For Fun and Profit: Writing a Travelblog
The globe is shrinking thanks to the internet and aeroplanes – and this is echoed in the burgeoning number of weblogs written by individual travellers around the globe reporting from the land they are currently residing in.
From reports about mango and sticky rice desserts in Thailand to Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) in Japan, there doesn’t seem to be a topic that isn’t written about by these intrepid travellers.
These kinds of blogs – often called “travelblogs” – are popular with like-minded backpacker-types and people who’ve already been to the nation they’re writing from. Also, such blogs give an inside view of the nation for those considering travelling in the future, and so give them a preview of what they can expect if they do resolve to journey there.
Nowadays it’s normal to chance upon these blogs, and so it’s often not adequate to merely offer your opinion on the country you are currently in. Lately there’s a clamour for blogs that pinpoint niches within the country they reside. For example, a travelblog regarding photography in Thailand, or a travelblog that details the the lastest fashions in Japan.
Most pen these travelblogs as a hobby, and maybe to attract a readership, but there are writers who are able to make a living from writing online. Be it money from adverts on their travelblog, or maybe for writing for other sites and being paid to do it (while they travel). If you’re living in a country that has low living costs, this can actually pay your way – though you ought to have a backup reserve of cash and not have your website be your only method to supporting yourself.
To sum up, it’s good to keep a journal of what you’re doing when travelling – as something to refer back to, and at the same time giving others a unique peak at a part of the planet they may know little about.
