March 29, 2024

Travel writing traps

Linear narratives, flat adjectives, too many superlatives – this piece on Matador talks about the common mistakes rookie travel writers make. But here is the thing – it is easy for seasoned writers to fall into these too. These, and the story (of the how-I-spent-my-summer-vacation essay type) supported entirely by cliche and adjectives, with adverbs sprinkled all through without restraint – of course, this is not specialty of travel writers alone, but there it is just easier.

My favourites – and yes, I have been guilty of some (all in the past, I hope) – Hidden gem (so how did *you* discover it?), I promised to be back (really, every single place you visit?), amazing (it is bad enough you use it in spoken language and really, you must be naive if you are that easily amazed), quick pitstop (that lasted four hours?), carried back a mind full of memories (one, good to know you have a mind and two, why are you not working with a sleazy travel agency yet?) and finally, lap of nature (even I do not have anything to say about this).

There, I feel better already. Nothing like a little snarkiness to spice up the day, what?

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