Travel Writing Miscellanea...

Blog Critics has an interview with Adventurer and Travel Writer Brandon Wilson. His list of books includes Yak Butter Blues, Dead Men Don't Leave Tips, and Along the Templar Trail: Seven Million Steps for Peace.

The Guardian has an interesting article by travel writer Sophie Campbell called How solo can you go?, addressing the issue of solo travel.

Secret Agent Josephine has an article on a travel writer's Life on the Road.

Vagablogging has a brief recap of what travel writer Rolf Pott's has been up to lately, including links to his new book Marco Polo Didn't Go There.

Wisebread has an interesting article called High Tech and Homeless: My Life as a Cyber Nomad, full of great advice for anyone going on the road and wanting to stay connected.

Brave New Traveler has an interview with Brook Silva-Braga on the challenges of shooting a travel documentary.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. 7 Ways to Turn Miss(ter) Modesty into a World-Class Freelancer

2. 10 Bad Freelance Writing Habits You Need to Break

3. Looking for an Angle

4. 5 Easy Ways to Start a Productive Day

5. 7 Certain Ways to Crucify Your Content

Win a Copy of the Food Matters DVD.

Just wanted to share with Write to Travel readers a great DVD giveaway over at Healthbolt.

Food Matters is an independently funded film looks at the trillion dollar worldwide ’sickness industry’ and ask why ‘despite the billions of dollars of funding and research into new so-called cures we continue to suffer from a raft of chronic ills and every day maladies.’

It’s been called the ‘food equivalent’ of The Inconvenient Truth.

Healthbolt has five copies of the Food Matters DVD to giveaway.

Check out the film’s trailer….



And then enter here.

Guest Post: Book Passage 2008 Review by Nancy Brown.

Nancy Brown from What a Trip Blog was lucky enough to attend the recent Book Passages Travel Writers & Photographers Conference. Here's her review of the four day event.


"What's on your bucket list?" I asked Tim Cahill as we dined over California cuisine at the 2008 Book Passage Travel Writers and Photographers Conference. "My own backyard," replied Cahill.

The 65-year-old Founding Editor of Outside Magazine and author of books including Hold the Enlightenment and Lost in My Own Backyard said he'd be happy to stay home and explore Montana. When asked about what makes a story standout, Cahill said that research is important. "Tell us some interesting historic facts and something special about the people," added Cahill.

Cahill, along with the who's who of travel writers, editors and photographer's shared their insider tips with students of the 17th annual Book Passage Travel Writers & Photographers Conference held August 14-17, 2008 in Corte Madera, California. The four day conference focused on newspaper, magazine and guidebook writing, as well as travel photography. Portolios were critiqued by Robert Holmes, Andrea Johnson, George Olson, Jeff Pflueger and Alison Wright.

In the evening, Wright earned a standing ovation for her slide show and tales from her latest book, Learning to Breathe. Author Eric Weiner, The Geography of Bliss, shared that "travel writing is writing about place and ultimately writing about people." While Author Phil Cousineau, Art of Pilgrimage, noted that "the value of travel is that you give yourself permission to be a different person."

Speaking of different people, Simon Winchester, in conversation with Conference Chair Don George, discussed his relationship with his mentor Jan Morris. Winchester, a wonderful story teller, shared some fascinating aspects of his friendship over the years with Morris.

Blogger rock stars Jim Benning, Jen Leo and David Lytle twittered and blogged their way to alltop.com where the best travel blogs are listed on the web. Pauline Frommer discussed writing for the on-line travel industry with David Lytle and Michael Shapiro, while Larry Bleiberg, Catharine Hamm and John Flinn explained how to work with an editor.

"It's about relationships," stated Hamm. "The people who are the best writers are easy to work with," offered Bleiberg. "I treasure people who are good and solid," added Flinn. "Deliver a good story with no drama."

Yet drama is expected from Author Isabel Allende. "I think the hardest part of writing is sitting down," laughed Allende. "I'm not organized. I don't have an outline. That's like making love with a manual!"

I know I have missed including some faculty members in this review. Please accept my apologies, as I hope to see you at next year's conference August 13-16, 2009. Early birds can register until October 1 for a rate of $575, after that date the cost moves to $635.

(Guest blogger Nancy Brown of Northern California writes What a Trip for the Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun.)

Travel Writing Miscellanea...

Interviews...

Nomadic Matt has an Interview with Thomas Kohnstamm, the controversal lonely planet travel writer who wrote that tell all book 'Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?'

Gadling is Talking travel with [Mark Jolly] founder of globorati.com, the top luxury travel site for the stylish jet set.

Sand Dollar Adventures has an interview with Tim Cahill.

And Uptake has an interview with Kim Kavin, Author of Everything Family Travel Guide to Northern California

....

Book reviews...

SFGate reviews 'The White Mary', a novel by travel writer Kira Salak. And you can learn more about Kira with this OregonLive.com interview 'Adventures with Kira'.

The Los Angeles Times has a review of Paul Theroux's new book 'Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar', while The New York Times offers an excerpt from the book, and CNN offers a glimpse into Paul Theroux's world.

And if that''s not enough about Theroux, Don George also has a review of The Ghost Train to the Eastern Star over at National Geographic Traveler. Plus Theroux's writing is also reviewed in Dispatches, a new quarterly of essays. The inaugural issue focuses on American culture.

....


For those of us who didn't make it to this year's Book Passage's Travel Writers & Photographers Conference, here's a round up of reviews from those who did...

Sand Dollar Adventure writes Will Tim Cahill make me cry and what DID happen to Don George’s pants?

The Los Angeles Times Daily Travel & Deal Blog writes Tim Cahill regales Book Passage travel writers with adventure stories and writing advice

And World Hum has Looking Back at the Book Passage Travel Writers Conference.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. How to Score a Job With a Web Magazine

2. 10 Steps to the Perfect List Post

3. Liz Strauss: The Secret of Being a Successful and Outstanding Writer

4. One Blogger, Many Roles

5. 50 Amazing and Essential Novels to Enrich Your Library

Talking Travel With Peter Moore and Annie Caulfield...

Here's a series of videos I found on You Tube that features a talk given by travel writers Peter Moore and Annie Caulfield at the Guildford Writer's Festival 2007...

Part One




Part Two




Part Three




Part Four

Dealing the Writers Block...

Writers Block - it's something that all writers have to deal with. But what is it and how do you deal with it...

These videos might not help but they will entertain...

Travel Writing Miscellanea...

Seattlepi.com has an interesting article/book review/interview More than just a travel writer, Kira Salak didn't search far for her novel's inspiration that makes me want to read Salak's first novel The White Mary. I've not read any of Salak's writing yet but she's on my list now.

Have Camera Will Travel has an interesting post about Selling Your Travel Photography that's worth a read.

NWA WorldVacations Launches Online Travel Story Contest

Travel Book Giveaway...

I'm running a travel book giveaway over at Traveling the Green Way.

Up for grabs is a copy of Harry S. Pariser's 'Explore Costa Rica'.



This 622 page guidebook is rich in detail, providing plenty of background information about Costa Rica’s history, geology, culture, rainforests, and wildlife. Plus it covers everything from nature lodges to bed and breakfasts, from national parks and forests to historical sites, from places to dine to places to shop, and all things in between.

To get in the draw to win a copy, head on over to Traveling the Green Way and leave a comment by 22nd August. Winner will be selected by random number generator.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. 22 Places to Find Freelance Writing and Blogging Jobs

2. How to Choose a Topic for Your Next Blog Post

3. Eight ways to recycle articles

4. 8 Attributes Of An Olympic Mind SetPosted

5. Guest Post: Your Competition Stinks – Isn’t it Great!

The Writer Mama Holding Month Long Giveaway in September...

Here's something you don't want to miss. The Writer Mama is having a Back to School Giveaway. Starting in September, there will be one giveaway a day. The list of giveaways so far include...

1. 2009 Deluxe Writer’s Market by Robert Brewer
2. 1-yr subscription to WritersMarket.com
3. 1-yr subscription to Writer’s Digest magazine
4. Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market 2009 by Rachel McDonald
5. Guide to Literary Agents 2009 by Chuck Sambuchino
6. Writer’s Digest Weekly Planner by the Writer’s Digest Editors
7. First Draft in 30 Days + From First Draft to Finished Novel by Karen Wiesner
8. Page After Page + Chapter After Chapter by Heather Sellers
9. WGF: Plot & Structure + WGF: Revision & Self-Editing by J.S. Bell
10. Writing the Breakout Novel + Workbook by Donald Maass
11. Chicken a la King & the Buffalo Wing by Steven Glibar
12. Pep Talks, Warnings, & Screeds by George Singleton, illus. by Daniel Wallace
13. The Daily Writer by Fred White
14. The Write-Brain Workbook by Bonnie Neubauer
15. The Mind of Your Story by Lisa Lenard-Cook
16. A Cup of Comfort for Writers with an essay by Sage Cohen
17. Make a Scene by Jordan Rosenfeld
18. Freelancing for Newspapers by Sue Lick
19. Manuscript Makeover by Elizabeth Lyon
20. Writer Mama Gift Set from Ninth Moon
21. Travel Writer’s Collection from Ninth Moon
22. A Writer’s Space Collection from Ninth Moon
23. Wooden “Writer at Work” Doorhanger from Ninth Moon
24. THREE copies of Writer Mama by Christina Katz
25. THREE copies of Get Known Before the Book Deal (to be mailed upon publication) by Christina Katz

Looks like a goldmine of resources for writers...

So mark 'visit The Writer Mama' everyday in September on your calenders. It might just be worth it.

Weekly Top 5 Blog Posts for Writers...

1. Hate Writing Query Letters? Try LOIs

2. Emotional Connections To Beat Creative Blocks

3. Becoming A Freelancer: 7 Things To Do When (Or Before) You Take The Plunge (And One Reason Why Famous Advice Is Wrong)

4. 8 In-Flight Magazines that Pay Well for Travel Writing

5. Do You Think You Could Succeed As A Freelancer Or Web-Worker?

10 of the Oddest Travel Guides Ever Published...

Slate has put together a list of what they consider the '10 oddest travel guides ever published.'


1. The Truth About Hunting in Today's Africa, and How To Go on Safari for $690.00 by George Leonard Herter (1963)

2. A Guide Through the District of the Lakes in the North of England by William Wordsworth (5th edition, 1835)

3. Das Generalgouvernement by Karl Baedeker (1943)

4. Fodor's Indian America by Jamake Highwater (1975)

5. Bollocks to Alton Towers by Robin Halstead, et al. (2006)

6. Travel Guide of Negro Hotels and Guest Houses by Afro-American Newspapers (1942)

7. Lonely Planet Guide to Micronations by John Ryan et al. (2006)

8. The Night Climbers of Cambridge by "Whipplesnaith" (1937)

9. A Tramp Trip: How To See Europe on Fifty Cents a Day by Lee Meriwether (1886)

10. Overland to India and Australia by the BIT Travel & Help Service (1970)


I haven't read any of them, although I have heard of a couple.

Head on over to the Slate article to find out what makes these travel guides unique.

Google Map: Bookstores Across the USA

Thanks to the Baltimore Sun and the dedicated readers of their Read Street Blogwritten by Dave Rosenthal and Nancy Johnston, there is now a google map of over 120 bookstores across the USA.


View Larger Map

It's definitely a useful tool, especially for those of us who love both road trips and bookstores.

In fact, I'm going to put the map on Write to Travel's sidebar for future reference...

August is National Travel Writing Month...

Christine over at Almost Fearless has come up with a great idea to help either kick start your travel writing career or put back some omph into your sagging travel writing career.

She's running the first ever National Travel Writing Month (NaTraWriMo), based along the same lines as the yearly National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).

Christine calls the National Travel Writing Month a travel writing social experiment aimed at pushing each writer's boundaries. The goal - to send 31 query letters between August 1 -31, 2008.

To get people on board and provide guidelines, support, assistance, and encouragement, Christine has set up the NaTraWriMo Forum where you can sign up. There are threads for introducing yourself, getting started, posting daily updates and success stories, as well as tips on how to write queries, and publication guidelines.

Of course, this quickly caught my eye and I headed over to Almost Fearless to ask Christine a couple of questions.

WT: How did you come up with the idea of a National Travel Writing Month ?

Christine: I wanted to overcome what my husband calls "paralysis by analysis". I had spent so much time thinking, researching, reading, and planning to write for all my favorite publications, that I had put off sending submissions for far too long. I asked myself, "What would happen if I just buckled down and queried somewhere new everyday? Would I get published more often? Would I crack the secret to the perfect query? What's the worse that could happen?" So like any good writer, I decided to drag anyone I could into it, and from there NaTraWriMo was born.

WT: What do you hope to achieve?

Christine: I hope that the daily practice makes for better writing, and that the community aspect allows everyone to learn and share. There are some amazing, well-published writers participating already, and I'm honored to get a glimpse at their process.

WT: Any tips for those who want to participate.

Christine: Keep it simple! You live somewhere... write about it. A query letter writing isn't magical, it's just a communication to another person about your idea. Don't stop yourself from trying simply because you're not sure you can do it perfectly.

Unfortunately, this has come at the worst possible time for me, otherwise I'd be right in the thick of it.

But for anyone who needs a some encouragement, support, and incentive, this sounds like a great idea.

You can sign up here.