How to Publish a Travel Journal

While traveling, you're bound to see things and experience moments you won't want to forget. So apart from simply snapping photographs, write down your thoughts and impressions in a travel journal. Whether you choose a traditional paper-and-pen method or decide to go digital with a blog, you can later use self-publishing tools to organize your memories in a book, which makes a great keepsake of your adventures.

Instructions

1

Purchase a journal, available at most bookstores. You can buy a simple version or one specifically for travelers, in which you'll find tips, quotes and space for itinerary details and photos. Those traveling with a computer, however, have a number of other options. Make a word-processing document with your observations or create a blog to share your experiences as they happen. You can opt for popular and easy-to-use services like Blogger and WordPress, or turn to travel-specific site Off Exploring, which allows you to publish your journal with just a few clicks.

2

Write your journal. Recording everything you see and do while on the road is challenging, but you can take advantage of quiet moments at mealtimes or before going to sleep to jot down some basic observations. If you bring along a Polaroid camera, snap photos and stick them in your journal with short captions. And when you come across a special shop or restaurant, ask for a business card. It serves as a nice memento and a reminder of the name and location.

3

If you kept your journal at Off Exploring, publish it by selecting the Printed Journals menu item under the Update tab. Choose the number of hardcover and paperback books you'd like to order (priced in British pounds), and then enter your billing and shipping details. When the website has received your payment, it will create a PDF with all your pages, including photo albums and reader comments. Before submitting the document for publishing, review it and correct any errors.

4

Use a self-publishing service like Lulu, though, if you didn't go with Off Exploring or would like more alternatives for your final work. Anyone who recorded his adventures with pen and paper can scan the pages and create a PDF, the preferred file format for publishing. Those who wrote in a word-processing document should also convert it into a PDF. Then upload your files, pick your paper type and size, binding and color options. Lulu also allows you to assign an ISBN to your book and sell it at online marketplaces, such as Amazon.

5

Try a company that offers blog-to-book services if you wrote your digital journal on a site like Blogger or WordPress and don't want to convert your posts to PDFs. At Blurb, you can import WordPress posts, while FastPencil allows blogs from other sites. As with Lulu, these vendors let you make design decisions and give you the chance to sell your work in a digital marketplace.