Phil Druker/ Department of English/ UI

 

TRAVEL WRITING MAIN PRINCIPLES

A.    From Druker

Write for readers.

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

4.      Help readers decide whether 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)