Tag: Travel Writing

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat REcap for April Part 1

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Writing Inspired by Travel

On this episode of Writers Chat, Johnnie Alexander and a few of her travel buddies, share their experiences on the Serious Writer Italy Tour. The not only share the exciting things that happened, but also the truth about traveling abroad—like missing flight connections—and about looking for the silver lining during such challenges. Be sure to check out this week’s replay for lots of great stories and inspiration.

Watch the April 4th Replay

7 Things I See Differently From the Publisher’s Side of the Desk

Michelle Medlock Adams, acclaimed children’s writer and now acquisitions editor for Wren and Bear, the children’s literature imprint for Endgame Press, shares how thing are different from the publisher’s point of view. She discusses having realistic expectations of the editor’s role, understanding the editorial process, the importance of deadlines, the author/editor/agent relationship, and advice for debut novels. We also talk about marketing.

Watch the February 11th replay.

Michelle Madlock Adams is a NY Times Best-selling ghostwriter and an award-winning author of more than 100 books including, Fly High, Our God is Bigger Than That! and Dachshund Through the Snow. Michelle is married to her high school sweetheart, Jeff, and they have two married daughters, six adorable grandchildren, two diva dachshunds, and two kitties. Visit michellemedlockadams.com for more info.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for March, Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Working with Editors with Karin Beery

Have you ever wondered how to pick the right editor for your book? If  you have, this jam packed episode is for you you. Karin shares her expertise on finding the right editor for your manuscript, plus she shares tips on common mistakes seen in manuscripts today.

Watch the March 19th replay.

For more resources and information on what type of editor is right for you, and services Karin offers, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Bio

Karin Beery is the owner of Write Now Editing, is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Editor Network. She teaches classes on editing at the Pen Institute. Karin is the Managing Editor of Guiding Light Women’s Fiction, part of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Her debut novel, Summer Plans and Other Disasters, released in 2018. For more information, visit https://karinbeery.com.

Travel Writing and More, with Valerie Fraser Luesse

As Southern Living Magazine’s award-winning senior travel editor, Valerie shares with us tips on submissions, queries, photos, and other essentials a writer might need to publish in magazines. She also tells us about helpful dos and don’ts of magazine submissions.

Watch the March 26th replay.

Enjoy fun tips and ideas shared in this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Bio

Valerie Fraser Luesse is the Senior Editor for Southern Living Magazine. She has written feature stories and articles, focusing on unique pockets of Southern culture and nuances. In 2009, Karin won Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. Her latest novel, Almost Home, was recently released. For more information, visit https://valeriefraserluesse.com .

Join Us!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Clicke here for our permanent Zoom room link.

Participants mute their audio and video during the filming, then we open
the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

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Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101 Uncategorized

5 Fun Gifts for Your Favorite Travel Writer

Have Words Will Travel
Upon returning from a writer's conference earlier this year, Cathy found a 1963 Shasta Airflyte Camper sitting in her driveway. Since then, she has taken quite the fancy to travel writing. She hopes you'll join her on this adventurous journey!

Tis the season to gift, and be gifted! Maybe you may have a favorite travel writer on your list, or perhaps you simply need to share a copy of this post with a loved one. (Hint, hint.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vintage Globe Business Card for Travel Blogger/Writer, Set of 50, $27.50, Etsy. Illustration by Nancy Nikko. Searching for a unique eye-catching business card? This one is sure to stand out above the rest.

A3dec2015notebook

Parachute Suitcase Printed Lined Notebook, 64 pages (front/back), $8.00, Etsy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A3dec2015leatherRugged Medium Leather Travel Journal, with Recycled Paper, $54.00, pen included, Etsy.

 

 

 

 

A3dec2015headphones

Ditch those earbuds and enjoy a sweet set of noise cancelling headphones. The Best Headphones of 2015 list can be found here.

 

 

 

 

A3dec2015aqua-notes-homeAnd finally, a personal favorite. Aqua Notes – Waterproof Pad, $6.99 Amazon. (I picked mine up at a local Mast General Store). Yep, that’s right. Slap it on the shower wall and you’ll be prepared for any water-induced epiphanies that come your way. And what writer doesn’t have these from time to time? I recently did a weekend writing jaunt at a lake retreat, thanks to a generous family friend. My Aqua notepad saved the day more than once. Use any type pen with it.

May you and yours have a very Merry Christmas!

Pilgrims are poets who create by taking a journey. –Richard Niebuhr

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Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101

Make Your Next Travel Writing Article More Memorable

Have Words Will Travel
Upon returning from a writer's conference earlier this year, Cathy found a 1963 Shasta Airflyte Camper sitting in her driveway. Since then, she has taken quite the fancy to travel writing. She hopes you'll join her on this adventurous journey!

Andrew McCarthy, guest editor of The Best American Travel Writing 2015, says that the best travel writing is “the anonymous and solitary traveler capturing a moment in time and place, giving meaning to his or her travels.”

Capturing a moment in time—and sharing it in a way that captures the very imagination of the reader—is the goal of every writer. Below are four tips to consider in making your next project a memorable one:

  • Make your prose sing. Read a little poetry every day. Yes, poetry! Read it aloud. Feel the cadence and you’re sure to gain a new understanding, as well as a fresh appreciation, for the value poetry can bring to your prose.
  • Make it impossible for readers to turn away. Engage a person’s five senses and you’ll go straight for the emotional jugular. Include as many of the senses as your piece will sensibly allow—especially where the sensory of scent is concerned. It’s a powerhouse player on the sensory team and unfortunately, often overlooked.
  • Make your point. If you don’t know the focal point of your travel story, chances are your reader won’t either and who wants to ride a merry-go-round of endless details? Most of us enjoy the scenery but we all expect to land at a particular destination.
  • Make continual learning a must. Howard Hendricks once said, “I’d rather have my students drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool.” When we as writers hone our skills by furthering our education through classes, increasing our time between the pages of quality travel books, or joining a local or online writer’s group, our readers will drink from a running stream, leaving them refreshed… and wanting more.

Is there one tip, either from above, or from another source, that you plan to integrate into your writing to make it more memorable?

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Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101

Why This Travel Writing Site Rocks!

work-791437_640“Great travel writing consists of equal parts curiosity, vulnerability and vocabulary. It is not a terrain for know-it-alls or the indecisive. The best of the genre can simply be an elegant natural history essay, a nicely writ sports piece, or a well-turned profile of a bar band and its music. A well-grounded sense of place is the challenge for the writer. We observe, we calculate, we inquire, we look for a link between what we already know and what we’re about to learn. The finest travel writing describes what’s going on when nobody’s looking.” -Tom Miller

Regardless if you’re a weekend warrior with a camera and waterproof notepad in hand, or a full-press travel writer utilizing all the apps shared in last month’s post, you’re sure to savor every moment spent perusing Wanderful World…For the Curious, the Creative, and the Inspired. (Pour a mega cup of cold brew coffee because you’re gonna want it!)

While Wanderful World offers a plethora of relevant information I’d like to share one post you’re sure to appreciate:  The Different Types of Travel Writing Jobs Out There. Lizzie doesn’t disappoint!

So, hop over to her site, choose your type of writing job(s) and then, would you consider sharing it here?  I chose Product Description. Okay, so it’s not a featured article for The National Geographic but writing hotel descriptions and text for tour guides? That’s right up my proverbial alley!

I look forward to reading your choice.

Categories
Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101 Uncategorized

Making Your Travel Writing More Memorable

Landscape

glasses-431376_640Andrew McCarthy, guest editor of The Best American Travel Writing 2015, says that the best travel writing is “the anonymous and solitary traveler capturing a moment in time and place, giving meaning to his or her travels.”

Capturing a moment in time—and sharing it in a way that captures the very imagination of the reader—is the goal of every writer. Below are four tips to consider in making your next project a memorable one:

  • Make your prose sing. Read a little poetry every day. Yes, poetry! Read it aloud. Feel the cadence and you’re sure to gain a new understanding, as well as a fresh appreciation, for the value poetry can bring to your prose.
  • Make it impossible for readers to turn away. Engage a person’s five senses and you’ll go straight for the emotional jugular. Include as many of the senses as your piece will sensibly allow—especially where the sensory of scent is concerned. It’s a powerhouse player on the sensory team and unfortunately, often overlooked.
  • Make your point. If you don’t know the focal point of your travel story, chances are your reader won’t either and who wants to ride a merry-go-round of endless details? Most of us enjoy the scenery but we all expect to land at a particular destination.
  • Make continual learning a must. Howard Hendricks once said, “I’d rather have my students drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool.” When we as writers hone our skills by furthering our education through classes, increasing our time between the pages of quality travel books, or joining a local or online writer’s group, our readers will drink from a running stream, leaving them refreshed… and wanting more.

Is there one tip, either from above or from another source, that you plan to integrate into your writing to make it more memorable?

 

 

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/35740357@N03/4727573694″>Tricycle Club of the Century Village Retirement Community Meets Each Morning.</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://www.flickr.com/commons/usage/”>(license)</a>

Categories
Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101

3 Mobile Apps Every Travel Writer Needs

Searching for mobile apps to assist your travel writing efforts? Search no more! Weekend warriors and global travelers alike will benefit from these popular time-saving tools.  Be sure to share your favorite app in the comment section.

googletranslate

Google Translate: Break through any language barrier with this mobile app. It translates with your voice, camera, keyboard or handwriting and no internet connection is needed. You can also save your translations and access from any device.

IOS: App Store

Android: Google Play

pinterest

Pinterest: This mobile app is a no brainer. Pinterest has been a constant source of inspiration for years. (Take this board by Wanderlust Magazine, for instance.) But have you considered using Pinterest to scout out your next adventure? You can search for destinations, foodie-favorite restaurants, historical sites, etc.

IOS: App Store

Android: Google Play

evernote

Evernote: With this mobile app you can create a separate notebook for each destination. Include your maps, pictures of places you visited, foods you liked (or disliked), architectural features, etc. The possibilities are endless! Save an idea on Evernote and free yourself to move on, returning to it at any time.

IOS: App Store

Android: Google Play

 

Do you have a favorite mobile app for your traveling ventures? Please share!

Categories
Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101

Moving Three Steps Closer to Travel Writing

So, what exactly is a travel writer? The answer seems obvious, which is why I prefer Brian Klems’ perspective:

“All good travel writing moves the reader twice: it transports him to a place, and moves him emotionally.”

This idea of moving our readers embraces a plethora of possibilities for the one who invites others to see what they see, feel what they feel. Like the weekend warrior who introduces local readers to nearby adventures, sites, and attractions they might have otherwise missed. Or, perhaps it’s the person with wanderlust buried in their bones, traveling both home and abroad.

Either way, there must be a starting point. Below are three steps to help move you towards your goal, whether it’s for professional or personal purposes:

  • Create a travel blog. This is an effective way to build a platform, increasing the visibility of your name and especially your work. Post pictures and videos, along with your unique take on the destination, as well as the journey itself. (I’ll share more tips specifically for travel blogs in future posts.)
  • Take time to network. Set aside 30 minutes every day, or a few times each week, to visit other travel blogs and Web sites. Leave pithy, well-composed comments on those sites you value most. Try to avoid simplistic comments, like “great post!” This is your opportunity to connect with those whose work you respect. Be specific. Tell them what you found to be most valuable in their post.
  • Spiff up those skills! Refuse to settle for being a good writer. Head back to school, take an evening class, join a local or online critique group, read, etc. Competition for travel articles is particularly intense.

Care to join me on this exploration of all things travel writing? If there’s a particular subject you would like to see covered in this column, please share in the comment section.

In the meantime, in honor of beloved Dr. Suess, what’s a favorite place you would like to go?

“Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” – Dr. Suess

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