WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEING A TRAVEL WRITER
Travel writers should write stories that inspire people to see places differently.
Source: Curated Travel Experiences
By Shafira Umairah
When someone says that they are a travel blogger, what is on your mind? Stay in luxury places and eat feasts? Or get the opportunity to visit other countries? This is not unheard of, but more often than not, a travel writer's life is a lot more complicated than it seems.
Thousands of writers mainly published their writing on their blogs. Some earned book offers, some were offered to be a magazine travel writer.
Some were offered free travel deals, and some get nothing more than the appreciation that a random reader who came across their blog from a Google search.
A travel writer of Gaya Travel magazine, Hasif Hamsyari said that he started his journey as a travel writer in his blog when he was still a student. He added that one must have a passion for becoming a writer.
“Building connections is also important. Try to engage with strangers, they might be beneficial for you in the future. Being a travel writer, it requires meeting new people and organizations every day,” he said.
Most importantly, travel writers must always keep up to update with technology changes. For example, any new features on social media applications writers need to know how to make it easier to connect with the audiences.
"How rapid the technology is evolving sometimes scares me, but it is unavoidable, we have to adapt with the fast changing technology situation and keep up with all of it. It is actually fun playing with technology,” Hasif added.
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Preparation to Become a Travel Writer
Travel writing does not only mean visiting breathtaking places but also experiencing other cultures, writing about the uniqueness of the world and the stories of the people inside the picture.
You have to paint a picture of the scene in your writing to let the readers feel as if they are part of the journey.
Pojiegraphy is one of the travel writers in Malaysia, this photo was captured when he traveled to Japan early this year.
Source: Instagram/ Pojiegraphy
He also highlighted that for those who wanted to be travel writers; if they have not started yet, they should begin writing their travel blog.
If they are more passionate in videography, they can start their travel vlog and to never stop learning skills that can help in becoming a good travel writer.
Building confidence, for a travel writer, is also crucial, not only focusing on the view and nature of the places but also the people and the culture.
Travel blogger Lindy Alexander founder of thefreelancersyear.com, wrote in her article that she started in travel writing by pitching a couple of stories about the country town where she lives.
She did not travel to a far-flung place or have extraordinary adventures with wildlife or life-changing cultural encounters. Instead, she walked a few hundred meters down the road to write the story.
Those who want to be travel writers but are scared of being judged or you think you are not capable of doing so, what you need to do is develop the right mindset.
Yes, it sounds easy but not as easy as it seems because you are going to attempt to do something that you were not confident about. There are two types of mindsets, a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset, explained by American psychologist, Carol Dweck.
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These mindsets are based on the actions of individuals and their responses to failure. People with a "fixed mindset" assume that knowledge and other skills are "fixed" and are unable to adjust.
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People who have "growth mindsets" believe that intelligence and abilities can be created through hard work and determination. Getting a "growth mindset" means that you understand that you can change or learn more as long as you put in the work.
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Not only would it be an act of courage, but this will also be worth it if you take the steps you need as a writer, have confidence in our abilities and do all we can to strengthen and perfect our abilities. Never stop learning and improving yourself.
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Next one is to keep writing. Most of the travel blogs suggested that, if you're going to become a travel writer, you need to practice writing. Whether you're going to the beach, exploring the new town that is going viral on social media, or going on a fun trip overseas, write about it.
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Think about a cool experience you had when you met someone on the street. Refresh your memory as you think back to a fun trip you took with your parents when you were young. Be descriptive! Express what you see, feel, and smell on your adventures.
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It does not have to be an essay, but more like a journal entry. Find a good flow as you pour your thoughts and emotions onto the page, follow your mind's tangents, and see where it takes you.
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Read constantly. There is no better way to hone your writing skills than to study the works of other travel writers. Browse top travel blogs that have made the first page of Google such as worldpackers.com.
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Read things that are not only about travel, including other reading materials that you like. What is all the reading about?
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It will help you get to know what genres are out there, pick what types of writing you like best, and decide what makes their writing so captivating. To write even better stories, you should fuse some of their methods with your imaginative abilities.
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Last but not least, you should be willing to travel. Take all your excuses that you cannot travel and provide solutions to them if you want to be a travel writer.
Begin your journey to some hot places in your city. Head to the next town or state for a mini road trip or weekend getaway. You would be amazed at what adventures you can find near you!
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It will also help with your country's tourism industry. Work them out if you want to be a travel writer and sell your stories.
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Travel Writers in a Pandemic
When he travel to ‘gua ikan dabong’ in Kelantan
Source: Instagram/ Hasif Hamsyari
"Due to the pandemic, we are not able to go to the destination that we have planned. But that did not stop us from writing the travel article. We use the ‘photo bank’ to sustain our content in travel magazines," he says.
That does not mean they cannot write in-depth or first-hand stories about travel if the travel writers is not travelling. They need to think outside of the box in digging into stories regardless of staying at home.
"The growth of social media pushes writers to create content and feed readers and viewers from various social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and most recently, Tik Tok.
"Because of the pandemic, the economy is going down so it is part of our job to help the economy by promoting, suggesting and introducing the best place to visit in Malaysia," he added.
Reflecting on previous experiences with travel will open up new opportunities. Is there a tale you haven't told, but maybe it's more important than ever now? You could have visited a state with interesting historical stories or celebrations so it is time to look back on your travel experiences, and find it out.