By the time Reannon Muth settled in Las Vegas, she had already backpacked through more than 40 countries, lived in 20 cities, climbed the highest mountain in the continental U.S., and built a career as a freelance travel writer whose work appears in NPR, Business Insider, and U.S. News & World Report. Originally from Hawaii, Reannon has been telling stories since 2009 — but it was her debut memoir, Unattached: A Year of Heartache, Hiking, and Learning How to Love, that truly took on a life of its own.
With nearly 12,000 copies sold nationwide (and no big marketing push), her book has been compared to Wild and Eat Pray Love for its raw honesty and soul-searching journey. Now living in Southern Nevada with her husband, daughter Journey, and two dogs, Reannon is at work on a follow-up memoir that blends parenting, spirituality, and the next chapter of her unconventional life.
We caught up with Reannon to talk about her writing process, the deeper themes behind her memoir, and what advice she has for aspiring travel writers.
Did you write as you traveled, or reflect and write later?
For travel writing in general, I regularly write in a journal and have been doing so since the third grade, so I often journal as I travel. But I don’t write with a particular story or narrative or angle in mind. I just jot down general insights and observations. After a trip is over and I’m back home and have had time to reflect, that’s when I can see the themes and lessons more clearly and figure out if there’s a story to be told.
When I’m traveling, I try to stay in the moment and not let the pressure of “finding a story” push me in any direction. I’d rather the story come to me organically. That’s also why I avoid too much research ahead of time — I don’t want to feel like I’m checking off a must-see list instead of actually being present.
If I’m on assignment, it’s a little different. I’ll do research, schedule interviews, and think about an angle, but I still try to stay open-minded so my preconceptions don’t interfere with capturing the truth of a place.
When I was writing Unattached, the process was similar. I’d known for years that I wanted to write about my anxiety, which had been a recurring theme in my life, but I didn’t know what context to use. I didn’t feel like I had a narrative arc big enough to span an entire book. So I just kept living, journaling, and pondering.
Then, four years after I climbed Mt. Whitney, it hit me: maybe that hike could be the “container” for telling the story of my battle with anxiety and vulnerability. After that aha moment, the story flowed quickly. I wrote the first 37,000 words in just 30 days during National Novel Writing Month.
Memoirs often uncover deeper themes like identity, belonging, and resilience. What theme surprised you as it revealed itself in your story?
Writing about my childhood and my relationship with my parents uncovered a lot of complicated emotions for me, which surprised me. I ended up leaving much of that out of the book because it felt like it weighed the story down and distracted from the core message — that you can’t truly love anyone unless you learn to let your guard down and be vulnerable.
But that process helped me realize I probably have another memoir in me. In my next book, I plan to explore themes of shame, perfectionism, and workaholism.
How do you hope readers will feel after finishing your memoir?
I hope readers who struggle with anxiety will feel a little more seen and know they’re not alone. But even if someone doesn’t have an anxiety disorder, I think the book can still resonate. Everyone goes through periods of identity struggles, heartache, and insecurity. Those are universal themes, and they’re all present in the book.
Did any travel mishaps make it into the story?
While camping near the peak of Mt. Whitney, I had a very embarrassing bathroom situation. You’ll have to read the book for details, but I still cringe thinking about it.
My book has now sold nearly 12,000 copies, and it’s wild to think that so many people now know some of the more intimate details about my life — things I never imagined sharing even with one person, let alone thousands. But laying your life out there is also incredibly freeing.
I used to have a social anxiety disorder that made it hard to do simple things like eat in front of people or use public bathrooms. Now I don’t get embarrassed nearly as easily, which feels like real growth.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to write about their travels but doesn’t know where to start?
Contact me! I’d be happy to give some pointers. I’m also teaching free creative nonfiction writing classes at the Clark County Library.
But my biggest advice is to figure out the theme of your life first, then decide which travel adventures best illustrate that theme. A lot of travel writers — myself included — fall into the trap of doing the opposite. We’ll go on some amazing trip and think, “I have to write about this!” and then try to force a lesson onto it. Readers can feel when that’s false.
If you leave the theme out entirely, it becomes more of a travelogue, which might belong in a blog or newsletter instead of a memoir. Finding that balance takes time and practice. So be patient. Keep a journal. Start a newsletter. Read a lot of travel memoirs and magazines. Once you start writing, you’ll find your voice and discover the stories you’re meant to tell.
What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on a follow-up memoir — a kind of sequel that picks up where Unattached left off, after falling in love and meeting my husband. This next book will explore parenting, spirituality, and the ongoing process of learning who I am in this new season of life.
From hiking mountains to navigating heartache and healing, Reannon Muth reminds us that the most powerful journeys aren’t just about where we go — they’re about what we discover within ourselves along the way.
To learn more about Reannon’s work and stay updated on her next book, sign up for her newsletter at https://reannonmuth.com/newsletter/.