iUniverse presents tips on travel writing – Part I

Travel writing represents the blending of those who love self-expression and those who love experience. Not surprisingly, many people possess both qualities! Writing about travel also suits authors who are not fiction writers, and who prefer non-fiction, memoirs, or journaling.

While travel writing seems self-evident, there is indeed an art to it, and iUniverse would like to share guidance that it has derived from recognized travel writers.

Lonely Planet titles

First, take a look around a bookstore. These days, you will find a travel section in nearly every bookstore, and one which is fairly diverse and often extensive. In short, it is a field which receives a lot of submissions and hence has become very competitive. Surely, there is always room for great writers, but do keep in mind that financially, travel-writing may not yield high results.

Publications, especially magazines, formerly paid better rates for travel writers, until they discovered that many writers would undertake the work just for a free trip! They also saw that many travelers didn’t mind writing for a few bucks. Still, top publications will pay well, as they can choose from the best authors, who often have a following.

On the grasslands of Mongolia

Find your niche. Panama, Mongolia or Namibia is your setting, not your story. Travel writing is not about geography, but rather about YOUR journey with an interesting backdrop that provides stimulus.

With the world having become much smaller, few countries, if any, have not been written about in general. You will find travel guides to nearly every nation, published by several different publishers. The way to create a niche is to take a certain aspect of a country and turn that into your subject. A certain type of cooking or a unique sport, or a region which has received little attention, can be the basis for something really new and interesting.

Study the genre. Writers of sci-fi and historical fiction typically have read tons of books from those genres, but many travel writers choose to skip this. iUniverse always believes in investing in a genre to learn more and get a better grasp of it. With the Internet, there is no shortage of free travel stories to read. Practice your travel writing with a blog or contributing to websites. Additionally, have a look at what travel books are selling best.