Don McKinney, author of Magazine Writing That Sells, encourages writers to have "a coherent point of view." "Before you even write your query," McKinney explains, "there is one thing you must have: a thorough knowledge of your subject and a clear idea of how you want to approach it."
A rambling manuscript of travel facts, anecdotes, and sights has little chance of seeing the light of the printed page. Instead, write your travel article with the focus on who, what, where, when or how of a destination or traveller.
One of the best ways to learn to write well, is by studying those writers who have already achieved excellence in their craft. As an example of each article focus, I have included links to published articles. Study the examples, examine how the writer focussed their article, and consider why the editor chose to publish the article.
Articles will include information on two or three categories but there must be a primary focus. For instance, an article on golf courses could focus on the experiences of the golfer (the who article) or on the amenities of the courses (the what article). Both articles will provide similar information but the slant of the article will be different depending on what the writer is using as a focus.
Who
Focus on the traveller, the special needs and interests of who is going on the trip.
Article Ideas:
- Special travellers - focus on a specific traveller such as women, students, parents, or a particular hobbyist such as quilters, golfers, or skiers.
- Cover a number of different locations such as The 10 Best Golf Courses in Scotland for the golfing aficionado
- Focus a specific city or country i.e. Keeping Kids Happy in San Diego or A Woman's Guide to Nepal
- The personal experience piece - the who is the writer/traveller. A publishable personal experience is more than a travelogue. There are a lot of details but each piece is relevant to the story being told. Be careful not to give a minute by minute account of your trip, rarely is each moment interesting or important to the trip. Instead, group facts together around anecdotal pieces and keep the story moving.
Everyman's Everest by Gary Fallesen in Escape magazine. A travelogue of Gary's personal experience climbing Kilimanjaro. Mixed with his personal thoughts (and fears), are important facts for anyone considering this incredible adventure. The article is very smooth and an entertaining read.
