Adult Coloring Books: Standing Out from the Travel Writing Crowd

If you’re in the travel-writing world, you come to a quick realization: you’re not unique. My love for travel is shared by thousands of people around the globe, many of whom are better writers, all of whom are better photographers, than me. Many of us have felt this at one point or another. It can either make you feel at home, surrounded by thousands of your best traveling friends, or it can make you feel like you’re clambering for a way to come out on top. How am I unique? How can I stick out from the crowd and make the most of my traveling opportunities?

Katie and Geoff met while traveling abroad, and traveled extensively before heading back to a “normal” life in Canada. But, when Katie and Geoff quit their “real jobs” in 2013 and began their life of traveling together, they did what many of us do: they began a travel blog, Wandertooth. Coming from a family of photographers, Katie had some experience creating beautiful images and what to look for in a great photo. Geoff was an experienced videographer. This experience alone set them apart from the crowd.

Katie had a desire to interact creatively with the world; she dreamed of sitting at an easel sketching or coloring the Eiffel Tower, as many great painters have done. She even packed professional-grade colored pencils (which went unopened for years). It was this artistic vision and the business insight into how to differentiate themselves from the crowd that lead Geoff and Katie to create an adult coloring book from their photos.

Adult Coloring Books: Standing Out from the Travel Writing Crowd.

As true entrepreneurs, it took the pair just three short years to produce and self-publish two adult coloring books: Travel Between the Lines and Travel Between the Lines, Coloring Mexico.

The photos they used are mostly their own original photos, but they plan on collaborating with friends and family as well to gather the best possible photographs; plus, they say, it’s a fun way to stay in touch. Their first book was a collection of photos from over 10 years of traveling. They worked with an illustrator, who went through all of the photographs to form the lines on a tablet. The photo then goes into “test color” phase. When I joked with Katie about her job being mostly coloring, she didn’t deny it! When the coloring pages have all been approved, Katie and Geoff use print-on-demand technology to self-publish. Their company really is a one-stop shop.

The coloring pages they create have beautiful lines and will make even the biggest adult coloring book skeptic excited to delve into the world of travel. You could find yourself in the bustle of a busy street, or enjoying a lazy day on a sunny balcony.

While they don’t long for their old corporate lives in Canada, Katie and Geoff are running their own small business so they do work nearly seven days a week. Katie mentioned that although they do find themselves working almost every day, the work is more purposeful, intent and has less distractions, so they are able to get much more done.

What’s next for Katie and Geoff? Well, they’ll be heading to TBEX in Minneapolis over Labor Day weekend, and hope to publish books for their travels to Portugal and Vancouver in the near future. I asked them if they will continue with their Wandertooth blog. “We will continue to share stories and information of our travels with our followers through Wandertooth,” said Katie. “We love being able to share tips, especially about traveling to countries that don’t have a lot of information online.”

 

Photo by Unsplash.