you had such a careful hand in forming the narrative. My new book, Marco Polo Didn’t Go There, contains endnotes after each chapter that explain how I transformed ragged, complicated real-life travel experiences into coherent, theme-driven stories. In addition to being humorous, these endnotes are meant to show how a simple travel story is rarely as simple as it might seem.

In your bio, it says that you feel somewhat at home in Bangkok, Cairo, Pusan, New Orleans, and north-central Kansas, where you have a small farmhouse near your family. Why, out of all the places in the world where you’ve been, do you feel a special kinship with these places?

I think all of these places simply captured my imagination, often in unexpected ways.

Pusan, for example, is not a very glamorous place — it’s just a big, gritty Korean port city. But it’s the place where I really cut my expatriate teeth, back when I was teaching English for a living. I learned to love Pusan, even as I had some tough and challenging experiences in adapting to life overseas. Cairo is a place that charmed me in unexpected ways, and wandering the random back-alleys of that city can be more fascinating to me than any tour of the Pyramids.

New Orleans was a place where I felt called to live for a spell, and I kept a small apartment in the French Quarter for a few months just prior to the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005.

Bangkok is just Bangkok — it offers endless surprises for anyone willing to be patient and put up with its vibrant chaos. There are other places where I feel at home, too, like the Latin Quarter of Paris or New York City.

My Kansas farmhouse is a kind of sanctum for me, a place where I can take a break from the road and enjoy the silence and be close to my family. It’s also a place where I can get a lot of work done — a place to slow down and be close to nature for a while. It’s off-the-beaten path in the truest sense of the word. Not many people visit Kansas in their travels, but I find new little adventures and discoveries every time I return.

Your new book shows that you’ve led a pretty adventurous life over the past 10 years. What advice might you have for a stable nine-to-five office type who is looking to add some international adventure to their life?

Simply decide to do it. It’s actually really energizing once you’ve made the decision to set out and make your dream journey, even if that journey won’t be a reality for another couple years. What might be an otherwise unremarkable stretch of two years of working in an office can actually be kind of thrilling when you know that this work is going to finance an amazing global adventure. That’s why I encourage everyone to embrace their work, even if they don’t particularly like it — fun or not, work is how you earn your freedom to make your travel dreams a reality.

Obviously there is an element of risk involved in leaving a steady lifestyle to travel the world — especially for an extended period of time. But you have to put things into perspective and realize that you’re only given so many years in life. Which will you remember best in your old age — a six-month journey across Europe and Asia, or an uninterrupted 20-year stint of working and saving for retirement? Naturally, the uncommon choice is going to be what makes your life experiences richer.

I don’t mean to knock those who choose a stable lifestyle — there are rewards inherent in that kind of life, too. But if you’ve dreamed of getting out and exploring the world at some point in life, it’s worth it to forego some stability as an existential tradeoff for that life-adventure. I have yet to hear from anyone who regrets taking that risk.

You’ve been traveling almost non-stop for years, but certainly there was a time when you were a travel novice. What might surprise readers about your early days as a traveler?

I was a late bloomer. Growing up in Kansas, smack in the middle of the USA, I was 15 years old before I ever saw the ocean. And I didn’t own a passport until I was 25. Yet just over a decade later I’ve explored six continents and I feel as comfortable in Cairo or Rio as I do in Seattle or Boston. I think this goes to show that there’s no stereotype that dictates who will and won’t travel.

As my own story proves, traveling the world is more a matter of desire and willpower than some privileged set of circumstances. I didn’t travel abroad when I was a kid, nor did I have much money growing up, but I eventually wandered my way across the world just the same. In many ways, I wrote Vagabonding as a letter to my 18 year-old self, to encourage people like me about the possibilities of travel. You don’t need tons of money to take your dream trip around the world; you just need the right attitude.

In the pages of Marco Polo Didn’t Go There, many of your most colorful adventures and misadventures come about by accident. What are some of the most shocking or unexpected moments and events you’ve experienced in all your years of travel?

Travel is one ongoing lesson in the unexpected. At its best, it surprises you with each day, and continually dispels your preconceptions.

After you’ve traveled awhile, you have new standards for what is and is not shocking. When I first went to India, I was continually amazed and exhausted by all the sensory input — you could literally see the most amazing sight of your life within hours of having seen the most disgusting sight of your life. After four months in India I got used to these aesthetic extremes — deformed beggars amid magnificent landscapes, for example — and it became somewhat normal. Then I went home to the U.S. and was shocked by, say, how big the food portions were at restaurants, or how quiet American cities can be by comparison. So travel recalibrates one’s sense of shock, to the point that a Pushkar market can be a shock if you’ve just flown in from Wichita, but a Wichita Wal-Mart can be an equal shock if you’ve just spent four months wandering Rajasthan.

As for the unexpected, I’d say that travel is one ongoing lesson in the unexpected. At its best, it surprises you with each day, and continually dispels your preconceptions. That’s part of what makes travel so addictive, I think — you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get, and this allows you the opportunity to be amazed again and again.

You can follow the rest of Rolf Potts’ virtual book tour online, or see him in person at one of 20 cities nationwide as he celebrates the release of Marco Polo Didn’t Go There (Travelers’ Tales, 2008). We encourage you to ask for the book at your favorite local bookstore or Amazon, and follow Rolf’s tour diary at Gadling starting Sept 29th.  Tomorrow’s virtual book tour stop will be at The Lost Girls. To read yesterday’s tour stop, go to BootsnAll.com.

The post An Interview with Rolf Potts, World Traveler and Author appeared first on Vagabondish.