So you’re going on a trip and have decided to create a Blogger account, Myspace blog, or personal web page so that your friends and family can keep up with your travels. You want them to read it don’t you?
Writing about traveling on a blog isn’t like writing an essay, but more of a newspaper article. Instead of making a 1 week trip to Cancun an epic novel, turn it into an eyewitness report so that anyone will want to read it.
1. The Upside Down Pyramid
Write about the most important and most interesting things first. Even your dear mother will stop reading after a few lines (and maybe that’s a good thing) so it’s good to get the highlights across quickly.
2. Get To The Point!
Blog writing doesn’t require a thesis or an introduction paragraph.. Just tell us what you want to say from line one and go with it.
3. Keep It Short
Pretty straightforward. Reread what you wrote before you post it and then chop off 20%. Then post it.
4. Break It Down Into Multiple Posts
You woke up and had mint tea, then talked to the rowdy Swedes rooming next door, before hailing a cab, then negotiating prices at the market…it all sounds very interesting, but it’s hard to digest all at once. Break up each noteworthy sight, event, funny story etc. into multiple posts. That way people can browse through them, focusing on the elements they find most interesting.
5. Add Pictures
Aside from bringing life to your travel stories, pictures are great to post – especially when you’re too busy traveling to write.
6. Use Dots, Numbers, and Fonts
Like newspapers do, they break text up with headlines, bullet points, and often subtitles. Take this particular post as an example, I break down travel blogging into 6 bold-font steps. Don’t let your friends and family be confronted by a solid block of text, scaring them off of ever reading anything you write about.
Generally the people reading about your travels are interested in what you’re doing already – some quick posts that get to the point with pictures will help keep their attention. You can also generate a few bucks towards your next trip by making money with your travel blog.
[photo by: occhiovivo]
hahah my journalism prof talked about the upside down pyramid this week…weird coincidence!
@ Deniz:
Something I learned in a journalism class ages ago and that has never left me since.
3 for sure. I tend to write on and on and re-read to find almost half of it’s repetitive or irrelevant. And cut cut cut.
And you’re right a nice slideshow of places never hurts to fill in some blogging downtime!
cheers – james…
@ James:
People love pictures!
Wow cool, the pyramid, I’ll remember! 🙂
I like the upside-down pyramid. Thanks (it should better my own writing, too). =P
@ D:
For some reason in writing classes they teach you the opposite. Write long introductions and keep your thesis for the last line of the opening paragraph.
Maybe it’s the modern world, but in writing I like the ‘get to the point’ philosophy. I think readers appreciate it.
It might depend on the type of writing. Long intros would be good for essays, not blogs. Anyway, I like that philosophy (and the new site layout).
Forgot to mention–you’re right in considering your audience.
@ D:
I agree, there are many cases (like eassys) where the upside down pyramid would not work…but wish it could!
I find that breaking my articles up in sections with subheadings, and especially inserting photos at about 240×160, breaks up the text really well.
@ Byteful:
Pictures and subheadings let you say more with less and prevent that dreaded ‘chunk of text’ that has even your most loyal reader nodding off.
Very interesting and useful post !
Thanks!
Q: When it comes to post length and knowing when to break it up, what’s your process for making that decision?
I’ve been told the ideal length online is a post any where from 400-800 works, but nothing over 1000 words without breaking it up. This pretty accurate?
-T
Hmmm, not sure I have a formal process. I just try to break up my posts into chunks of thought; mini topics within the larger one.
As for post length, you should break them up I think no matter how long they are. Your blog is and should be primarily visual, even the text!
Hope this helps but if not let me know. Also, I think you might be interested in another travel blog I write specifically about travel blogging:
http://travelblogadvice.com/
Thanks so much for the pointers. I sure will do this in my next blog posts. 🙂
Good luck!