Is anyone here a Travel Writer?
Jan 7th, 2004, 01:44 PM
#21
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Renee, I don't know where you live, but there is a travel bookstore (Book Passage) in Larkspur (just north of SF) that does an annual conference in August. It is nationally known, and if you look at the subjects and faculty for the 2003 event, you will see why. I've always intended to take one, but haven't gotten around to it yet -- maybe this year!
http://www.bookpassage.com/classes/twc.htm
http://www.bookpassage.com/classes/twc.htm
Jan 7th, 2004, 01:49 PM
#22
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BAK,
I could kiss you! Thanks so much for your valuable insight. I still marvel at how lucky I am to be a member of this board. I'm truly blessed!
Marilyn,
Thanks for that link! I live in Atlanta and I will try to see if I can attend something locally...but SF does sound very appealing!
I could kiss you! Thanks so much for your valuable insight. I still marvel at how lucky I am to be a member of this board. I'm truly blessed!
Marilyn,
Thanks for that link! I live in Atlanta and I will try to see if I can attend something locally...but SF does sound very appealing!
Jun 16th, 2005, 10:22 PM
#24
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Full disclosure: I'm a newspaper editor.
If you're trying to break in to travel writing via this avenue, this is my advice:
1) Talk to the travel editor BEFORE your trip. This discussion may or may not involve a commitment on their part (or yours) to actually publish your story, but it is a good opportunity to introduce yourself, prove you're serious (not just submitting a travel journal once your vacation is over) and, most importantly, find out if the editor has a particular need you can meet. Is there an interest in a story that addresses the needs of young travelers, old travelers, foodies, history buffs, travelers with pets, travelers who take chances? If you can glean that information before your trip, you can report in a way to meet those needs while on your trip.
2) Space is an issue. Most new writers tend to write pieces that are much too long for newspapers. Focus your stories.
3) Think art. A travel story without photos is almost useless. How will you provide art, or help the editor find photos for which they will be able to gain copyright permissions?
4) What's different about your writing? Is it witty, straight-up factual, conversational, etc.? Almost all newspapers subscribe to syndicated services that provide travel material. It's already in their budget and paid for by the time you submit your article. Your writing style, topic selection and deadline performance all have to stand out -- really stand out -- to make it worth their while to ask their boss for more money to pay you.
It can be done, but it can't be done as a lark, so you have to be serious about this new business venture.
Best of luck! Be persistent!
If you're trying to break in to travel writing via this avenue, this is my advice:
1) Talk to the travel editor BEFORE your trip. This discussion may or may not involve a commitment on their part (or yours) to actually publish your story, but it is a good opportunity to introduce yourself, prove you're serious (not just submitting a travel journal once your vacation is over) and, most importantly, find out if the editor has a particular need you can meet. Is there an interest in a story that addresses the needs of young travelers, old travelers, foodies, history buffs, travelers with pets, travelers who take chances? If you can glean that information before your trip, you can report in a way to meet those needs while on your trip.
2) Space is an issue. Most new writers tend to write pieces that are much too long for newspapers. Focus your stories.
3) Think art. A travel story without photos is almost useless. How will you provide art, or help the editor find photos for which they will be able to gain copyright permissions?
4) What's different about your writing? Is it witty, straight-up factual, conversational, etc.? Almost all newspapers subscribe to syndicated services that provide travel material. It's already in their budget and paid for by the time you submit your article. Your writing style, topic selection and deadline performance all have to stand out -- really stand out -- to make it worth their while to ask their boss for more money to pay you.
It can be done, but it can't be done as a lark, so you have to be serious about this new business venture.
Best of luck! Be persistent!
Aug 14th, 2005, 01:52 AM
#25
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Hi,
I am a travel writer, writing for magazines and websites. I started off as a general freelance writer, writing about anything and everything I could think of, that might interest someone.
I soon found that I had to start choosing the topics I knew most about, that were most interesting to other people around the world.
I find with the travel writing that the descriptive pieces sell easily.It is important not to miss the obvious subjects, my best paid article was about the Greek Island where I live! I only had to travel ten miles into town (on the back of a Vespa) to write it.
My best sellers are slice of life vignettes about the characters who surround me in the traditional mountainside villages here.
Don't think of yourself as a beginner, your articles may be just as good as those by the travel writers who are already printed in the travel magazines.In fact, the editors you send your proposals to may find a new writer a refreshing change.
Keep trying. Don't take the rejections too hard, the editor may just be too busy at this time, or may simply be having a bad day!
I am a travel writer, writing for magazines and websites. I started off as a general freelance writer, writing about anything and everything I could think of, that might interest someone.
I soon found that I had to start choosing the topics I knew most about, that were most interesting to other people around the world.
I find with the travel writing that the descriptive pieces sell easily.It is important not to miss the obvious subjects, my best paid article was about the Greek Island where I live! I only had to travel ten miles into town (on the back of a Vespa) to write it.
My best sellers are slice of life vignettes about the characters who surround me in the traditional mountainside villages here.
Don't think of yourself as a beginner, your articles may be just as good as those by the travel writers who are already printed in the travel magazines.In fact, the editors you send your proposals to may find a new writer a refreshing change.
Keep trying. Don't take the rejections too hard, the editor may just be too busy at this time, or may simply be having a bad day!
Aug 14th, 2005, 05:27 AM
#26
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Renee,
My husband has been a professional writer for 40 years, he's employeed by a national magazine.
He also does free-lance wine/travel articles. He's a member of the NY Wine Press & Wine Media Guild...he has the credentials... BUT...FOR THE TRAVEL ARTICLES WE PAY UP FRONT FOR ALL EXPENSES. The travel writers we know struggle to make a living writitng only about travel. So if you'd like to make a living writing.....cover many bases!!
PS...great advice about including photographs...many times his proposals are excepted as a package deal with my photos.
It's great fun....worth pursuing...but it isn't our income. (it does help at taxtime)!!
Let us know how things are going!!!
My husband has been a professional writer for 40 years, he's employeed by a national magazine.
He also does free-lance wine/travel articles. He's a member of the NY Wine Press & Wine Media Guild...he has the credentials... BUT...FOR THE TRAVEL ARTICLES WE PAY UP FRONT FOR ALL EXPENSES. The travel writers we know struggle to make a living writitng only about travel. So if you'd like to make a living writing.....cover many bases!!
PS...great advice about including photographs...many times his proposals are excepted as a package deal with my photos.
It's great fun....worth pursuing...but it isn't our income. (it does help at taxtime)!!
Let us know how things are going!!!
Aug 14th, 2005, 07:19 AM
#27
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Renee,
You've gotten great advice so far (I'll follow some of it too).
I am a freelance travel writer and primarily write about what I know well. I've never taken a travel writing course but learned to write very well in creative writing seminars in college. I have also had multiple publications in other subjects besides
travel.
I pay my own way and don't let the others on the trip know that I am a writer. I just feel it is my obligation to present an as unbiased piece as possible. Often times, I'm not only writing about the place I'm seeing but also the company I'm traveling with since they can make a huge impact on the experience and perception of a place.
Unless you are writing a travel essay book, pictures are important. They help illustrate the beauty, uniqueness, etc, of the place you're visiting.
The others are right about the pay. It doesn't even cover the trip expenses but it is thrilling to see my articles printed and even better when someone says it helped them plan/decide on a trip.
Good luck!
You've gotten great advice so far (I'll follow some of it too).
I am a freelance travel writer and primarily write about what I know well. I've never taken a travel writing course but learned to write very well in creative writing seminars in college. I have also had multiple publications in other subjects besides
travel.
I pay my own way and don't let the others on the trip know that I am a writer. I just feel it is my obligation to present an as unbiased piece as possible. Often times, I'm not only writing about the place I'm seeing but also the company I'm traveling with since they can make a huge impact on the experience and perception of a place.
Unless you are writing a travel essay book, pictures are important. They help illustrate the beauty, uniqueness, etc, of the place you're visiting.
The others are right about the pay. It doesn't even cover the trip expenses but it is thrilling to see my articles printed and even better when someone says it helped them plan/decide on a trip.
Good luck!
Aug 14th, 2005, 07:22 AM
#28
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Renee, I'm a former journalist, and I think you have received very specific (and terrific) advice on this thread. As another point of view, I just wanted to point out that if you want to do travel writing because you love to travel and you love to write, and you approach it as a real job, that's great. If you just want to travel and write about your trips afterwards, that's a bit different. It can completely transform what would have been a vacation or leisure trip into real work---you have to research more, spend more time seeking out lodgings, restaurants, off-the-beaten-track sites, etc.
It can also color the way you look at travel. I was a drama critic for many years, which is a perfect job for somebody with a love of theater. But, after some amount of time, it became just that, a job. I ceased enjoying the plays just for themselves, and started writing the reviews in my head from the first curtain, in order to meet my deadline, and to this day, I still do that, even though I'm no longer working for a newspaper. It's no big deal, it just changed something from a strictly pleasurable pursuit into a job. At this stage of my life, I would not want to do that with travel. I just want to be a tourist, or better than that, a well-informed traveler, but I don't want to spend my precious time abroad researching for other people. But that's just me....not you, of course.
You did get good advice as far as trying to determine an angle for your stories. Very few publishers are interested in a trip report, but as someone else pointed out, they might be interested in your article if you develop a specific idea, such as traveling with children in Paris or how to stretch the dollar in London (good luck with that idea!).
I do wish you much luck if you pursue this idea.
It can also color the way you look at travel. I was a drama critic for many years, which is a perfect job for somebody with a love of theater. But, after some amount of time, it became just that, a job. I ceased enjoying the plays just for themselves, and started writing the reviews in my head from the first curtain, in order to meet my deadline, and to this day, I still do that, even though I'm no longer working for a newspaper. It's no big deal, it just changed something from a strictly pleasurable pursuit into a job. At this stage of my life, I would not want to do that with travel. I just want to be a tourist, or better than that, a well-informed traveler, but I don't want to spend my precious time abroad researching for other people. But that's just me....not you, of course.
You did get good advice as far as trying to determine an angle for your stories. Very few publishers are interested in a trip report, but as someone else pointed out, they might be interested in your article if you develop a specific idea, such as traveling with children in Paris or how to stretch the dollar in London (good luck with that idea!).
I do wish you much luck if you pursue this idea.
