Freelancefolder

How to Become a Freelance Travel Writer

Posted May 25, 2011 in How-To, Writing

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Freelance travel writing is as exciting a career as it is glamorous. If you love visiting new places and interacting with people from different cultures then this is a great career choice for you.

Of course, a flair for descriptive writing is an important prerequisite too. A combination of these two factors gives you the perfect temperament for successful travel writing.

But this is not all you need. There are some other skills for you to develop too if you want to taste success in this line of work.

Only when you have the right skill sets and knowledge can you commit yourself to a career of travel writing.

Skills You Will Need

There are several skills you will need both as writer and traveler to ensure your success in your career of travel writing. The first and most important one is the ability to write descriptively and make it interesting for the reader.

• The ability to paint a word picture. A travel writer should be able to create a ‘word picture’ about a destination through their article. To do this, it is necessary to keenly observe and analyze what you see during your travels. You should be descriptive yet factual so that the reader gets an accurate idea about the travel location. Your article should convey the essence of a place to the future traveler so that they know exactly what to expect when they get there. The purpose of your travel article may be to simply share your traveling experience or to encourage people to visit a specific location. In either case, your article influences the reader’s opinion about the destination. This is why it is very important to ensure that your article is informative, helpful and factual.
• The skill to make your article distinct and special. Intense competition is one of the biggest challenges faced by a travel writer. There are scores of travel writers posting articles from around the world. Someone else may have already written about your destination no matter how exotic or ‘off the beaten track’ it is. When you write about the same location, ensure that your content is not repetitive. Look for something special about the place that has been overlooked by others. Adding your insights or personal experiences is a good way to make your content original and unique. Use a direct and friendly approach to really connect with your reader. Then read, edit and review your article to ensure top-notch quality.
• The judgment to exploit available opportunities. As a travel writer, your article is the means to showcase your talents. Adopt a comprehensive view to expand your opportunities. Experiment with different styles keeping in mind the profile of your prospective audience. Different travel destinations draw different kinds of visitors. For instance, an article describing Disneyland needs to be targeted toward parents with children. But an article about a romantic French mountain retreat must have quite a different ‘flavor.’ Accordingly, you can vary your style to showcase your abilities to the maximum. Optimize this window of opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism, creativity, writing skill and command of the language.

Getting Published

For a beginner, travel writing is an uphill task that yields little reward. But once you have established yourself and gained a reputation for excellent copy, the situation is bound to change. To pave the way for success, it is important to develop a bond with the publishers and editors of different magazines even during the initial stages. You should demonstrate your ability to write according to their style guidelines and within deadlines. Once you have proven yourself in this way, you gain their trust. This forms the foundation of the lucrative writer–publisher relationship that will evolve in your future.

Understanding and conforming to the specifications of various publishers is also of great importance. This includes the length of the articles, tone and approach to be used. Ensure that every piece you submit meets all these criteria without fail.

The absence of a regular monthly paycheck for the freelance travel writer makes the financial aspect very significant. Be prepared to bear your own expenses while going on a ‘business’ trip as there is no employer to reimburse them. Most magazines/travel sites will pay you only after your article is published and only some will accept unsolicited articles.

Honing Your Skills

Travel writing courses are conducted by some educational institutions to hone your skills and prepare you for the market. Do your homework before signing up for any course because not all of them are as good as they claim. A general rule of the thumb is to disbelieve claims that seem too good to be true. Sign up for a course that a friend or fellow travel writer has undergone and that they recommend. Browse the internet for information about a course to know the general opinion about its quality before you enroll.

Your Turn

Are you already a freelance travel writer?

Share some of your tips and experiences in the comments.

Image by David Masters

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