Winter Weather Advisory: Travel Cliches

It's that time of year again. Skies are dark early and temperatures are plummeting. That can only mean one thing--hoary weather cliches are likely blanketing us like a mid-winter snowfall.

Travel writers and meteorologists alike are prone to taking to the slippery slope of winter cliches. But as I rarely deal with meteorologists (although I just did interview one for a story I am doing for The Washington Post on winter preparedness), I will offer my weather cliche advisories solely for the travel set.

1. Although Sun Valley, Idaho (pictured) can fairly be described as a winter wonderland, please don't call it that. Don't call anything that. Winter wonderland is perhaps the tritest and most overused description for cold weather travel destinations. Alpine villages, small towns dressed for the holidays, ski resorts---please resist as Jack Frost nips at your nose rapping "Winter Wonderland, Winter Wonderland." Think of something else.

2. Similarly, I defy you to read a story on an Alpine ski town without noticing the use of charming. Charming villages, charming landscapes, blah, blah, blah. Visit Mr. Roget's neighborhood and opt for a synonym. 

3. Is that view from the mountaintop truly breathtaking? It is often described as such, yet how many times does a view literally leave you gasping for air? That said, I will concede that if you are at the top of a mile-high mountain in sub-freezing temperatures, between the altitude and the chill, your breath might actually be taken away. In that case, you may use breathtaking. Otherwise, save your breath and choose another term. 

The Countdown Continues: Travel Writing Gnomes

As loyal readers know, I frequently beef about the current state of travel writing. Too many people are hanging up a 'travel writer' shingle without knowing how to write...and in some cases...not really knowing how to travel. 

Looking for clues as to whether someone is a decent writer? If an article, blog post, and press release is packed with phrases like hidden gems, winter wonderland or the dreaded something for everyone....run away....fast.   

Tusk, Tusk: Elephants Never Forget Trite Writing

For those seeking to become better writers, or for those looking for a laugh, please take a peek at these popular posts, which cumulatively come in at #4 on my Top 9 Posts countdown list.  

The best of the worst: http://dailysuitcase.blogspot.com/2013/10/9-gnomes-about-travel-writing.html

Mr. Bill says, "Oh, nooooo...
not another travel cliche." 

Objecting to Bad Spelling and Improper Direct Objects: http://dailysuitcase.blogspot.com/2013/09/9-more-gnomes-about-travel-writing.html


On redundancies, cliches and something for everyone:
http://dailysuitcase.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-few-more-gnomes.html

Don't be a horse's......
Hightail it to the dictionary,
your 'mane" source for spelling and homonyms

 

A Few More Gnomes....

You may think, from the recent dearth of posts, that I have been suffering from writer's block. In part, this is true. But in part, I have been so busy doing travel stories for my lovely outlets like The Washington Post, NewsChannel 8 and Groupon City Guides (coming soon to a computer near you), that I simply haven't had time to write the pithy prose that the treasured readers of this blog have come to expect.

However, after a lengthy session reading travel magazines cover to cover, I have once again been inspired to return to one of my favorite topics--my beefs with travel writing drivel. In the past, I have written several columns filled with gnomes...

gnome

2  [nohm, noh-mee]  Show IPA

noun

a short, pithy expression of a general truth; aphorism  

...about travel writing. Some of these beefs are worth repeating and I have cooked up a few new gnomes. Let me note that I am unlikely immune to some of these gno-gno's (except #1). No one's perfect, but I try to avoid them like the plague (click link for my commentary on cliches). 
                                                      ------------------

1. During the past week, I have come to learn that--
The Lake Lucerne region has something for everyone (e-mail from Lucerne Tourism)
Spain has something for everyone (a powerpoint presentation shown at Academic Travel Abroad)
There's something for everyone in Santa Barbara's wine country (Destination California supplement in Meetings and Conventions) 
Quintana Roo (Mexico) has something for everyone (Travel Weekly) 

Who knew? However, I beg to differ. Lake Lucerne does not have a nude beach; Spain does not have a desert; Santa Barbara's wine country does not have skiing; nor, for that matter, does Quintana Roo. No  matter how amazing a place is, I defy you, dear reader, to find  a location that actually has something for everyone. If you are an aspiring travel writer, my #1 piece of advice is to NEVER use this lazy phrase.

2. Awkward uses of words
While technically correct, writers often use words that are passé, grammatically questionable, or of questionable connotation. For example, I recently read that "Northern California is fraught with something for everyone, offering meeting planners all they could ever wish for." Let's ignore for a minute that my favorite phrase is used, and that the sentence ends in a preposition. As soon as I read the word fraught, my heart starts beating faster. True, it officially is defined as filled or laden, but in common parlance, it is usually used with a negative connotation (the mission was fraught with danger, it was a fraught situation). Therefore, using the word to connote a beneficial thing seems off.  Similarly, a 20-something travel writer, in discussing his visit to Estonia, talks about the Communistic era. Yes, communistic is a word, officially, but never, in 20 years of writing about Eastern Europe, had I ever seen the word used. Try to redline words that make readers stop in their tracks. 

3. Redundancy
Re·dun·dan·cy
  [ri-duhn-duhn-see]  Show IPA

noun, plural re·dun·dan·cies.

1. Superfluous repetition or overlapping, especially of two words.

How about truly unique, absolutely essential, or old adage?

4. Of quaint hidden gems nestled in breathtaking mountains populated by friendly locals...

...and all those other aggravating travel cliches.

5. And just because it bothers me...

Whether you love ice skating or swimming; whether you are into history or metallurgy; whether you are a man, woman or hermaphrodite, it is absolutely essential (!) to see Destination X. This whether/or construction is simply overused in travel writing. See whether or not you can avoid it.