In an earlier article, I took a brief look at the history and some of the pioneers of travel writing — a genre that has allure and an aura of glamor that so many (including myself) find compelling.
Of course, there are writers, active today, who are pioneers of their own, documenting experiences and revelations that are only possible when traveling to new places and experiencing new people and cultures. If you are interested in learning more about your own humble place in the universe through travel and travel writing, you’ll benefit from the insights of the three veteran travel writers highlighted here.
Sam Manicom: Into Africa
As a novice motorcyclist, Sam Manicom set out on a cross-Africa tour — described in Into Africa: Every Day an Adventure — during which he encountered a daunting array of obstacles and extreme incidents that would have turned many others away early on.
Since self-publishing that book in 2011, Manicom has penned a series of travelogues, met Birgit (his long-term partner) while on one of his journeys, and expanded his adventures to every continent (except Antarctica — ice and motorcycling don’t mix well). He’s a well-known figure at conferences and motorcycle travel events and is very open about sharing his knowledge and experiences with others.
“They say, ‘never do something if you don’t have passion for it,’” Manicom told me. “They also say, ‘only write about the things you know well.’ Well, that’s boxes one and two ticked.
“The magic of travel writing comes from a mix of key factors,” he continues. “The writing must be entertaining, informative, humorous — where relevant — and always real. Put your reader there with you in the scene you are describing and there’s a chance of success.
“Another key to success is knowing who the likely readers are,” Manicom adds. “Write for them. Preferably, you’ll identify several groups of potential readers.
“Finally, enjoy the writing. This is a sharing exercise and can be amazingly good fun. Each book is a new adventure, so be aware that you’ll have down moments and route changes, but flexibility is where the fun begins and your storytelling unfolds.”
If you make progress and succeed in writing a travel book, at some point you’ll need to make that serious decision that all writers face. “One of the hardest parts of making a book happen is the decision between chasing for a publishing house’s attention or choosing to self-publish.” (Manicom has self-published all his works — and narrated his own audiobooks as well.)
“The other hard part for most aspiring authors is the promotional work. But that can be a new adventure as well, if you accept it.”