i-to-i’s Blog

Travel Blogging Tips from Nomadic Matt

Since leaving the rat race behind five years ago, self confessed lazy guy from Boston, Matt, 29, has been all over the world, funding his travels through a mixture of blogging, teaching and clever budgeting.

While he originally started blogging in order to impress guidebook editors, he’s now lucky enough to be able to make a living from his blog, Nomadic Matt’s Travel Site. But how does he do it? We caught up with him to find out.

Photo: Nomadic Matt

What do you think makes a great travel blogger?

Good writing and useful content, combined with a lot of hard work, dedication, and persistence.

What's the cardinal sin of travel blogging?

Talking about yourself all the time. The stories aren't for you, they are for your readers – give them content that engages them and relates to them.

What advice would you give to someone who’s a bit shy about writing about their experiences?

Write about tips and tricks that can be useful to everyone and then you can build an audience, but don’t talk about yourself constantly.

What aspects of travel do you like writing about the most?

I like writing about the experience of the road. I don't like writing about destinations so much as I enjoy discussing the ups, downs, and experience of day-to-day life on the road like meeting people, romance, adjusting to new places, and learning new languages.

Where’s good to look for blogging inspiration?

I get inspiration from every conversation I have about travel and every place I go. I look unique places to write about it, topics about life on the road, and photos. I get inspiration and I write them down. I recently got a good idea talking to a friend about going back to places.

So, what makes you keep going with it?

It's my business now. I like meeting people through it, it pays the bills, and I would never want to go back to a 9 to 5 job.

What do you think? What makes a good travel writer?

Want to get writing yourself? We're always looking for official bloggers, who are teaching abroad, to write about their experiences on Chalkboard - you get loads of TEFL freebies and the undying love of Chalkboard's members! Email chalkboard@i-to-i.com to find out more!