An Irreverent Guide to Writing a Family Travel Blog

Last week I posted article number 100 to my blog and over those 100 posts, I have learned a few lessons. Now onto a completely irreverent and sarcastic look at how to write a family travel blog.

Travel, Travel, Travel

The internet will have you believe that your blog will be a success but only if you adapt a digitally nomadic lifestyle and backpack across the world. The key is to get a completely immersive experience in the remotest jungles of South East Asia surviving only on rice so you can fund your other journeys. Does any of that sound like what your last family holiday was like or necessarily want to put your kids through? Write about the places you visit or take your kids, provide some advice for others, and maybe tell others some funny or frustrating experiences.

Oh the places you’ll go…

Get The Right Gear

You will most certainly need a laptop, tablet, smartphone, point and shot camera, high end DSLR camera, a tripod, battery packs, more batteries, and then throw in a few more batteries just in case, notebooks, an expensive writing instrument (don’t sully it by calling it a pen), and if you want to vlog as well, a proper vlogging camera. You will also need specially designed bags and cases to house all your kit. Please don’t skimp on the bags and cases as all that stuff is expensive and you don’t want it to break while you are trying to chase your toddler as they have just run into traffic in Naples because you were carrying too much gear to hold their hand. I’ll leave the kit up to you, but you may want to think about a minimalist approach. I got a free DSLR using airmiles. (NCD: New Camera Day…Help!!!)

Include Perfect Images

You bought all that pricey camera gear and it’s time to put it to work! The perfect time to get every image you will need is during “golden hour”. For those of the uninitiated, this is the time around sunrise and sunset. You will need to spend considerable time framing your shots, taking into account all “the rules” of photography. Assuming that you manage to get your kids out to pose for that perfect family portrait on the banks of the Danube at sunrise, good luck keeping everyone happy while you setup all those shots. Depending on the age of your kids, sunset generally happens in the mad panic that exists while either eating dinner or prepping for bed, so no sunset photos either. Maybe you should just aim to take lots of photos and include the nicest ones that reflect the honesty you are trying to convey. (P.S. Avoid using the string of 300 photos of you kid’s leg taken with your phone while you were desperately trying to keep them quiet in a restaurant. Those shots are a little too honest for most readers.)

It’s photos like this that will really enhance your blog and bring back memories.

Work Hard

If you work hard for a year, I mean really work hard, and dedicate yourself to your writing you will be making money as a writer in a year. You need to devote so much time you should probably quit your job. You have enough savings to pay for your families food and housing for a year right? Not to mention school supplies or maybe a new wardrobe for the kids every three months because they just keep growing for some reason.

It’s hard work like this that’ll pay off in the long run.

Get Sponsored

Bloggers get so much free stuff it is amazing. In no time, you will find that Disney wants you to review their cruises for free, North Face will send you on an expedition decked out in their parka’s and rain gear, and you’ll never need to pay for another hotel room or meal because your writing will drive other families to those businesses. If this is why you want to start a blog, you should probably just buy lottery tickets instead. I once got an airline to send me promotional info about flying with kids! That is awesome though right?

My reputation preceeded us. He gave our son a show and I didn’t even mention I was a travel blogger.

Be Passionate

All joking aside, I do this because I enjoy it, not because it will make me rich…that is unless Lonely Planet, the Rick Steves empire, or major television producers like my approach and would like to pay me to travel the world, take pictures, and tell stories about it????

Barring that desperate plea, happy travels and I hope you enjoy the next hundred blog posts.