Do you have a travel blog or plan on starting one? Do you ever fall into the trap of simply reporting what happened (“Then I did this … Then we went there …”) instead of telling a compelling story?
Here are my 10 tips for writing a great travel blog post:
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Start in the middle
Drop us into one of your precarious situations. Plunk us in to a scene of confusion, or danger, or hilarity. The reader will immediately want to know how this situation occurred, and what’s going to happen next.
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Want something
What is it that you want or desire? Are you searching for the perfect amber ring in Prague, or aiming to gain spiritual enlightenment in Tibet, or commune with the ghost of Charles Dickens in London? Whatever it is, when you introduce a desire, your reader can’t help but want to know if you will find what you’re looking for.
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Make us curious
Plant a question: make us wonder whether you’ll reach your goal, or even if you’ll survive, and don’t tell us until the end.
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Use backstory
Dip back into your past to shed light on the story you’re telling us about. As long as it connects to the story you’re telling, a quick gloss of a childhood memory or even a brief scene from a few years ago will go a long way toward connecting with your reader.
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Be funny
Exaggerate, self-deprecate, be witty and hyperbolic. Whatever form of humor you’re naturally drawn to, go for it. It takes practice to strike the right kind of humorous note in writing, so don’t be afraid of hard work here. Let your draft sit for a few days, and then come back to it, reworking the humor with fresh eyes.
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Don’t expect your visitors to read every word
Your readers will definitely skim. Use short paragraphs of 1-3 sentences so that your visitors will feel as though they are speedily zipping through your tale.
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Write scenes
Zoom in on a particular time and place, and what transpires there. Don’t gloss over the important moments of your tale. Zero in on the details that will make us feel as though we are there with you.
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Use sensory details
Transport your reader into your scene by using images—tell us what you see, feel, taste, smell and touch. The easiest and most reliable sense is sight, but don’t skimp out the others. Evoking all of our senses is key to lifting the reader off her couch and into your story.
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Interpret the events of your story
Let us know what you’re thinking. You are the lens through which we see this world, so guide us through your perspective. Don’t let a decision take place, or an action occur, without telling us your thoughts, predictions, worries or excitement.
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Endings
Don’t forget to let us know if you’ve fulfilled your desire, and answer any questions you’ve planted in your opening. Tell us what you learned from receiving or not receiving the thing you wanted. Tell us how you’ve changed.
