Rick Steve

One of my favorite parts about the chapter was actually the metaphor used on the very first page. The idea of a travel writer being the equivalent of a king's jester surprised me at first. At first, I was skeptical, unsure how a writer was supposed to imitate a clown. Then, after reading on and finishing the chapter, I was pleasantly shocked at how much the comparison made sense. Steve describes it as being someone that learns and informs for others. Going to other countries and learning about their culture and plights is great for your own education, but putting it in writing and sharing it also helps educate the rest of the world. It really put into perspective for me that when you are travel writing, you shouldn’t be writing for yourself. Sure, it is fine to enjoy the act of writing and writing about what you are passionate about, but at the end of the day, it is meant for someone else to read and learn from. In a way, it describes the responsibility of a writer in general; we write for the sake of others, whether it be to inform, entertain, or inspire.