You’ve probably read it a hundred times:
“Nestled in the heart of…”
“A hidden gem just waiting to be discovered…”
“Breathtaking views, warm locals, and unforgettable experiences…”
The language is familiar, polished—and forgettable.
In a world saturated with blog posts, destination guides, reels, and influencer captions, it’s easy to fall into the trap of writing what you think travel writing is supposed to sound like. I admit, I’ve made the same mistake in the past. Guidebook-speak. Travel writing shorthand that signals but doesn’t capture the soul of a place. But the best travel writing doesn’t mimic—it reveals. It doesn’t echo—it resonates.
So how do you find your voice when everyone else sounds the same?
Let’s take it step-by-step:
- Write How You Speak (But Polished)
Your voice is already inside you. It’s how you describe your trip to a friend over coffee—not a marketing pitch, not an imitation of your favourite author. It’s honest, specific, and alive.
Your job is to refine that—not replace it.
TRY THIS: Record yourself telling a story from your latest travels out loud. Transcribe it. Where does your energy rise? What words do you naturally use? That’s a blueprint for your voice.
2. Let Your Weirdness In
Do you obsess over train stations? Hate beaches but love foggy cities? Have a thing for midnight bakeries or antique maps? Geek out on comic shops or settle into dusty bookshops for a long read?
Lean into that.
Your quirks are what make your writing memorable. Readers don’t want generic—they want genuine.
Travel writing isn’t about pleasing everyone. It’s about being unmistakably you and writing the way only you can.
3. Break the “Travel Writing Voice” Rules
Traditional travel writing has often favoured a certain tone: observational, detached, poetic. But voice doesn’t come from tone—it comes from truth.
You can be funny, irreverent, confessional, nerdy, skeptical, dreamy, or dark. There’s no single way to sound “travel-y.”
Write as if you’re not trying to impress. You’re just trying to connect. Think of it like having a conversation with your reader. What is it you really want to share with them? Do that.
4. Know What You Care About—and Say It
Voice isn’t just about style. It’s about perspective.
Do you write to explore identity? Challenge assumptions? Celebrate stillness? Share hidden histories? To encourage others to travel better, more mindfully?
When you know what matters to you, your writing takes on clarity and depth. Readers don’t just hear your voice—they feel it. Emotions are what stay with the reader.
TRY THIS: Ask yourself, “What do I want readers to feel when they finish this?”
Shape everything around that answer. If you find yourself writing something because you think it’s the right thing to write, rather than what you feel or want to write or communication – stop, recalibrate, and start over. In the end, your genuine voice is what elevates your writing and helps it stand out.
5. Stop Comparing, Start Creating
Reading other travel writers is important. There are so many incredible writers to travel with – people like Colin Thubron, Paul Theroux, Jan Morris, Dervla Murphy, Pico Iyer, Patrick Fermor Leigh and so many more. Read them, journey with them but then close those books and write your stories in your voice. Don’t compare your work to theirs, don’t mimic. Comparison kills voice.
If you find yourself thinking, I’ll never write like them, good. You’re not supposed to. You’re meant to write like you.
Let others inspire your craft, not drown your confidence.
6. Repetition Is Part of the Process
Voice isn’t something you discover once and then keep forever. It evolves. It gets stronger with every paragraph you write, every cliché you cut, every risk you take.
Sometimes your voice won’t come out right. That’s okay. Keep writing anyway. The more you show up, the more your voice will, too.
Over time, you’ll become more confident, more aware of how to write something to the best of your ability. Always keep learning though.
Final Thought: Your Voice Is Your Superpower
Anyone can describe a place. Anyone can draw up an itinerary. But only you can tell us what it meant to you.
In the end, it’s not your vocabulary, your camera, or your passport stamps that matter most.
It’s your point of view—that distinct, unrepeatable voice that turns a trip into a story, and a story into something readers remember.
So don’t worry about sounding like everyone else.
Sound like yourself. That’s what the world needs.
Over to You
What resonated with you from today’s post? Have you struggled with finding your unique voice for writing? I’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, or your own travel writing experiences.
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Keep exploring, keep writing—your next story is just around the corner. Thanks for coming on the journey with me!
Laura McVeigh is an international bestselling author and travel writer. She has authored books for Lonely Planet, DK Eyewitness Travel and leading publications. Her work has been featured by Newsweek, BBC, Traveller Magazine, New Internationalist and many more. Her writing has been translated worldwide. She is Founder of Travel-Writing.Com – Helping aspiring travel writers build careers they love, and Publisher of Green Travel Guides – www.greentravelguides.world . She also loves to write about the art of storytelling and writing with purpose.
Learn more about Laura’s writing at lauramcveigh.com / lauramcveightravel.com