Lowering language barrier
Posted: February 16, 2013 Contents: Resources | Tags: travel journalism, travel language, travel technology, travel writing Leave a comment »The Resources lists gadgets and apps every travel journalist should carry. David Miller of the Matador Network recently wrote about revolutionary technology for the travel journalist. Technology that will completely lower the language barrier between strangers from different cultures. Here’s a bit from Miller’s article,
This technology is still in its nascent form, but as more languages are added and the technology is refined, everyone from business travelers to anthropologists will be able to interact with locals in ways that were previously inaccessible or which necessitated having a 3rd person there.
Green Book
Posted: February 16, 2013 Contents: Chapter 2, Resources | Tags: black history, Deborah Bhattacharyya, Green book, negro-motorist green book, road trip, travel journalism, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 2 discusses guidebooks as a major part of the tourist process. As the text states guidebooks mediate the relationship between tourist and destination, as well as the relationship between the guest and host.
In the early stages of the 20th century blacks weren’t privy to such information much less experiences. A major fear and risk for African Americans was safety.
As a result a postal worker Victor Green put together a guidebook that showed blacks safe places to visit while traveling throughout the country: “The Negro-Motorist Green Book.” Nsenga Burton of the Roots.com explains to readers the books function and historical relevance. Here’s a tidbit from her article:
Like users of today’s popular recommendation sites such as TripAdvisor, travelers collected information during their journeys, which they shared…
Handy travel safety tips
Posted: February 5, 2013 Contents: Chapter 4 | Tags: lonely planet, lonelyplanet.com, safety while abroad, tom hall, travel advice, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel research, travel safety, travel tips, travel writer, travel writing, what not to do 1 Comment »Chapter 4 briefly discusses the importance of being safe as you travel. Tom Hall of LonelyPlanet.com has compiled a list of warnings that travel journalists and travelers in general should heed. Among some of Hall’s warnings are watch out for fake police and police officers seeking bribes. Travel journalists should be able to count on local authority for not only safety but free reliable information as well.
Reverse outline
Posted: February 5, 2013 Contents: Chapter 4 | Tags: aaron hamburger, likewise, new york times, new york times travel, reverse outlining, travel advice, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel research, travel tips, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 4 gives advice to the travel journalists in regards to drafting and revising works. Likewise, Aaron Hamburgur of the NewYorkTimes.com offers his advice to writers specifically in the form of reverse outlining. Here is a tidbit from Hamburgers article,
I’ve come to prefer a more organic approach to creation, first laying out my raw material on the page, then searching for possible patterns that might emerge. But now,after I’ve completed a first draft, I compose an outline. I’ve found that this is the surest way to make sense of the work.
Volunteering properly
Posted: February 5, 2013 Contents: Chapter 3 | Tags: jade keller, matador network, matadornetwork.com, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel research, travel volunteer, travel writer, travel writing, volunteer, volunteer traveling Leave a comment »In Chapter 3 volunteering is listed as one of the twelve important niche’ topics. Assuming volunteer writers, well volunteer — Jade Keller of the Matador Network advices the aspiring volunteer on how to be a helper any NGO wants. First, Keller breaks a few assumptions. Take a look at an excerpt of her article,
I’ll start by dispelling the myth that nonprofits should bend over backwards in gratitude for your offered time. Most people, for valid reasons like they need money to eat, cannot afford to donate much of their time. So they can only put in a few hours a month, or, if they want to work in developing regions like South East Asia, Africa, or Latin America, they will come out for a few weeks or a few months, ready to go pedal to the metal…and then leave.
There are some organizations that have short-term volunteering programs, but they are…
Price for safety? Common sense
Posted: February 5, 2013 Contents: Resources | Tags: freelance journalists, lonely planet, lonelyplanet.com, mark broadhead, travel advice, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »The Resources section of the text offers advice from 100 freelance journalists. Mark Broadhead of LonelyPlanet.com offers his advice on safety while traveling. According to Broadhead,
Scan your travel documents and email them to yourself. It was traditional to photocopy your passport and visas, travel insurance etc, and keep them in a separate part of your luggage. But that’s old school. These days, digital is best – that way your documents won’t go missing even if your bags do.
It may seem like a breeze, but be advised that teaching yourself to ride a motorbike or jet ski in a foreign country is probably unwise. In Thailand, for instance, 38 people a day die in scooter accidents. Nb some travel insurance policies won’t cover scooter-related injuries.
Interviews
Posted: February 5, 2013 Contents: Chapter 1 | Tags: interview, savvy traveler, travel advice, travel interview, travel journalism, travel writer, travel writers exchange, travel writing, trisha miller Leave a comment »Chapter 1 coaches the travel journalist on the basics of journalistic practices including methods. Trisha Miller of the TravelWritersExchange offers her own advice.
Truly savvy travel writers know that there is another tool at their disposal, one that gives them more article angles, and the opportunity to both attract new readers and potentially add a more multi-media-rich experience to their personal brand toolbox.
I’m referring of course to interviews. The kind you conduct with various people you encounter on your travels.
Start by focusing on those whom you think your readers would find interesting, and branch out from there. It’s better to have more material than you can use, than to not have enough.
Evolving niche’ market: PANKS
Posted: January 22, 2013 Contents: Chapter 2, Chapter 3 | Tags: digital women influencers study, nadine godwin, pank, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel weekly, travel writer, travel writing, weber shandwick Leave a comment »Chapter 2 points out that the audiences for travel journalism aren’t static; they change. Likewise, Nadine Godwin of Travel Weekly introduces a new niche’ audience for travel writers: the PANKs. According to Digital Women Influencers Study, researched by Weber Shandwick, PANK is defined as an acronym for:
professional aunt, no kids.
However, Godwin and the research includes all single career women who enjoy sharing travel experiences with young relatives or acquaintances in the PANK category. In the Digital Women article, research shows women are having less children than only several decades ago and these PANKs make up 1 in 5 of the US population. As the article appeals to marketers with a new angle to approach…
Essential skill: frugality
Posted: January 22, 2013 Contents: Chapter 4 | Tags: frugal, frugal traveler, new york times, new york times travel, seth kugal, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel skills, travel writer, travel writing Leave a comment »Chapter 4 aids the travel journalist by outlining tips, tools, and cautions which should help journalists cover stories at a home market or on the road. Likewise, Seth Kugel of the New York Times Travel section updates travel tips for the new year. Kugel devotes the entire article to helping travelers master the technique of traveling frugally which can lead to more experiences which in turn contributes to the travel writers end goal.
Kugel encourages the aspiring traveler to adjust their mental budget. Instead of thinking about staying home for another average weekend one should be
subtracting what you save by not being home. Surely you would have gone out for dinner and a movie one night, at least, so knock off $100. Add in gas, groceries, electricity, etc., and you’ve got at least another $50.
Kugel also warns that…
Extremely important niche’ topics: Cruising & Eco
Posted: January 22, 2013 Contents: Chapter 3 | Tags: cruise, cruising, eco, eco-cruising, ecotourism, jennifer conlin, new york times, new york times travel, travel journalism, travel journalist, travel writer, travel writing 1 Comment »Chapter 3 lists “Cruising” and “Eco” as important niche’ topics for readers. Jennifer Conlin of New York Times Travel section takes advantage of both markets as she explores the push for cruise lines to shrink their footprints. According to the article:
A one-week voyage on a large ship is estimated to produce 210,000 gallons of sewage, a million gallons of gray water (runoff from sinks, baths, showers, laundry and galleys), 25,000 gallons of oily bilge water, 11,550 gallons of sewage sludge and more than 130 gallons of hazardous wastes.
Hopefully the two niche’ topics can come together on better terms next go round. Combining niche’ topics is a great way to find unique angles to pursue.
