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MPH Quill Interview – Travel Writing Because my idea of romance is wandering aimlessly, discovering that I had stumbled upon the lost land of Atlantis, or taking a chance on a stranger who helped me and expected nothing in return. My idea of romance is watching a dirty, lice-infested beggar child outside the Taj Mahal peel an orange, and when I teasingly thrust my palm out to her, she split her orange and handed me half. Romance to me, is an old woman who offered me marshmallows from a brown paper bag at the Zentralfriedhof Cemetry in Vienna. And the stranger who rescued me from trouble and changed the course of my life. All these experiences to me, make the Taj Mahal even more stunning, the Zentralfriedhoff, more magnificent, and the Great Wall of China more humble. Q: How to write sound travel articles ZSL: It depends on your personal objective, and who you want to appeal to. There’re many types of travellers and readers. For example, the serious traveller, the tour package traveller, the business traveller and the armchair traveller. These different targets have different lifestyles and priorities, each seeking something different. So, it’s best to decide which type of traveller you are interested in, because the writing for each is very different. Q: How to determine sellable travel article ideas ZSL: If I knew the answer, I’d be living in Bora-Bora instead of Bangsar.Well, I guess if you want to write purely for money, then research into what the public wants from a travel article. Study successful travel writers to understand what makes them successful. Of course, this can only go so far. Sometimes, it’s because of sheer luck, feng shui or fate. However, I can tell you what guides me - it’s to write from the heart. Because I love writing, and also because I want to share the wonderful experiences that have enriched my life. After that, I craft the idea until it’s a) unique b) adds value to the readers’ lives c) broadens their perspective on the concept of travel A writer has so much power. We can use that power to add value to people’s lives, change perceptions for the better, to encourage and to inspire. We can also write books that sell but not necessarily make the world a brighter place. That’s entirely up to the writer how he or she uses that power. Q: How to target suitable travel publications ZSL: You’ll need to identify certain things 1) What’s the objective of your travel writing 2) What’s the concept of your travel writing 3) What’s the style of your writing When you’re clear about all the above, select the travel publications that have similar objectives and styles as your writing. Then shortlist the ones that give you the best deal, and those that will fulfil your long term goals |
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