Internet

Thanks to Abha's recent post at WrittenRoad.com I found a great interview with Tim Leffel on BraveNewTraveler.com. The interview has great observations from Tim, as Editor of PerceptiveTravel.com, on what the future of travel writing holds for writers and publishers.

With today's technology, you can be thousands of miles away from your computer and still post a travel article on a blog.

Travelers simply need their mobile phone or access to a land-line and they are able to relate their tales to TimesOnline which uses a voice-to-text service called SpinVox. Apparently, SpinVox is 97 percent accurate, although it doesn’t mention whether a person’s accent might affect the outcome.

I believe that the Internet is a godsend for writers from all genres, but it doesn’t make everyone a writer.

Sure, it allows anyone to communicate, demonstrate or remonstrate, but by doing so doesn’t make the author an instant writer. The same amount of talent, quality and commitment required to succeed offline is just as important for the online writer.

Reports are surfacing about the BBC's acquisition of a controlling stake in Lonely Planet. The deal, rumoured to be worth a couple of hundred million dollars, could see a massive change in the online direction of the much-loved travel guides. More soon.....

It seems that every day there's a new word to add to your cerebral dictionary.

My current favorites are gemmelsmerch (I just love that word!) and screensuck. More importantly, they have, at various times, applied to me.