I’ve been thinking lately how I can be more web savvy and prepared for the future of travel writing, hence I’ve decided to begin devoting more time to creating my own website. There are a number of great guidebook writers that have turned to the web, and from what I can tell they are doing better than they have from writing in print.
My wife Claudia and I have already designed the page and have some initial layouts and text for a site on traveling in Peru. At the moment it’s called Perublog, only because I own the domain. It doesn’t really fit in the common idea of a blog, so we might change that if we can find think of something better.
It’s a lot of work to get it started. I have a list of literally thousands of pages to create. I’m starting off small though and getting to the basics. My plans are to make it a place for quality writing on the country and to rely on a list of known contributors. I’m not going to request anyone to write for it for free or to promote a tour, but will have paid columnists. Although if anyone wants to write for free I wouldn’t turn them away if it was quality work and they just couldn’t find another place for it.
Will it work? By looking at some of the other sites it seems it will. I’m still along way off from a launch though. I’ll keep everyone posted.
I agree – the web is definitely where it’s at for travel writing.
After years spent on the road as a journalist, I kept trying to fit my writing into a format – diary, guidebook, essays… nothing seemed to work, and the book remained unfinished.
So I started a website – and the more I wrote, the further I wandered from my original sitemap. The thing is – it somehow became addictive. I don’t know whether it’s the uploading of each new page, or the ability to create an instantaneous layout, or the immediacy of publishing… but somehow, each new page provides me with at least as many thrills as each byline once did.
I’ve only been at it for a few months and my site is still tiny – but it’ll grow.
Enjoy the voyage and hang on for the neverending ride! Because each new page gives you ideas for a dozen more…