Travel Writing Tips 5.

This chapter of O'Neil's book focused on fact checking and research, which are two very important steps in any type of writing.

Here are some tips on how to fact check and research!

1. Get organized!
This should be a no-brainer, but it is very important. If you're not organized, your research will get misplaced somewhere along the way, causing major headaches. O'Neil suggests that if you are doing research online, make sure you have folders on your computer clearly labeled so you can easily go back and find information for your research.

2. Check your facts!
Also, common sense. And, this doesn't just go for travel writing, this is all types of writing. It is important to check facts because you don't want to publish something that isn't 100% accurate. O'Neil uses the example that if you are using a translated travel brochure, the likelihood of error if greater due only to the fact that it was translated. A good rule of thumb to ensure you facts are indeed factual, is to get two sources to verify them.

3. Don't use cliches as facts.
It is very important that you accurately portray the people and places of a country. However, cliches and stereotypes that have been around for years can hinder the ability to do that. When you are in a foreign country, you want to represent the people you come across in a very factual manor. So, O'Neil said that one cliche often read about Asian countries is that they are shrouded in mystery and secrecy and the population values ancestry more than money. This has become a cliche and not accurate of every single country or city in Asia. It is important to avoid using cliches and finding new ways to describe our experiences abroad.