A Memorable Train Ride
Write a memoir of your most memorable train journey. Include details like the scenery, the people you interacted with, the sounds of the train, and the emotions you felt throughout the journey. What insights did you gain about life and travel by rail?
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.
- End with something the reader can do or think about today.
- State your main point in one sentence before you start.
- Include a counterargument and answer it fairly.
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
- 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…
- Finding Home Away from HomeCraft a narrative exploring the theme of "finding home away from home." Tell the story of a place you visited where, against all expectations, you…
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