Writing Integrity
My Commitment to Authentic, Human-Written Content
Every blog post, every story, every insight you read on It's How I Travel®, is written by me, Jay, a real human being with real perspective.
What You're Reading
When you read my travel stories, you're getting authentic experiences through my perspective, written in my voice. These aren't algorithmically generated recommendations or AI-produced travel guides. They're real accounts of places I've been, mistakes I've made, lessons I've learned, and moments that have shaped how I travel, more often than not, with my wife Amanda by my side.
I believe in the power of genuine storytelling. Travel is deeply personal, and the way I write about it reflects my unique journey, the good, the challenging, and everything in between. I do not and will never have AI write my blog posts.
My Writing Process
I write myself. Sometimes it's at a café in a new city, scribbling notes about what I'm experiencing. Sometimes it's late at night, reflecting on a day's adventures. Sometimes it's weeks later, processing what a trip meant to me with the clarity that distance provides.
I feel at times certain algorithms (had to spell check "algorithms") highlight stories that "pop" rather than true, authentic, story telling. That is okay, I am not here for the search engine. I mean I do hope you find me. I do make sure all of the technical buttons are pressed so that my content makes it to the world, but I don't change how I write or what I write about to satisfy any algorithm.
I use my own photos as often as I can, but when I don't have a photo of something I want to show you, I will find one and credit the author. If you don't see a credit, it's mine. There are times I may use AI tools to help enhance an image (such as turn it into a sketch or cartoon). When I do this, it will be clear and I will be transparent that I have done so.
My Three Priorities
Integrity of What I Write
Every word I write comes from genuine experience and honest reflection. I don't fabricate stories, exaggerate experiences, or compromise the truth for engagement. What you read is what really happened, shared with authenticity and transparency.
Respect for the Places and Cultures I Write About
Travel is a privilege, and with that comes responsibility. I approach every destination and culture with respect, seeking to understand rather than judge. My writing celebrates the diversity of our world while being mindful of the impact my words and presence have on the communities I visit.
Providing You with Honest Content That Inspires
My goal is to inspire your own adventures through honest storytelling. Not every moment of travel is perfect, and I share that reality. I want you to feel empowered to explore the world authentically, armed with real insights and genuine inspiration from someone who's been there.
How I Use AI Tools
AI is everywhere right now, and I want to be upfront about where it shows up in my work.
I do not use AI to write my content. The stories, the perspectives, the recommendations you read here come from me. That said, AI does play a role in a few specific areas, and I believe in being transparent about that.
Editing Assistance
After I've written something, I use AI to check grammar, spelling, and formatting. It catches my typos. It does not rewrite my work.
SEO and Technical Tasks
I use AI to help craft titles, meta descriptions, and other technical elements that help my content get found. The content itself is always written first, by me.
Design and Visuals
I use Canva Pro, which includes AI-powered design features, to create graphics for Pinterest, social media, and downloadable resources. The ideas and direction are mine; the tools help me bring them to life.
Image Enhancement
Occasionally I'll use AI tools to stylize a photo, such as turning it into a sketch or illustration. When I do, I'll say so clearly.
Research Assistance
For some articles, AI plays a larger role in gathering research and adding clarifying or descriptive language, which I review and approve for accuracy. When this is the case, it will be clearly noted at the top of that article.
The level of AI involvement can vary by article. When it goes beyond light editing or SEO work, such as contributing to research or clarifying language, that article will say so. You will always know what you are reading.
What AI Never Does
AI does not write a single word of my travel content. No posts, no stories, no destination guides. Every sentence you read is mine, written from real experience in my own voice.
I think that matters. Not because AI can't produce polished writing, but because your time deserves a real perspective, not a generated one.
Written with integrity,
Human, Traveler, Storyteller