#167: Let's Write A Travel Memoir

Dear writer,

The first book we are going to write is a travel memoir.

Why a travel memoir?

Two reasons for that.

Firstly, I am embarking on a three-month journey to India, making it the perfect opportunity to capture my experiences. Secondly, I firmly believe that crafting a travel memoir can be a potent catalyst for igniting your creative spark.

For quite some time, I've been jotting down thoughts in my notebooks and amassing travel brochures, always with the intention of transforming them into a memoir upon my return. Yet, somehow, I consistently postponed this endeavor, opting instead to write on other subjects even when I had little to share about them.

Through ‘Everything Is A Book,’ I’m aiming to establish a sense of accountability, both for myself and for those of you who are joining me on the voyage of penning their travel stories.

Travel writing has held a profound enticement for me. If I could pursue any path I desired, this is precisely what I would choose.

Mick Jagger once said, if he couldn’t be a rock star, he would like to be a travel writer. Drew Barrymore, an actress, producer, talk show host, and author, claimed the same. Such is the allure of travel writing.

Picture this, you're lounging on a comfy chaise, right there on a pristine white-sand beach, with the mesmerizing aquamarine ocean as your backdrop. As you soak in the scene, you can't help but notice how the palm trees sway gently in the breeze, carrying that distinct salt-tinged aroma. With a margarita in hand, you're leisurely jotting down your vivid impressions in a well-worn, weather-beaten notebook.

Fast forward to another adventure - you're bouncing along through the wilds of the African bush. Your camera is working overtime as you capture snapshots of graceful gazelles and majestic lions in their natural habitat. And as the day comes to a close, there you are, gathered around a crackling campfire, the warm glow illuminating faces, while everyone listens in awe to spine-tingling tales, all while sipping on gin and tonic. It's a life filled with unforgettable moments.

Enchanting! Isn’t it?

But I am about to shatter this image. This is not the kind of travel writing we are going to do.

Travel writing is not about describing a place in scintillating words.

Nor it is about - “I arrived at the place and I got in the taxi and I went to the hotel and the hotel room was blah blah blah and then I went downstairs and had a meal…”

This type of narrative doesn't really captivate readers' interest, even though that's precisely what I used to craft when documenting my journeys.

Readers want to see the place you’re visiting through your eyes. They want to meet the people you’re meeting, they want to smell what you’re smelling, and they want to hear what you’re hearing. They want to taste the place. They want a sense of the place. They want to feel the atmosphere. They are not interested in the litany of wonderful landmarks to see, they want to have a slice of the place.

Readers seek our assistance in comprehending a place, not through an exhaustive account of all our discoveries, but by revealing a specific facet that ignites their curiosity, enticing them to delve deeper. This style of writing springs forth from engaging with locals, immersing ourselves in the cadence of their voices, grasping their culinary preferences, and observing the rhythm of their daily lives.

Travel writing revolves around the people as much as it does around the destination itself. Inexperienced writers tend to solely focus on the location, becoming preoccupied with describing the place rather than truly immersing themselves in the human experience.

I once fell into that category, but through this challenge and the participation of fellow writers (through paid subscriptions), we can hone our skills and become adept at crafting richer and more engaging travel narratives.

Remember, travel writing isn't solely about the act of traveling; it's equally about the art of writing. None of the renowned travel writers ever declared, "My life's ambition is to become a freelance travel writer." Instead, their primary aspiration was to write, and their journeys served as a wellspring of inspiration, provoking profound thoughts and emotional responses.

Let’s pack our bags to get on the journey!

There are so many rewards waiting for you.

It’s not money, let me tell you upfront. Only a handful of individuals manage to sustain themselves solely through travel writing, so few that you could tally them with just your fingers.

But there are other rewards of travel writing.

• First and foremost you become a better traveler. You arrive at your destination having already learned something of its history, culture, and important sites, making you far better able to explore and appreciate what it has to offer.

• When you are on the road, traveling as a travel writer, you pay more attention. You look more closely, listen more clearly, taste more carefully, and continually reflect on what you’re experiencing. As a result, your travels are deeper and richer.

• You’ll often go behind the scenes at a restaurant, shop, or hotel, to speak with intriguing people - from archeologists and curators to chefs and shamans - and learn things that an average traveler wouldn’t even think about.

• And when you come back - you will be able to relive your journey over and over while writing about it and reading it years later.

• If you publish your stories, as a blog post or a book, you will further multiply your pleasure, forging connections with others who share your passion.

However, these treasures also bring with them certain obligations. You'll find yourself investing countless hours in reading, collecting information, and putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

Yet, if you have a genuine passion for both travel and writing (as I do), these tasks won't weigh you down as responsibilities; they'll simply be a labor of love.

So, knowing all that, are you ready to go?

Great!

Let’s fly.

But before we take off, let's establish a few guidelines for our writing. After all, without some rules, we writers have a knack for wandering off course.

I propose the following:

• Explore all. Anything encountered during your travels serves as your subject matter: locals, markets, language, transport, traditions, foliage, architecture, cuisine, commute, festivals, and beyond.

• Craft a full piece every day, whether it's a concise five-sentence gem or a five-paragraph tale; it must stand complete, as leaving it half-formed risks its abandonment.

• Pen the first draft by hand, preferably in a dedicated travel notebook, as loose papers and envelopes tend to wander and vanish.

• Set aside time for your writing; mornings may suit you best as the previous day's experiences ferment in your mind, ready to be distilled into a narrative.

• Write in 15-minute intervals. If you can’t find even 15 minutes in your day, seize 5 minutes instead. If done consistently, your writing will quickly add up.

• Study the masters. Diligently perusing fine travel writing to learn the craft of transforming daily life into stories, discerning how skillful writing can make scenes 'sound,' 'smell,' 'look,' and 'amuse.'

• Read bad travel writing as well because it will inspire you even more than good writing. When I read good writing, I am reminded of my mediocrity, but when I read not-so-good writing I say to myself, "I can write better than this."

Each week I will share one of my travel stories and give you a prompt to write yours accompanied by helpful hints on how to develop it.

Let’s start!

Today’s Writing Prompt

You need not be on a journey to engage in crafting your travel memoir. You have the liberty to delve into your past adventures, or you can even embark on a literary exploration of the place you currently call home.

Transform yourself into a traveler right in your own backyard, and let the stories unfold.

Dedicate a notebook for your travel writing and answer the following questions.

• Which places have you traveled?

• About which place would like to write about and why?

• What were your most memorable experiences? And why?

Share some of your answers in the comments section.

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Hope you will join me in this exciting journey of writing a travel memoir ( and more books in the coming months, find more info here).

Join today so that you don’t have to play catch-up!

See you next Friday