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Traveling, writing, and getting paid for it! If that sounds appealing to you, you may be interested in learning more about how to become a travel writer. While you will probably not be one of the few who is able to turn travel writing into a full time career, it may serve as a fun and profitable avocation.
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Introduction
- You can break into travel writing without traveling beyond your home town. Understand the realities of the business, select a few local points of interest, and use the tips below to create compelling stories that will be helpful to a reader.
Step 1: Understand the Realities of Travel Writing
- The odds are pretty good that you will not be published in National Geographic your first time out. Some writers do receive assignments that come with an expense budget, but most travel writers pay their own way, and submit pieces to several small regional publications before they are accepted. That said, if you are persistent, it is possible to cover or at least defray your travel costs by writing about your adventures.
Step 2: Begin Travel Writing Without Going Anywhere
- No matter where you live, some people would view your area as a travel destination. Begin by selecting a few spots of local interest, and writing about them. You can use a personal blog to publish your work, or you can submit the articles to your local paper. Your goal here is not to get paid, but to build up a portfolio that you can share when querying or applying for paying assignments in the future.
Step 3: Tips for Effective Travel Writing
- Keep your first efforts crisp and concise. As an unknown writer, you're more likely to break into the field with 250-500 word short pieces. Longer more lucrative assignments are given to writers that a publication has a relationship with.
- Don't bother querying; for these short articles, write your piece and submit it to a publication that its a good fit for.
- Follow trends, and create pieces that tie into current lifestyles. For example, in the spring of 2009, travel features about frugal destinations, cheap hotels, or vacationing close to home would be timely.
- Be as specific as possible in your piece. An article discussing a walking tour of a quirky Parisian neighborhood is more likely to sell than a general article on Paris.
- Include a sidebar with tips extracted from your text, and pictures if you have them.
