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How to Use the Travel Writer Handbook to Write "About" Travel Articles
How to Use the Travel Writer Handbook to Write "About" Travel Articles
Posted by Anna R | May 28, 2010 | Comments (9)
I know. You think the Powers That Be have finally lost our collective mind--or at least made a huge mistake--with our recent decision to reclassify travel titles that have historically been Lists as Abouts.
I feel your pain, and I'll let you in on a secret: I was against the switch at the beginning too, though I've since come around. It all happened when we were brainstorming ways to get more evergreen, tip-oriented titles for our Travel Tips section on USATODAY.com. One afternoon, Demand's Titling & Strategy Editor Lindsay Morris called me over to her desk and asked how I felt about turning 2,000 unclaimed travel Lists to Abouts. I told her to back away slowly from the spreadsheet and get some fresh air. Was she kidding?
But Lindsay was only thinking outside the box, and she was right. Her argument made me reconsider assumptions I made when I first started manually categorizing travel titles, more than a year ago, and decided a title like "Things to Do in New York" could only be a List. I'm stubborn, but I'm not that stubborn. I realized that the format swap would help all of us produce better travel articles across the board.
I had a feeling that the transition would be as difficult for you as it was for me, which is why I created the Travel Writer Handbook to help you rethink how these titles should be approached. I've created this handy how-to reference guide to help with the rest. I hope this will empower you to make educated judgment as professional travel writers and editors when it comes to executing these titles.
How to Write a Travel About
1. Consider the List and About formats siblings, not warring factions. Think about it: From a template perspective, the formats are practically identical. Both have overviews, followed by a series of subsections. Their difference lies in the execution.
2. Understand the main difference: A List is a list of specific things, an About is a roundup of concepts. The trick is all in the approach. An About gives your reader the big picture, not the close-up.
It's hard to explain without an example. So: Instead of thinking of a title, such as "Mexican Restaurants in Los Angeles," as a finite list of restaurants, which couldn't possibly scratch the subject's surface, think about the title more as, "things to consider when you're choosing a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles." So you'd include things like range of food (Oaxacan vs. Mexico City cuisine), price range (taco truck vs. fancy sit-down place), location (what to expect in East L.A. vs. the Westside), considerations (smaller places are often cash-only; be prepared to confront unusual ingredients like tripe or tongue), etc.
3. Realize the end goal of the formats is the same. You are providing the reader with actionable information and advice that will enable him to make informed decisions and improve his overall travel experience. This is true whether you are writing for USATODAY.com Travel Tips, eHow or LIVESTRONG.COM Lifestyle.
Many of you have asked (and rightfully so--I asked the same question): Isn't someone searching Google for "Free Things to Do in New York" looking for, well, a list of free things to do in New York, not a general article about them? Yes and no. You can still fulfill the search by providing actionable, useful information. Demand Media's travel sites aren't hotel booking destinations or guidebooks--we can't compete with established brands in these verticals, and we aren't trying to.
4. Know that "conceptual" isn't code for "generic" or "vague." Even with identical subheads, every About article needs to include information very specific to the subject to be of any use. And--except on LIVESTRONG.COM Lifestyle--mentioning specific businesses isn't banned or even discouraged; the businesses just need to be used as supporting evidence to back up your claims, the same way you'd use a statistic or a fact. (The below examples will show you how to do this effectively.)
5. Print out the Travel Writer Handbook, and keep it next to your desk. It's your best friend when you're working on About travel articles, and I'm not just saying that because I made it. It will help you brainstorm, write and edit travel articles faster and smarter. I reference it every day when I'm editing articles and answering your questions in the forums.
Below is an example of how to write a title that seems impossible to write as an About at first glance. I know, because writers and CEs have both approached me with something bordering on despair asking for guidance on titles much like it. I've compiled the below from your feedback and provided specific pages in the Handbook to reference, along with tips on what will get you a green-light and what will get you a rewrite.
Title: Things to Do in New York
* Similar types of titles: "Free Things to do in Chicago," "Where to Stay in Hawaii," "Places to Eat in Disney World"--basically any THING-to-VERB-in-PLACE title
* Refer to the following sections in Travel Writer Handbook for more information: Cities & Countries, Sightseeing & Attractions, Budget Travel, Restaurants, Family Vacations, Hotels & Resorts
If this title was formatted as a traditional List, the subheads might be:
Central Park, The Highline, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tenement Museum, etc.
The copy would include detailed information about the locations themselves, followed by the contact information.
However, if the above title was formatted as an About, the subheads might be:
Considerations, Time frame, Geography, Misconceptions, Warnings (which are the suggested subheads outlined in the DS Editorial Guidelines), or you could create your own subheads.
The copy in an About would include a high-level roundup of things to do in New York, taking into account various aspects, such as when to go, what the weather's like and what to pack, as well as details such as a description of geographic areas and warnings to wear comfortable walking shoes.
Now, this is where things get complicated. There are some gray areas. Some subheads, such as category groupings, might work for both Lists and Abouts. The following is a list of subheads that could work for both Lists and Abouts:
Seasons, Months, Audience (with information under the subhead about things to do in New York for families, big spenders, couples, singles, etc.) and Activities (with information in the subhead broken down into categories, such as cultural activities, outdoor activities, etc.)
If you do include subheads such as this, it's important to understand how to successfully execute each as an About and List. For example, for the above title "Things to Do in New York," a subhead might be "Winter" (which could be a subhead as a List or About):
How the subhead "Winter" works as an About:
It provides a big-picture synopsis of each section. For instance, the copy might read: "Winter can be one of the most magical times to visit New York City, but it can also be bitterly cold, especially when the wind whistles down the long canyons of buildings. Bring a warm coat and galoshes if there is snow in the forecast. Christmas decorations in midtown Manhattan will make even the grinchiest heart grow two sizes, especially the inventive window displays on Madison Avenue and the 75-foot Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center."
Why it Works as an About: This section provides actionable information and advice for travelers planning to visit New York in the winter -- packing tips, information about the weather. It does mention a few places to visit, but only uses the locations as evidence to back up the unsubstantiated claim that Christmas decorations "will make even the grinchiest heart grow two sizes."
What will get you a rewrite (how the subhead "Winter" may not work as an About):
You'll likely get a rewrite request if the copy below the subhead is a list of places organized by category--thereby basically making it a List in disguise. For instance, the copy shouldn't read something like the following: "There is plenty to do in New York during winter. Kids will like the ice skating rink and giant Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. The Nutcracker at Radio City Music Hall is also a favorite. And the New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square is something that everyone should experience before they die."
Why it Doesn't Work as an About: This is still a list of specific things to do in New York in the winter; they just happen to be grouped in a category. There is no bigger-picture analysis of what visiting the city during the season might entail.
I know this is complicated, and can be nuanced and subjective. Share your thoughts, feedback and questions in the comments. Looking forward to them!
Lindsay Morris
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