Tips for Writing Guides

The best guides are the ones that impart information not readily available from traditional sources. Generic information that is meant to appeal to the largest number of readers is not what we are looking for. Information that is specific to the experience of the individual reader and that reader’s lifestyle is much more valuable. For this reason, the author must choose a specific traveler set for which the guide is intended. Additionally, guides that offer recommendations on specific places to stay or eat or specific activities are also better than guides are more general.

Recommendation for each guide segment:

1. Give your readers a summary of why you recommend this place to visit.
   This is an overview of why the destination is a good fit for the traveler set you designated (couples, friends, families with children, etc.). This section must contain the reason you are recommending this destination for the specific traveler set. Even if you could recommend this destination for a separate travel set, it is not necessary to state that in this answer. That information should be captured in a separate guide.
   
   
2. Recommend Places to Stay, Places to Eat, and Things to Do
   This portion could easily be a list of hotels, restaurants, and activities with a sentence or two about each listing. It is also acceptable to use this area to discourage your reader from patronizing specific places. For example, if you are writing this guide for Families with small children, you may want to recommend the reader not visit a particular restaurant because it does not cater to children and is an environment that is better suited for adults only. It is helpful to be specific about why you do or do not recommend a place.
   
   
3. For readers who haven’t been here before, tell them what they need to know.
   This is the insider tip section. Let the reader know the best time of year to go, the places to avoid, where to find parking for an afternoon of shopping, or the hiking trail you shouldn’t miss if you are a nature lover. These are the off the beaten path activities or things you can only know by either being a local or spending some time there. If there is something you wish you knew before you visited the first time – let your readers know not to make the same mistake.
   
   
4. Give your guide a title.
   This should inform the reader of the specific destination and the activity or traveler set for which it is written. For example, “Snorkeling in Oahu with Young Children” tells the reader that the guide covers places to snorkel in Oahu that are good for children. By comparison, “My Visit to Oahu” only informs the reader of the destination and is not a good, descriptive title.
   
   
5. What keywords, labels or tags best describe your guide?
   If you were searching at google or yahoo trying to locate your guide, these are the sort of words you would use for your search. It is best to be very specific. Words like “travel, restaurant, and hotel” are too vague. Be sure to include the names of the restaurants, hotels and activities you cited in your guide.