Travel journaling | A necessary precursor for wannabe travel writers
The recording and sharing of travel experiences and wanderlust wanderings has given rise to two distinct but interconnected practices: travel journaling and travel blogging; each serving different purposes and offering unique benefits to the travel writer.
Travel blogging is a wonderful collaboration of four of my loves: travel, writing, photography and research. But great writing - on the whole - doesn’t just happen. Even if the muse shows up, creating compelling content is hard work. Travel writing is no exception; it requires certain daily habits and pre-writing disciplines - en route - to turn the journey into a great piece.
Travel writing is a personal account of a time, a people, a culture, an experience and a place. Capturing the essence of that - in a way that becomes a universal invite for your reader to journey with you via your words - is a complex combination of discovery and thoughtful storytelling.
This is where the practice of travel journaling becomes invaluable.
Whether you're a natural journaler or not, a measure of old-school note-taking, keeping a diary or putting pen to paper is required to transform your travel moments, experiences, interactions and memories into something unique; a literary catalyst that will transport your readers to a place they would love to go, or connect them - in a new way - to a place they have visited before.
At its core, it’s the rough material; a random collection of lots of little details and ordinary observations of your trip, as it happens.
So, as a wannabe travel writer, “You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so... get on your way!” -Dr. Seuss | Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
Just don’t forget your notebook!
Travel journaling vs. travel blogging | Navigating the journey from notes to narratives
In our digital age - where every corner of the world can be explored from the comfort of our screens - travel writing has flourished into an art form.
Within this realm, two distinct but interconnected practices have emerged: travel journaling and travel blogging.
Though they share similarities, they serve different purposes and offer unique benefits to the travel writer.
Travel journaling | The foundation of authentic storytelling
Travel journaling is the practice of recording personal experiences, observations, and reflections during your travels. For your eyes only, it’s a raw and intimate process, often done in real-time or soon after events occur. (It’s also where your smartphone becomes your travel BFF for taking (hundreds of) photos and doubling up as a recording or translation device (when necessary).
The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it. -Rudyard Kipling
The following characteristics are key:
Personal and unfiltered: Travel journals are usually for the writer’s use only, allowing for candid and unpolished entries that capture the essence of the moment.
Detailed and sensory: Journals focus on the minutiae of travel experiences: the sounds, smells, sights, conversations and emotions that define a place and time.
Memory storage: They act as repositories of information, preserving fleeting details that might be otherwise forgotten.
Travel blogging | Sharing your journey with the world
Travel blogging, on the other hand, is about editing the real-time note-taking ‘chaos’ and crafting polished narratives and focused tales ready to share with an audience. It’s no longer for your eyes only. It's a more public endeavour, aiming to inform, entertain and inspire readers.
Here are a few of its defining features:
Curated content: Blogs are refined and structured, often focusing on specific themes, one angle or relevant insights to engage target-audience readers.
Visual appeal: High-quality photos, videos and graphics enhance the storytelling, making it more attractive and accessible.
Audience engagement: Bloggers consider their audience’s interests and preferences, aiming to provide valuable content that resonates with their travel souls.
Anyone telling about his travels must be a liar, . . . for if a traveller doesn't visit his narrative with the spirit and techniques of fiction, no one will want to hear it.”-Paul Fussell
The synergy between travel journaling and writing
While journaling and blogging serve different purposes, they complement each other beautifully. A well-maintained travel journal can be a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration for a fine-tuned travel blog.
How travel journaling can enhance your blogging efforts:
Authentic details: Journals capture raw emotions and intricate details that can breathe life into your blog posts. These 'on-the-ground' authentic experiences make your stories more relatable, unique and engaging.
Rich content: A journal’s detailed entries provide a wealth of material to draw from, helping to create richer, layered narratives in your blog.
Consistent themes: Regular journaling helps identify recurring themes and insights, enabling more cohesive and consistent content.
Tips for effective travel journaling
Your on-the-road rambling scrawl is not meant to be your best writing. This brainstorm phase and collation of anecdotes and experiences - on-the-go or at the end of the day - are a quick first-hand reflection of the actual experience but should not be so time-consuming as to detract from it.
(So enjoy the ride; the polished travel writing will come later).
To make the most of travel journaling as a tool for blogging, consider these tips:
Write regularly: Make journaling a daily habit, even if it’s just a few scribbled lines or bullet points. Consistency ensures that you capture ongoing experiences and reflections.
Be descriptive: Focus on sensory details and emotions. Describe the smell of the street food, the sound of a bustling market, the feeling of awe at a stunning landscape or the nostalgic throwback of a beach hut.
Stay organised: Use headings, dates, and locations to keep your entries organised. This makes it easier to find specific details when you’re ready to blog about your trip.
Reflect and analyse: Don’t just record events; reflect on them. Consider what you’ve learned, how you’ve changed, and the broader cultural or social implications of your experiences.
Sketch and attach mementoes: Include sketches, ticket stubs, or pressed flowers. These tangible elements add depth to your journal and can spark vivid memories later.
Take photos: Photographic images are great memory keepers and visual storytellers. Take as many as you can; they can be edited and deleted later. You never know which ones will have the greatest impact in your blog. (Arrange them into albums for easy access later)
Transitioning from journal to blog
The trip is over and now is the time to mine your journal entries to find the magic that deserves to be in your travel blog to captivate your readers. (You may find several themes that could possibly result in more than one travel blog).
Follow these steps:
Learn from those who have gone before: Read travel magazines and professional travel blogs for inspiration, to appreciate different writing styles, tone and voice. (Rarely will they follow a linear journaling approach).
Review and highlight: Go through your journal and highlight key details, insights, and themes that stand out.
Outline your post: Create a structure for your blog post, using your highlighted notes as a foundation. Decide on the main points you want to convey and the best way to organise them. (Exclude details that are too personal or too peripheral).
Do your research: Be meticulous in checking facts, names and directions.
Craft a narrative: Find your voice and turn your notes into a cohesive narrative, weaving in your personality and storytelling techniques to engage your readers. (Avoid empty and generic adjectives. 'Show don’t tell’).
Add visuals: Incorporate photos and other visual elements to complement your writing and enhance the reader’s experience.
Edit and polish: Finally, edit your post for clarity, coherence, and style. Take the time to make sure it’s free of grammatical errors and flows smoothly.
It would be fair to say that when contemplating the disciplines of travel journaling and travel blogging, you can’t have one without the other. Each has its own DNA. By keeping a detailed and reflective travel journaling, you are laying the groundwork for compelling and authentic travel blogs that will resonate with your readers as they experience your journey through your eyes.
So, pack a journal on your next adventure and let your journey of notes evolve into personalised travel writing narratives that inspire the world.
Happy travels and happy writing!
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