The Best American —- Writing series gets released in October, and I pick it up every year. The sports one is always good, as are the science and tech collections, but the release dedicated to travel writing is always spotty; luckily, you can always tell whether or not to skip the piece by the first sentence.
“I’m walking down an ancient goat path in Tuscany.” SKIP.
“I’m waist-deep in water in the Ukraine.” NO, THANK YOU.
“I’m narrating in the present tense from somewhere exotic.” META-SKIP.
Stay out of the present tense. Present tense is for when teepees have birthdays.
Also don’t act like you are Shackelton crossing the Antarctic because you endured the hardship of spotty wifi for a couple of days.
Because Ernest had at least 3 bars all the way.