4 ways to sound like a jerk in your travel writing (and how to avoid them)

“take yourself just a little more lightly than you take anything, or anyone, else—except maybe mimes, and politicians.”

Love it, and agree completely.

I’ve noticed myself falling into trap #3 in my home-coming conversations. Luckily we’re back recently enough to be forgiven!

“As my rock-hard abs were slowly immersed in the ataractic ofuro, the corpulent man clumsily diving in to my right took me back to my scenic bike ride around Lum Pi waterfall.”

All in one sentence. I rock.

Ha! Brilliant, Teresa. My Comp students in China were all about sprinkling random, huge and supposedly sophisticated-sounding words into the most straightforward sentence:

“We had picnic in park. The green was shiny luster splenderfulness.”

I admit, the inventions were pretty great sometimes, but I don’t know how many times I had written in all caps, circled, and underlined on the board, SIMPLE! SIMPLE! In China flowery writing is considered sophisticated, and in English it reads like a paperback romance novel. So we had a lot of work to do.

I also feel a strong wave of repulsion whenever I see a French word italicized somewhere in the midst of an article. I get these visions of white gloves and horrible, insufferable pretension.

So seldom do you find guides to writing amusing. This was a great read with some truly solid tips. Yes!

Absolutely true…and equally hilarious. I must go now, as posting in this forum reminds me of the time I was walking the streets of Nice, France. My brown hair was wet from the humidity and my adidas shoes were looking great.

Oops sorry.

Great article! I’ve certainly been guilty of some of these, especially #1. Should try to avoid that more often.

“I nervously planted my small, Chaco-shod foot on the path” – this sentence seriously made me laugh. Although I don’t know if I’d call Chacos “cool clothing.” Those things left embarrassing Z-shaped tan lines on my feet for months.

Point #2 is interesting. Some of the most celebrated travel writers have used academic language in their works. Does this mean they are jerks or are they allowed to use more academic language because their works are well liked?

I laughed out loud at a few of these, because I’ve seen them enough to realize that, yes, they are oft-used, and yes, they are obnoxious (and should be avoided). Thanks for drawing attention to something in plain-sight that I likely wouldn’t have otherwise acknowledged!

I think the number one writing rule is: go ahead and break the rules–sometimes that’s the only way to make it work. And there are fantastic writers who do all these things and do them beautifully. But I think that it’s pretty tricky for the average, non-literary-genius writer to pull these things off–which isn’t to say you shouldn’t try if that’s what you’re feeling. Do you really care if I think you sound like a jerk?

I love this: “Never use a quarter word, when a nickel word will do.” Am going to quote it in next Twitters (w/ link to this article & Larry Bleiberg, natch).

The best writing advice I ever got, which I quote endlessly: “See how many words you can take out and still have it say the same thing.”

For the record, I don’t believe these are listed as “rules” at all–simply guidelines. Other rules are simple to break. I for one am a huge fan of choosing whatever form of punctuation I see fit or using the occasional word that might not actually be a word but is completely understood in context.

It’s a great feeling to write in whatever style is most comfortable for you. That being said, I am still frustrated when I read something that resembles some of the ideas mentioned in this piece. I enjoy being able to take a simple travel article and let my imagination give it life but if the author has made the effort, I do my best to pick up what they’re puttin down.

However, with beauty being in the eye of the beholder, an article that confuses me or turns me off may actually brighten the day of another reader who eats up every bit of the writer’s story. I think these are great tips but no matter what, so travel stories will have you sounding like a jerk and others will bring you much praise.

I’ve done every bad thing there is. I’m always grateful when some clear-eyed soul writes a post like this.

The fear of sounding bad shouldn’t put us off writing, but the absence of that fear is a warning sign that maybe Mr. Arrogance and Ms. Complacency have come to call.

Thanks for the reminder, and for putting it in such an entertaining way. The light tone makes the medicine easier to swallow.