Lesson 9.1
Blog Travel Writing vs Diary, Guidebook, Narrative
Diary travel writing centers around you and your experience without being instructional.
Guidebook travel writing centers the reader, their questions, and their decisions, and is heavily instructional. Think Lonely Planet.
Narrative travel writing (essays/reflections) blends story and meaning to express a sense of place, what it taught you, or why it mattered. Think AFAR, Travel + Leisure, Harper's.
🌟 Travel blog writing blends both: your lived experience/personality + practical, helpful value!
For most travel bloggers, let's compare purely diary-style vs blogger-style writing.
"I landed in Marrakesh late at night, totally exhausted. I checked into my riad, had a quick shower, and then wandered around the medina for a bit before collapsing into bed."
- Not helpful for readers
- Pretty generic/boring
"If you land in Marrakesh late at night as a solo traveler, book a riad with 24-hour reception inside the medina so you can walk there in under 10 minutes. I stayed at Riad X, and they arranged an airport pickup, which felt much safer and less overwhelming than negotiating taxis on arrival."
- ☑️ More natural
- ☑️ Gives context and detailed, practical info
- ☑️ Recommends a service (smartly uses an affiliate link)
- ☑️ Combines personal insight with guidebook advice
"I got completely lost changing trains at Shinjuku Station. I walked in circles for fifteen minutes before finally finding the right platform."
- Like, ok, cool bro? Now what?
- No instructions
"Shinjuku Station is practically a small city. I once spent 15 minutes looping between the same two hallways before realizing there were multiple exits with the same name. When you’re navigating Tokyo for the first time, follow the color-coded walkway signs overhead and look for exit numbers instead of names. Downloading the Tokyo Metro app beforehand will save you a lot of confusion."
- ☑️ Shows the problem -> solution
- ☑️ Includes internal link to related blog post in the cluster
- ☑️ Links to/cites a credible resource (i.e., Tokyo Metro app)