NEW YORK: The latest episode of Transcontinental Times’ 360° Live Talk Show featured Katherine Parker-Magyar, an American Journalist and New York-based Writer & Editor. Her multi-faceted charisma has a stronghold on travel lifestyle writing and cultural coverage for organizations such as Forbes, The Week, and Business Insider. Katherine’s immersive fathom of travel literature lands her as a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, the Adventure Travel Association, and the Transformational Travel Council.
Different cultures served as inspiration for Katherine’s travel writing
Katherine’s enthusiasm for new vacations stems from her desire to meet new people and learn about diverse cultures. “I want to focus on displaying the American West, particularly the Rocky Mountains, but I visited all 50 states, and there’s something so distinctive, fantastic, and beautiful about every state in the country,” she adds while addressing important focal regions in America. Hawaii and Alaska are fascinating to me as a writer because of my interests.”
“I almost feel like that’s a cheating response since, as you know, they’re not only geographically separated from the mainland United States, but they have completely different cultures in both areas.” That, I believe, is what draws me to those states, and it’s what inspired me to write about travel and cultural storage in particular,” she remarked.
While most people only want luxury vacations, Katherine considers her travels to be outside her comfort zone, and she believes that her interests tilt more toward adventure travellers, piques her interest in new cultures.
When it comes to the challenges of reporting travel stories, Katherine points out that getting information is difficult when you’re with someone for a week or an afternoon. She adds her three principles for someone who wants to share their story: curiosity, kindness, and, most crucially, vulnerability.
Katherine spotlights on advice regarding travel stories, where she quotes, “Ask a lot of questions, don’t complain, be appreciative of where you are, and communicate how much you admire. I’m extremely energetic and excited about what I do and the places I visit. As a result, I believe it is more honest to build a friendship and a sense of trust.”
Travel and cultural stories play a broader role in society
Outlining the relevance of travel stories in society, Katherine asserts, “I think that travel is vital to humanity. Beyond the act of travel writing, reading a wonderful narrative expands my eyes to various corners of the world. As Mark Twain once said, “Travel is fatal for hatred, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,” which I genuinely believe.
Katherine admits that venturing outside your little world will allow you to see that people are essentially good worldwide. She describes it as a moment to make friends with someone completely different from you or to learn more about another part of the world. In her viewpoint, this puts everything in perspective in terms of America, your country, and your life.
“I learned a lot about the British, French, and Italians as an American student. We also learned about Asian history. But we were never taught about the Kalinago people. As a result, it’s almost as if you’re continuing your education,” she explained.
Katherine advises aspiring authors and travel or cultural-specific journalists about her journey, which started with her working in advertising and later going to graduate school, which prepared her for a creative career as a journalist and writer.
“Work for your local newspaper or the internet to get a good experience in journalism media, which can help you even if you write first-person travel narratives.” Focus on your passion rather than what you think is trendy or sellable right now. “Getting experience is demanding, so get started doing that kind of work and figure out what you enjoy about travelling,” she concluded.
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Watch the whole interview here:
