I'm thinking about trying the field of travel writing from the disabled point of view. I just started traveling recently as a less-mobile person and am thinking about sharing my experiences from the planning (which hasn't been easy) to my actual trip. Have any of you attended writer workshops, especially the one offered in Key West, FL? How difficult a field is this? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

ýou don't have to be a professional, Submit your articles to the Boston Globe Travel and other papers. Also Lara on Bonjourparis.com might have some ideas for you. It's a great and very needed idea.

A wonderful and praiseworthy endeavor. Just not really a way to make any money.

And the NYTimes travel section will take extended letters to the editor - which can occcasionally be turned into mini-articles.

Perhaps you want to reach out to Rick Steves - he has a travel organization, writes, provides trips, and offers travel training programs
http://www.ricksteves.com/

I've been doing travel writing on a freelance, part-time basis for the last five years and have been doing fairly well. Like other kinds of article writing, travel writing requires four components. All are important and without competence in all four, you may find it very difficult to be successful (or to be published at all).

The are: (1) The art of writing - having interesting viewpoints and being able to vibrantly express them in ways that will make others want to read what you have to say; (2) The craft of writing - being able to construct sentences and paragraphs that are gramatically correct, punctuated correctly, written for your target audience, and neatly presented. (3) Marketing - knowing where and how to market your work is as critical as writing well; and (4) Persistence - If you think you have something to say and can say it well, keep at it. Rejection is a fact of life and only a writer who handles that rejection and keeps plugging away has any hope of success.

Fortunately, there are a wide variety of sources from which you can gather information about writing and educate yourself in the areas you do not feel confident. First and easiest is your local library. There are hundreds of books available on all aspects of writing and most can be obtained from your library.

Second, most non-rural areas have a local community college that may have full courses or weekend seminars on various aspects of writing. Some universities also have creative writing programs , however, that may be a bit of overkill if you want only to write travel articles.

Third, Writer's Digest (www.writersdigest.com) publishes a monthly magazine specifically oriented to beginning and intermediate writers. They also publish a variety of books, magazines, and pamphlets on all aspects of writing. One that will answer some of the specific questions you posted is called "xxxx Writer's Market" (xxxx is the year for which it is published). These are often available from the library, however, be sure to locate the most current copy you can. The market changes on a daily basis.

Fourth, there are often local writer's groups you can join that will provide information, feedback, and encouragement.

Good luck with your writing project. I hope you are successful.

While I wouldn't suggest that you neglect general circulation publications, are there niche publications that cater especially to the disabled? To me, that might be a very promising market opportunity for what you have in mind. If I was beginning to research such an area, I think I would start with organizational publications and talk with advocacy group representatives to see what the possibilities are.

By starting with smaller circulation publications, you will have the opportunity to build your portfolio of publication credits more quickly. I think that it's easier to work through lower levels, rather than trying to hit home runs in the big-name publications when you are just starting out. Writers Digest books puts out an annual Writers Market directory that is very handy for researching publications.

Get writers guidelines from the publications you are interested in pursuing. Make sure you are familiar with their styles and formats. Also, make sure that you understand the photo end of the business in terms of specifications and quality. Being able to turn out a complete, high-quality package makes an editor's job easier and that makes sales.

Write first for your own satisfaction. It's not an easy way to make serious money, but there are some people who pay their dues and do okay.
I never made more than a few thousand a year and I sold articles from $15 to $700 each, depending on the publication. As for the low end, don't laugh! If you can establish some regular customers to take a regular column for $35 a pop that you're cranking out in an hour, it means receiving some consistent, base level writing income while you work for the occasional big title hit.

When I was selling articles, the greatest benefits included having the opportunity to cover the costs of many wonderful adventures and to make key contacts (because getting ink is where it's at.)

Freelance writing can be an interesting avocation and you certainly don't need any special credentials to get started. You build your own reputation as you progress in the field. You can decide for yourself what kind of training might be a good investment for you. I didn't attend any workshops, but I was a member of a national association when I was active. That was helpful in the area of keeping in touch with the industry and its key players.

I put freelancing on the back burner several years ago because I was literally turning my trips into work and I had a lot of other activities that began taking more time. Still, after several years of freelancing, I was able to reach the point where I had a decent list of editors as my customers and I was never writing anything that hadn't already been sold.

Good luck! You can do it!

I used to have a lot of interest in getting into travel writing. The closest I have come is having some of my photos published in a small town newspaper (which I still enjoyed!).

If it's a book or article, I think you are hitting something that not many people have thought about. I always peruse the bookstore and purchase a book on my destination before I go. I've never seen anything out there for disabled travelers. Good luck, it may really be something to explore!

Many thanks to all for the suggested resources, personal insight and encouragement! I spent a few hours poring the websites you suggested, reading articles and studying submission guidelines. Verrry helpful. Rick Steves' Special Needs and Interests page (accessed through Travel Links) has information for the disabled and for travel writers. Jackpot!

I've already requested a subscription to Writer's Digest and am anxiously awaiting my first issue.

I recently read a book on travel writing and photography by Ann and Carl Purcell and am currently reading a how-to book on getting published. What are your recommended readings?

Thanks again! I'll look forward to more responses.

Found this website by accident, designed for disabled and elderly

http://www.abletogo.com/

and thought of your post.

"What are your recommended readings?"


1. "How you can make $25,000 a year Writing" (written in 1980-there may be a later edition but the advice is valid today) by Nancy E. Hanson
2. "The Associated Press Stylebook" (for generally accepted conventions on writing most editors will expect you to observe)
3. "How to Write Irresistible Query Letters" by Lisa C. Cool (alternative "Query Letters/Cover Letters" by Gordon Burgett)
4. "Beginning Writer's Answer Book" edited by Kirk Polking

For travel writing specifically:

5. "Travel Writing-See the World, Sell the Story" by L. Peat O'Neil
6. "Fodor's Kodak Guide to Shooting Great Travel Pictures" (Many outlets will obtain their own art, however, you are more likely to be able to sell to more outlets if you can also provide publishable-quality photos)
7. "Travel Writer's Guide" by Gordon Burgett
8. Current year's "Writer's Market" by Writer's Digest

Many of these can be obtained from Writer's Digest or Amazon.com.

These just scratch the surface. I have over 50 titles in my home library on writing and photography for writers and there are hundreds of others also available.

Good luck in your writing career.

There's also an online version of Writer's Market. I subscribe to it for a few dollars a month. That includes regular e-mail updates as well as unlimited access to online resources. Doesn't take up any space on the bookshelf, and I don't have to recycle it when the new edition comes out.

Let me first caveat my statement by saying I write financial research so the process isn't exactly the same as someone who writes for the pleasure of the reader. My writing is intended to be read by someone with at least a basic understanding of the subject and being able to keep the reader interested is less important then keeping them informed. That said, the key to being a writer is to actually enjoy writing and have some aptitude for it.

Books can help you understand how to make points more concise, how to vary your style to keep it interesting, and how to get a point across. A book or a course can teach you the "technique" of writing. I'd suggest they can't teach you how to write and that some natural ability is required if it is to be your primary field of endeavor.

At the end of the day, you first need to understand if you like writing and can do it. 99% of the US population has the ability to write. Far fewer have the ability to knock-out 2,500 words on a single subject in a few hours without breaking a sweat.

At the end of the day, whether you are writing a travel piece, a work of fiction or a financial research piece, you need to enjoy writing to be good at it.

(BTW, just in case I've made glaring spelling errors or grammatical mistakes that leave me open to being mocked, my preferred method is to just write. I worry about spelling and grammar after I've conveyed my point. On Fodors, I don't even go back and check.)