For business, scientific, and
technical writers, factual accuracy, precise language, and grammatical
correctness matter. But how can employees achieve these objectives if their
frames of reference are limited? Will online or local onsite education close the
knowledge gap? I doubt it.
One way to expand a writer’s
acumen, ability, and ultimately, authority, is traveling. I understand that
staycations are growing in popularity because of the prohibitive costs of
travel. If you think like that, believe me, you are right. Nevertheless, I
consider travel as an investment in my professional development, even when I am
vacationing. I’m not talking about cruises or resorts where everything is
handed to you. I mean walking through the streets of Barcelona, Berlin, or
Brussels at dawn, or strolling along the Croisette in Cannes at dusk, or hiking
through the Rocky Mountain National Park. Though usually seen as a leisure
activity, travel offers at least invaluable benefits for writers in any
work-related field.
1. New Perspectives on Global Markets. Travelers get immediate exposure to different business cultures, market conditions, and international trends. Understanding how the world works helps writers craft content that connects to a broader audience, insights hard to realize from a distance.
2. Improved Problem-Solving. When traveling, businesspeople encounter new ways of solving problems, whether it’s how Beijing handles transportation or how a small business in Valletta uses technology. These experiences can inspire innovative approaches in writing, especially when addressing complex technical subjects.
3. Enhanced Communication Skills. Navigating foreign environments requires loads of adaptability, patience, and communication—skills vital to business and technical writing. The ability to break down complex ideas into understandable concepts is sharpened when communicating across language and cultural barriers.
4. Cultural Competency. Global industries demand cultural awareness. Traveling provides firsthand experience with diverse business practices. Therefore, a writer with such experiences is likely to write with greater sensitivity to divergent perspectives, regulations, and expectations, a key skill for writing to international audiences.
5. Heightened Creativity. One of the most profound aspects of travel is meeting new people. These encounters affect our understanding of human nature. Everyone has a unique story to tell from which we can all learn. Conversation with a server in a Copenhagen restaurant, a cab driver in Sydney, a concierge in Hyderabad, or fellow travelers in Havana cultivates new ideas for writers.
6. Enhanced Confidence. Travel fosters self-reliance and independence. These attributes are indispensable for writers, as they infuse their story lines with an expanded horizon. Writers can eliminate a lot of guesswork because they’ve been there and done that.
Writing in the workplace
requires talent, for sure, but even more, it demands insight, creativity, and
determination. Travel can strengthen these qualities. You do not have to travel
far to prove my point.
