Sallie Tisdale’s Breakable Rules for Travel Writing

From: Tisdale, Sallie. "Never let the locals see your map: Why most travel writers should stay home." Harpers Magazine. Sept 1995. pp. 66-74.

Travel writing = “…lyrical account of an adventure marked by curiosity and courage…” (p. 67)

Distinction b/w traveler and tourist.

1.      Be genuine.  Being a tourist is ok.

2.      Don’t be a showman.

3.      Don’t rely on stereotypes.

4.      Don’t blame others.

5.      Don’t be rude. Don’t be a snob.

6.      Don’t avoid being a foreigner. Be genuine.

7.      Don’t write for the elite.

8.      Don’t be a whiner.

9.      Be curious.

10.  Don’t try to control situations.

11.  Don’t expect foreigners to be impressed with you just because you’re white or come from the US.

12.  Get to know people.

13.  Don’t be bored.

14.  Be compassionate.

15.  Don’t fictionalize:  show the disorder.

a.       Don’t reconstruct events or dialog

16.  Write about a search. Look for something.

17.  Don’t pretend that you cannot see signs of modern culture (it’s everywhere).

a.       People have always wanted to fine the “pure,” the untouched.

b.      People have always wanted to be the first, the only one.

18.  Don’t be a colonialist.  Don’t define a place in your own terms.

19.  Travel like the people of the country do (p.73).

20.  Don’t look down on/ ignore the tourist sites.

a.       Don’t look down on the people who go to see them.

21.  Don’t pretend to be someone you are not.

a.       Don’t delude yourself.

b.      Don’t delude others.

22.  Don’t ignore the people whose livelihoods depend on tourists.  They are part of the landscape, culture,….

“Travel should be a mirror; and when I look in the mirror I see a bloody Yank with a poor command of languages, map unfolded on the street corner, lost again.” (p.74)