Customer Reviews

Lonely Planet Travel Writing (How to)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of the best guides to any kind of writing that I've run across -- and by far the best to the difficult craft of travel writing. I've used it in my classes this summer and have been recommending it to every writer I know.

The chief author, Don George, is himself a traveler, travel writer, travel editor and teacher of travel writing, and all his experience comes into play in this compact, well-organized book.

The basics are all there, but the book goes far beyond them, adding a short history of travel literature; an outline of the ``quintessential qualities'' a travel writer needs (not least flexibility, frugality and passion); detailed advice from successful writers and major editors; even a list of travel-literature classics.

This book is destined to be a classic of its own -- one I wish I could have turned to when I was setting out in the field 25 years ago. And, like Lonely Planet's guidebooks, it's compact enough to slip into a backpack and take on the road, in case the muse hits -- as it too often does -- on a distant beach or mountaintop.

-- Catherine Watson, former travel editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, is the author of ``Roads Less Traveled -- Dispatches from the Ends of the Earth'' (Syren, 2005).

This book is both sobering and inspiring, but most importantly, practical. Starting from an important place, "What It Takes To Be a Travel Writer," this may well convince you that travel writing isn't really a dream job for most people. Relationships with close friends can be strained, travel isn't as fun when it's a job, pay isn't usually too great, and there is such a thing as burning out from traveling too much. Some travel writers even forget to stop taking notes when they're on an actual vacation.

From there, the book delves into the practical aspects of travel writing- finding your story, getting published, using technology in your field research. This knowledge should give you confidence that you can make your dream a reality, provided you live simply, have realistic expectations, and market your work strategically.

Probably what makes the book the most useful is that it is just packed with interviews of working travel writers- about ¼ of the book- and this ensures that you will have multiple perspectives on what travel writing is about.

I was torn between buying this book and the Travel Writer's Handbook, which was also rated well last time I checked. But it seemed the past reviewers for this book were more articulate, and so I presume they were actually writers...

If I can't get published after reading this book, then I should give up.

Don George has written the best book I've read about travel writing. Not only does it deal with nuts and bolts issues of preparing for the trip and writing the story, it inspires the reader with the many interviews of working writers. The chapter about finding the focus of your story is one of the most practical and useful that I have read. Following his advice about crafting the story won't only improve your travel stories, but your writing in general.

Also included in the book are seven examples of 'good' travel writing and many suggestions for other travel stories and authors to read.

This isn't a pie-in-the-sky, get rich quick book. Mr George and the writers interviewed are very clear that you have to work hard and that you won't likely be able to support yourself only as a travel writer. It does make you feel that you can be published and gives many useful suggestions about how to do so.

Finally, Mr George provides and extensive list of resources in the USA, The UK, and Australia. He even includes sample release forms.

I only have two minor complaints about the book. The seven examples of good writing would have been more useful if Mr George had provided specific commentary about them. That said, he did use several as examples when he was discussing the opening and ending of articles and readers should be able to see the stories merits after reading the book. My other complaint is that the book's font was small. Maybe I'm getting old or need new glasses, but I found myself squinting at times.

But don't let either of these minor complaints stop you from buying this book - it's great. Thank you Don George and Lonely Planet.

So you're ready to dive into TRAVEL WRITING? Better see what's floating in the pool first.

Let me be the first to thank Don George and friends for having done us all the favor of creating a Lonely Planet offering for aspiring travel writers. It truly does contain a wealth of helpful hints and contact information for beginners. In fact, my copy has a rainbow mohawk sprouting from the colored Post-its I've tabbed important pages with. But here also lies its greatest flaw. A well planned book should not require the reader to create a haphazard hairpiece to augment its index. This one does.

Of George's eight chapters, fully five of them contain interviews with various authors, totaling 65 pages. I enjoyed them all, but they act as hurdles to readers using the index and should have been contained in an appendix. Further, some of the responses overlap, creating redundant reading.

Along that same line in chapter four, "The Art & Craft of Travel Writing," Don George presents a section called "Five Compelling Beginnings," showing how to hook readers with a good lead. But then a problem arises in chapter five, "Examples of Good Travel Writing," when George shows how to unhook his own readers by using all five of those same beginnings (along with their middles and ends) as examples of great completed stories. I felt as if I'd been had. After reading seven example magazine articles, where one would have sufficed, we finally got back to business. (For my previous three paragraphs I'm subtracting 1 star)

My final admonition: Practice what you preach.

Author Don George states in chapter four, "There is simply no excuse for getting your facts wrong, and you should not expect sympathy (or future work) from an editor if you do."

Uh-oh, pay attention here Don: When your sample writer Stanley Stewart penned, "a huge sky decorated with mare's tail clouds," you asked readers, "have you ever seen clouds depicted this way before?"

Oops. Yes I have Don. Mare's tail is a term used for cirrus clouds. Don't fire yourself. I forgive you. (But I'm docking you another star.)

Despite these petty annoyances and enough literary padding to qualify as a wonder bra, TRAVEL WRITING is still a great tool; just one that you will have to seperate from the clinging rakes and shovels.

My recommendation: Buy it, but get some Post-its too.

I've read several books on travel writing, and have even written one myself (although my book "Crafting the Travel Guidebook" concentrates on travel books rather than articles for magazines and newspapers). "The Travel Writer's Handbook" was the classic book because it covered so many angles--research, getting assignments, what clothes and equipment to take along--and of course, how to write a compelling article. Peat O'Neal's "Travel Writing" is geared more to the beginning writer with many examples of different leads and writing exercises as well as the usual chapters on cajoling a travel editor into giving you an assignment.

This Lonely Planet compilation by Don George and others falls more into the "teach by showing" category. So whether you like the book or not depends very much on whether you think George's choice of terrific travel articles are really so terrific.

First of all, they are all very loooong. I didn't see any example of the 750-1000 word article that many newspaper editors prefer. Then there is the problem of the tiny type. Okay, maybe all Lonely Planet books have tiny type (I mean it looks like 9 pt. or less) but this one has the added problem of the type being too light! Some sections have a gray background and that helps the readability a little--but only a little.

And then those pictures! With all the color photographs Lonely Planet has lying around they had to choose these b&w close-ups of calligraphy and tattoos? Thematically sound but aesthetically weak. I blame the production team for this one, not the writers.

On the good side--there is a terrific appendix-resource section and the scope defintely includes the USA. U.K. and Australia. Plenty of sound advice on writing and an explanation of how newspaper and magazine work and why editors pick what they do from freelancers. Very little hype except for the back cover blurb, but after all, what else would you expect?

I found the interviews with writers and editors to be so-so. Not every travel writer is thrilling when asked to talk about his craft. Editors usually give a more cogent view of the world of travel writing and what a newcomer might expect. There is also a chapter on writing for travel guidebooks but it only covers the Lonely Planet pre-formatted type of guide. Even so, it was interesting to hear how one gets into that realm and what the royalty situation is.

There is also information on how to research your work and the necessary chapter on cameras, laptops and other tools of the trade. All in all, a welcome addition to the travel-writing library--but how I wish LP would have graduated to a larger type for this one!

This book is not about "how to write a book about Travel Writing" but how to market it, how to find places to sell it, etc. In all, not even ten pages of usefull stuff about writing about yours travels, what I was looking for. But, if you want adresses and become "pro" perhaps, it could help some.

Cutting right to the chase, this is a delightful read. Travel books can range from deadly to enlightening...and this is on the truly enjoyable end of the scale. There is nothing more tedious than a 1000 page Fromer's guide to some place you will never visit in two lifetimes. Don George has done a nice job assembling the contributors and arranging the order of pieces...some by old hands and others by promising new comers. I particularly enjoyed the one by Joshua Clark.

This book really focus more on how to sell your travel stories to magazines, guidebooks and newspapers. It does have some good tips about what not to do (i.e. using cliches). But I was disappointed because I was more interested in learning how to write a book about my travels. I'm not particularly interested in publishing it, but just wanted good tips on putting it altogether. Also, I agree with one of the reviewers that the interviews with several writers got to be quite redundant.

The first 52 pages of this book are useless to writers except newbies. The writing tips such as "show don't tell," "avoid clichés" "make your verbs act" and others can be found free in many writing portals. The author has no small ego. He uses a few of his own pieces to illustrate what constitutes good travel writing. Why didn't he use works from great writers such as Paul Theroux? The sidebars are a pain to the eyes. There are two types: black text on grey background and reverse white on grey background. I skipped almost all the former because they strained my eyes too much. Even trying to read them with a magnifying glass didn't help. Part III - Resources is the only useful section of the book. It would take weeks of internet research to get this useful information. Writers' guidelines for four reputable publications are also given, including sample model and property release forms. Given Lonely Planet's high reputation, I am disappointed.

I haven't bought the book yet, but the Kindle sampler does give a great insight to what may be waiting inside the whole book. Written in a great casual manner, the author tells from experience things that may and may not work. It tries to appeal to a broad selection of travel writers: from the casual blogger to the aspiring pro. As an added bonus, the book offers small writing exercises which might prove useful in determine what kind of work the reader really wants to get into. Definitely I will keep this in my wish list as a future purchase in either Kindle or Print format.