Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler

by Lavinia Spalding

Two major trends have recently swept the travel the first, an overwhelming desire (thanks to Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller, Eat, Pray, Love ) to write one’s own memoir; the second, an explosion of social media, blogs, twitter and texts, which allow travelers to document and share their experiences instantaneously. Thus, the act of chronicling one’s journey has never been more popular, nor the urge stronger.

Writing A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler , will inspire budding memoirists and jetsetting scribes alike. But Writing Away doesn’t stop there—author Lavinia Spalding spins the romantic tradition of keeping a travelogue into a modern, witty adventure in awareness, introducing the traditional handwritten journal as a profoundly valuable tool for self-discovery, artistic expression, and spiritual growth.

Writing Away teaches you to embrace mishaps in order to enrich your travel experience, recognize in advance what you want to remember, tap into all your senses, and connect with the physical world in an increasingly technological age. It helps you overcome writer’s block and procrastination; tackle the discipline, routine, structure, and momentum that are crucial to the creative process; and it demonstrates how traveling—while keeping a journal along the way—is the world’s most valuable writing exercise.

Genres: Travel, Writing, Nonfiction, Journaling, Reference, Self Help

264 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

Lavinia Spalding is series editor of The Best Women’s Travel Writing, author of Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler, and co-author of With a Measure of Grace, the Story and Recipes of a Small Town Restaurant and This Immeasurable Place, Food and Farming from the Edge of Wilderness. Her work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including Tin House, Post Road, Longreads, AFAR, Inkwell Journal, Off Assignment, The Bold Italic, World Hum, Yoga Journal, Sunset magazine, The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco magazine, Ms., The Guardian UK, Every Day with Rachael Ray, The Best Travel Writing, and Lonely Planet's An Innocent Abroad. She also introduced the recently reissued e-book edition of Edith Wharton’s classic travelogue, A Motor-Flight Through France. She currently lives in New Orleans, and she is a member of the San Francisco Writers’ Grotto.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m both an on-and-off journal writer and an avid traveler, so Writing Away seemed like it would be the perfect book for me. Well written, and scattered with travel journal excerpts and wonderful travel themed quotes, Writing Away was a pleasure to read and never turned into one of those dry boring “how to” books.

I immediately noticed that it got my creative juices flowing. Memories of my most recent travels came back with all their vivid details, and I itched to write down and document these moments with the wonderful writing tips and tricks that Lavinia shared. I also started journaling more faithfully – her motivating mantras, such as making yourself simply write one word in your journal every day, made sense and were really effective for me – I’ve written more journal entries in the last week and a half than I have in the last four months. And I think my writing has improved too – Lavinia shares with the reader the importance of noticing the little details, writing honestly and in ways that will record the daily life of your trip so that when you reread your journal years later you are transported back to this wonderful experience. While I can’t wait to apply these tips to my next travel journal, I’ve found that they’re helpful for writing in my normal daily journal as well.

Writing Away, in addition to being full of helpful writing advice tailored towards the traveling experience, also contained several chapters and discussions that I hadn’t been expecting, but really enjoyed. Starting with tips on how to pick out the perfect journal, then once you’re writing how to infuse it with decorative illustrations made from travel mementos, Writing Away finally surprised me with a discussion on the merits of good old fashioned written journal as opposed to the newly popular blogs and twitters.

In Writing Away Lavinia approached the experience of writing a travel journal in a well-rounded way, discussing the physical aspects of the journal, ways to improve the words you write in the journal, and how keeping a journal can guide you in being more aware and having a more fulfilling travel experience. I really enjoyed reading this book, and would recommend it to all of my friends. Given how much I enjoyed her evocative writing style, I’m also considering buying Lavinia’s other book, With A Measure of Grace and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for any new books of hers.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa. I started to read this back when I was heading to India last year. I couldn't finish it and the enormity of the trip mixed with my inability to keep a travel journal won over my good intentions.

Nonetheless, I have made it my mission this year to keep a travel journal.

Everyone raves about this book and with good reason. Ms. Spalding's candor helps you see the act of journaling as one of self-discovery. She helps you see the benefits of keeping a real journal (though she doesn't blame you if you want to keep a blog) and how to make it a fun, creative experience. It is one of the most entertaining and sincere how-to writing guides I've ever read.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully written and entertaining, This address not just travel writing, but Journal writing in general. The stories and comments are witty and amusing, the suggestions realistic and helpful. She tells you the ways to get the most out of your travels and not just out of Journaling, give reasons why certain things should and should not be written. Evaluates the difference between blogging and journaling with out faulting one of the other.

[Jen Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was GREAT! I love to travel and keep a journal about my travels. This book was fun to read and had so many good ideas on how to keep a good journal. I loved the writing prompts at the end of the book. If you love to journal, and not just while you are traveling this is a must read book!

[The Bamboo Traveler · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my many regrets in my life is that I didn’t keep a journal when I started traveling 25 years ago. While reading Writing Away, I started looking back on my previous foreign travels. I realize how much I had missed by not keeping a journal. When I was traveling, I thought I would never forget what I was experiencing. However, I indeed forgot many details including names of people and places. I can remember that the paintings in the Dunhuang Caves were amazing, but I can’t remember any details of the paintings. What was on the walls? What did the caves feel and look like? What did the tour guide say about the paintings? When the bus broke down on the way to some monastery in Gansu province (can’t remember the name), I remember that something amusing and ironic happened, but I don’t remember what it was exactly. So why travel if you can’t remember what happened one, five, then, or twenty years later?

If I had read this book when I was in my 20s, I would have been motivated to keep a journal because I would have known how important writing in one is and how to use one more effectively. As a result, I would have become a better traveler, a better writer, and perhaps a better person.

Lavinia Spalding’s book would make a great gift for someone, especially someone starting out in their foreign travels. Or at least buy this book for yourself if you don’t keep a journal or if you find keeping one is difficult. I think you will be inspired.

I usually borrow books from the library rather than purchasing them because books, especially kindle ones, are too pricey for me. But I bought this one because my local library didn’t have it. I think this book is definitely one to purchase and not borrow. There are so many practical and useful ideas and insights that you will want to return to them when you are about to go on your next vacation.

[Celia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spalding shares valuable ideas for the beginning travel diarist. I am making a bookmark of my favorites to keep in my journal on the road this spring.

I docked a star because I didn't appreciate the many positive references to sexual promiscuity or the overt, exclusively Buddhist religious perspective.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing new, but includes some helpful quotes and prompts.

[Sharada Prasad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book 3.5 stars. This book is a smooth read. I enjoyed each and every section. The quotes are very inspiring. Keeping journals is not a new thing for me. I did it during high school and college. I pasted each and every stub of a cinema ticket, bus ticket, receipts and every possible piece of paper into my journal. Reading this book took me back to those days. One of the main inspirations for me to read this book is, I have never documented in a of my travels. The memory keeps fading and so does the experience. Henceforth I will be documenting all my travels, even if they are for my own personal consumption.

This book helped me understand the difficulties of writing a travel journal and the methods to overcome those difficulties. The book is an intersection between the spiritual and practical approach to life. This book may not exit everyone. But if you have been contemplating on writing a travel journal all these days, this book might get you started soon!

if you liked this book, you might want to try out "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a treat to read. It was witty, funny, and totally motivating. As inspiring as the book was, to have me dust off my journal and put pen to paper while abroad, it was just as inspiring, if not more so, to get my tokus on an airplane! I loved the sporadic quotes and journal entries from miscellaneous travelers. My copy is now underlined and highlighted, and just a bit beat up. One of my favorite quotes is by Ayn Rand, which starts out, "Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all." And, Lavinia, the book did rock my gypsy soul. Thanks.

[Rajiv Chopra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Written in a beautiful and engaging manner, it hooked me from start to finish.

It convinced me to start journaling, especially when I travel. There is much advice thrown through the book and Lavinia gives the reader many creative options in which to keep a lively journal. Certainly, it opened my eyes a lot, and I am sure that my travel writing will improve once I follow her advice.

Again, I bookmarked many passages and quotes in the book. There are many very good quotes and all of them have been chosen with care.

If you do want to write non-fiction - or even fiction - this book shows you where you can start.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dear friend sent this to me as a gift. I recently discovered travel journal writing (okay, three years ago) when I kept a journal on my trip to London when I had my second rendezvous with Steve. I just adore that journal. Lots of memories of discovering London, Bath, Oxford, and falling in love.

[Phil Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book, one of the few that I keep coming back to. I have been keeping a journal off and on for 60 years. This book has motivated me to keep on journaling for at lest the next 20 or so

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It made me want to travel again, of course, but more importantly, taught me important lessons about how I will keep my travel journal on my next big trip - and even my daily journal at home as well. Inspiring and thought-provoking! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Ralph N · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiration for anyone wanting to start journaling

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is disappointing, in that I expected this book to celebrate the process by which one can gain insights on better travel writing (something I do from time to time), when instead the author was trying to promote a particular type of journal writing approach that I do not happen to share, largely because as a writer I happen to have a much different approach than the writer does.  Indeed, where the author prefers writing by hand on unlined paper and encouraging the writing to be private, but at the same time preserved for posterity's sake, I tend to be the sort of person whose writings are public (if not particularly popular) and tend to be type-written (for sake of fluency as well as legibility) while maintaining the sort of candor that the author appreciates but is also somewhat ambivalent of.  This book did have at least some useful information, but unless you want to write a journal that happens to be for one's travel, this book is of limited interest if travel writing that is done computer-first is your intention, and that is clearly the case for me personally.

This book is a relatively short one at less than 250 pages and is divided into 13 chapters and other material.  After an introduction the author encourages the reader to buy a journal and begin writing (1) as well as finding and following a particular purpose when it comes to travel writing (2).  After that the author discusses the discipline and routine of travel writing (3) as well as how one can infuse one's writing with techniques from creative writing (4).  The author discusses the importance of making one's journal artistic (5) and also how one explores each moment by looking inward as well (6) as seeking to keep the love affair of traveling alive (7).  The author encourages the reader to practice improving one's memory and observation skills (8) as well as embracing the mishaps that make travel more interesting (9).  After this the author discusses tips to free the mind to release more fluid writing (10) as well as having the courage to write what's real (11).  After that the author talks about technology and the travel writer (12) as well as the return home (13), after which the book concludes with some journal prompts, suggestions for further reading, as well as some acknowledgements from the author.

For those who do like keeping pen and paper journals, this book ought to be an encouragement, and I can see this book being popular to stock in stores where such physical journals with elegant looks and unlined paper are sold.  After all, this book is not so much an encouragement about travel writing but is deeply concerned about the aesthetics of journal writing and is written by someone who wants journal writing to recover a place of honor and popularity among writing endeavors against the move towards technological forms of writing like the blog.  The author does not even seem to recognize that one can write on the computer without necessarily sharing it with the world or in fact with anyone.  One could even have private posts that one uses just for writing rather than for sharing, as I have done on occasion with some of more my more incendiary personal writings.  The author also appears to over-estimate the freedom many people have in taking so much of their limited storage with physical books that they have written.  There is indeed an audience for a book like this, but as is sometimes the case I am not really the ideal audience for it.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A traveler without observation is a bird without wings." - Moslih Eddin Saadi

This book came highly recommended by fellow travel journalists as an introduction to the art, and importance of, keeping a travelogue. I picked up this book because I wanted to gain inspiration to help breathe life into past travel notes as well as become inspired for trips I have yet to take.

"Writing Away" details the rewards that come by preserving experiences through words, using the heightened senses enticed by travel as a muse for personal development. Although great to have a standard "diary" of what you did, saw, or experienced on each day abroad, Spalding urges travelers to dig deeper and focus on the minutia and feelings evoked from experiences to solidify memories, resulting in raw, electric writings. While not on board with all of her points (I'm not a scrapbooker or an artist and I will always prefer the convenience and ease of typing over handwriting), I did gain some fresh ideas and perspectives that should enhance my future travel journal entries and make me a more self aware traveler as a result. 4 stars.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

“His journal was 33 black binders on the shelves of his personal study when President Spencer W. Kimball was called to be President of the Church in 1973. Since then, he has frequently counseled and exhorted members of the Church to keep personal journals…” As President Kimball once said, “What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved? Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity.” (New Era, December 1980)

“It’s not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one’s thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them.” -- Colegate, Isabel

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that may be true. Most of us take cameras with us when we ride, knowing that we will often happen upon beautiful scenery or people or events we wish to remember. However, we have been counseled, and it is true counsel, that we should document our incomings and outgoings in words also for our own benefit and that of our posterity. My experience, and I’m sure that of many of us, has been that riding my motorcycle often puts me in a philosophical frame of mind, with a tendency to ponder and think about many things.

“Writing has been a way of explaining to myself the things I do not understand.” -- Rosario Castellanos

My mind turns to the things of eternity, and sometimes I find myself thinking metaphorically about motorcycling and the gospel. At other times, I simply want to record for myself and my children the beauties of the earth and the goodness of the people I encounter while out riding. At yet other times, my musings lead me to questions and answers about the important issues in my life and the lives of my loved ones, thoughts that I think are important to record. And much of the time, I find my abilities are unequal to the task of expressing myself in writing. And here is where this month’s book has helped me, and might help you.

“Writing of every kind is a way to wake oneself up and keep as alive as when one has just fallen in love.” -- Pico Iyer

While on a trip this past summer, I came across a copy of Lavinia Spalding’s book, Writing Away, in the Glen Canyon NRA VC’s bookstore. It is replete with dozens of ideas and methods for livening up a travel journal, many of which I have begun to put to good use in my daily journal writing. What I want in my journal writing in general, and especially while traveling, is to write so as to keep the events and learnings of the trip as alive and as fresh as when I first experienced them. With chapters ranging from how to choose a good journaling notebook (she advocates unlined pages, as they allow for more freedom of expression), to freeing your artistic side, to ways to observe more keenly so as to be able to record what you see more fully, Spalding’s ideas have already begun to enliven my journaling.

“There is only one journey. Going inside yourself.” -- Rilke, Rainer Maria

At the end of each of her 13 chapters, Spalding summarizes several recommendations for turbo-charging your journal. In particular, I appreciated her chapter titled “Journal to the Center,” on traveling inward and exploring each moment. She suggests, for example, making a point every day to notice something you normally wouldn’t, to focus on the details no matter how seemingly insignificant, and then to describe it in the minutest detail possible. Another is the opposite, to scope the area in which you find yourself, for a person, object, family, or situation to write about in a magnified way. Yet another is to write (again, in detail) about something that surprised you…an unfamiliar ceremony or event, something unexpected.

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -- E.L. Doctorow

I’ve been journaling, off and on, since I was about 12 years old, and it has certainly been a learning process. I wish I had been able to read Spalding’s book decades ago…I greatly fear that most of what is in my journals will be the most boring reading imaginable for my posterity. My hope is that future efforts will be more lively, entertaining, and interesting. And it is not just for my posterity (nor should yours be, either). Rather, we should write for ourselves, and go back from time to time to read what we have written before, to remind ourselves of lessons learned, trips taken, experiences cherished, and friendships made. And, if nothing else, remember Oscar Wilde’s wisdom...

“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” -- Oscar Wilde

As President Kimball noted, “What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record…your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black…” Hopefully we will not be writing of too many falls, but most of us have been on a motorcycle when the skies blackened, and progress was uncertain, when our clothes were soaked, our bodies shivering with cold, or red with summer’s heat. We know the adversities of riding, but (as with life) we ride anyway because we know the joys outweigh the hardships. Preserve those memories!

[Gretlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book sums up all the reasons why everyone must write daily. Even if just one word or one line! It just makes me want to write and write. About everything.

Because this is what our lives are made up - of an endless flow of small and mostly unremarkable little moment.

And this book helps you understand that these must be recorded as then you will see the change in yourself, and in the end these moments are actually what make our lives so spectacular.

[Neatheart (Nita H. Nooe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot. I have recently gotten into keeping a journal after I retired. I had not had diaries since I was a schoolgirl many decades ago. I travel extensively around the world, so this book was a helpful read and fit my journal keeping style a lot.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only was this book a great guide to journaling large travels, but a truly wonderful guide to writing about our daily travels. To make them seem more adventurous than they are. I need to read it again and again to continue to see adventure right out my front door.

[Michelle V · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joy to read when the how is included. Many similar books tell you what to do, but not the specific how. Will look for online classes by this author.

[Lina]

Inspiring and practical guide to creative writing designed for travel wanderers. Highly recommend to anyone who aspires to capture the experiences of wonder. I can’t wait to apply the learnings.

[Karen]

This is the third time I have read this book. I like to pick it up before I go on a trip, to remind me of what my travel journals mean to me.

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I finished reading the book, I gave it three stars because I thought it was a nice enough book but I did not see how it might improve the travel journals I already keep and I did not see why I might need an additional journal for the travel when I keep a daily one.
Well, I was wrong. I used some of her suggestions during a 17-day road trip and I can barely contain my extra journal within its rubber strap. I especially liked her suggestion for a three-column list with the headings of Date/Destination/Discovery. She suggests adding plastic blunt edge scissors (all the better to get through TSA), tape and archival glue to your journal accessories, and I found myself taping items from brochures as natural sidebars.
I recommend this book for those who already keep journals and for those who might want to give it a try. You don't have to use all her suggestions; just the ones you feel comfortable doing.

[Igmidio Galingan · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the cover it says travel, it says journal, and all throughout the book the author did mention the places she had been and how she had kept an entry of it all.

What is to travel? It is to see world, make new experiences, seeing you in the context of a new world; those are just some of the basic questions. What is to write? How can you sift through all those experiences without actually making writing a chore and rob you of the living the experience.

When you finish it the book is a writer’s enthusiastic way of making us all writers and it will not matter what form of writing you are into be it journalism or business writing or literary; granted there are some style differences in those forms. There is a world to be understood and a method of that understanding is that you write.

[Angie Hilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing Away begins with selecting a journal and a pen. Just as I was about to roll my eyes, Lavina threw out a few insightful considerations that had never occurred to me.

The chapters are as eclectic as the travelers who keep journals. She will go from practical writing exercises in one section to rhapsodizing about the creative spirit in the next. Every chapter is graced with inspiring quotes about travel and writing. I found myself getting swept up in some of the creative ideas in spite of myself.

for my full review, visit WanderLit here:
http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blog...

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

For every journal writer

I love this book. I have been missing my journal writing habit and bought this to get inspired. Lavinia is thorough in her conviction that journal writing is crucial for us, not just when we travel but in everyday. She shares compelling reasons, interspersed with excerpts from real diary entries from travellers, of why journaling should become a habit. Each chapter ends with a short Q&A as well as tips and ideas for journaling. I came away from this raring to put pen to paper. If you've been meaning to journal, this is the book for you. It'll be one of those books you'll refer to for always.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second time reading this book. I love Lavinia's warm, friendly, encouraging voice. I was in need of some gentle guidance after becoming stuck in a rut with my journaling and just knew that this was the book to reread. My original copy is an ex-library book and is becoming quite worn so I've treated myself to a brand new copy for my bookshelf but I don't think I'll ever remove the rainbow of wash-tape tabs I've inserted, over time, into my original copy.

You don't need to be a traveller to benefit from this book so put all assumptions aside before you begin reading.

Probably my favourite book on journaling, EVER!

[Akshata · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing and candid look at travel journals, this book was music to my ears like it was a kindred friend pulling thoughts out of my head and reading them out aloud to me. Lavinia Spalding takes us through the need to journal while travelling and how to journal effectively with a fantastic store of quotes and stories from her extensive research. Ultimately, it reads like a heartfelt conversation on a sunny day on a green lawn by a lake, and it left a big smile on my face by the time I was done reading. And learning so much in the process :)

[Alisa Kester · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long-time daily journal-keeper, I could have done without SO much of the book being devoted to inspiring me to begin keeping a journal. Those chapters were non-specific to travel journals. But she has some amazing tips for creating a wonderful memory of your trip, much of which I am going to try to add to my own upcoming travel journal. Even though I'm going to be packing only one small bag, I guess I'm going to have to make room for an art kit of scissors, glue, tape, and other necessities! ;)