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BY Nancy Mueller 21 Comments ON October 18, 2012

Sharpening the Travel Writer’s Saw

A seasonal shift is underway here in the  Pacific Northwest, bringing cooler temperatures, cloudy skies and colorful foliage. Soon, soon enough, I’ll begin the steady retreat into silence and solitude to dream, write and reflect on my travels over the past year. But first, I have a writer’s conference to attend . . .

An annual three-day, sell-out event set in the waterfront community of Edmonds, Washington, Write on the Sound Writers Conference attracts aspiring to best-selling authors. Writing workshops cover the genres of fiction, non-fiction and poetry alongside presentations on marketing and social media strategies for the business side of writing.

Here are just a few of the gems I picked up at this year’s conference earlier this month to help me hone my writer’s craft:

From travel guru, Rick Steves, who lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, on Travel Writing . . .

“You need to be a keen observer and have a basis from which to make observations. Your writing smells thin when you don’t really know the culture you’re writing about.” Action step: Do my homework before I travel. Learn as much as I can ahead of time to inform my writing.

“You’re a lint brush when you’re out in the field. Every night with good discipline you go back to the hotel and type it up, even if it keeps you up past your bedtime.” Action step: No excuses. Write up my notes, download and categorize my photos each night when I’m on the road.

“There’s a spiritual dimension to travel and it’s important not to shy away from that. Your readers should know who you are. You can write in a respectful way about spiritual issues.” Action step: Be authentic. Remember to share my stories in my own unique voice.

“There is a dumbing downess [in travel writing]. I try to smarten up and engage my readers. As travel writers, we have an obligation to inspire people to be moved and changed from their travels.” Action step: Always keep my readers’ needs in mind when I write. Respect their intelligence.

“My mantra is ‘Content is King.’” Action step: Forget the fluff. Add substance that will change readers’ lives.

From Bharti Kirchner, author of five novels, several cookbooks and scores of short pieces, on How to Add Sizzle to Your Fiction and Memoir . . .

“Writing about cuisine adds to the description and is tied to culture. How people prepare, store and serve food is cultural. For example, in India there are definite rules about who eats with whom, and older people and children are always served first. Banana leaves are typically used so there’s no need for recycling.” Action step: Bring in cultural references through my food writing.

“You can get away with using adjectives in food writing. It’s sensuous, vivid and makes your writing more accessible to the reader.” Action step: Remember to engage the senses to make my writing more vivid and lively.

“Food writing shows the emotional climate and complexity of a character, e.g. How are they eating? Absentmindfully? Mindfully? What and how do they order? What do they like to cook?” Action step: Pay attention. Become a keen observer. (Gee – Where have I heard that before?)

From Bernadette Pajer, author of the Professor Bradshaw Mysteries, on Trigger Writing . . .

“Trigger writing is the relationship between words and what they fire in the mind of the reader. Readers bring emotional memory to your writing. You can trust that your audience will feel it which helps avoid over-writing. For example, the word ‘dumpster’ sets a scene. It grounds the reader in an image and a smell without need of further description.” Action step: Use descriptive words to show, not tell.

“After triggers, readers want the writing to slow down so that they see it unfold.” Action step: pace my writing.

“Story trumps everything else because the situations the writer has put the reader in have triggered something, i.e. a memory or strong feeling. The reason you’re a writer is because you have a story to tell. If you felt strongly about someone or a situation, someone else will, too.” Action step: Cultivate my travel stories.

 

What about you, Wanderboomers? What travel writing tips do you have to share with us here as a reader and/or a writer?

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, Travel Writing, WA, Washington State Tagged With: Bernadette Pajer, Bharti Kirchner, character, content, cuisine, Edmonds, Europe Through the Back Door, Fall, fiction, food writing, memoir, non-fiction, Pacific Northwest, poetry, Rick Steves, sharpen the saw, spiritual, story, Travel Writing, Washington, Write on the Sound

BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON July 11, 2012

Mountain Trek’s Roasted Red Pepper Frittata

In a previous post on my hiking adventure at Mountain Trek, I posted this photo as one example of the yummy spa cuisine I enjoyed during the weeklong retreat. Now it’s time to share the recipe for WanderFood Wednesday . . .

Roasted Red Pepper Frittata (serves 4)

4 large eggs
4 egg whites
1 c. roasted red peppers
1 clove garlic
2 Tbs. sour cream
1/2 c. swiss cheese – grated
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 c. sundried tomatoes – chopped
2 Tbs. fresh basil

Roast and peel peppers and set aside. May use purchased roasted peppers.

Lightly oil individual oven proof dishes. Chop peppers and distribute evenly into dishes.

Whip egg whites until stiff. Whisk whole eggs, mustard, basil, garlic, 1/2 of cheese and sour cream together and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Pour egg mixture into baking dishes, sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese. Top with sundried tomato.

Place on a tray; bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Do you have a favorite breakfast recipe to share with us from your travels, Wanderboomers?

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, British Columbia, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Food & Dining Tagged With: adventure, cuisine, hiking, hiking adventure, Mountain Trek, recipe, retreat, Roasted Red Pepper Frittata, spa, spa cuisine

BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON June 20, 2012

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

One of the great delights of my week at Mountain Trek’s Health and Fitness Retreat was the focus on nutrition and wellness, resulting in a variety of delicious spa cuisine meals.

In addition to learning 10 principles for increasing vitality through better eating habits, I came away with several recipes to try out at home (as seen here). Here’s one of my favorites:

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

1 –  1/4 c. spelt (non-wheat) flour
1 – 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 – 1/2 Tbs. lemon zest
1 – 1/4 c. milk
1 c. ricotta cheese
1 – 1/2 tsp. oil
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1 – 1/2 tsp. agave
3 egg whites – beaten until stiff peaks form

Mix together dry ingredients.
Mix together wet ingredients with agave and lemon zest. Fold wet into dry ingredients, then gently fold in stiff egg whites.
Bake on preheated griddle until browned on both sides.
Serve with blueberry sauce, and garnish with fresh fruit.

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 c. frozen blueberries
1/4 c. cold water
3/4 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest

Simmer blueberries, water, lemon juice and zest together until thickened.

For more delicious recipes, be sure and check out Wanderfood Wednesday!

What about you, Wanderboomers? Share one of your favorite spa cuisine recipes here.

Filed Under: Baby Boomers and Travel, British Columbia, Destinations, Food & Dining Tagged With: blueberries, blueberry, cuisine, lemon, pancakes, recipe, Recipes, ricotta, sauce, spa cuisine, spelt flour

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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