x

Many of us keep travel journals and have great stories to tell. I'm curious if any of the posters here have sold their stories to magazines or newspapers? Can anyone recommend the best way to get started - books, classes, websites? Thanks!

Jim Rosenberg

The line between amateur and pro is a very muddy one, since most magazine articles are written by freelancers who may have few -- or sometimes, thousands -- of by-lines under their belts. If you are interested, I would suggest you start investigating with a magazine called Writer's Digest. They have an affiliated book club and there, you will find an annual publication called Writer's Market (you can probably also find this at your local library, along with a lot of other books on freelance writing). <BR><BR>Each magazine that you read will have an address for editorial submissions and you can write with a self-addressed stamped envelope to get a copy of the magazine's writers guidelines. (You may also be able to find this on websites -- I haven't looked). <BR><BR>You will learn a lot about standards for pictures/film, etc. Start with smaller publications where the competition from top guns is a little lighter. Choose destinations that don't get hammered or find a unique angle. Stay at it! It's very gratifying to get a check for your work -- even a small one!<BR><BR>The beauty of it all is that you can do it on the side, so there is no need to give up your "day job" (and you probably shouldn't!) <BR><BR>Happy contrails!

xxx

There are a number of previous and current posters who do sell writing, including travel writing for a living.<BR><BR>There have been previous threads here which you may find in a search.<BR>

BTilke

I guess I'm a crossover writer. Normally, I cover healthcare for various medical professional trade and business publications, but some of it does fall into travel field. For example, I have an article coming up on the x-ray lab housed under the Louvre. The article also explains how x-rays are used in the art world. I've written travel articles related to medical profesionals--i.e., guides to cities where major conferences are being held. I also did an article on the medical antiques market for another magazine, which included some travel info on antiques fairs, medical museums, etc.

Julie

After reading about it on this forum, I purchased a book entitled Piazzas and Pizzas by Jan Kubik, apparently a person who has posted on this forum in the past. I was amazed at the lack of quality in the content and certainly the proofreading of the paperback. My first reaction was that there are many who post on this forum with stories as interesting and certainly writing styles that exceed those of Kubik--and I know without hesitation that I could proofread better than whoever did that book. I can only conclude that there could be far more who could cross the line from amateur to pro than do. Get in there and try.

Jackie

I've been writing travel-type stuff since I returned from living in Italy a few years back. Originally I posted on a site called "Themestream" which wasn't really a high quality site, but it allowed me to write at a constant pace and to get paid (just very slightly!) for it. Themestream of course went under.<BR><BR>A few months later, I decided to start my OWN travel-writing website, this one dedicated to WRITERS as much as travelers, giving quality amateur writers a chance to post online and get some exposure. It's not a "guidebook" type site, it's a real writers place. The site is The Long Trip Home: an online literary magazine for travelers, and it has been online since December. Although it's a non-paying site, I really think that it gives a LOT of people the opportunity to get their articles read. I have made no money from the venture (i only use amazon to advertise), but the opportunity has been a great one. Check out the site, you may be interested in submitting! or, you may find authors whose names you'll see in the future, as great travel writers! Check it out: http://www.thelongtriphome.com <BR><BR>If you're interested in submitting, check out our guidelines page by clicking "Become a Contributor" from the main page.

Carol

Jan (the husband) Kubik was a friendly acquaintance of mine two years ago. He's a real person, a smart and good-natured one, not just some name in cyber-space. I haven't read his book. If I do, maybe I, too, will spot errors and inadequacies that offend my nit-picking soul, or maybe not. I'm glad that some people have been enjoying his book about one of his great passions, traveling and eating in Italy, and I suspect that whatever its faults, the book probably conveys some of his joy and bright good humor. I hope that it's possible for us to encourage new amateur writers to be more "serious" about their writing without taking pot shots at fellow forum members who've already made an attempt that does not meet our own high standards.

kaveyf

I've been enjoying reading the articles on Long Trip Home.<BR><BR>I just finished one which I particularly liked, though several are well written.<BR><BR>http://www.thelongtriphome.com/articlestj4.html<BR><BR>Thanks for sharing your site, Jackie.<BR><BR>Kavey

xxx

has anyone else published a travel book?

Philip

One thing to remember is to write your articles from your point of view, that's what makes it interesting. Use many descriptive adjectives and create a mood. Readers want to experience the trip as if they were walking right alongside you.<BR><BR>Make sure you know the magazine that you are sending your article too. You don't want to talk about expensive hotels in a budget travel article. (If you are submitting to the New York Times, you want to be as whiney and complaining as you possibly can. LOL, just kidding). <BR><BR>A good sourcebook is "Travel Writer's Handbook" by Louise Zobel.

Jackie

Kavey: Glad you liked the site! Here's another article by the person who wrote the article you enjoyed (also about Italy):<BR><BR>Cosa Pensavo (What I Was Thinking)<BR>http://www.thelongtriphome.com/articlestj8.html<BR><BR>I think it's interesting what Philip says about the adjectives and such. I don't really try to write anything as specific "travel writing." I tend to write with the same style I write other things, but I just focus on my travel experiences. I read a lot of travel related works, but most of them are novels, or creative non-fiction which would not be placed into a travel writing category.<BR><BR>Some books I'd recommend reading that have inspired my ideas of travel writing are:<BR><BR>A Moveable Feast--Ernest Hemmingway. This gives a great picture of what Paris was like during the 20s, but it isn't travel writing at all despite the subject matter. And Hemmingway is not big into adjectives at all either! <BR><BR>Disgrace by JM Coetzee: Also not travel writing, but it is about South Africa. This one is a novel. It really gives you the idea of place and what that means. Another great Africa one is Sheltering Sky: perhaps THE single book that defines what it means to be a traveler.<BR><BR>My Antonia by Willa Cather: This one really isn't about travel at all, but it's really very much about place, and it describes with such amazing ability what life was like on a farm in Nebraska. The narrator moves there as a child, so he has this great idea of what it means to see the place with wide open eyes. It's a great great story.<BR><BR>Okay enough. It'd be interesting to hear what other people have read that has inspired them as writers, specifically about travel.

xxx

Very nice. Thank you for the links.

xxx

Isn't it risky to post things on the net that you may want to get published in a book or magazine some day?

Marilyn

To the original poster: I don't know where you live or if you ever have a reason to be in the San Francisco area, but we have a bookstore here, Book Passage, that holds a travel writing workshop every August. This is an amazing event, with many top-level, published authors giving workshops. You can contact them by phone at 415.927.0960. I'm sure they have a brochure they can mail to you.

y

I would ask the same question as xxx: if you post or publish your writings online or anywhere else, make sure you understand who retains rights to the article. You could end up posting on a site and giving them ownership of your work.<BR><BR>y

me 2

A very serious risk, I believe.

tracy

I liked the book 'WRITING TRAVEL BOOKS AND ARTICLES' by Cropp, Braidwood and Boyce. Not only do they describe the writing process, they also counsel you regarding copyright and tax questions. The Resource guide includes all travel publications addresses. I hope to have my travel photographs published one day!

RANDI

One of the sad truths about writing is that many authors do not see themselves as business people. Somehow the idea that they must learn about the legal and business aspects of what they do seems to diminish the luster of their career. However, writers who accept this as just one of the many skills they need are generally those whose careers shine brightest. Worry less about how much you'll get paid and more about building a reputation and a list of published works. Best of luck.

PublishedWriter

Yes, I've sold a gazillion articles to magazines and newspapers, and now I sell them to websites (you gotta be really careful here as others have noted about copyright), and soon I'll sell my first book. What do you want to know? It's really simple. You have to know how to write for a readership. And you either have to have a good editor, whom you'll pay, or you have to write in flawless English. <BR><BR>Travel journals are actually a sought-after medium, but only from people who can write with great detail and who travel to places most people don't go to. <BR><BR>Good Luck! You can make a heck of a living out of recording your observations while futzing around on the road. I made more than $150,000 last year noting my travel happenings.<BR><BR>Just don't think your family vacation to Rehobeth Beach is going to be a big hit with the travel readership.<BR><BR>The best way to get started is to send your finished pieces to the Travel Editor of your local city newspaper. The paper will have a schedule of *places* it plans to feature, and maybe your piece will figure into that, or maybe they'll alter the schedule to fit in your piece, IF it's well-written and minus errors. Good Luck.

tracy

I find that the popular travel mags really want "whats happening/festival info" stories and photos. They seem to have plenty of submissions of regular travel stories. Something off the beaten path that interests their type of readers.