So, you are a travel blogger?
“Erh…No, I am not.”
But you write about travel on your blog, right?
“Erh…Yes..”
Then you are a blogger!
“OK. You win.”
• • •
Up to now, I am still trying to convince myself that I am considered as a so-called blogger. But seriously, I still can’t fully accept that fact yet. For me, to be a travel blogger, it requires many skills and not as easy as some people think. Agree? Writing, storytelling and also some basic photography are the minimum skills a blogger should have. And I don’t think I am up to be one yet.
When I started to post my first story online in the year 2010, it was just a rambling about life. But well, the site was abandoned after two posts – ONLY. oops…! At that point of time, as a Graphic Designer, I only ever heard of the web, web designer, and copywriter. I was not familiar with the terms of blog, blogging, and blogger. I still remember I found people used the blogging platform to sell stuff more than for writing purpose – that’s including me. And I thought blogger was just the way we address the platform users.
It was then in the year 2011, I started to have more chances for travelling. Then looking at my DSLR camera which has been covered by dust since I got it as a Christmas present from my eldest sister one year back, I felt guilty for not making good use of it. So, I decided to write again. I started with a few posts which only showing a few photos with very few words. Who will read it? I didn’t really care. At that time, I wrote all those posts for my sake of keeping memories, in other words, as an online journal or diary.
As time passed, the more I travelled, the more things I wanted to write about. And guess what, my writing orientation has gradually changed since then. I become more aware of the fun in keeping all those memories and sharing it with others at the same time. Especially when I know that my friends and some people who come across my blog enjoy reading it and find the information useful.
Without I realize, it’s been more than a year since I am actively back to write and I don’t want to stop here. I want to improve further in my travel writing and storytelling skill. I want to improve my English as well so I can share my stories in a more interesting way. My learning journey is still a long way to go.
I thought of getting involved in a community might help. So I google and I found out this website, Travel Blogger Indonesia, where Indonesian bloggers gathered. I know there is one similar community in Singapore but I don’t know there is such a community in Indonesia. I was excited! I learnt much from Singapore and other countries bloggers, and I am sure that I will learn something from Indonesian bloggers, too. No matter what, my root is still Indonesian. Ha! :p
I hope this will be a good beginning of my writing journey – to be involved in communities where we can learn and support each other.
Writer, Blogger or Journalist – how they call me, it doesn’t really matter.
That my stories can inspire someone today, narh, that matters most. ;)
