N E E L I M A VA L L A N G I

TRAVEL BLOGGING & STORYTELLING

WHO AM I?

• Travel Blogger – www.travelwithneelima.com

• Travel writer and Photographer – National Geographic Traveller India, Greenpeace India, The Hindu, Discover India

WHAT’S MY STORY?OFFBEAT AND ADVENTURE TRAVEL

• Started the blog to document my travels

• People started to acknowledging my blog

• You know it’s good when strangers take time to read and comment

• Built a community around my blog

• Found my direction!

• Totally improved my non-existent writing skills and honed my photography skills!

• Today, I am a published writer and photographer

HOW TO GET MORE OUT OF YOUR TRAVEL?

• Do your research, Google is your best friend• Blogs are your best friends too!• Make an effort, talk to the locals• Slow Travel• Be respectful but be inquisitive• Work with the locals, they can tell you a lot more

than any guidebook can

TRAVEL BLOGGINGHOW IT WORKS

THE ONLINE WORLD

• Age of distractions• Very short attention span• Only Unique content sells

IF YOU ARE NOT TELLING IT PROPERLY, IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU HAVE A GOOD

STORY!

THE ART OF STORYTELLING

HOW TO KEEP THE READER ENGAGED?

• Build the suspense and maintain it. • Keep it simple• Give something the reader can relate to• Editing• What’s interesting? You or the place?• Give the reader a reason to stay till the end

THINGS THAT WORKED?

• When I told how in the hell did I manage to get so many leaves?• Showed the Amazing Forests of Andaman• Talked about me, made it personal

THINGS THAT DIDN’T WORK?

• When I told every single thing that happened on the entire trip!!

INTERESTING BLOGS I FOLLOW

• www.mitchellkphotos.com/blog/

• www.timetravelturtle.com

EXERCISE

HOW WOULD YOU START YOUR BLOG POST NOW?

THANK YOU!