How to Tell a Great Vacation Story

Also, consider the times that the unexpected turned out less than great for you on your trip, says Heath.

"These days, everyone is worried about authenticity -- what better way is there of being authentic then talking about setbacks?"

In the same way that you carefully pick out "faults" to discuss during a job interview, you can use a travel story as an excuse to be charmingly self-deprecating.

"It's a very good way to inspire trust," says Annette Simmons, author of The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the Art of Storytelling.

Plus, it can be a refreshing corrective if you've been in a business situation where you've had to talk yourself up a lot.

Paint a Vivid (but Not Too Wordy) Picture

"A story is a "reconstituted" experience," says Simmons. You'll need concrete detail and excellent imagery to bring your reader right along with you.

But a story with too much detail is a different kind of frustrating. To edit yourself, ask yourself not only what you're trying to say, but who your audience is, and again consider why they should care about your story.

Avoid TMI

Thinking about your audience also helps you to avoid a distressingly common problem in vacation raconteurship: Too Much Information.

Things can sometimes go wrong when you're traveling. Gross things, that need not go beyond you and a closed bathroom door. And yet, it is surprisingly common to hear incredibly detailed stories about a person's inner workings when they're sharing a travel story, says Cameron Siewert, editorial director of Igougo.com, a Web site that publishes tourists' travel experiences.

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