The Vacation I Remember
Reflect on a family vacation from your childhood, describing how the destination looked through your young eyes versus how it feels in your memory now. Discuss the moments that have lingered with you over the years.
Suggested length: An essay or article: 800 to 2,500 words
Start the clock
Pick a sprint, press start and keep going until it stops. Momentum beats polish on a first draft.
Make it yours
Three ways to take this prompt somewhere nobody else will.
- Find one surprising fact and build around it.
- Use one example from your own life.
- Open with a specific story, then widen out to the big idea.
Writing travel books
Somewhere else, seen through someone's eyes.
Travel writing takes readers somewhere they may never go, through the eyes of someone who did. Guidebooks tell you where to eat; travel narratives tell you what the journey did to the traveler.
What readers expect
- A strong sense of place
- A curious, personal narrator
- Encounters with local people
- A journey with a shape
A tip before you start
The trip is the frame; the traveler's change is the story. A list of places isn't a book.
More Travel prompts
- A Memorable Train RideWrite a memoir of your most memorable train journey. Include details like the scenery, the people you interacted with, the sounds of the train, and…
- City and CountrysideCraft a piece where you compare and contrast two destinations you visited that are polar opposites—for example, a bustling city and a quiet, rural…
- The Trip That Changed My MindWrite a personal essay about a journey that changed your perspective on life. Highlight the places, the people you met, and the unexpected lessons…
- One Street Through the CityDive into a travel narrative centered on a single street in a city of your choice. Explore its history, the diverse characters you meet, the cafes and…
Fifteen minutes in? Keep going.
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