Phil Druker/Department of English/ University of Idaho

 

TRAVEL WRITING MAIN PRINCIPLES

A.    From Druker

Write for readers.

Άθ Show, rather than tell

Άθ  Write to inform your readers about the place (not about you)

    Άθ   Use your experience to show your readers what they can experience
                           or
to help them learn about a place (don't just describe your unique experience)

Άθ     Use a story/narration, character, and place to present facts

           Άθ Place can work as a character

Άθ    Emphasize the main point: make sure readers know where you are after the first few sentences

 Άθ    Use irony to keep things light: don't preach.

B.     From you (the students)

1.      Provide entertainment.

·         Help the reader escape to a (new) place.

2.      Help the readers learn something new

·         Facts

·         Give information about places they might never go

·         Give information about places they might want to travel to.

3.      Give the readers new insight about the world

·         Analyze, explain, provide a point of view

·         Do more than tell a personal story. Teach readers about the world (not about you)

4.      Help readers decide whether/where to go

·         Show readers the possibilities

C.    From Cahill

1.      Tell a story

2.      Get the facts correct

3.      “Enter the realm of literature” by

a.       Providing insights and a point of view

b.      Analyzing information

c.       Finding an “overarching story”

d.      Selecting scenes, stories, facts to fit the “overarching” story

e.       Focusing/organizing ideas for emotional impact

4.      Write about issues that matter

a.       Don’t preach

5.     Take the reader somewhere (but that  “somewhere” doesn’t need to be distant or exotic)