What are you looking for in travel blogs, what makes them interesting to you? Why do you like certain blogs, but not others?
What are you looking for when you read a travel blog? Are you interested in an accurate/ factual account of someones travel, in observations about the culture & customs, in praise or criticism about a place, in controversial points of view, in blogs about exotic destinations, in exceptional writing style, in good pictures? All of the above? Or something completely different?
Reply to this I know what I like even though I can't produce what I like...good writing is a gift. What I like and wish I could achieve is a blog that is personal, humorous, paints a picture involving all five senses, tells a story (rather than an itinerary) of interactions with people and situations along the way, has less than 20 pictures (just the best...not duplicates of the same thing), is less than 1500 words, is still informative so that I might want to go there too (I don't mind some how to do it). I don't like "I went from point A to point B" or I ate "breakfast" or cut and paste from Wikipedia about the history of the location visited.
Reply to this Hi Marco - welcome to Travel Blog! You've mentioned most of the things that I look for in a blog, as has Bob. However the things that interest me can also vary depending on whether I'm reading for escapism (when we are between trips), or if I'm reading to get info/ideas for the planning of a trip. In both cases I look for honesty and an easy going style of writing which helps me to feel part of the journey; I tend to avoid blogs that have an angle, are attention seeking or sensationalist, i.e. ones that just don't feel genuine, or feel like the writer is trying to push the reader in a certain direction.
Unlike Bob, I actually prefer longer blogs so I can get a real sense of the place and the person writing the piece. The only time I dislike long blogs is when it covers a whole trip or multiple places in one post and then becomes difficult to follow.
I like background information if it's about a place I know very little about (and I can skip these bits if I know the place well), and I find the diary-style of writing very helpful when trying to work out the navigation of a city or transport between places.
I agree with Bob about being selective about photos. I rarely look past the first page of photos.
Having said all that about what I like/dislike... the way people like to write and what they look for in other blogs in such a subjective matter, so the good news is that for every person who doesn't like a blog, there's bound to be someone who does 😊
Reply to this Great topic. I tend to read blogs from places I'm either thinking of going (inspiration) or have been to before (reminiscence/escapism). For style, I favor detailed writing that gives a real sense of both the place and the writer's impression of it, ideally stream of consciousness. I can read about somewhere in a guidebook; only a blog can provide someone's personal experience.
Reply to this Location. When reading I usually pick a place that I want to read about. Then I look at the blogs about that place and pick the ones with interesting pictures and titles. Writers have different styles and I like the ones who are humorous and those who are so hardcore that I'd rather just read about their adventures than experience it myself. I like reading about trips that I wouldn't have the guts to do on my own (Congo, Central Asia) or will never be able to afford (Antarctica).
Reply to this To me pictures are essential part of this blog. And a descriptive write up and factual information also enrich a particular blog. In addition to that, some funny & interesting experiences can make it more enjoyable.
Reply to this Hi,
'm just treading in the ocean of travelogues, but what i normally do is to tell the small stories behind those trips and to bring some candid moments captured by making it still with a cam. Pretty much every other stuff anyone can find from Googling, but when some one add some style or uniqueness into it, it becomes special.
Thanks!
- shafeer ch
Reply to this Certainly look for the uniqueness of the blog start writing style and an explanation of certain things, because every blog has a different characteristic.
Seems to me like it thanks ..
Reply to this Regarding Travel blogs , I am looking for interested trekking partners who like to travel into remote part of mid west of Nepal
Reply to this The type of blog that I look for is very rare. I can count on one hand the amount of blogs I've stumbled across that utterly and completely captivate my interest. I'm looking to be sucked in, to go on a journey, to feel a part of the process. I look for a creative writing style that is both descriptive and has a humorous personal touch. It doesn't matter the amount of pictures. The writing has to make me feel like I'm there. When I find this type of blog, I find myself reading all of a writer's blogs for hours on end and it is bliss! I am a sucker for good writing.
Reply to this I like to read blogs that tell a story - why you decided to visit a place, what did you do there, what was good, what was bad, the whole experience. I like to see people's itineraries to give me idea of what I can do. I am a adventure traveller, so for me travel day is packed with activities, as a result I prefer similar blogs over those that spend paragraphs on how perfect coffee at a restaurant was - and how they spent full day just sitting in sun looking at the coffee 😊
Reply to this Marco,
Blogs are very personal and writing styles are incredibly varied. I find I like many different writing styles. Yes I prefer a blog that tells are story and tells me about the local people they have met and interacted with along the way. But I also don't like to read the same kind of blog all the time. I enjoy the variety.
MJ
Reply to this For me, its all about the story. I find that I'm more engaged by the traveler's experiences than a simple we went here, we did this, we ate that. I want to know about smells, sounds, interactions, encounters. Cultural faux pas. Next, I want to see some interesting pictures. They don't have to be all landscapes and people. How about a sign that is hanging weirdly. Or the way the sun dances on the water. Maybe just a photo of someone having a drink from a fountain. Lastly, please please write a small description under each photo. Huge pet peeve of mine is not knowing where in the world the picture is taken or what it is about.
Reply to this I am a big fan of peculiar titles... Of course all of the aforementioned is important (good writing and pics, etc). I'm with you cabochick - the photos should have captions (IMG2386.jpeg for example, does not count as a caption)
Reply to this In response to: Msg #201709
We always title our photos but are not as good as we would like on the details. We have set that as our goal this year. Hopefully we will improve. Feedback will be appreciated on our efforts.
Happy travels
Reply to this One of the things that need to be remembered - at least from my perspective is that bloggers are not travel writers, they are not professionals. I believe for the most part they are writing for their friends and family. Expecting them to be Hemmingway in not their goal and maybe you've placed unrealistic expectations.
Andrea, we once wrote a blog about signs we have seen along the way.
Reply to this In response to: Msg #202082
I'm always amazed at how many hits a blog gets or does not get. Our recent blog from Italy is struggling for viewership. We can only assume people are not as interested in reading blogs from main stream locations and prefer the off the beaten path. We certainly understand that.
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