Dublin, 2009
Talk about feeling old.
I had the honor today of speaking to over 150 college seniors from around southern California, all of whom have returned from semesters, summers or years abroad all over the world, and all of whom have been impacted so much by that experience they are seeking ways to get back out there. It was a room full of people who love to travel, a room full of TBEX-ers waiting to happen. It was the LA-area Lessons From Abroad Conference, held at Chapman University in Orange, CA.
I was also honored to be on a panel alongside veteran LA Times photojournalist Don Bartletti, and attorney and Tanzania’s Arcadia Center Academic Director Roland Adjovi – 2 extremely accomplished, kind and fascinating people. I’m no public speaker, but it was exhilarating to see the interest taken in the range of professional careers and learning opportunities available to young people today, and to have a chance to speak to them about the incredible experience of travel blogging. Study abroad is a life-changing experience that challenges young people to think about the world in a different way and then come back to their home country looking for ways to apply their newfound insights to their next “peak” in life. It was a thought-provoking and exhilarating day, and I was pleased and excited to be invited to share in it.
For those that attended interested in getting started travel writing, I promised to post a blog with a list of resources and tips, which they can find below. And of course please feel free to e-mail me with any questions, or if you’re interested in attending an upcoming LACOT meeting or the 2012 TBEX conference next June in Keystone, CO.
RESOURCES (well, a few)
TBEX – Travel Blog Exchange, the largest organization of travel bloggers in the world (most members are from US and Europe). Annual conferences held domestically and in Europe.
LACOT – LA Consortium of Online Travel, a group of LA-area travel bloggers who meet every 2 months or so to have drinks and talk all things travel. Founded by Jen Miner of The Vacation Gals and Melanie Waldman of Travels with Two.
TBU – Travel Bloggers Unite
Facebook Groups – Travelbloggers, PRSA Travel
Twitter – weekly online travel chats #TNI (Travelers’ Night In) at 12:30pm every Thursday or #TTOT (Travel Talk on Twitter) Tuesdays at 2:30pm. These feature a series of questions centered on a topic, in which anyone can participate. Most of the major players in online travel media participate weekly, and love new people who join!
TIPS (again…just a few)
- Find your niche – solo travel, budget travel, foodie travel, eco-travel, road trips, etc. and make that the theme of the majority of your content. A region or country counts too!
- Get started on WordPress or Blogger and just. start. writing.
- Think of your website as a job in a sense. Be professional – plan your posts, have a unique voice, market yourself as a brand. If you are serious about growing your blog to become a viable resource or you’re interested in sponsored trips or freelancing for other sites, this is your calling card! Make it visual, provide social media links, email contact info, and what you’re all about.
- Create a Twitter account and become involved with the travel conversations happening 24/7. I’ve found this one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to my blog, network globally and build my brand.
- Read other travel blogs – lists of the best ones can be found simply by Googling it or asking on Twitter – many bloggers and publications have created their own lists. Read their posts, comment on them and invite them to check yours out.
- Get involved with one of the above groups, or a non-profit like Passports with Purpose or The Passport Party Project that are current and popular with the community right now.
- Start taking photos, everywhere, all the time. One day when you’re writing and you need a photo of a suitcase or an interesting doorway, you’ll have them in your library somewhere to pull from.
- Get traveling, and get writing!
Good luck, adventurers :)
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