The New York editors at Fodor’s, perhaps the most respected travel guide series in the world, are putting the finishing touches on a new edition of the Fodor’s Complete Safari Companion, due out early next year. And Flow’s played its part.
Flow associate and seasoned travel writer Kate Turkington, and Flow writers Tara Turkington and Christine Marot, have just finished contributions to the guidebook, which reviews the best things to do and see, and the best places to stay and eat, in East and Southern Africa.
Fodor’s, published by Random House in New York, is the world’s largest publisher of English travel and tourism guides.
Kate and Tara have both been writing for Fodor’s since the mid-1990s, working on a number of different titles and editions about southern and East Africa.
The upcoming book will be out early in 2013, and will be available through Amazon or in selected bookstores (it’s often stocked by Exclusive Books, for example).
“Fodor’s requires a tight, fact-packed style of writing, with the usual array of touristy adjectives abandoned in favour of handy tips, price guides and practical information on various attractions,” says Christine, who updated the Durban section of the guide. “Having had a taste of Fodor’s travel writing, I am holding thumbs that we’ll be given an opportunity to make a bigger contribution to their next guide in two years’ time.”
Kate says of her long-standing relationship with Fodor’s: “Initially I wrote about Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Botswana and Namibia, but time constraints have reduced my contribution to covering Mpumalanga and Gauteng.”
During her association with Fodor’s, Kate was appointed lead writer on the first Fodor’s Complete Safari Companion, for which she produced travel information and tips on South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania.
Kate recently completed her commissions for the second edition, by updating chapters on South Africa and Botswana.
“I’ve loved the work. It’s been an enriching experience learning about, and discovering, more and more places in Africa,” says Kate.
Says Tara: “Fodor’s teaches you to be highly disciplined in your writing. The content is tight and packed with detail. Accuracy and observation are key, and there’s no room for purple prose. Plus, you get to say whatever you want to about what you are reviewing, because you can’t pay to be in Fodor’s – as a lodge, restaurant, attraction or service company, you only get in the guide by being the best at what you do.
“And there’s maybe no more fabulous job in the world than promoting South Africa and Africa as the best places in the world to have a holiday in.”