The Library Hotel

by Catherine L. Tully

Writers love to read. Those words are the inspiration behind this travel destination for writers—the Library Hotel in New York. This property has ten floors which reflect ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System. Choose from: technology, social sciences, literature, languages, math & science, history, the arts, religion, philosophy and general knowledge. Better yet—each floor has a variety of subcategories which focus in on a section of the main theme. Each room features themed art and provides guests with a hand-picked selection of books that are related to the subject…

… Continue Reading

Guide Gecko

by Catherine L. Tully

Need a travel guide book? Don’t want to pay through the nose at the bookstore? Check out Guide Gecko, a site that sells PDFs and books to the public at reasonable prices.

Another cool feature is the publishing wizard offered which enables authors to create their own guidebook and sell it on the site. Authors receive a percentage of the profit, as well as a visible platform to sell their work. Interesting concept.

I’m always fascinated to see what people are coming up with out there, and I thought this was a creative site that FZ readers might want to check out. Enjoy!

Hemingway’s Birthplace

by Catherine L. Tully

Oak Park, Illinois is the village where famed author Ernest Hemingway was born. His “birthplace home” and The Hemingway Museum are two local stops that offer writers an opportunity to learn more about the author in his formative years. Located on Oak Park Avenue, admission to one buys you a visit to both places. Begin at the museum where you will find Hemingway’s childhood diary, along with some rare photographs and other artifacts. Take your time and browse the exhibits, and if you are the type of person that enjoys a good souvenir, be sure to stop at the little gift shop that is tucked off to the side of the main area. There are some unique items for sale that would make good gifts for any serious Hemingway aficionado. Just down the street is the Hemingway Birthplace Home, an attractive Queen Anne Victorian that has been recently restored. The author’s maternal grandparents built the home and Hemingway was born on the second floor in 1899. For more information on admission and hours, visit the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park.

To Japan With Love Has Arrived!

by Catherine L. Tully

The wait is finally over. Joe and I were both recently published in the book To Japan With Love, and today I received my complimentary copies of the book in a box–all the way from Hong Kong.

It was a cool moment–I have to admit.

Being published in a travel book is a big deal in the writing world, and I am just thrilled to have two stories in this guidebook. It is my second time getting published in a book, and it is just as neat the second time. Every once in a while it is just fun to share an accomplishment with FZ readers. Thanks for being there…and keep working toward your dreams…they really can come true! (* And special thanks to Celeste Heiter for her great work editing this book–you are terrific!)

The Traveling Writer’s Most Important Accessory

by Joe Wallace

I took a new-to-me vehicle out on a cross-country trip last week which combined business and pleasure–I was, among many other things, writing my way from Chicago to Texas at Turntabling.net about indie record stores I found along the way.

The new-to-me vehicle was a Ford Escape that alas, did not come with leather seats. “Who needs leather?” I asked myself, blissfully unaware that the 1000-plus mile journey (one way) would soon take its toll on the writer’s most underrated asset.

There are thousands of books written for writers about every possible topic–markets, career choices, even a few health guides. But as far as I know there is NOTHING dedicated to the care of the freelancer’s arse. … Continue Reading

Road Warrior Blogging & Travel Writing

by Joe Wallace

That’s the view from the blogmobile–I’m reporting in the field on a massive road trip from Chicago to San Antonio, Texas and back again. It’s a nine-day odessey that combines travel writing, blogging and a lot of caffeine.

For this little adventure I packed the laptop, iPhone, a 500GB  portable hard drive for images and media, batteries and about a mile of USB cable with connectors for every conceivable application.

The little things are the ones that bite you on trips like these. For example–my laptop battery is two years old and won’t hold much more than a 40 minute charge–horribly inconvenient when you’re trying to blog, upload images and post tweets about the adventure.

The iPhone is great for blog photos, but a proper camera would have come  in handy on this trip. There was no room for it in the luggage (took the train for the first leg of the journey) but now I regret not having sucked it up and packed the extra bag. … Continue Reading

Preparing For A Restaurant Review

by Catherine L. Tully

 We have talked about restaurant reviews before on FZ, but this post is a little different. We’re going to focus on some simple preparatory tips that can help make the experience one that you can more easily evaluate. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind before you set foot in the restaurant:

Don’t eat too close to when you go. If you are not hungry when you arrive, how can you seriously evaluate the fare? You know how grocery shopping gets lame if you go after you have had lunch? Same applies here. If you are ravenous, have a small snack to hold you over.

Read and research before, not after. Preparation means doing this stuff ahead of time. Look at the menu, read the position statement or whatever it is you do to prepare–but do it before you go. This is the same concept as being prepared for an interview–it doesn’t work to do the leg-work after you talk to the person… … Continue Reading

Travel Writing: Know Before You Go

by Catherine L. Tully

Good travel writing starts before you get to the destination. If you want to be a travel writer, you’ll need to get in the habit of doing some legwork on the front end of the trip. Here are three things to do before you go that will help you make the most of your time once you are there:

1. Research the destination on the web.

Take the time to do learn as much as you can about the place you are going. Hit sites like TripAdvisor or Yelp to get an idea of what people are saying about the city. Look at the chamber of commerce page to find local businesses. Scout out reastaurant menus and plan some meals. These days there is no excuse to go to a destination cold. Do some homework… … Continue Reading

Win A Free Trip To Japan!

by Catherine L. Tully

No…this isn’t some kind of a cruel joke. You actually can use your writing skills to win a free trip to Japan, courtesy of the Japanese National Tourism Organization. 

JNTO is running a contest beginning September 1st, and all you have to do to enter is describe “where your dreams take you” in 2010 letters or less. If your entry is chosen, you’ll be packing your bags. Sign up for the newsletter for more information as it is available or visit the constest site. Isn’t it time you did a little travel writing? The contest runs until November 30, 2009, so put your thinking cap on…

Please note that this campaign is for US residents.

(As a brief aside…I lived in Japan for three years. It is truly an amazing place to go. If you win, contact me and I’ll give you some pointers!)

Writer Getaway: Blackthorne Inn, Inverness, CA

by Catherine L. Tully

Time to dream a little! Have you taken your vacation this year? If not…

This getaway for writers is in Inverness, CA, and it is truly inspirational. The Blackthorne Inn will take you out of reality to a magical place where you and nature are only seperated by a pane of glass. The property resembles a tree house, and there are several rooms where you look right out into the forest. In the morning, savor your buffet breakfast in the glass solarium or outside on the 3,500 square foot deck at the base of the building.

If you are going to visit, stay in the “Eagle’s Nest” tower room or if you prefer a balcony, try the “Overlook” room. Both have a great view. Point Reyes National Seashore wilderness park is right there, and the property is only an hour from Napa-Sonoma wine country.

5 Clichés To Avoid In Travel Writing

by Catherine L. Tully

The use of clichés in writing is a big no-no–especially if you make a living as a freelance writer. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not immune–especially in a first draft. Often I will just throw the cliché in if it comes to mind and then find something that works better later on. Still, each type of writing has some that are so overused that they no longer mean anything to the reader. Here are five to avoid in travel writing:

1. Stunning vista. I see this one everywhere. There are stunning vistas in Italy, France the U.S. and many other countries. What makes one different from another? Strive to describe it better.
2. Charming. Ug. Everyone knows what it means, but it doesn’t add anything to your description. What is charming about the place? Remember…show, don’t tell.
3. Nestled. Actually I like this word, but it is dreadfully overused.
4. Picturesque. Again, you are better off describing what is picturesque about the place rather than just telling readers that it is nice to look at.
5. Majestic. Often used to describe mountains, this word is just boring. Get out the thesaurus and do a little digging for an alternative.

Packing Tips For Travel Writers

This is a great site, and if you are doing any travel writing in the near future, I highly recommend checking it out. Author Doug Dyment gives tons of tips for packing light, and they are quite good–although I take issue with his suggestion that rolling clothing causes wrinkles…but then again, I don’t ever pack fancy clothes, so… 

Here you’ll find things such as tips for packing liquids, how to choose a good bag and suggestions for what to bring–and what to leave at home. Bookmark this site for future reference, it’s a good one!

Travel Writing: Dining

by Catherine L. Tully

When you write about travel, it usually means including something about the dining that is available in the area. If you are no expert when it comes to food, there is another way to approach things. If you don’t know the difference between a great steak and a good one, don’t pretend you do. Instead, select a few spots based on the atmosphere, or the location. The spot in the photo above would make a great inclusion for a piece on Melbourne because it is on the harbor, and many locals frequent the bar there. It gives a sense of ”local color”.

Now. That said, if you are going to do travel writing seriously, you should begin to learn about food. An educated palate and knowledge of what is new or “hot” in the dining scene can make a big difference when it comes to selling articles. How do you do this? Here are some ways to get started:

• Read. Get a subscription to one or two magazines such as Gourmet or Bon Appetit. Reading the articles in these mags will help educate you, as well as give you an idea of what the latest trends are.
• Dine. Go out to some of the nice restaurants in the area. Take the time to really look at the menu. Ask the waiter questions. Read reviews about the places you go and see what they are saying in newspapers or magazines.
• Take a class. Poke around and you are likely to find some cooking classes that have a Chef at the helm. Learning about food will help you to appreciate it.

If you write about travel destinations you have a responsibility to make sure you are giving your reader the best information you can. Food is one area that can be tricky, but taking some steps to educate yourself is an excellent investment. Plus, it’s fun.

Break Into Travel Writing

by Joe Wallace
There are lots of ways to break into travel writing. Aside from that wheezy old advice telling you the best way to do it is to go travel, it helps to study the approach of successful travel writers and get familiar with the style and tone that works.

Another oldie/moldy bit of advice about how to break into travel writing goes like this; “You can’t know how to break the rules until you fully understand the rules themselves.” Too true, but what I’ve found is that many great, maverick writers never bothered to learn the styles of the day.

They knew how to use proper grammar and sentence construction to be sure, but it’s clear from the early writings of people like Hunter S. Thompson and Steven Wells that once they cut loose and stayed true to their own voice, the writing really took off. Rote imitation really doesn’t pay off, but knowing how to creep past the editor in terms of story format and basic approach can definitely help a newcomer.

Travel writing is part observational, part “just the fact, Ma’am” and part Gonzo journalism. How to you quantify what good restaurant service is? What makes a clean, comfortable hotel room? Which vistas are breathtaking as opposed to merely spectacular? These are the issues you’ll get intimate with as you begin to break into travel writing and learn the ropes.

That’s why I suggest reading books like Best Travel Writing 2008: True Stories From Around The Globe. You can get a good sense of what writers found acceptable in their final drafts and what editors felt fit to publish as prime examples of good travel writing. Research this highly specialized (and fun) part of the writing game by seeing what the rest of the industry considers worthy.

Then you can set about doing it in your own voice. Don’t bother copying what you read in a book like this, just take note of the different kinds of travel stories you could write–the essay, the travelogue, destination reviews and other formats…then use those examples as a jumping off point for your own creativity.

Travel Writing: Adjective Use

by Catherine L. Tully

I like to provide links to resources that illuminate things about writing that I may not have had the time to delve into during one of my posts. Today I give you a terrific piece from travel writer Doug Lansky on the craft. Pay special attention to what he says about adjectives…very interesting indeed.