I’ve struggled with the decision for a while, but it’s finally kicked in: I want to be a travel writer. Over the past several years, I’ve taken small steps towards that goal, and now things are starting to come together. But my dreams don’t revolve around traipsing across the planet while my editor/publisher covers every expense, or penning a best-selling Bryson-meets-Cahill-esque tome. Over the years, I’ve learned that those experiences are much too few and far between. The travel writing biz is too competitive and too saturated to count on those dreams coming true. At least for now, anyway. So why not just steer clear of such a volatile field and instead sell my body to science? Well, the answers finally came to me.
If you want to write a murder mystery, you’d darn well better include a murder. Your romance novel can’t involve two people who just want to be friends. You can’t be a sports writer without talking about sports, nor a food writer without writing about food. But travel writing can be about almost anything: food, sports, books, architecture, music, avocado-scented massage oil, clothing, animals — you name it. And the best part is that you don’t necessarily need to travel to write about these things. Writing about your hometown can count as travel writing. Who says a story about Gordon, Nebraska, can’t be just as appealing to a Bolivian or a Russian as a story about Bangkok or Brazil?
I’ve met several great people in travel writing circles. The Book Passage Travel Writers and Photographers Conference was the best experience I’ve ever had (I went two years in a row), and the faculty is always willing to give advice and answer questions. I’ve met several other travel writers via e-mail, websites, or at various speaking engagements, and all have been willing to let me pick their brains. I still maintain contact with many of these people, and I still go to them for support and feedback. Some sites, like Written Road, offer advice and info on writing opportunities and competitions. MatadorU has forums for students and alumni. Support is a mouse click away.
Although many print travel magazines have vanished, websites have picked up the slack and then some. Want to learn more about naked yak taunting? There’s probably a website for that. (Scary thought, eh?) And if there is, then there’s a need for someone to write about it. There’s always a topic that can be written about from a fresh perspective, and this includes topics that you and I love and know a fair deal about.
Here are 15 Paying Travel Magazines looking for material.
After writing on-and-off for several years, it recently hit me that I enjoy writing simply for the sake of writing. What I fell in love with was the art of manipulating my words in the best way to hook the reader. Do I always succeed? Doubtful, but even a (gasp!) mediocre piece lets me learn what not to do for the next time. Even if the process is long and agonizing, there’s always a payoff. (Well, for me, anyway. I can’t promise the reader is always as lucky.)
Grab your favorite travel magazine and open it up to any article. Recognize the author? Oh, you do? Well — try another article. Okay, recognize that author? Didn’t think so. That’s someone who’s in print and (most likely) getting paid. Maybe they’re not a big name yet. But it’s a start. I’ve been lucky to have a few small starts: getting published in a book, in a few magazines, and on a few websites. Even getting that far took a lot of time and effort. But the experience was addictive, and I’m hooked.
That is, travel and writing. ‘Nuff said.
Want to get into travel writing? Then check our travel writing resources or join the MatadorU Travel Writing Course.
Written by: Dave Prine
Posted on: Wednesday, September 10th, 2008
Posted in: Articles, Other
Responses: 10 so far
Good luck Dave. As you said, it’s hard graft but ultimately rewarding. We, and I’m sure many people here, wish you all the best.
September 11th, 2008 at 1:19 amI would guess that as a paid travel writer that most of your travel would be covered, or at least tax deductible, but let me warn you and your readers about booking with Expedia. They claim to have high customer satisfaction ratings, but let me tell you that’s not the case. Not only am I now aware of the upset and very unsatisfied customers they do have, but I’m unfortunately among their ranks…
September 11th, 2008 at 3:27 amWe booked a flight with them and bought the cancellation insurance in case I couldn’t go. Which of course is what happened. When we tried to cancel my ticket, we were informed that even though we had purchased the insurance, the tickets we had were the type you couldn’t cancel. At no point during our purchase had we been informed of this, and we were even allowed to pay for the insurance even though it was going to do us no good. They customer service reps and even their manager agreed that it was misrepresented, but they wouldn’t do anything for us. Now we’re stuck with a ticket that cost us over $500, which means I have to go – and on top of all this, they won’t refund the cost of the cancellation insurance that we can’t use.
After interviewing a number of guidebook authors for my website, I would never want to do the job they do. Maybe once just to do it and see my guide in the hands of millions but not as a career. low pay, rushed work…no way….
September 14th, 2008 at 7:55 amSounds like an idea, but from what I’ve heard, it sounds like an uphill climb. But you’ve convinced me that it might just be worth a try! What is the best way to get started?.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:12 amSounds ideal on the surface but I think you would relinquish a lot of what makes traveling fun – i.e doing your own thing, in order to get perceive things the way other people would.
September 21st, 2008 at 4:52 amHi Craig & Lindaâ€â€Many thanks for the support!
Brianneâ€â€Sorry for your experience. Thanks for postingâ€â€it’s a reminder that we all need to be cautious about the fine print (and lack thereof) when it comes to paying for travel.
Nomadic Mattâ€â€A lot of people share that sentiment, and I must admit I’m a little wary of the business. It sounds like a lot of work for little payback, including those reasons you mentioned. But it does let one travel for a living, so that’s a plus. And it is a writing credit (although most guidebook writers I hear from end up selling way less than a million copies). But there are also many other outlets for travel writing, so there are alternatives to the fast-paced guidebook gig.
Yankeeâ€â€Yeah, it’s not an easy gig: lots of competition and lots of time at the computer writing horrid draft after horrid draft (at least in my experience). But it’s fun and you meet a lot of nice people in the process. To get started, I’d suggest:
-Read a lot of travel writing, especially in the vein of what you’re hoping to write (narratives, magazine articles, guidebooks, whatever).
-Write a lot. Write, write, write!
-Read Lonely Planet’s Travel Writing (How to) book. This is one of the best books I’ve read on this topic, and it combines great advice, practical examples, and interviews with various travel writers.
-Check out various travel writing sites. The ones that got me started were
http://www.writtenroad.com,
http://www.vagablogging.net,
http://www.bootsnall.com and
http://www.worldhum.com
to name but a few. From there, you should get connected to other writers, publishers, editors, and events that will open doors and provide opportunities for you.
-Sign up for the Book Passage Travel Writers and Photographers Conference. Great time, incredible staff (including some big names) and an amazing opportunity. Check out http://www.bookpassage.com for more info.
(I hope these links come through ok.)
-Don’t drag your feet like I did. Get out there and write!
USA Travellerâ€â€I think you’re right. I think it’s hard to enjoy travel the same way when you’re paying too much attention to what you’re doing. On the other hand, as far as a job goes, I’d prefer that to the typical 9-5 routine. (But would I be able to take a vacation without treating it like work? Hmm…) [Say, isn’t your name a contradiction, since in the US, we spell “Traveler†with one “lâ€Â?]
September 24th, 2008 at 7:49 amDespite the fact that I probably won’t live a high strung ‘comfortable’ lifestyle like I grew up in, I still want to pursue this. I’m only seventeen and I know that I am meant to become a travel writer. I want to lead a fulfilling life without having to rely on materialistic belongings. I honestly believe that I can give up shopping and TV to just be able to live and explore a foreign country.
I know there will be ups and downs (maybe more downs than ups) in my quest to travel and write professionally, but on my deathbed, when I look back at my life, I will be happy.
February 3rd, 2009 at 5:52 amI’ve been writing and traveling off the revenue for some time, and am more than happy with this lifestyle. While I rarely get paid for actual travel-style writing, i do find money writing other things and genres easily, which keeps the road ahead of be changing.
September 14th, 2009 at 3:38 am