How to Become A Great Travel Writer? Read Great Travel Writing
If you want to be a great travel writer, then read great travel writing.
To excel in the craft, expose yourself to the greats and the crazies in the world of best travel writers. Here’s my roundup of the best travel writing books. Dive into the classics as well as the new offerings below and come away inspired.
The travel writings in these books below reveal how many genres travel writing neatly dovetails into. From culinary travel (Anthony Bourdain) to adventure travel (Cheryl Strayed’s Wild).
Plus, I added more resources from my bookshelf to help you become or improve your travel writing business. Just click on the title to learn more.
Great Travel Narratives and Memoirs
Tao of Travel: Enlightenments from Lives on the Road, Paul Theroux
The Great Railway Bazaar, Paul Theroux
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide, Anthony Bourdain
Into The Wild, Jon Krakauer
Wild, Cheryl Strayed
In a Sunburned Country, Bill Bryson
Best American Travel Writing 2021
From The Best American Series, this annual travel writing anthology highlights the finest travel writing of the past year, edited by greats such as Elisabeth Gilbert or Cheryl Strayed. Sadly, this excellent anthology died during Covid, but any volume is great reading.
Best Women’s Travel Writing, Volume 12: True Stories from Around the World, Lavinia Spaulding
The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks, and Giants of the Ocean, Susan Casey
Pass the Butterworms: Remote Journeys Oddly Rendered, Tim Cahill
Anything by Tim Cahill, who invented American adventure travel writing, is worth reading if only for his tales that will bring tears or make you laugh out loud.
The Snow Leopard, Peter Matthiessen
Best Books For Your Travel Writing Career
These are the best books for ideas on how to create and design a successful travel writing career.
Travel Writing, Carl Thompson
Addresses the hot topics of empire, colonialism, post-colonialism, globalization, gender, and politics in travel writing today.
How to Be A Travel Writer, Don George
The Six-Figure Travel Writing Road Map, Gabi Logan
Travel Writing 2.0: Earning Money From Your Travels in the New Media Landscape, Tim Leffel
Outdated, given our rapid social media landscape, but you’ll find extremely useful advice throughout.
A Field Guide for Immersion Writing: Memoir, Journalism and Travel, Robin Hemley
Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler, Lavinia Spaulding
A must for journal-keeping on the road (or at home) plus great writing prompts within.
General Writing Advice
These classics offer many solutions to living the writer’s life, from writing well to breaking through creative blocks.
Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Anne Lamott
On every writer’s bookshelf. I dare you to prove me wrong.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King
No horrors here but an emotional treatise on King’s writing life. And a compelling memoir as well.
Writing Down Your Soul: How to Activate & Listen to the Extraordinary Voice Within, Janet Conner
This book changed my life and greatly helped me at the beginning of the writing of my memoir.
Seven Essential Writing Tools That Will Absolutely Make Your Writing Better & Enliven your Soul, Marni Freedman
An expert guide to the tools that will make the most of your writings. Essential For Success
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield
I loved this book on creativity. That’s why we’re writers, right?
On Writing Well, William Zinisser
Good reason why a million copies have been sold. A classic of good writing for any writer.
The Elements of Style, William Strunk
Simple and to the point, this classic and handy English grammar guide will refresh your third grade memory.
Advice for Your Travel Writing Business
Looking at your successful travel writing career as a business is half the battle of making it in this field. Find tons of helpful advice and solutions on your travel writing journey below.
This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See, Seth Godin
The Copyright Handbook: What Every Writer Needs to Know, Stephen Fishman J.D.
Green Light Your Book: How Writers Can Succeed in the New Era of Publishing, Brooke Warner
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal, Tony Schwartz
A great help to handle your workload and improve your productivity. Plus, manage your physical health from sitting in a chair (or an airplane) for hours. Game-changer.
Business for Authors: How to Be An Author Entrepreneur, Joanna Penn
There you have it. A great start to your travel writing career. For more, hop over to Travel Writing Resources.
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