Running the bases

Find Your Writing Niche: When you travel, even to Mom’s, there’s a story along the way

You don’t have to visit Rome or Tokyo to write a travel piece. The towns and byways between where Mom and other relatives and friends live hold a wealth of stories.

1) Dog parks. About 37 percent of the U.S. population owns a dog.  Inform readers where all these dog parks are and what the regulations are.

2) Bike paths.  Bicyling.com ran “America’s top 50 bike-friendly cities.” You may live in or near one.

3) Parks. What trees and flowers does the park near your house have? Do horticulturists come to study the varieties there? Why do people go there? What does the park offer?

4) Charter schools.  Do you pass one, have one nearby. What does it offer? How is it different from the neighborhood school?

5) A historical church. What makes it unique?

When you get to Mom’s, you can tell her all about it—or she may know more about the topic than you do.