Read This Blog: A Dangerous Business

Behind the blog: In a matter of months, Amanda Williams’ A Dangerous Business has become one of the most influential travel blogs. Her Thursday Traveler and Best Blogs feature always give shout outs to those who deserve it.

What’s in a name?: “The name of my blog, A Dangerous Business, was actually inspired by a quote written by J.R.R. Tolkien in his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. At one point, the hobbit Bilbo says: “It’s a dangerous business, going out your door. You step onto the road, and, if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no telling where you might get swept off to.”

I just think this is such a fantastic visual – of stepping over that threshold and just letting the road, your feet, and fate take you wherever they will. It’s a great travel philosophy, too.

So when I was brainstorming titles and mottos for my blog, I came up with this one, and instantly knew it was the right fit for me and what I hoped to do with my writing and travels.”-AW

Why should you read: “I’m really proud of how far my blog has come in the past year (because it’s been in existence now in some form for a year!). It’s been a real labor of love, but I think the product is exactly what I wanted it to be. My blog doesn’t necessarily have a strict focus or niche, but I like it that way. I write about travel for young, adventurous people. I tell stories, give tips, and share photos.

I think ADB can appeal to a wide audience simply because of its variety. Yes, I’ve traveled a lot in New Zealand, but that’s not the only thing I focus on in my content. My posts can go from NZ to China to Hawaii and back again in the span of just a week. This is the benefit of having some good travel experience to fall back on, and of posting frequently.

I also think I have a great, interactive community that follows along with my adventures. There’s always good discussion going on in the comments, and I do my best to always keep my readers in mind when brainstorming new post ideas. Yes, I write for myself. But I also write for you, too.”- AW

Favorite posts: “This is a tough one! Since I post so frequently, there are actually a lot of posts that I’m proud of. But, since you’re asking me to pick favorites, here are the first few that come to mind:

• Is Anybody Out There? Hang in There, Travel Bloggers – This post really helped put my blog on the map. Which, really, is ironic, since the post is all about feeling like you’re just sending content out into the void. Hopefully it’s been helpful to others, though. It was certainly very cathartic to write. (This is one of my favorites as well, since travel blogging was getting me down at the time.)
• Where it All Began: It’s Carmen Sandiego’s Fault – I wrote this post about my first influence when it came to being curious about the wider world. I had fun writing it, and loved hearing similar stories in the comments.
• Why I’m a Weenie When it Comes to Solo Travel – I spilled my guts about being wary of traveling completely on my own in this post, and got a ton of great support in the comments.
• Presenting: My Bucket List – It was really fun to actually write all my dreams and goals down, and share them with the world. It makes them much more real for some reason.

I also have had a lot of fun putting together photo essays like How to Climb the Great Wall of China, writing reviews of everything from books to a Paul McCartney concert, and building up my section all about travel in Ohio. I could go on and on about posts I’ve enjoyed writing and am really proud of. But I’ll stop now!”-AW

What are your favorite blogs to read?: “I read sooo many blogs every week. Part of this is so I can have fresh, different content to feature each week in my “Best Blogs of the Week” segment. And part of it is because I just really, really love reading travel blogs.

Some of the ones I check frequently and always enjoy reading are: Adventurous Kate, Backpacking Matt, Twenty-Something Travel and C’est Christine (another recent Sydney transplant!). Really great stories these travelers are telling.

What is your favorite thing about your hometown?: “I love that my hometown is so small, and so country. I love listening to bullfrogs in the summer. I love being able to see the stars at night. I love being able to drive down windy, country roads with the windows down. And I love Ohio sunsets – they really are lovely.”-AW