There are moments when I wonder if I’m good enough of a traveler. I never worried about this before. But now that I’ve ventured out into the world of travel blogging, it has become a real concern for me. I am now, more than ever, immersed in a world of traveling experts. I’m always reading about all the great trips other writers take and I wonder if I’ve got what it takes.
Do I have enough traveling experience under my belt to speak with any authority on the subject? Maybe, I shouldn’t claim to be an authority. Have I visited enough countries, cities or states? Maybe, I’m not worldly enough. Will I be laughed off the stage for admitting that I’ve never actually been to New York? Well, I’ve been to the airport, but that doesn’t really count.
I’ve been hit with some serious travel blogging insecurities this year. I could seek some good Dr. Phil advice to help me get past it. Or maybe, I can stop travel blogging altogether. Avoidance works wonders, you know. Then I wouldn’t have to care about whether my traveler status was worthy enough. I could just take up a new hobby, say gardening, and blog my little heart out about that. (I’m not making fun of gardening, I really do want to pick it up as a hobby someday.)
I could blog about anything really, so why even bother with blogging about something I may not even be doing all that well. I will not be hiking in Nepal, jet-setting my way through Europe, or dropping my job to travel the world this year. There are both monetary and legal reasons I won’t even be leaving the country with my son anytime soon. My prospects for being a good travel writer seem dim.
But only when I’m talking all that nonsense. Because that’s all that is. And I don’t even need Dr. Phil to tell me that. There are many things that stand in the way of me being a good travel writer, but the quantity of my travel experiences is not one of them. I just have to remember this when I start to feel insecure: I am worthy of travel blogging.
Now on the first Monday of the year, I’m dreaming of loving travel blogging again. I want to stop worrying about whether my trips will be exotic or exciting enough. I don’t want spend hours trying to make a trip happen, when I know very well, that it just can’t happen for me this year.
I want to be in love with travel again. Now that’s a dream that I can turn into reality.
I’m linking up to Mother of All Trips’ Monday Dreaming post. She won’t judge me for whining so much this week, she’s just that cool.
I share some of your insecurities but you know what? There is always someone who has traveled where you are traveling. There is always someone with kids who has traveled where you are traveling. These days there is probably someone who has written about traveling with kids to where you are traveling.
But you know what? It’s about your voice and your perspective. It’s about writing not travel blogging. It’s about your writing speaking to people, not where you go or how you go there, but how you see it. (Frankly some of the big travel blogs have not experienced what they are writing about.)
I read this blog not because you are a travel blogger, but because something in your writing really clicks with me.
Any tricks for falling in love with travel again are greatly appreciated. I know that feeling too.
Meg, I’ll have to keep track of how my resolution to love travel works out and then share tips. Heck, I could use some tips. This post came as I began my second year, and really wondered if I wanted to keep this blog up or not.
The only thing I can think off doing is unplug a bit more when I’m traveling, and when I’m not, and just remember what it felt like to be excited about every little trip I took. I hope it works.
I’d agree with what the other commenter said, but also add that some of the travel bloggers out there travel a huge amount, but that doesn’t make them good writers. Just because you have all that experience, doesn’t mean you are good at communicating your experiences. You have a unique point of view, so if you enjoy it, keep doing it. Practise makes perfect!
Carolina–I feel the exact same way you do…I haven’t done anything great…we love touristy spots just as much as off the beaten path spots…I am sure much of the stuff I write about has already been covered in ten other places…I haven’t even been in the NY airport!!! I am an English teacher by trade, so I teach other people how to write and am actually good at it; however, I feel like my own writing leaves much to be desired! But, I agree with Meg in that I love your blog and what you share. I admire the adventures you take and the way that you travel with your son. I have felt the same way over the past month-hit that one year mark and wanted a break as is evidenced by the whopping number of posts I made in the past two months! I too am going to try and unplug while traveling and make up for it later!
I’m laughing at your post Carolina, since I was thinking the exact same thing myself recently. I would say that we are not just travel bloggers we are FAMILY travel bloggers and as such any traveling we do, across the country or around the block is worth writing about. Most families are in the same position we are, it’s fun to read about an upcoming trip of one of our travel blogging friends to Turkey, but on the other hand as mom’s were mostly looking for hands on advice we can use in the travels with our children closer to home. We each offer our unique perspective that enriches the travel blogging community.
You know, as I wrote this post, I knew I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. I’ve heard other bloggers feel the same, just felt like I had to get it out of my system, own it, and move on. Otherwise I’d just be stagnating with my blog. And Jen, you’re right I’ve gone through some periods, where posting is scarce and I needed a break.
Just worth noting that all these ladies above, have awesome travel blogs, and they’re all very worthy travel bloggers. I hope you all stick around.
Totally with you on the insecurity thing. I’m very sensitive to the macho side of travel writing and blogging and sometimes fall prey to the notion that I should take my kids on an 18-month trip where we use no fossil fuels, read all of Shakespeare’s plays, and remotely teach a second-grade class via our solar-powered laptop.
Heck, I traveled for 13 months with a one-year-old, wrote a book about it, and was told by numerous New York editors that even though they liked my writing they didn’t think it would sell because the travel I did wasn’t exotic enough – apparently conventional wisdom (or the marketing people at large publishing companies anyway) say that parents as a group only want to read about travel they wouldn’t actually undertake themselves.
But you know, what I come back to is how many people I’ve met IRL or online who’ve been inspired by travel bloggers to try traveling AT ALL with their children. I mean up the street, not round the world.
You’ve got me thinking about how to write honestly about the last trip we just took (three days in PA). It was fun, but also kind of stressful and crabby and expensive. I’m glad we went (and so are the kids) but I didn’t write about it from the road as I intended because the trip itself just knocked me out. And it wasn’t complicated or exotic. I think that traveling with kids presents a set of challenges that can make it hard to always be blogging. I try to cut myself lots of slack about the times when I just don’t get that post written.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I try to focus on the posts I *do* write and the trips I *do* take. The stuff that doesn’t get written, the trips I don’t get to go on? Well, they don’t exist and the world still keeps revolving.
Carolina, your blog is beautiful, your writing is terrific, and I like reading about the things you do with your son whenever and wherever they happen.
Mara, there is now tiny spots of spit all over my laptop because I laughed so hard when I read your comment. Read all of Shakespeare’s plays, eh?
That’s interesting about the publisher reaction to your book…how little they understand.
I believe it’s how you interpret your travel experiences, no matter how big or small. What you do that stands out to me is that you find wonder wherever you go, and then write practical tips about it. So for example, I wouldn’t have known about the Monarch Butterflies, but your post (and VIDEO!) was enough to inspire me to put it on my calendar. Climbing Mt. Everest I can’t do, but finding butterflies an hour away from my front door I’d love to do. So glad to be in your hood.
And this post is a proof that you are a great writer!!
I think when you write with your own voice no matter how big or small of a trip, a reader (like myself) really appreciate and enjoy reading your blog.
I am on the same boat at times about thinking whether I’m good enough as a blogger. Heck, I won’t even call myself a writer.. who? me? No way.. But I blog.. I tell the story the way I feel like it. Most of the time, you will see bad grammar and typo in there for a bonus point.
Anyway, I think a break also help. I have list of posts I want to do after our San Diego trip that I haven’t done yet. Well, hope I will get to it before next year.
Keep blogging, Carolina.. I really do enjoy and love your blog!!
I think you are awesome for being this honest. I have to admit there are times when I feel inferior to those who have alot of international travel under their belts but I have to accept the fact that I will not fill that niche at this time. Big deal. Most Americans travel locally and they need guidance and stories. People love to read about trips and remember their own travels. I know I do. I think you are a great writer and I haven’t missed a post since I found you. Please keep it up. Us little guys need to stick together so we can all be there to cheer for each other when we get our big breaks.
Mara- you crack me up! How am I not following you? I am off to go check out your blog now!
arthur frommer had to start somewhere, and he’s not even all that.i think maybe self-doubt can be a helpful way for us to check in with ourselves and our goals. keep on trekking, my friend (literally, and, bloggily).