What is a travel journal? (page 2 of 4)

Sorry, but I have to point out that inclusive writing is unbearable for normal people.

Forgive me, but I must point out that inclusive writing is unbearable for normal people.

I wouldn’t have used “normal” because what even is normality, but I’ll admit I also really struggle with reading fluency…

You’ve always had a thing with your unclassifiable texts, huh! 🙂😛

Actually, by refraining from posting my texts here, I won’t have that kind of issue anymore—it’s much simpler! Maybe I’ll leave a comment if a text really speaks to me, but that’s it.

From the various posts (well, almost all of them), it seems better to offer a detailed journal that summarizes the trip day by day—prices, meals, hotels, you name it—and add tons of photos. That’s what people like. Okay, I respect that 🙂.

If you only knew how much your last paragraph resonates with me...

Hi,

a detailed journal that summarizes the trip day by day, including prices, meals, hotels, and whatever else, plus tons of photos

You’re describing the perfect snooze-fest of a journal here...

I’d rather have a well-written piece like yours, even if it supposedly doesn’t fit the "right" category.

Totally agree with you! 🙂 __

UnaMilanese and Tatra: A few intertwining lines that are enough to let your imagination wander and set off on a journey. Thanks...

Hi there,

The MyAtlas team, which Voyage Forum is now part of, selects travel journals it wants to "feature" based on the following criteria:

The travel journal should be interesting even if you don’t know the author (not too many private photos, selfies, etc.) The travel journal shouldn’t focus too much on the side aspects of the trip (too many photos of hotels, food, planes, airports, etc.) Photos should be high quality (sufficient resolution, good framing, few failed shots, etc.) No promotional journals (for a travel agency, organization, hotel, guide, etc.) Get into the trip quickly (not too many introductory steps or preparations so the reader doesn’t get discouraged) Ideally, the travel journal shouldn’t mention flights

Hi,

Where did you get these details? Do they refer to the MyAtlas site, which is indeed very focused on travel stories, or do they apply to VF? Are you a spokesperson for the VF administration?

Ideally, a travel journal doesn’t talk about flights

That’s a strange idea—why not? When I do a 10-day trip like Sonderborg - Copenhagen - Vienna - Riga - Helsinki - Copenhagen - Sonderborg across 5 airlines, isn’t that a trip? Couldn’t it be written up in a journal? 🤪

Michel

Hello,

Where do you get these details from?

From MyAtlas, quite simply, where I’ve published around thirty travel journals. That’s the message I receive every time I upload a new one.

Do these apply to the MyAtlas site, which is indeed very focused on travel stories, or do they apply to VF?

No, this doesn’t apply to VF.

Are you a spokesperson for VF’s administration?

No!

Ideally, the travel journal doesn’t mention flights. Strange idea—why not?

It’s clearly stated as ideally. In reality, I occasionally mention them in my stories, and yet MyAtlas still selected them.

When I do a 10-day trip: Sonderborg - Copenhagen - Vienna - Riga - Helsinki - Copenhagen - Sonderborg on 5 different airlines, isn’t that a trip?

Yes! There are all kinds of ways to travel—business trips, pilgrimages, medical trips...

It’s clearly stated ideally. In reality, I occasionally mention it in my stories, and yet MyAtlas selected them.

Would a travel journal that not only mentions air travel but even makes it the main—or even the only—theme still be considered one in your opinion? A journal on MyAtlas or one on VF—nothing says the criteria have to be the same, right?

Michel

There are all kinds of ways to travel.

Just like there are several ways to tell the story of your travels? :)

not too many introductory steps or preparations so the reader doesn’t get discouraged

VF is a precious treasure, a fabulous repository with its own requirements. Should we now expect such... infantilizing formatting?

Would a travel journal that not only evokes air travel but makes it the main—or even the only—theme still qualify as one in your opinion?

Why not, but I wouldn’t read it. The golden rule for a travel journal is the freedom to write whatever you want within the bounds of the law. It’s all about freedom of expression.

That said, in my view, a journal that strays from MyAtlas’s (recommended, not mandatory) guidelines—like too many flights, too many hotels, too many restaurants, or too many redundant or low-quality photos—ends up being a snoozefest that you’ll drop pretty quickly.

Hope that answers your questions.

Best,

Michel

That's what people like

Do we write a travel journal to please the largest audience? 🙂

If so, the author should pick a trendy destination, describe their trip in a positive light while including plenty of activities (you’ve got to get your money’s worth), post heavily edited photos to showcase the experience, and add a few drone shots for that wow effect. A few carefully selected photos of the author themselves are a bonus (reader identification).

If not, the author does whatever they want! 😛

That said, on VF, the average reader is a bit older. Option 1 might not go over well...

That said, in my opinion, a journal that doesn’t meet MyAtlas’s (recommended but not mandatory) criteria—too many flights, too many hotels, too many restaurants, too many redundant or poor-quality photos—is a boring journal that you quickly stop reading.

In my view, their boring nature has more to do with how the journal is written than the fact that transportation methods and accommodations are the focus. What do you expect from a travel journal? I find tourist visit accounts potentially very boring if they’re poorly written. I rarely read them on VF or elsewhere mostly because they’re poorly written—too factual, not elaborate enough. But you can describe a journey by plane in a literary way with some really beautiful photos. 😏

Michel

Hey, I’ve got an idea: I’m going to sign up for MyAtlas (which I didn’t know about 😮) and I’ll submit one of my travel stories. Do you think it’ll be accepted? Surprise 🙂...

Should we now expect such an... infantilizing format?

It’s a flexible template.

There’s a bit of everything on MyAtlas. Mostly with photos, though.

Otherwise, the author does what they want! 😛

Totally agree 🙂 Might as well end up with your text in Misc

Yes, accepted. Anything that complies with the law is accepted.

Being featured is another story.

Being featured is a bit like VoyageForum’s Reading Suggestions section.

I missed the featured part! To be continued...

There’s also the promotion of certain discussions on VF’s Facebook page.

For example, Kate and Richard’s latest travel journal.

I’ll add that a "boring" journal can actually be a precious one. (Even for the person who’s bored...)

When a destination or region has very little info online, practical details are super helpful for future travelers who’d like to go there. It’s kind of like a guide, really.