66 MARCH 2020 http://www.writers-online.co.ukI
n a world hooked on high adrenalin
thrills it might seem that travel
writing will only get into print if
the destinations are exotic and the
experiences thrilling, dangerous or
weirdly eccentric. This style of writing
often dominates the headlines in glossy
magazines and supplements but in
truth this type of travel represents a
small percentage of the market. We may
save up for that ‘trip of a lifetime’ but
we spend far more of our lives taking
shorter breaks much closer to home
and the interest in reading about these
experiences is flourishing.
Small is the new big, and with the
climate emergency movement growing
every day, we can expect that more
people will be taking holidays closer to
home. There is an opportunity for the
travel writer here but also a challenge.
We have to work much harder to find
the extraordinary element in what
might, on the surface, seem to be too
ordinary, rather too familiar. Make that
connection though, and there is huge
satisfaction in digging below the surface
and finding those elusive treasures.
If you can surprise and delight the
reader, whether it be through a blog, a
magazine article or a book, there will
always be an editor somewhere who
will want your work. It helps if you
continually remind yourself that travel
writing should inspire as well as inform.new set of clothes on old bones.
Once you start to focus on the idea
of themes you will find them popping
up everywhere – gardens, cemeteries,
bookshops, train stations, even public
toilets. A useful source of information
is http://www.skyscanner.net which has
a fascinating array of themes across
the world. Type in the above website
followed by ‘ten of the most amazing...’
and you will find one list automatically
leads on to another.The personal touch
Our second hook draws inspiration
from people. A travel writer is a bit
like a bloodhound, always sniffing
about for a good story and stories
need people. I recently stumbled
upon a quaint tearoom that had
diversified into running courses on
arts and crafts. A farm campsite I
stayed at had found a successful
income stream from making ice-
cream. On a walking holiday I
learnt that the village shop, faced
with closure, had been bought out
by the locals and was now run as
a co-operative. Behind all of these
enterprises is a human story, an
inspiring picture of endeavour,
persistence, a sense of community
and pride.
Including people’s stories in your
writing makes it unique. No-one elseNever underestimate the travel writing opportunities to be had on your doorstep.
Travel writer Mary-Jane Houlton explains how to find the extra-ordinary within the ordinary.This article offers six suggestions
to help you to develop a new way of
looking at all those places we know
so well.Pick a theme
One way of giving a fresh look to an
area is to pick a theme. I shall use
Scotland as our example, famous for
the stark beauty of high mountains
and deep lochs, for whisky and the
wailing of the bagpipes, for sea mist
and midges. But did you know about
its tea rooms? They are almost as
prolific as the midges and a much more
enjoyable experience. Sit and eavesdrop
shamelessly whilst you enjoy a cuppa
and a slice of homemade cake and you
will hear accents from all over the world
and learn much about the state of the
Scottish tourist industry.
The idea of an article about tea
rooms may sound flimsy but you can
broaden it to cover local food delicacies,
to the range of amazing buildings
that they crop up in, to the stories of
local people who work in them and
to the importance of tea in the British
national psyche and how tourists from
across the globe adore it. And of course
you can still weave in the local beauty
spots and attractions. By using a theme
it allows you to skew the emphasis. I
like to think of the familiar attractions
as the skeleton, whilst our theme puts a