Adventures in Hostelling writing contest wants your words

by Jamie Rhein on

If you have 150 to 250 of the very best words–whether funny, romantic, thought-provoking, etc. etc., but true–every last word of them, try out your wordsmith mettle by telling your hostelling story.

Hi-USA Golden Gate Council of Hosteling International is celebrating its 50th anniversary by throwing a contest. Here’s what you do:

  • Think of that story
  • Write it down in 150-250 words
  • Send it in by July 15

Simple, right?

For your efforts you could win:

  • the Grand Prize of one round-trip voucher for international travel on American Airlines valid through March 9, 2009
  • a Jury Prize of a Flip Video Camera (there are three of these)
  • or an Honorable Mention of a one-year membership to Hosteling International

All winning entries will be published in a commemorative publication.

By the way, the story does need to thematically highlight the mission of the Hi-USA Golden Gate Council. What’s that you say? It’s to help travelers “gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling.”

Before you send in your ONE entry, make sure you’ve made it as entertaining, perfectly written, and as relevant to the purpose of hostelling as you can. For further details, click here. To enter online, click here. Let us know if you win. No prize is too small.

Total words of this post: 220

Why not everyone should become a travel writer

by Anna Brones on

There are some great travel writers out there; big names like Rolf Potts and Paul Theroux come to mind. There are even online communities like the Matador Network that promote up and coming travel writers, aspiring to a profession where they actually get paid to travel. But despite lugging around a journal and a camera, not everyone is destined to pursue such career.

For the 10th anniversary issues, the editors over at Budget Travel decided to enlist readers to do the writing and photography. Although as Editor in Chief Erik Torkells put it, “I hesitate to make fun of any of our readers, but…a few of the pitches we got were kind of funny.”

So here is a sampling of the stories that weren’t assigned:

“China. Most challenging restroom facilities. Especially for women. Title: Bathrooms I have Known.”

“My dream trip to Tahiti turned out to be a disaster. I vomited on the French man beside me.”

“I always thought it would be really cool to make a coffee table book about toilets around the world. Everyone needs them, uses them and they are such a cultural thing… I’ve heard of the places that are just a hole you stand over. And, since this could be a monumental project… but you would pay the tab… I say we choose a venue that would over a lot of toilets, yet not be a round the world trip. Toilets of the Orient Express. I think it has a nice ring to it…”

“Switzerland, Norway, Netherlands, and Belgium: The best destinations for your final days. A story about death tourism, or the practice of some persons choosing to die in a country other than their own, would certainly grab the attention of readers.”

For more un-assigned pitches, go here.

Pico Iyer’s humble Let’s Go beginnings

by Neil Woodburn on

If you’ve ever read Pico Iyer, you’ll know that he is one of those rare, wonderfully eloquent travel writers who can really nail a destination and make you feel as though you were there.

What you probably don’t know about Pico, however, is that he began his career writing for Let’s Go–the ubiquitous publication so often clutched by young Americans backpacking through Europe.

Pico was at Harvard University studying Old English when his calling in life came in the form of a flyer posted on the campus seeking writers for the series (the books are written entirely by Harvard students). He quickly applied and was soon on his way with $1,400 to get him through 70 days of research.

According to a great article Pico recently penned for Condé Nast Traveler, writing for the budget publication, “was the best vocational training I ever had, a crash course in all kinds of lessons learned on the fly, and a perfect illustration of the ancient Calvinist truth that life and a free lunch are rarely well acquainted.”

The hardest lesson learned by a 20-something Harvard student studying Old English, however, was “that what a reader of any guidebook wants is not a wise guy’s 20-page treatise on Art versus Nature in the Cotswolds but the dirt on whether that grimy curry house is less poisonous than the grease-stained burger stand down the street.”

And that’s why we love Let’s Go when we’re students, and Pico’s subsequent books when we’re adults.

Budget Travel seeking writers for 10th anniversary issue

by Neil Woodburn on

If you’ve ever wanted to be a travel writer, there’s never been a better chance than right now.

One of our favorite magazines here at Gadling, Budget Travel, is dedicating their entire 10th anniversary issue (June 2008) to reader submissions. Even the cover photo will be selected from amateur photo hounds (that would be you if you’ve ever submitted a photograph to our Gadling Flickr Pool! Make us proud!)

The editors have created a number of different categories and ideas which will be open for reader submissions. Some of them are list oriented, such as 25 Reasons You Love New York, while others are more detailed essays; Has a Trip Changed Your Life?

If you collect specific souvenirs when you travel, there is a category for you, or if you have ever wanted to review a guidebook then Budget Travel is looking for your thoughts. Even those who do nothing but shop are welcome to submit for the chance to spend $100 of Budget Travel’s money in a “fascinating locale.” All you have to do is tell the editors what you bought.

What a great idea! I’ve never heard of a magazine turning an entire issue over to its readers. For a category like budget travel, however, it makes sense; deals on the road come and go quickly and a volunteer army of travelers is the best way to dig up the very best and the most current.

Travel writing tips from around the web

by Kelly Amabile on

Lately, I’ve been pretty slack with some of my self-imposed writing goals. It’s all well and good to say “I’m going to write that article” or “I’m going to draft that book proposal” — but we all know that actions speak louder then words. And words don’t mean anything to a freelance writer unless they are typed out, spell-checked and on their way to an editor!

So I was happy to come across two travel writing tips, posted today by some of our friends around the web. Tidbits like these often help me kick-start stalled writing projects: First up, Eva Holland’s 9 Things I Learned About Travel Writing at Book Passage is up at Brave New Traveler. Eva, who also writes for World Hum, has compiled a great summary of her conference experience — she shares valuable tips from travel writing pros that she met during the annual travel seminar hosted by the Bay Area bookstore. And at BootsnAll, I found a book review for Crafting the Travel Guidebook: How to Write, Publish and Sell Your Travel Book. Reviewer Norm Goldman gives high marks to Barbara Hudgins “nitty gritty” look at guidebook writing. Once I’ve got a few more articles and stories under my belt, I’ll have to get my hands on a copy. But for now, of course, I best get going with some writing!